Well, breaking news this morning chums. My editor today is my friend Lunchmeat Harold. Try and keep up Lunchmeat, this is immense. (Ed. Check!) Halifax Film aka DHX has been sold to a company out west called Entertainment 1 which is the latest monster distributor to emerge from the goo since Aliance Atlantis.
What does this mean to you dear reader? No offence but I don't know and don't care. I care about me,(ed. and me?)
Allnovascotia.com reports the deal will pay $1.59 a share (ed. Full disclosure, the author owns 1000 shares.), which is fine, especially considering the stocks were at .80 something last week. But I was holding on to my shares for my retirement (ed. from what?), I was going to ride the wave to comfort in my old age, soft food to eat, cosmos by the carton and disposible Depends. But alas, although DHX will continue to run, the ship will have to do without a captain.
Michael Donovan is not staying on.
I'm shattered, I'm numb (ed. Could be the breakfast cosmopolitans).
Where will the guidence come from? Will Charles (The Green Arrow) Bishop and Cheryl Hasson continue to pilot the ship to financial and creative apexes, quarter after quarter?
As they say in television, stay tuned.
Monday 29 September 2008
Tuesday 23 September 2008
A Little Dis, A Little Dat
Still have not heard anything but rumours about Jeff Rosen leaving Halifax Film. Hopefully they're still friends and promise to call each other every second week to "catch up." and say "I miss you too." Plus, it would open the door for me to step in, with my background in children's television. (Ed. Nobody even remembers who The Littlest Hobo was.)
But I worry it's another sign that Halifax Film is diversifying, which would leave me out in the cold. (Ed. Maybe they'll rent you a sweater.)
That's my editor Lunchmeat Harold who's not quite the fan of the good folks at Halifax Film as I am. (Ed. Don't suck up just because you have a thousand shares of stock!)
But seriously, Halifax Film has focused on children's entertainment and been so sucessful at it that well, they just can't sell any more. Cheap broadcasters just wait for the kids to grow up, the next generation's on the assembly line and they just start the series over again.
So what to do? Well, they did just hire Chris Zimmer as Head of Development though all he's done is feature films. We have dipped our toes in that pool before with Shake Hands with the Devil.
Halifax Film is currently producing a mini-series entitled Sould for Vision. (ed. who knew).
Then there's that Spelling Bee show. Sure it's got kids in it but its got to have the parents in mind.
They've hired Gary Vermeer away from ACTRA. He knows every actor in the tri-state area.
What these means folks is that Halifax Film is about to explode with richy goodness. Sell your children and buy some stock because we're going to take over all the demographics fairly soon.
But I worry it's another sign that Halifax Film is diversifying, which would leave me out in the cold. (Ed. Maybe they'll rent you a sweater.)
That's my editor Lunchmeat Harold who's not quite the fan of the good folks at Halifax Film as I am. (Ed. Don't suck up just because you have a thousand shares of stock!)
But seriously, Halifax Film has focused on children's entertainment and been so sucessful at it that well, they just can't sell any more. Cheap broadcasters just wait for the kids to grow up, the next generation's on the assembly line and they just start the series over again.
So what to do? Well, they did just hire Chris Zimmer as Head of Development though all he's done is feature films. We have dipped our toes in that pool before with Shake Hands with the Devil.
Halifax Film is currently producing a mini-series entitled Sould for Vision. (ed. who knew).
Then there's that Spelling Bee show. Sure it's got kids in it but its got to have the parents in mind.
They've hired Gary Vermeer away from ACTRA. He knows every actor in the tri-state area.
What these means folks is that Halifax Film is about to explode with richy goodness. Sell your children and buy some stock because we're going to take over all the demographics fairly soon.
Sunday 21 September 2008
Breaking News! Jeff Rosen Leaving Halifax Film?
The man behind all of Halifax Films kid's shows, essentially CBC mornings is rumoured to leaving. But why? Fired? Quiting? Buddist Monestary?
Must do more snoping.
Must do more snoping.
Friday 19 September 2008
...And Now ......The Rest of The Story. The story of Halifax Film and Television
Hi Folks,
Don't have much time to blog tonight, just fifteen minutes, "MAX! And you won't get on tomorrow night if it's one minute over!". As you all know I haven't blogged in a while, I've been "away" and sort of missed out on a lot that's been happening. But once I got caught up, Boy! I missed a lot this summer. (Ed. And how!) WTF does that even mean "And How", ? That's my editor logged in miles away, Lunchmeat Harold.
But most of what's happened is good news for the industry in the province and by the industry I mean Halifax Film and by the province I mean Eastern Canada. And just so I'm not accused of bias I will volunteer that I am a shareholder. (ed. He holds 1000shares)
So point by point, here we go:
Point I - I am somewhat disappointed in NSFDC (ed. you mean Film Nova Scotia) in that they only gave Halifax Film $165,000 for the whole year ending 2008. That was for The Mighty Jungle II (Ed. Missed Mighty Jungle I but apparently there needed to be a sequel). Luckily we got $165,000 last year for the same show. (Ed. ?) And $135,000 for Mighty Jungle I. Plus $150,000 for Animal Mechanicals (ED. I, II ???). But again that was last year. 2008, all we got was less than barely a percentage of a million.
Is that why they took the word "Development" out of the agency? Really, though $25M then $17M was raised through the markets and NSBI chipped in $2M to attract asia cartoonists to the province, there is still a need to develop the company into a viable entity. Just some cash until we're on a stable footing. At least we can count on the tax credit for a few million and then we don't have to give any of the profits (ed. no such thing in this business!) back to the government (Ed. and the people, don't forget the people) from all the overseas sales, because they own a stake in the show.
It wouldn't be so hard to swallow if Ocean Entertainment (ed. Who?) hadn't received $500,000! for two cooking shows! Cooking shows? How much Dilled Salmon is that, Michael Smith? (Ed. Whay are you bringing that up? I've never dilled a salmon, and I resent the implication.)
Point II - Chris Zimmer has abandoned his business (Ed. Man overboard!). Actually he sold it to yours truly (Ed. Actually, Halifax Film), for like $1M. Which seems like a lot when you consider the jewel in the crown is a 20 year old Rita McNeil in Japan Special. Really, what's the shelf life on that? But in addition Zimmer is joining the crew at Halifax Film (ed. Yeah! Jump on in the water's fine!) as the head of development. (ed. Doesn't that make like seventeen people in cahrge of development? What are we running here an orphanage?)
The news release stated that Chris (Ed. Mr. Zimmer!), would develop more kids shows. But he's never produced a kid's show. His expertise iis in feature films. (ed. What are you suggesting?)
Point III - Gary Vermer has been the face and voice of ACTRA in Nova Scotia for the past ten? years and has decided to chuck that nonsense in. He has joined the team at Halifax Film! Yeah! (ed. - Am I detecting a trend here?
Point IV - Collideascope closes up its doors. The youngish team of M.A. Kuttner and Steven Comeau is calling it quits. These were the young turks of the industry (ed. That was years ago and nobody likes an Old Turk.). They're cartoon machine churned out a lot of service work and original productions so I'm curious as to why they're stopping and what they're going to do. (ed. Hmmm, wonder where, I wonder?)
Anyway, it's almost lights out so I'm signing off. ttfn. (ed. Try the Fussilli, Ned?
Don't have much time to blog tonight, just fifteen minutes, "MAX! And you won't get on tomorrow night if it's one minute over!". As you all know I haven't blogged in a while, I've been "away" and sort of missed out on a lot that's been happening. But once I got caught up, Boy! I missed a lot this summer. (Ed. And how!) WTF does that even mean "And How", ? That's my editor logged in miles away, Lunchmeat Harold.
But most of what's happened is good news for the industry in the province and by the industry I mean Halifax Film and by the province I mean Eastern Canada. And just so I'm not accused of bias I will volunteer that I am a shareholder. (ed. He holds 1000shares)
So point by point, here we go:
Point I - I am somewhat disappointed in NSFDC (ed. you mean Film Nova Scotia) in that they only gave Halifax Film $165,000 for the whole year ending 2008. That was for The Mighty Jungle II (Ed. Missed Mighty Jungle I but apparently there needed to be a sequel). Luckily we got $165,000 last year for the same show. (Ed. ?) And $135,000 for Mighty Jungle I. Plus $150,000 for Animal Mechanicals (ED. I, II ???). But again that was last year. 2008, all we got was less than barely a percentage of a million.
Is that why they took the word "Development" out of the agency? Really, though $25M then $17M was raised through the markets and NSBI chipped in $2M to attract asia cartoonists to the province, there is still a need to develop the company into a viable entity. Just some cash until we're on a stable footing. At least we can count on the tax credit for a few million and then we don't have to give any of the profits (ed. no such thing in this business!) back to the government (Ed. and the people, don't forget the people) from all the overseas sales, because they own a stake in the show.
It wouldn't be so hard to swallow if Ocean Entertainment (ed. Who?) hadn't received $500,000! for two cooking shows! Cooking shows? How much Dilled Salmon is that, Michael Smith? (Ed. Whay are you bringing that up? I've never dilled a salmon, and I resent the implication.)
Point II - Chris Zimmer has abandoned his business (Ed. Man overboard!). Actually he sold it to yours truly (Ed. Actually, Halifax Film), for like $1M. Which seems like a lot when you consider the jewel in the crown is a 20 year old Rita McNeil in Japan Special. Really, what's the shelf life on that? But in addition Zimmer is joining the crew at Halifax Film (ed. Yeah! Jump on in the water's fine!) as the head of development. (ed. Doesn't that make like seventeen people in cahrge of development? What are we running here an orphanage?)
The news release stated that Chris (Ed. Mr. Zimmer!), would develop more kids shows. But he's never produced a kid's show. His expertise iis in feature films. (ed. What are you suggesting?)
Point III - Gary Vermer has been the face and voice of ACTRA in Nova Scotia for the past ten? years and has decided to chuck that nonsense in. He has joined the team at Halifax Film! Yeah! (ed. - Am I detecting a trend here?
Point IV - Collideascope closes up its doors. The youngish team of M.A. Kuttner and Steven Comeau is calling it quits. These were the young turks of the industry (ed. That was years ago and nobody likes an Old Turk.). They're cartoon machine churned out a lot of service work and original productions so I'm curious as to why they're stopping and what they're going to do. (ed. Hmmm, wonder where, I wonder?)
Anyway, it's almost lights out so I'm signing off. ttfn. (ed. Try the Fussilli, Ned?
Tuesday 9 September 2008
...And We're Back!
Took a little vacation but now we're back and just in time! Been a lot happening in the film and TV game in Halifax/Nova Scotia and we'll be commenting on all of it over the next few days.
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