Headtrip and Sienna add Stickup to slate

Indie producer Headtrip Films is adding to its scripted slate with a bank heist movie Stickup Men in development at Sienna Films.

New Franchise inks deal for Jeffrey Archer slate

Toronto-based New Franchise Media, headed up by former TEDCO boss Jeffrey Steiner, has unveiled a film and TV slate deal with popular British novelist Jeffrey Archer.

Nelvana’s Babar goes to Playhouse Disney

Toronto, Canada-based Nelvana Enterprises’ CGI-animated series Babar and the Adventures of Badou is set to make its broadcast debut in the US on Disney Channel’s Playhouse Disney preschool programming block.

Teletoon bites its first feature

Spoofing the teen vampire craze, Teletoon is unleashing its inner bloodsucker with My Babysitter’s a Vampire, on Oct. 9.

TIFF 2010 in photos: Hall of Fame Gala Part II

The fourth annual Playback Canadian Film & Television Hall of Fame event was a star-studded affair, with the best of Canadian talent on the red carpet and at the podium.

Hulk Hogan holds Court

Kevin Gillis’ Skywriter Media & Entertainment Group is going to court with Hulk Hogan, with the celebrity wrestler to play a imposing, yet entertaining judge in a new kids game show/reality TV series, Hogan’s Court.

TIFF evolving into copro venue?

Indie film producer Christina Piovesan is learning the virtue of patience.

Ria Westaway joins Toon Box

Toon Box has appointed Ria Westaway as executive in charge of production, where she will spearhead the development slate for the company and oversee key hires, production budgets and scheduling of the company’s animated features and series.

Musee wins in France

The acclaimed Quebec historic mystery series Musee Eden has picked up a prize at France’s annual Festival de la Fiction TV in La Rochelle.

Portfolio and Hemmings do mixed martial arts

Portfolio Entertainment has teamed up with East Coast prodco Hemmings House Pictures to executive produce and distribute Cubicle to the Cage.

Parker to direct Ballad

Actor Molly Parker is to direct her first movie, The Ballad of Maura MacKenzie, for Markham Street Films and Rock Island Productions.

Canwest Twists new lifestyle channel

Replacing Discovery Health Channel Canada, the new channel will focus on ‘real life’ programming like Dad Camp and Little Miss Perfect.

TIFF 2010 in photos: The Hall of Fame Gala

The fourth annual Playback Canadian Film & Television Hall of Fame event was a star-studded affair, with the best of Canadian talent on the red carpet and at the podium.

Want crossplatform success: Respect the consumer

The relationships between filmmakers and game companies are evolving to create better overall entertainment experiences – or at least that was a major takeaway from the two-day Interactive Exchange 2010.

Natali developing Neuromancer adaptation

Filmmaker Vincenzo Natali (Cube, Splice) revealed at the Interactive Exchange on Tuesday that he’s in early development on a film adaptation of William Gibson’s 1984 sci-fi novel Neuromancer.