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The Establishing Shot: The CRTC’s trick and treat
Autumn is a time of stunningly hued foliage, hockey’s return and the kiddies dressing up as Spider-Man and little princesses. It’s also when the private networks launch their new programming lineups out into the fickle, unpredictable world of TV viewers, unveiling new series and new seasons of old favorites – both original and acquired, but mostly acquired.
Fall TV Report Card: Vowel channels in tight race
While CTV continues to have the upper hand over Global in the battle of the private networks, this fall’s data reveals the fight for eyeballs on their secondary over-the-air channels – CTVglobemedia’s A and Canwest’s E! – is much closer to call.
Fall TV Report Card: Slow start for Rogers’ Citytv
Citytv is in the midst of its first full fall season under Rogers ownership, and the schedule has seen a major overhaul. Media buyers say the new programming direction at Citytv makes sense, but ratings have declined.
The Big Screen: Telefilm looks for a clean slate
Within two weeks of its release, Passchendaele passed the $2-million mark at the domestic box office. The flashing smiles at Telefilm Canada can be seen for miles. Meanwhile, Whizbang Films, the shingle of Paul Gross, the man behind that film, is the latest Canadian production company to be approved for Telefilm’s CFFF Slate Development Pilot Program.
Broadcasters mixed on CRTC rulings
Conventional broadcasters are surprisingly conciliatory to the CRTC’s new road map for Canadian TV, which denies them fee-for-carriage cash from content carriers.
Industry bullish on Moore for Heritage
The appointment of media-savvy, bilingual and former Alliance MP James Moore, 32, as the minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages may signal the Conservatives are ready to take culture seriously, say key players in the film and television sector.
Changes in your Playback
This issue, featuring our annual Fall TV Report Card for the private conventional broadcasters, sees Etan Vlessing taking over as Playback’s TV columnist. To regular readers of Playback, Etan needs no introduction. Our intrepid contributor has for the past year written about the travails of the feature film industry in our Big Screen column.
Sold!
• CCI Releasing has picked up the international rights to the tween comedy Alice Upside Down. The series – featuring Alyson Stoner (Cheaper by the Dozen), Lucas Grabeel (High School Musical), Luke Perry and Penny Marshall – is the third recent pickup by the Toronto shop following the family comedy feature A Plumm Summer and Gemini-nominated MOW Sticks and Stones. It is handled in the U.S. by Starz Entertainment.
People
• Hot Docs has named Elizabeth Radshaw as director of its Toronto Documentary Forum. Radshaw comes to the festival’s market event from U.K.-based distributor TVF International Television, where she was head of acquisitions. She replaces TDF founder Michaelle McLean, who stepped down in June after nine years.
Talent
Pocket Change Films has cast Gemini winner Kristin Booth (Producing Parker, MVP) in its new feature At Home by Myself…With You, now shooting in Toronto. Booth plays a paranoid single woman who hasn’t left her apartment in six years, whose life is interrupted by her hot new neighbor, played by Aaron Abrams of Slings and Arrows. The film marks the feature debut of the similarly named but unrelated director Kris Booth.
Patrick Spence-Thomas — 1933-2008: Legendary sound man opened shop more than 40 years ago
Legendary sound engineer Patrick Spence-Thomas died of natural causes in Toronto on Oct. 12 at the age of 75.
The Burning Question
Last time we checked, it costs about $1,000 to send someone to France – $2,000 if they plan to come back, and closer to $4,000 if they want leg room. A big and perhaps unwelcome expense when stacked up against the recent turmoil in the market. So we can’t help but ask:
Correction
The Alberta government provided $5.5 million in funding to the feature Passchendaele. The film did not draw any additional money from the Alberta Film Development Program. Incorrect information appeared in the Oct. 13 issue.
Muse turns to New Mexico
MONTREAL — Muse Entertainment has a full autumn production slate, including a low-budget horror copro with Romania, the second season of the award-winning drama Durham County and the company’s first pilot for a U.S. network.
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