Even though Canadians don’t watch their own movies and TV shows, it seems the overseas audiences do, according to a new study from Statistics Canada. Revenue from sales of homemade productions to foreign markets set a new record in 2000/01, climbing 2.7% over the previous year to $177.5 million.

Film product recorded the biggest gain among all Canadian cultural export categories in 2002, an increase of 29% to $241.1 million, according to a Statistics Canada report released July 9. But, the report says exports in several specific categories of cultural goods experienced double-digit declines in ’02, most notably in prerecorded records and cassettes (-50%), videotapes (-41.%) and DVDs (-38.5%).

R. Charbonneau Inc. of Ottawa produced FranCoeur II, not Les Productions Avant Cine Video as reported in the July 7 news item, ‘EIP backs MOWs.’

Vancouver: CBC may be well in the lead, but Canada’s other broadcasters are still thinking about getting into the race to secure the broadcast rights for the 2010 Winter Olympics, won by Vancouver on July 2.

Telefilm Canada’s Western office is encouraging the industry to take a new look at its fully updated Canada-Asia Creative On-line Directory. The directory is a part of the agency’s Asia Pacific Initiative aimed at expanding business opportunities and international distribution for Canadian audiovisual products in the Pacific Rim.

Telefilm Canada has introduced an online industry consultation process and is seeking comments on two major policy considerations, the proposed Service Charter for Telefilm Canada’s Clients and Standard Recoupment Policy (for CTF – Equity Investment Program-funded projects). Telefilm says the posted policies are a direct response to client recommendations, and other major policy considerations will be posted shortly.

Rogers Communications surprised its competitors in the telephone arena late last month when it called on the CRTC to ban the bundling of local phone connections with long-distance, cell and Internet services.

* Robert Depatie is the new president and CEO of Videotron. He has been with Videotron since December 2001 as senior VP, sales, marketing and customer service. Depatie was also responsible for Canal Vox.

H. Paul Gill, president of emerging Toronto-based production company Zodiac Media has passed away at age 28. Founder of the company, Gill was described by Zodiac’s Denise Lambert as ‘a wonderful man, very dedicated to the TV industry and an inspiration to work with.’

After five weeks on the picket line, the office staff at ACTRA Toronto went back to work this month when union reps and management at the actor’s union inked a new contract on July 4.

The National Film Board has announced the creation of an advisory council intended to assist the board in its repositioning within different public and private industry sectors, and as signalled in its 2002-’05 strategic plan.

In June 2002, ACTRA launched what it called its ‘campaign for Canadian programming,’ a broad-based effort to take a leadership role in reviving Canadian drama.

After a career at the CBC, Barry Kiefl established Canadian Media Research. His study of international trends in TV was recently published by the CRTC.

Jim Erickson has found a new home at Breakthrough Films and Television and last week went into preproduction on Exchanging Vows, a reality wedding series for Toronto 1. The 12 hours will shoot in Toronto until late October and begin airing on the upstart station in early September.
The biggest challenge, says the former Alliance Atlantis exec, is finding 24 couples willing to participate.

Montreal: Michel Cote and Jean Lapointe star in the Erik Canuel psychological suspense Le Dernier Tunnel (working title), which completed 30 days of principal photography (with two additional days for re-shoots) earlier this month. Cote plays real-life bank-heist mastermind (and ex-con and author) Marcel Talon. Cast also includes Chris Heyerdahl, Nicolas Canuel, Sebastien Huberdeau, Marie-France Marcotte and Celine Bonnier in the role of a probation officer.