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Hollywood North near treaty with Bollywood
The final details for establishing an official coproduction treaty between Canada and India, the world’s largest producer of film and television, are being ironed out, with the official treaty expected in the next six months.
Conan chats up Toronto
There has been much media ado over Conan O’Brien’s impending visit to Hogtown.
StatsCan reports federal funding up 9.1% in ’01/02
Federal financial assistance to the film and video industry grew 9.1% to $234.8 million in fiscal year 2001/02, according to a new StatsCan report on cultural spending published Jan. 7.
Majors bring buzz back to NATPE
Folks came back from NATPE noticeably happier and with more signed contracts than in recent years, following three days in Las Vegas that by all accounts saw the troubled TV confab regain some of its former glitz. Buyers, sellers and organizers are fairly upbeat about the January conference – reporting that business was brisk on the floor thanks in part to the return of industry heavies such as CBS, Sony and MGM.
Seduction leads Jutra pack with 13 nominations
Denys Arcand’s Les Invasions barbares may have the Oscar clout, but Jean-Francois Pouliot’s La Grande seduction leads the pack in the recently announced Prix Jutra nominations, the film awards in the movies’ home province of Quebec.
People
* Charles Bird is Bell Globemedia’s new vice-president of government affairs, overseeing public relations efforts regarding federal policy. Bird was policy adviser to MP Ralph Goodale from 1993 to 2000 and was recently a senior consultant at Earnscliffe Strategy Group.
Playback Readership Poll Results
Playback readers for the most part don’t see eye to eye with Alliance Atlantis Communications’ prognostication on the future health of drama. In an online poll that asked readers if they agree with AAC that the current downturn in drama is permanent – the main reason AAC cited in its recent retreat from domestic production – 81% voted no, 19% voted yes.
Broadcasters must support drama
Stephen Waddell is executive director of ACTRA.
Letter
YOUR article ‘CTV preps Idol 2’ (Jan. 5, p. 2) states CTV is ‘seeking ‘through the roof’ prices’ for the second season of Canadian Idol. Your reporter supports this claim by writing: ‘The cost of Idol’s ‘big winner’ package, for example, has reportedly jumped some 50% since season one.’
Television Policy’s time is up
This summer marks the fifth anniversary of the official release of the CRTC’s 1999 Television Policy document. The policy came into effect Sept. 1, 2000.
Correction
The series Exploring Horizons is produced by Arctic Jungle Productions and distributed by re:think entertainment. Paula Hutchinson is a partner at re:think, not a producer at Arctic as indicated in the Jan. 5 Ontario Scene.
Canada’s War in living color
Long before the ubiquitous camcorder, home movies were captured on motion picture film. And now the documentary special Canada’s War: The Lost Colour Archives, covering the World War II era, will surely surprise viewers by showing not only how popular home movies were 60 years ago, but how many of those movies are in glorious color.
The HD Race to Mars
Discovery Channel Canada is embarking on its most ambitious project to date with Race to Mars, which will present all the excitement of a manned voyage to the Red Planet in high-definition. The $12-million endeavor, with about one-third of the budget coming from Discovery, encompasses three parts: a four-hour docudrama, a six-hour reality series and a six-hour doc series.
What’s shooting on which formats
UNQUESTIONABLY, Kodak 35mm stock still rules as the premier format of choice on prestigious motion pictures. The list of 2004 Academy Award-nominated films shot on Kodak includes Cold Mountain, House of Sand and Fog, The Last Samurai and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Recent Canadian productions originated on Kodak include the Lyla Films comedy Camping Sauvage and Being Julia, coproduced by Serendipity Point Films.
Large-format Bugs! at Shaftesbury’s SK Films
While many production companies and post houses working in traditional film and TV struggle to find ways to turn a profit, others are finding success in the large-format realm.
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