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Packaging indie features increasingly challenging
The economic downturn is being felt in the B.C. indigenous production industry, although domestic producers remain optimistic, using this slowdown to beef up development slates and strengthen U.S. and international relationships.
B.C. service kickin’ ass
In the service shoot-out between Canada and the U.S., British Columbia is winning big this year.
Stargate shines with 17 Leo noms
The Stargate Atlantis sci-fi series, which completed its five-year run in January, received 17 nominations for the B.C. film and TV industry’s 11th annual Leo Awards. In addition, the franchise’s DVD movie Stargate: Continuum boasts 11 nominations and Stargate creators/coproducers Robert C.Cooper and Brad Wright are being honored with outstanding achievement awards at the May 9 gala (craft awards are being handed out on May 8).
Bronfman new boss at Filmport
The City of Toronto has approved a proposal to install and help bankroll new ownership at Filmport. City councilors voted 31-7 in favor of allowing Britain’s Pinewood Studios Group to take control of Filmport as part of a five-year management deal. Once the final transaction is completed, Filmport will be renamed Pinewood Toronto Studios. Also in the works is new investment from the City of Toronto, Toronto real estate developer Alfredo Romano of Castlepoint Developments and pension fund investor ROI Capital, as they look to buy out studio founder and 80% stakeholder Sam Reisman of The Rose Corporation.
Knight takes Ellis
Knightscove Media is moving to buy Ellis Entertainment, looking to add the latter’s library of family and wildlife titles to that of its expanding DVD division. The purchase, which is subject to regulatory and court approval, will see one of the last and oldest family-run production houses in Canada go to new owners.
iTunes to carry Teletoon shows
Robert Lantos has boosted his stake in Entertainment One as part of a buyout offer to existing shareholders. As British equity investor Marwyn Neptune Fund raised its own stake in the Canadian producer and distributor from 27.7% to 44.4%, Lantos, a non-executive director of E1, picked up 1.12 million shares, or a 0.9% stake, adding to the 2.56 million shares he already owned. Also as part of the partial cash offer to existing E1 shareholders completed on March 27, Darren Throop, CEO of E1, acquired another 1.5 million shares to take his holding to 3.2%, or 4.2 million shares.
CTV on ratings roll
Canadians flocked to the Corner Gas finale, with 2.9 million viewers tuning in to CTV for the last episode of the beloved comedy. It was a new record for the show, which bested CSI: Miami and Global’s House as the most-watched show of the night. CTV, which heavily promoted the final episode, says the numbers are the highest on record for a Canadian scripted series since it began keeping track in 1994. (All numbers 2+.)
Cineplex to buy Onsite
Cineplex is moving to buy big-screen advertiser Onsite Media Network, looking to add the Alberta-based company to the ad muscle of its Cineplex Media division. The $1.7-million deal would see the cinema chain buy up all issued and outstanding shares of Onsite, which runs ads on screens in office towers and sports centers across Canada. The deal is subject to court, shareholder and regulatory approval. Onsite locations include General Motors Place in Vancouver, the Calgary Saddledome and Toronto’s underground PATH system.
Red goes deep
The Red is now able to go where no Red has gone before – deep underwater. Thanks to a new custom marine housing from Aquavideo, the Red One can now dive to 250 feet without surface-fed cable.
Astral grows for 50th quarter in a row
Revenue and earnings were up at Astral Media last quarter, though the media conglom’s books were dampened by the aftereffects of buying Standard Radio. Consolidated revenues for the quarter reached $209.3 million for the three months ending Feb. 28, up 2% from the same period last year. ‘While some of our media platforms or geographic operations faced increased volatility, other segments of the company performed very strongly, thus allowing us to record a 50th consecutive quarter of growth,’ said Astral president and CEO Ian Greenberg in the report.
Women pay off for Corus
Corus Entertainment saw net income dip last quarter but reported generally positive numbers, despite the economy and ad market. Net income at the TV and radio conglomerate fell to $29 million for the period ending Feb. 28, 2009, down from $35.4 million for the same period last year.
Sundance bows in France
Robert Redford’s baby is all grown up and gone continental. The Sundance Channel will make its first international appearance after Rainbow Media Holdings struck a carriage deal with French cable operator Numericable. Look for this to be only the first step in the global rollout.
Product placement made easy
A web startup is moving product placement deals from behind closed doors to the faster, simpler and more transparent digital sphere. Pegged as the ‘eBay for product placement,’ Filmmortal provides a marketplace for movie and TV show projects shopping for alternative funding.
Net gaining on TV in Europe
Microsoft offered surprising insights in an April report entitled Europe Logs On: European Internet trends of today and tomorrow. Most surprising perhaps is a prediction that, based on current growth levels, Internet consumption will outstrip traditional TV in June 2010 – averaging 14.2 hours per week against 11.5 hours for TV.
CBC needs help too, Lacroix tells MPs
The pubcaster’s president and CEO urged the government on Monday to include CBC in any efforts to help ailing over-the-air networks, while repeating calls…
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