Halifax Film Industry - This Just In (ed. Like, a Month ago)

Well, where do I begin? There's just so much happening lately in the film and television business in Nova Scotia so I guess I'll just start by introducing my editor, Lunchmeat Harold. (ed. Howdy!)

Gerry Dee just shot a pilot in Nova scotia for the CBC; a sitcom where he's a teacher. "Amelia" staring Hilary Swank, partially shot in NS, opened to low numbers and kept them. TMN is shooting a sitcom on the south shore with that guy who used to be on the show, you know the one. (ed. Peyton Place? Hogan's Hero's? 90210?) Yes.

FilmNS (ed. or is it NSFilm) released their annual report and the winner in the $$$$ give away is - DHX Media Inc! Yeah! (ed. Note: the author owns 1000 shares of said company.) Ocean entertainment's self help shows took in $450,000 last year (ed. Help yourself!), but the clear winner was DHX Media aka Halifax Film with $700,000! (ed. that came in handy. what with the recession and only $69,000,000 in revenue last year. We are not touching the $70M in investor money. That's just for emergencies)

That's like almost a third of the money the FilmNS (ed. or NSFilm) put into equity last year for the whole province. Now I can hear the grumbling but this have-note province should be investing in these projects. Just look at these potential money makers:

- $300,000 in Soul a mini-series on Vision. Now that money went to pay the cost of producing it, but the real payback is when this gets sold...(ed. I hear crickets) maybe somewhere else.

- $150,000 Mighty Jungle III - who doesn't love kid's shows? Who doesn't like monkeys? So a kid's show about monkeys? Solid gold! Hopefully the distribution expenses and the selling costs and the applicable overhead don't take out too much of a chunk. (ed. Coming to America, anybody?)

- And $250,000 on SuperSpeller. Now I have to admit when I heard DHX was doing a spelling bee show, I was concerned (ed. hadn't we been there, done that, spelled it all?) but it was a very entertaining show. I was glued to the CBC for the entire time it ran. Which disappointedly was 4 nights. (ed. you don't get much for a quarter of a million of taxpayer's dollars anymore. That's like, what, couple thousand swine flu shots. Plus the show took like two years to get made. What the hell was that?) But I'm sure a limited mini-series featuring Canadian kids in a spelling competition will have world-wide appeal and potential sales. (ed. I hear more crickets)

Still I'm sure the taxpayers of this province will be proud as a peacock to claim ownership (ed. if not much of a financial return) in these DHX productions. (ed. This doesn't count the tax rebates on those Millions of dollars of production, either, does it?)

But don't think that the millions of dollars in provincial direct investment and tax credits will go right into the pockets of anybody at Halifax Film.

Allnovascotia.com has revealed that the executives of DHX, Michael Donovan, Charles Bishop, Steven Denure and Dana Landry will not be getting any bonuses's this year! Take that taxpayers! Bet not having a flu shot seems unimportant now, doesn't it?

But because $100 invested in 2006 in DHX is now only worth $37.62 by the end of June this year, these fine executives want you to know they will not be enjoying any extra bread on their butter this year (ed. shame the GG just finished giving out some baubles). No bonus's. I'll type it again in capital letters - NO BONUS'S. This is the dedication you are paying for (ed. or at least not seeing a return on your investment for.)

Luckily these self-sacrificing souls were able to wrench a raise last year from the tight fists of the company's shareholders. Thus they will get by with salaries only. Again, No Bonus's.

So they will get by on their salaries only; our courageous comrades (ed. let's call them the "No Bonus Amigos!) Michael Donovan $325,000, Charles "the Green Arrow" Bishop $325,000, Dana Laundry $327,000, Stephen Denure $679,345.

I believe the province has not even invested enough in equity and tax credits to pay even their base salary.

But enough about the past (ed. yes please.), what of the future. Kid's shows (ed. and Nova Scotia tax payers. Eck, I'm feeling kinda fluish) have been our bread and butter but have we saturated that market? CBC is full. Really can't squeeze any more kids shows into the lineup. Where do we go?

Something called Befriend and Betray? A movie or mini-series about bikers? Hmmm, not criticizing but it sounds like another vanity project of somebody's. (ed. As long as you don't use our money you can make whatever you want.)

There's another movie called Zebra something about an African football (ed. soccer) team, maybe a black and white, younger Rocky?

All I want to know is, when is the government going to step in with some cash stimulous, other than federal and provincial tax credits, and provincial equity and development dollars? It's only that and CTF money (ed. that's cable consumer's money, isn't it?) and licence fees from the broadcaster that are just barely keeping the true hero's of Canadian television in non-bonus liquidity.

(ed. I'm sorry, what is all that investor's money for?)

I'm Still Standing After All These Months, Blah, Blah, Blah.

Despite lawyers, doctors, and some non-fans (ed. really, are there people cruising teh internet all day calling everything and anything "gay") I'll be back to comment soon.

And look at all the stuff that's been going on in tv and film in nova scotia since I've been on hiatus.

Seriously, go ahead and look, I'll wait.



la,la, I'm still standing, la,la,la.....................

Halifax Film / DHX Shareholders - Shame!

Dear Readers, I've waited as long as I could before blogging but I cannot hold my tongue much more. (ed. especially since you've been biting on it for days now.)

As usual, my editor is my friend Lunchmeat Harold. ( ed. Howdy!)

I read in the newspaper a few days ago and in today's edition of Allnovascotia.com about the going's on at Halifax Film's Annual General Meeting (ed. at the Halifax Club! Any leftover shrimp skewers?)

I think the shareholders that were there are darn lucky that I'm unable to leave the apartment or I would have shown up and given them a piece of my mind. After all I am also a shareholder of DHX (ed. 1000 shares) and I was fully entitled to be there. Nevermind that I didn't get an invite, I'm sure that's just a mix-up. (ed. But you called them and e-mailed everyone in the place a million -)

"Pointed questions" is what allnovascotia.com calls these ungratefuls grilling of Michael Donovan, and the other Muskateer execs. (ed. easy, big fella).

They question raises of 27% to 51% of their salaries. Seems like a lot but it's a matter of perspectives, we're not talking millions here folks; its just double digit increases on six (ed. not seven!) figure salaries. And given the economic meltdown that we're going through, give these guys a break. Charles "the Green Arrow" Bishop in now earning only $356,250 and Dana Landry is earning less at $355,030. (ed. whip out your salaries boys and see who's is bigger.)

And when you take into consideration that it's not all salary (ed. $50K is in "bonus's"), they are not out of line with N.Y. investment bankers. And which of the two would you rather have in delicatly cradling your portfolios? I thought so!

Remember although DHX has 16 shows in production, most of them are being made with OPM. (ed. Other People's Money e.g. Tax Credits, Film NS, CTF) and "producer's Fees" come out of them. Why the investment in Jungle Jim alone is almost enough to pay the bonus's! (ed. is that a good thing or a bad thing?)

Besides, it's an INVESTMENT! The province has invested in a lot of the children's shows and they are going great guns worldwide. Nova Scotia is probably drowning in cash from all the sales they announce to asia, spain etc. (ed. Coincidentaly, Coming to America will turn a profit very soon.)

And like your junior high baseball team, this is a (re?)building year. DHX is pumping out as much children's content they can so they'll be ready "for the future." Not sure how but Mr. Donovan predicts that there's a "17-year-old walking to highschool now and he's just got an idea." (ed. God, careful around those snowbanks! Don't get run over by one of those Hybrids!@)

Wouldn't you have waited for Mr. Gates to exist, come up with great ideas and turn them into cash! I for one am waiting for this anonymous, acne riddled, barely-there-mustache wearing messiah to come forth! (ed. Which one is he?)

But Mr. Donovan had a perfect comeback for those questioning the exec's salaries; the TV industry is all about relationships and these good ole boys have it in spades. That's where the value is. Not in scripts or concepts or ideas. Anyone can have those. (ed. actually I have a great idea for a show - )

I for one am proud to be a part of an industry where its who you know that gets you ahead. Doesn't it save so much time an energy for the broadcasters to sit down over dinner at a high end Toronto restaurant like..er....(ed. I don't know any either.) and make a deal. Broadcasters then don't have to beat the bushes dealing with scruffy little people "developing original" ideas from scratch. (ed, that does sound disgusting. Have you seen those squigee kids?)


More later. The fetal alcohol kid from down the hall is coming home and he has to bang the wall with his helmet all the way to his apartment, damn it!

And as for the $2.2M lost on Shake Hands With the Devil (ed. the last but not the least of the many movies on the topic that people shouldn't have gotten numbed to!), it will be forthcoming as a distributor has been found for the film in the states. Of America!

And then the's the E1 debacle which I believe we were so lucky to have gotten out of even if we dropped $1.1 M on that. (ed. How many Jungle Jim's are we up to now?)

Though I was saddened when the deal was called off as I was hoping to sell maybe a few of the shares that were worth $ .46/share at the time for the selling price offered of $1.59. Would have been nice to splurge on some quarter pounders and cheese and a few cosmopolitons. And maybe I did wonder, as one shareholder did at the AGM about where Mr. Donovan was going to go after the deal was done? But I'm sure all these plans and failed plans are only for the good of the shareholder and I am proud to declare myself one of them! (ed. My country tis of thee, sweet land of liberty - )

So that clears that up.

In other news -

- I hear that CTV's Eastern Development manager Anne-Marie Lapointe is no longer within the Eastern Region? Wasn't she just here a second ago, brand new to the job? How does CTV expect to mine the rich source of talent down here? Remember, some of us can't leave the apartment.

- Whatever happened to The Conclave? Just wondering.

- And the CRTC has announced that they only be giving out one year licenses coming into the next renewal round and they propose that the private broadcasters spend as much money on homegrown production as they do buying American shows. (ed. Teehee, Must be like early April Fools.) CRTC is not going to be pushed around anymore! Unless they get pushed really hard by the Aspers and the Rogers and the whoever owns CTV (ed. The KOC?) This is really cool grandstanding but I think it means that the CRTC just wrote its own execution order.

Halifax Film....and TV Stuff. I'm still standing! After all these Years...lalala

Okay, I'm a little concerned in what's happening lately. Before I start, let me introduce my editor tonight, the always reliable Lunchmeat Harold. (ed. Howdy!)

So over the last six months, maybe longer, don't know, the world economy has failed. Whatever. I don't really care as I retreated from the "world" a long time ago. I didn't care and apparently "the world" hasn't missed me either.

My only touch with the "real" world (ed. i.e. reality) is that outside of entertainment news, the only thing I keep on top of is my one and only investment; I own 1000 shares of DHX aka Halifax Film. It was great when it was trading at $1.60 a share when I first inherited it but now it's worth 46 ...cents!? (ed. for some reason there's no "cents" symbol on this computer. Probably Bill Gates didn't see the need.)

But,all the exec's at Halifax Film just gave themselves raises and bonus's which means things are good, right? Right?

But good news, they've shuttered that Bulldog whatever investment. Sure there's a couple hundred thousand $ loss involved (ed. Bob Barker Rules!), but no sense throwing good money after bad. Who thought it was a good idea to buy into a company that's premise is that children need to work out on a daily basis. (ed. We make TV shows. Let's by a gym!)

But like the difference between good sex and bad sex, it's all in the timing. The AGM is being held this week. Michael Donovan says that not only is it a general meeting of shareholders, it will be a "special" meeting. Should I be scared?

If only I had the ability to leave the apartment I'd be there! (ed. shrimp skewers notwithstanding)

Hopefully someone wiil share with sugarbear as to what's being said at the meeting.

Goodnight.

Halifax Film....and TV Stuff. I'm still standing! After all these Years...lalala

It's a New Year! And film in Halifax is...?

It's been a long time a'bloggin' (ed. isn't that one of the twelve days of xmas?) so let's get to all the relevant (ed. and irrelevant ) stuff. My editor, as usual is my pal Lunchmeat Hearald (ed. Howdy citizens!)

So what's new in Canadian Tvslashfilm?

CTF has been renewed for 2 more years. (ed. Yes! We eat. Maybe. Big Brother can you spare a dime for a documentary filmmaker? Nationally, culturally important. But no, sorry, it's not about hockey.)

"Treevenge" a nova scotia short film has been going great guns on the internet and scored a top five amongst film fans at Sundance. Good suff. I'm guessing it didn't cost anything. Go you young tyros!

Closer to home (ed. God! he's going to talk about himself.) things have been okay. My sister Karlie and her Brazillian boyfriend/fiancee/husband (though not recognized by any legal entity whatsoever) have moved out of the apartment with their "newborn". Worried me a bit but Prince kama a maya or whatever his name is, has continued paying rent and other bills for me, so I'm cool with the whole thing. And he's even arranged for groceries to be delivered here on a regular basis which is a boon to me since I can't leave the apartment. But I digress.

Luckily I don't have to rely on my investment earnings (ed. Gad! Here we go.) Since my Father left me with nothing but a muddied name and 1000 shares of DHX stock, I thought I'd be able to rely on one or the other to provide me with some retirement...cash on hand...pocket money...?

Not that I can complain, but when I got these shares they were like $1.60 each. Against my better judgement I resisted trading them for Nortel stock (ed. who?) and held them for the long term.

And then I watched them fall. And fall. And...why the hell are they falling?!!?11
(ed. cartooney, all those exclamation points and stuff.!!!????)

But you know, it's the world economy so I can't blame the good folks at DHX. Their trying their darn tootinest (ed. Hold on. Is that a word?) to turn a profit for their shareholders. And even though the stock has fallen to a third of it's value (ed. snicker. when you said that out loud it sounded like "turd".) we're looking at the longterm and these folks, in for the long haul have turned to the shareholders who agree that they deserve more recognition (ed. ie. "compensation") than would be normal in the circumstances.

With AIG and Lehman Brothers execs giving themselves huge performance budgets, though now in desperate need of government bailouts, the good folks at DHX feel dfferent, although in the same way.

Just because they were going to "cash in their chips" which in my mind means receive the recognition they deserve, financially speaking, (ed. What? There's a run at the bank?)and sell out to E1, it doesn't mean they shouldn't be compensated for their previous hard work and the hard work yet to come.

DHX's Court and Demune "earned" (ed. quotation marks mine)a 51% and 42% raise last year. Sounds like a lot until you realize that it ends up as a yearly salary of $354,808 and $454,000 respectively. Which still, sounds like a lot until you realize that includes a bonus of $100,000 amd $50,000 respectively. (ed. Note to Demune, seems like your ass is dragging.)

Closer to home Charles "the Green Arrow" Bishop, received a 27% raise with a $50,000 bonus (ed. what? Did they happen to have bonus currency made up in $50,000 increments?) Our industrious leader Michael Donovan received the same as did Financial guru Dana Landry (ed. he takes all the numbers and adds them up good. Couldn't a student intern do that?)

But bottom line, some might say, it seems like a lot to pay the executives of DHX, especially in light that the stock is at a third of what it was (ed. or a "turd") but it all has to be taken into context. (ed. Lets not even talk about the $2.2M loss from Shake Hands With the Devil. Which is the number they say publicaly, which may be a different number internally, but that's how it goes.)

The provincial funding agency, last year "invested" (ed. like it will ever see a "return". Free money everybody!), $165,000 in The Mighty Jungle 2. An animated or puppetated kids show for CBC. So that pays for a chunk of those bonus'es.

Secondly, being a democratic organization, the most votes gets to say whether all these bonuses are deserved or not.

And, although my 1000 vote voice is hopefully heard, the majority shareholder, Michael, outvotes and outlives them all.

Tomorrow: YTV series for Halifax, (ed. not really Halifax) and whatever happened to that spelling bee show? And that John Wing Pilot?

Somebody's Frozen My Assets

Can't blog. Some...force...making..it...difficult. So much to type...ugh