BC's "Stargate" Wins Big In Toronto

Brad Wright, co-creator of the BC-shot "Stargate SG-1" TV series won the 'showrunner' prize at the Writer's Guild of Canada, Canadian Screenwriting Awards, Monday night in Toronto.

Winner for "outstanding creative vision", Wright is currently scripting/producing two "Stargate" movies for MGM and developing another "Stargate" spin-off series to join "Stargate: Atlantis".

Sarah Polley also won for her adapted screenplay of "Away from Her", set for a May 4 release through Mongrel Media.

Awards for comedy and variety went to writers Brent Butt and Kevin White for the "Outside Joke" episode of CTV comedy series "Corner Gas".
Barry Stevens won best doc writing for "The Bomber's Dream".

John W. Doyle and Lisa Porter won for the WWII mini-series "Above and Beyond".

Ryan Redford won the Jim Burt Screenwriting Prize for "Bone".

The awards were hosted by funnyman Gavin Crawford of "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" and the "Gavin Crawford" show.

"Smallville" and "Supernatural" Finales

Goyer Attracted to "Magneto" Spin-Off

David Goyer will direct "Magneto", the "X-Men" spinoff in development from 20th Century Fox and Marvel Studios that focuses on the Marvel Comics villain played in the original trilogy by actor Sir Ian "The Keep" McKellen.

After the first three "X-Men" films grossed more than $1 billion worldwide, Fox and Marvel began to develop spin-off features including "Wolverine", a David Benioff-scripted film that will star actor Hugh Jackman as the Canadian, steel-clawed mutant.

Goyer will develop a "Magneto" script, previously written by Sheldon Turner.

CAEAA Reveals Vision for 2007 ELANS

"The look, feel and entertainment value of the 2007 Elans will rival other world class event shows, including productions like the Grammys, AMAs, and the Oscars," said Holly Carinci, Founder and Producer of the CAEAA Elans, a three-shows-in-one awards ceremony recognizing outstanding achievement in Video Gaming, Animation and New Media /Digital Arts Students.

As the Video Game industry jockeys for position as number one over the Movie Industry in entertainment, the CAEAA producers decided in 2006 that it was time for the Digital Entertainment Industry to finally have a stage to take its bow.

The inaugural show, hosted by William Shatner on September 14, 2006, was a huge success with major industry support from top luminaries in all three sectors. Now, six months prior to their second staging of the Elans, the Producers are unveiling a sneak peek into what the public, the media and the three awarded industries can expect from the 2007 Elans.

Mark Wyatt, Production Coordinator for the CAEAA said "Moving the show to a new, larger venue presents some innovative and exciting staging opportunities. The theatrical stage in the Centre for Performing Arts will enable us to change scenery, incorporate moving set pieces, and add a new dimension to the staging and set design. Last year’s event featured a static, visually appealing set that was well lit and looked great. It served its purpose for a first year show. This year, with the new theatrical venue, we are adding a whole new dynamic to the event. We are much more able creatively to design a set with a huge WOW factor."

The set itself will be animated, featuring moving set pieces, scene changes, theatrical scrims, breakaway screens, interactive animated elements, featuring state-of-the-art technology such as motion capture and possibly even holograms.

Last year’s show incorporated a basic three camera shoot, providing a maximum of 3 camera angles for live broadcast onto the screens. This year’s event will be advanced from a production technological standpoint: Six to 10 different cameras, including an overhead jib, will provide a multitude of visual possibilities, creating a superior presentation of television broadcast quality. Video effects such as multiple pictures-within-picture capabilities will enable the CAEAA to broadcast all of the Elan nominees in a specific category live on screen as they are announced.

"Our video crew will include some of the best technicians and directors in the country, providing us with the knowledge and expertise to produce a world-class production," said Wyatt.

The 2006 Elans utilized a very competent in-house lighting system that provided multiple looks and greatly enhanced the event. This year, theatrical lighting will be a key element in the look of the Elans. Moving fixtures, color blasts, and special effects will visually enhance the animated set. A combination of live and video imagery and special effects will keep the audience on the edge of their seats. The 2007 Elans will be lighting for broadcast as well as a live event, and the end result will be breathtaking.

Celebrity Host and Presenters will bring huge appeal to the viewing audience. Having the envious luxury of working with the most sought-after demographics in broadcasting will make certain that the 2007 Elans Host and Presenters are the perfect fit for both the Heads of Households and the Teenagers that make up their top two demographics. For Hard-core Gamers and Industry Luminary audience, the 2007 Elans will be bringing long-overdue public celebrity to some of the most famous names in Video Gaming and Animation.

"Live entertainment will be incorporated with stellar graphics, animation and special effects," said Wyatt.

"The beauty of this show, in comparison with any other awards show broadcast, is the incredible technology that goes into each nominated piece. Whether it’s a gaming nomination or animation, or work done by the student nominees, as each nominee is announced and the clip is shown, the audience is literally blown away by the amazing work of the top animators and gamers in the world. Each segment grabs the attention of the crowd. This factor alone accomplishes what so many other awards shows strive for. There is never a dull moment at the Elans. The entertainment value in the nominees alone makes the Elans an awards show that is unrivalled in terms of audience appeal."

"The inaugural Elans was produced on a shoestring budget, but was nonetheless a great first year event that was entertaining and thrilled all of the participants and the audience," said Carinci.

"The production of the 2007 event will build on that excitement, and the production will take the show to a new level of entertainment that is unsurpassed on any awards show stage."

Fishburne Gives Voice to "The Silver Surfer"

Actor Laurence "The Matrix" Fishburne will voice the role of the 'Silver Surfer' for the upcoming Vancouver-shot comic book-to-film sequel "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer".

The 20th Century-Fox feature opens June 15.

The new film re-teams director Tim Story with actors Ioan Gruffudd as 'Reed Richards', Jessica Alba as 'Susan Storm', Chris Evans as 'Johnny Storm' and Michael Chiklis as 'Ben Grimm'.

"Smallville" Star Takes Off As "Flash Gordon"

Actor Eric "Whitney Fordman" Johnson of "Smallville" fame has been cast as 'Flash Gordon', in Sci Fi Channel's upcoming, Vancouver-shot TV series "Flash Gordon".

The 22-episodes, described as a 'contemporary take' on King Features 1934 comic strip character, will debut on Sci Fi in August.

Peter Hume wrote the first two episodes, to be helmed by "Smallville" director Rick Rosenthal.

Production begins May 1.

Producers are Reunion Pictures under an agreement with King Features Syndicate, with RHI Entertainment distributing the series internationally.

RHI's Robert Halmi Sr. and Robert Halmi Jr., who recently produced Sci Fi's "Legend of Earthsea" are executive producing.

Matthew O'Connor and Tom Rowe will serve as producers.

Friday The 13th for "The Bionic Woman"

Sneak Peek's Michael Stevens reporting from Vancouver's 'Gastown' district ...

The GEP Productions TV pilot of Sci Fi Channel's re-imagining of "The Bionic Woman", executive produced by David "Battlestar Galactica" Eick, will be filming Friday April 13, 2007, 12:00 to 6:00 PM, shooting the completion of a scene on the rooftops of the "Winters Hotel" at 203 Abbott Street and "The Lamplighter Inn" at 210 Abbott Street.

The scene involves a stunt actress trying to jump from one rooftop to another.

The crew will be filming the "take-off" and "landing" portions of the jump, with the remainder to be done with computer animation in post-production.

Production further explained that although the stunt actress 'lands' on top of the Lamplighter Inn, she slips and hangs off the roof momentarily before pulling herself up.

Landis Goes "Psych" In Coquitlam

In a 'Call for a Promoted Audience', a key concert scene will be filmed for the Vancouver-shot TV series "Psych" at the Red Robinson Show Theatre, Boulevard Casino in Coquitlam, Tuesday, April 24, at 4:00 PM.

The promoters are saying :

"SEE DIRECTOR JOHN LANDIS" "...director of such blockbuster hits as "National Lampoon's Animal House", "Trading Places", "American Werewolf In London", "Blues Brothers" and "Three Amigos"...also see James Roday, star of "Psych", Dule Hill from "West Wing" and co-star of "Psych" ... a surprise special guest star...thousands of $$$ in Cash and Prizes to be won!

For more info call: (604) 303-1042

Dodge Gears Up For the "Fantasticar"

The Vancouver-shot, Twentieth Century Fox sequel “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer,” releasing June 15, will showcase the 'Fantasticar'.

In the film, the vehicle is capable of speeds up to 550 mph, reaching an altitude of 30,000 feet.
Able to separate into three sections, each part has deployable wings and can maintain the same speed and performance as the entire craft.

Designed by Tim Flattery, a Michigan native and 1987 graduate of the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit, the movie 'Fantasticar' was inspired by the shape of a manta ray, with a Dodge 'Ram' logo appearing on both the exterior and interior of the vehicle.

Rise 'N Shine

Click on the image to enlarge...

Click here for more "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer"

New Deal For BC Master Production Agreement

After a year of negotiations, the Union of British Columbia Performers (UBCP), the Canadian Affiliates of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and the B.C. Producers’ Branch of the Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA) have announced that they have reached a tentative agreement on the terms of settlement regarding a renewed British Columbia Master Production Agreement (BCMPA) set to expire on March 31, 2009.

Rob Morton, Chair of the UBCP Negotiating Committee, stated that "It has been a long journey for performers in B.C. We entered into this process with the intention of reaching a fair agreement for all our members and the industry in B.C. and I believe that we achieved that goal. Our committee and constituency caucus worked tirelessly to represent the interests of our membership and this deal will demonstrate the results of that hard work."

Negotiations were facilitated by Vincent L. Ready, the B.C. Ministry of Labour appointed mediator, whose recommendations served to keep the parties focused on a joint agreement.

"We are proud to say that we have firmly pursued the best interests of our members, performers across the country and performers throughout North America, while maintaining industry stability in B.C." said Howard Storey, UBCP’s President. "It was extraordinary to have the unwavering support of our membership throughout this process for over 365 days of bargaining. No Union could ask for more from its members."

Mercedes Watson, Chief Negotiator and Chief Executive Officer of UBCP commented that "The industry in B.C has experienced incredible growth over the past decade and it continues to mature. British Columbia has established itself as one of the most important production centres in North America. The high quality talent pool in this province has assisted in creating some of the most successful programs on both TV and in the cinema. The agreement reached between the UBCP, AMPTP, and CFTPA is respectful of that maturity and illustrates a commitment by both parties to the future growth of the industry."

The Union’s Executive Board and Negotiating Committee will be recommending acceptance of these terms of settlement to the full UBCP membership. The terms of settlement for the new BCMPA are subject to ratification by the eligible voting members of the UBCP. The Union expects to conclude a referendum within the next month.

UBCP (The Union of British Columbia Performers) is an independent branch of ACTRA, a national organization of professional performers working in the English-language recorded media in Canada. UBCP represents the interests of over 5,100 members (including yours truly) in British Columbia and the Yukon.

BC Film Production Update

Although the spring/summer BC film production slate hasn't officially started yet, there's still a great deal of activity in Hollywood North including MOW's and TV series shooting in Vancouver, North Van, Burnaby, Maple Ridge, Surrey and Langley, including:

"Bionic Woman"
3/19/2007 - 4/24/2007

"Blood: A Butcher's Tale"
3/9/2007 - 3/28/2007

"Confessions of An Innocent Man: The Will Sampson Story"
3/30/2007 - 4/5/2007

"Elegy"
4/24/2007 - 6/13/2007

"Elijah"
4/9/2007 - 4/13/2007

"Eureka"
Season 2
3/19/2007 - 8/31/2007

"Flash Gordon"
3/26/2007 - 10/18/2007

"Juno"
2/14/2007 - 3/27/2007

"Kyle XY"
Season 2
2/12/2007 - 6/20/2007

"Men In Trees"
7/17/2006 - 4/3/2007

"Normal"
3/26/2007 - 4/20/2007

"Painkiller Jane"
11/18/2006 - 7/13/2007

"Psych"
Season II
4/11/2007 - 10/3/2007

"Reaper"
3/14/2007 - 3/28/2007

"Smallville"
Season 6
7/10/2006 - 4/11/2007

"Snow Buddies"
2/19/2007 - 3/30/2007

"Stargate Atlantis"
Season IV
3/1/2007 - 10/5/2007

"Stargate SG-1: The Ark Of Truth"
4/17/2007 - 5/8/2007

"Stargate SG-1: Continuum"
5/22/2007 - 6/12/2007

"Supernatural"
Season Two
7/11/2006 - 4/4/2007

"The 4400"
Season Four
2/26/2007 - 7/24/2007

"They Wait"
3/12/2007 - 4/9/2007

"Tin Man"
3/28/2007 - 6/26/2007

"Whistler"
Season Two
1/8/2007 - 5/25/2007

"Zixx Level Three"
2/19/2007 - 3/29/2007

A Wonderful Cast For "Tin Man" Mini

Actors Neal "Flags of Our Fathers" McDonough, Kathleen "Hollywoodland" Robertson and Raoul "Apocalypto" Trujillo have been added to the cast of SCI FI Channel's upcoming miniseries "Tin Man", a 'reimagining', based on author L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" series of novels, joining the Broadway musical "Wicked" as yet another major spin-off based on the author's public domain works.

Slated to start filming this month in Burnaby, complete with flying monkeys, the cast join will join Zooey Deschanel, Alan 'Nightcrawler' Cumming and Richard Dreyfuss.

Described as a "sometimes psychedelic, often twisted and always outrageous take on the book", "Tin Man" is the story of 'Dorothy Gale', aka 'DG' (Deschanel), a young woman plucked from her humdrum life and thrust into the 'Outer Zone', aka the 'OZ' realm of wonder and black magic.

"Tin Man" is executive produced by Robert Halmi Sr. and Robert Halmi Jr.

Co-writers Steven Long Mitchell and Craig Van Sickle also serve as executive producers.

Nick "Jason and the Argonauts" Willing directs.

Silver Ties Up Smulders As "Wonder Woman"?

Vancouver-born actress Cobie Smulders has been reported as the front-runner to play 'Diana Prince' for producer Joel "Lethal Weapon" Silver's long-gestating "Wonder Woman" feature for Warner Bros Pictures.

Smulders currently stars in the TV series "How I Met Your Mother", playing 'Robin Scherbatsky'. She also appeared as 'Leigh Ostin' in the Vancouver-filmed "The L Word", in "Andromeda" as 'Rhade's Wife' and in the Warners/CW series "Smallville" as 'Shannon Vell'.

Notwithstanding Smulders' physical attributes/acting talents, the Cancon beauty could make it easier for the film to get government tax breaks, should the big budget feature lense in Canada.

Stay tuned ...

Click here for more "Wonder Woman"

ABC Picks Up "Men In Trees"

The ABC Television Network has announced that the BC-lensed "Men In Trees" TV series will be picked up for their 2007-08 broadcast season.

The show looks at men and women through the eyes of relationship coach 'Marin Frist', who resolves to stay in Elmo, Alaska, where the ratio of men to women is ten to one.

In its Thursday 10 o'clock time period "Men in Trees" ranks second to NBC's "ER", but beats out CBS' James Woods-starrer "Shark" among Adults 18-34.

On its most recent airing (2/15/07), "Men in Trees" achieved high ratings among Adults 18-49.

The series stars actress Anne Heche as Frist, Abraham Benrubi as 'Ben Thomasson', Emily Bergl as 'Annie O'Donnell', Seana Kofoed as 'Jane', Suleka Mathew as 'Sara', Derek Richardson as 'Patrick Bachelor', Cynthia Stevenson as 'Celia Bachelor', Sarah Strange as 'Theresa', Lauren Tom as 'Mai Washington', James Tupper as 'Jack Slattery' and John Amos as 'Buzz Washington'.

Created by Jenny Bicks, "Men In Trees" is from Tree Line Films, Perkins Street Productions and NS Pictures, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television.

"Fantastic 4" + 1

Click here for more "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer"

"Stargate" Movies Update

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) is teaming up with the U.S. Navy to capture a series of scenes for the studio's upcoming "Stargate SG-1" direct-to-video movie, "Stargate: Continuum."

Cast members, including Ben Browder (' Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell') and Amanda Tapping ('Lt. Col. Samantha Carter') will travel to the sub-zero climate of the Arctic to shoot at the Navy's Applied Physics Laboratory Ice Station (APLIS) March 23 through 29.

Martin Wood, Director of over 70 "Stargate SG-1" and "Stargate Atlantis" episodes, is confirmed to direct "Stargate: Continuum."

"Stargate: Continuum," co-financed by MGM and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, will shoot a variety of scenes on location approximately 200 nautical miles north of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska.

In addition to the frigid outdoor environments, the filming will also involve U.S. Navy submarine USS Alexandria (SSN-757). Among the scenes to be filmed involves the submarine as it bursts through the ice and into the cold Arctic air with temperatures hovering around 50 degrees below zero.

In January of this year, MGM gave the green light to 2 direct-to-video movies based on "Stargate SG-1," the longest-running science-fiction series in U.S. TV history. The first film "Stargate: The Arc of Truth," starts production April 15. The second movie, "Stargate: Continuum" featuring the ice camp scenes, will resume filming late May.
Written and produced by Brad Wright and Robert Cooper, the new movies will include "Stargate SG-1" cast members Ben Browder, Amanda Tapping, Chris Judge, Claudia Black, Beau Bridges and Michael Shanks.

The APLIS is operated by the University of Washington and was formed in 1943 at the request of the U.S. Navy to bring university resources to bear on urgent WWII defense problems. From a wartime beginning focused on effective torpedo exploders, APL-UW initiated acoustic studies and oceanographic research programs to understand how variations in the ocean environment affected the performance of Navy systems.

Story On The "Galactus" Story

There seems to be as much speculation regarding the look of 'Galactus' in "Fantastic Four 2: Rise of the Silver Surfer" as there is to my 'cameo' in the film as an aircraft passenger, reacting to 'Mr. Fantastic' lending an elongated hand to a female flight attendant.

From director Tim Story's MySpace blog:

"Hey guys,

There's a lot going on. I've been seeing the billboards going up and hopefully you have all seen the TV spot. I thought it turned out well. I've been checking the web to see what people think. Always good to check in. There are still those that can't give us a break but whadayagonnado?! Haters! Wow. And to the many that have been emailing in such support - Thank you. The emails do not go unread. Hopefully I can make YOU and MYSELF proud!

There continues to be much speculation about Galactus. Major speculation. We haven't finished the design of him/it so be careful about what you read and believe. Trust me...no one knows. One things for sure, you can expect to see him/it. It will be pretty powerful. I'm having a lot of fun with the concept and believe me - MOST will be satisfied."

"The L Word" Coming Back To Vancouver

Showtime has ordered a fifth season of the Vancouver-shot series "The L Word" according to Robert Greenblatt, President of Entertainment, Showtime Networks Inc.

Twelve new episodes are set to begin production in Vancouver this summer, to premiere on Showtime early 2008.

"The L Word is a signature franchise for us and one of our most popular series," says Greenblatt.

"This season's guest star Cybill Shepherd and new series regular Marlee Matlin are indicative of the show's great quality."

Premise of the series follows a group of Los Angeles-based friends as they navigate careers, families, friendships, inner-struggles and romantic entanglements.

Ancillary products include "The L Word" branded perfume and jewelry.

Vancouver Start for "Stargate" Movies

"Stargate: Continuum" and "Stargate: The Ark of Truth" are 2 spin-off movies based on the recently cancelled "Stargate" TV series.

"Stargate: The Ark of Truth" starts filming April 17 in Vancouver.

The story follows 'SG-1' as they search for an ancient weapon that could help them defeat the 'Ori'. Then they discover the device may be in the Ori's own home galaxy.

As the Ori prepare to send ships through to the Milky Way to attack Earth, SG-1 travels to the Ori galaxy aboard the 'Odyssey'.

But the 'International Oversight' committee has their own plans and SG-1 finds themselves in a distant galaxy fighting two powerful enemies.

In June, Vancouver will also host the filming of "Stargate: Continuum".

This story follows 'SG-1' as they attend the execution of 'Ba'al', the last of the 'goa'uld' system lords, when 'Teal'c' and 'Vala' suddenly disappear into thin air.

'Carter', 'Daniel' and 'Mitchell' race back to a world where history has been changed and the 'Stargate' program erased from the timeline.

As they try to convince the authorities what's happened, a fleet of goa'uld motherships arrives in orbit, led by Ba'al, his queen, 'Katesh', and his first prime, Teal'c.

SG-1 must find the Stargate before the world is enslaved by the goa'uld.

MTV Picks Up "Kaya"

MTV has picked up the half-hour drama "Kaya", shooting in Vancouver starting in June.

The show is described as the 'tribulations' faced by a teenage girl when she and her band become rock stars.

Between eight and 12 episodes have been greenlit.

Danielle "Heroes" Savre is attached to star in the series created by Deborah Joy LeVine and exec produced by Tony Krantz, Tony DiSanto and Liz Gateley.

The single-camera show intends to 'expose' a "rock star on the brink of destruction and the underbelly of the music industry."

No Space In BC for "The Incredible Hulk"?

According to Don Cott, Canadian vice-president of the American-based Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, "there certainly wasn't studio space," in Vancouver when producers scouted locations in both British Columbia and Ontario for the upcoming Marvel/Universal movie "The Incredible Hulk", now locked into a Toronto shoot this summer.

"Studio space is virtually full and they need a lot of stage space," Cott told the Toronto Star.

20th Century Fox has already booked Vancouver's Mammoth Studios until the end of 2007 for a 'yet-to-be-named' blockbuster project.

With labour uncertainty in the US as writers and actors bargain separately with producers over similar issues that caused the recent ACTRA strike, BC's working environment could set the stage for a rewarding year.

"The track record has been if you head into the bargaining down there, they try to build up a library of stuff that's already been shot," said Cott.

"We see post-production facilities migrating from Los Angeles up to Vancouver," said Peter Leitch, chair of the Motion Picture Production Industry Association of BC and president of North Shore Studios, which operates Mammoth.

Leitch said the association is keeping tabs on Toronto and Montreal to make sure BC doesn't make the same 'mistakes' as those two cities.

"If your business goes down to a certain level for a long period of time, you're going to lose your labour force and infrastructure and it's very hard to build it back up," Leitch said.

"Vancouver and Toronto, in ways, compete for the same business," said Cott.

"It's just a matter of stage space availability and labour relations."

Official Categories for 2007 "ELANS"

The 2nd Annual Canadian Awards for the Electronic and Animated Arts (CAEAA) have completed their list of Official Categories for the "Elans" Award: Video Gaming, Animation, and Students of the Digital Arts.

On Monday, February 26th, Producers of the CAEAA held panel discussions with Vancouver reps from each industry, then took the resulting 'Category' and 'Criteria' selections and sent them to all three sectors, to ensure the 2007 Elans reflected the industries they were awarding.

"The panels constituted a perfect cross-section of many companies and institutions from each industry," reports Holly Carinci, CAEAA Owner and "Elans" Producer.

"I was very impressed with the way they determined the best categories for this coming year’s awards."

Each industry not only chose the Categories they wanted to see for the Canadian Awards, but also for the new International Awards that have been added.

"Including the rest of the world into our awards is an incredibly exciting addition for all involved," said Carinci.

"The mere nature of these three sectors involves global technology and while we are setting out to define Canada's important role in these booming industries, we recognize the fact that communication between the countries is key, and what better way to accomplish that than through accolade."

This year the Submission for Nomination process will be held in two separate segments: Student Submission for Nomination opens Monday, March 5th and closes Friday, June 1st. The Animation and Video Game Submission for Nomination opens Monday, June 4th and closes Friday, August 31st.

The 2007 "Elans" will be held Friday, November 2nd at The Centre in Vancouver for the Performing Arts. The state-of-the-art structure, regarded as the premiere entertainment facility in the city, will host nearly 2000 worldwide guests and participants including yours truly, reporting from the "Elans" for the second year.

The day following the Awards Night, the CAEAA Producers, with their Event Partners Ernst & Young, Electronic Arts (EA), Autodesk and the British Columbia Provincial Government will host a high-end networking day at their Official Hotelier The Sutton Place Hotel, Vancouver for CEOs and Upper Management who attended the 2007 "Elans".

Other players already onboard to support the Awards includes: Foundation 9/Backbone Entertainment, Radical Entertainment, next level games, Studio B Productions, Western Imperial Magnetics, David Kaye Productions, Selkirk College, The Art Institute of Vancouver, Emily Carr Institute, Sheridan College, Vancouver Film School, "Elan" statuette artist Dean Lauzé of D’Arts and the Awards Auditing firm, Buckley Dodds & Assoc.s.

"As the Movie Industry goes to Hollywood for its Oscars, so will the world of Video Gaming and Animation come to Canada for their Elans", declared Carinci.

And the Categories are:

ELECTRONIC GAME CATEGORIES

1. GAME OF THE YEAR
2. BEST CONSOLE GAME
3. BEST PC GAME
4. BEST NEW VIDEO GAME COMPANY
5. BEST ORIGINAL MUSICAL SCORE
6. BEST CHARACTER
7. BEST ART DIRECTION
8. BEST HANDHELD GAME OF THE YEAR (psp, ds, etc...)
9. BEST GAME DESIGN OF THE YEAR
10.BEST MOBILE/CASUAL/ARCADE GAME OF THE YEAR
11 BEST WRITING FOR A GAME PRODUCTION

VIDEO GAME HALL OF FAME
OUTSTANDING INNOVATION IN GAMING
INTERNATIONAL VIDEO GAME OF THE YEAR

ANIMATION CATEGORIES

1. BEST FEATURE LENGTH ANIMATED PRODUCTION
2. BEST ANIMATED PRODUCTION (Television Series)
3. BEST ANIMATED SHORT SUBJECT
4. BEST DIRECTION in a FEATURE LENGTH ANIMATED PRODUCTION
5. BEST DIRECTION in an ANIMATED TELEVISION SERIES
6. BEST MALE VOICE OVER IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE OR TELEVISION PRODUCTION
7. BEST FEMALE VOICE OVER IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE OR TELEVISION PRODUCTION
8. BEST ORIGINAL MUSICAL SCORE
9. BEST SOUND DESIGN
10. BEST STORYBOARDING
11. BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN OR ART DIRECTION
12. BEST WRITING IN AN ANIMATED PRODUCTION

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE LENGTH ANIMATED PRODUCTION
BEST INTERNATIONAL ANIMATED PRODUCTION (Television Series) **

STUDENT ANIMATION AND ELECTRONIC GAME CATEGORIES

1. STUDENT ANIMATED OR MOTION GRAPHIC PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR
2. STUDENT GAME OF THE YEAR
3. BEST ORIGINAL SOUND DESIGN/MUSICAL SCORE FOR AN ANIMATED PRODUCTION OR GAME
4. BEST Student ART DIRECTION - GAME PRODUCTION
5. BEST STUDENT ART DIRECTION - ANIMATED PRODUCTION
6. BEST STUDENT WRITING FOR AN ANIMATED OR GAME PRODUCTION

"READY TO ROCKET" AWARD (ANIMATION AND GAMES)
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT OF THE YEAR

Click here for more "Elans Awards"

Dreyfuss Goes Mystic for the "Tin Man"

Actor Richard "Jaws" Dreyfuss has joined Sci Fi Channel's upcoming six-hour miniseries "Tin Man", from RHI Entertainment, joining Zooey Deschanel and Alan "Nightcrawler" Cumming in a 're-imagined' take on author L. Frank Baum's "The Wizard of Oz" books.

Slated to start production this April in Vancouver, the mini will premiere on Sci Fi in December.

Dreyfuss will take on the role of 'Mystic Man', a wizard who holds the key to revealing the destiny of one woman who can save The Outer Zone (aka the 'O.Z.') from dark magic.

Described by Sci Fi as a 'psychedelic, often twisted' take on the original book, "Tin Man" follows Dorothy Gale (aka 'DG'), plunging into another world to discover her true identity while battling winged-monkey-bats. She is joined by 'Glitch' (Cumming), an odd man missing half his brain, 'Raw', a quietly powerful wolf-like creature longing for inner courage and 'Cain' a former policeman (known in the O.Z. as a 'Tin Man', with a tin badge) seeking vengeance for his 'scarred heart'.

Ultimately DG's destiny leads her to an emotional and terrifying showdown with wicked witch 'Azkadellia', with the fate of the O.Z. hanging in the balance.

"Tin Man" is executive produced by Robert Halmi, Sr., Robert Halmi, Jr., with co-writers Steven Long Mitchell and Craig Van Sickle. Director is Nick Willing.

Dreyfuss won an Oscar for Best Actor in "The Goodbye Girl".

Sci Fi Renews Vancouver's "Galactica"

The Sci-Fi Channel has renewed TV series "Battlestar Galactica" for a fourth season, ordering a minimum of 13 hour-long episodes.

The show will air on Sci Fi January 2008, followed by a run on the Space station. Sci-Fi moved the series to Sunday nights during its third season, receiving a boost in the ratings.

"We're thrilled to bring 'Battlestar' back for another season," said Sci-Fi exec Mark Stern.

Filming at Vancouver Film Studios, the show follows humans on the run from the 'Cylons'.

Updated from the original Glen A. Larson "Stars Wars" TV knock-off, the new series, produced by Ronald D. Moore and David Eick won a Peabody Award in 2006 and was nominated for five TV Emmys.

Eick is also gearing up for another sci fi TV series, with his re-imagining of The Bionic Woman, starring Michelle "EastEnders" Ryan. That pilot will also film in Vancouver, with a reported March 19 start.

Superman: The Man Of Steel" Taking Off to Vancouver ?

"Blood Ties" Stakes Out BC Turf

Production continues in British Columbia on the Insight/CHUM, episodic horror TV series "Blood Ties".

Produced for Lifetime, the show is based on the 'romantic triangle' dominating author Tanya Huff's vampiric detective, novel series "The Blood Books", featuring private investigator 'Vicki Nelson', her ex-partner 'Mike Celluci' and the 450-year-old vampire 'Henry Fitzroy', the bastard son of England's Henry VIII.

Christina "The Chronicles of Riddick" Cox stars as Vicki, with Dylan "Jag" Neal as Mike and Kyle "Beautiful People" Schmid as Henry.

Lifetime will run 13 episodes of the 22 in production, with an option to pick up more.

Scripts based on Huff's books are adapted by Peter Mohan, also executive producer of the show with Randall H. Zalken.

Produced by Adam J. Shully, "Blood Ties" is shot by DP Danny Nowak.