IT is with great sadness that On The Spot reports the mysterious abduction of well-loved and hard-hated commercial columnist Rick Ricketts. Ricketts disappeared at the Bessie Awards in Toronto and has not been seen since….

When you read Mordecai Richler’s filmography on the Internet Movie Database, the unintended irony kicks the wind out of you like a lacrosse ball drilled to the shoulder blades. …

Montreal: A bon vivant with a preference for a cigarillo and scotch, Canadian literary giant and acerbic social wit, Mordecai Richler, died in Montreal on the morning of July 3 from complications from cancer. He was 70….

Top cultural execs wanted…

In the June 25 issue of Playback, Artizan Productions was incorrectly titled. Also, the company’s feature doc Tribute chronicles the subculture of the tribute band trade, not cover bands….

The Shack we know in the Canadian commercial production industry isn’t an NBA star. That being said, Shack, aka Generator Films director Steve Shackleton, did have the opportunity to go one-on-one with Toronto Raptor Morris Peterson during a three-day ad shoot…

Some say editing is like writing poetry. For Panic & Bob editor Tanis Darling, this edict took a literal turn with a corporate video job for The Griffin Trust. …

In this changing market, Canadian directors are having to branch out. Jet Films helmer Guillaume de Fontenay recently completed a 35-minute corporate video for Bombardier snowmobiles called ‘Ultimate Ride 2001.’…

The 2001 Saatchi & Saatchi/On the Spot First Cut Award will be held Thursday, Aug. 2 at 6 p.m. at the Capitol Event Theatre, 2492 Yonge St. in Toronto. The event will recognize the best of Canada’s young directorial commercial talent,…

* Johanne St-Arnauld has been named Telefilm Canada’s interim executive director. St-Arnauld replaces Francois Macerola, whose mandate ended July 3….

Who’s gone where? From where? And when? As the Revolving Doors spin, we put the spotlight on spot-makers on-the-move……

Vancouver: The recalibration of Vancouver’s television landscape has begun with CTV’s rebranding of its local station.
On Sept. 1, four-year-old VTV will become CTV British Columbia and the West Coast’s CTV affiliate. The signal will also feature the full CTV programming lineup.
Key to CTV BC will be its shift to an older demographic. Since going live, VTV has tried to appeal to an 18-49 demographic and used its youthful news team, entertainment-focused local programming and splashy, high-tech newsroom to pull in those viewers.