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Wright, Cooper prosper as Stargate keepers
Vancouver: At the Gemini Awards in 2001, Brad Wright experienced first hand the discrimination of Canada’s production sector caste system. Stargate SG-1 – a CAVCO-certified series he codeveloped since it debuted in 1997 and managed into one of the most successful sci-fi shows in syndication – was up against 10-out-of-10 Canadian-content dramas like Da Vinci’s Inquest in the best drama category. As the Stargate name was mentioned in the list of nominees, someone yelled out, ‘They don’t belong here!’
Arcand hailed by Cesar, eyeing Oscar
Denys Arcand and Denise Robert are racking up the frequent flyer miles, trotting off from one awards gala to the next.
People
* TVA Films has hired Joanne Senecal as VP of distribution. Senecal was previously director of marketing and distribution for Alliance Atlantis Vivafilm and GM of distribution for Behaviour Distribution. For the past four years, she has been associated with Montreal’s Film Tonic.
Alias looks to break free
Toronto-headquartered 3D graphics systems and services provider Alias recently announced that it is in talks with a private equity firm for the financing to allow it to continue separate from California parent Silicon Graphics.
TVO going private?
The Ontario Liberals and newly minted Premier Dalton McGuinty raised eyebrows last month when they quietly floated the idea of privatizing TVOntario – commenting in a pre-budget public document that the pubcaster has strayed somewhat from its original, purely educational mandate, and wondering aloud if a better use could be found for the $54 million put in every year by the province, which is carrying a $5.6-billion deficit.
Letters
Open letter to Ontario Minister of Culture Madeleine Meilleur
Correction
The Prime Time in Ottawa conference is organized by the CFTPA only, separate from the APFTQ. Incorrect information appeared in a story in the Feb. 16 issue.
Swing and a miss
That loud whooshing noise we all heard last month was CHUM Television missing an easy, underhand pitch in the ongoing baseball game of its public image.
Smith unleashes gritty look on Ginger Snaps II
These days, Toronto-based director of photography Gavin Smith finds himself in the company of the residents of Liberty Avenue on the Temple Street Productions/ Showcase series Queer as Folk. Not so long ago, he was hanging out with werewolves, lensing the Canadian cult horror flick sequel Ginger Snaps II: Unleashed, currently on Canuck screens via Seville Pictures. (Lions Gate has international rights.)
Gill wins ASC award
Montreal director of photography Pierre Gill was one of the big winners at the American Society of Cinematographers Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Feb. 8. Gill nabbed the lensing prize for telefilm on a network channel for the miniseries Hitler: The Rise of Evil, the Alliance Atlantis/CBS production that also aired domestically on Global affiliates.
Canuck houses busy with nets on both sides of border
At the fore-Front of Craig’s nets
Arcand brings cutter’s cool to Lea Pool
When Quebec director Lea Pool faced post-production on The Blue Butterfly, her biggest production to date, she turned to Michel Arcand, the editor on most of her previous features, to cut the piece.
Top TV editors piece their craft together
Top picture editors are more than great cutters. They’re storytellers with an artful eye who know how to bring characters to life on the screen. They work long hours behind the scenes with tight deadlines, but last year’s Gemini award-winning editors love every minute of it.
Avid Technology targeting all production levels
For years, Massachusetts-based Avid Technology’s post-production solutions have been the industry standard-bearer. The list of this year’s Academy Award nominees only reinforces Avid’s standing, showing widespread usage of its nonlinear film and video editing systems, as well as the Pro Tools audio production system of subsidiary Digidesign and the 3D animation and FX software from its Softimage division.
Sheridan student wins ACE Award
The American Cinema Editors organization gave out its annual Eddie Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 15, and a student from Sheridan College out of Oakville, ON was among the winners.
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