Canadian cartoon shows scoop kudos
By GEOF WHEELWRIGHT
For The Financial Post
Life has changed in the world of Saturday morning television cartoons. Nowhere is this more evident than in the success of two
internationally successful Canadian-made series -- Beasties and ReBoot.
Produced by Vancouver-based Mainframe Entertainment, these two productions hold the distinction of being among the first
wave of completely computer-animated shows to enjoy mainstream popularity.
ReBoot is the elder of the two shows and the biggest pioneer. It appeared on television screens almost two years before Buzz
Lightyear and his friends wowed kids in the Disney-produced Toy Story. The show, now in its third season, was recently
honored with a Gemini Award from the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.
ReBoot, produced in association with Alliance Communications Corp., won its Gemini Award in the Best Animated Program
category. "This is the third year that ReBoot has been recognized for a Gemini Award," says Christopher Brough, Mainframe's
president and chief executive.
ReBoot also won the Gemini for best animated series in 1995 and 1996 and a Gemini for outstanding technological
achievement in 1996 for the show's advances in computer animation.
Mainframe boasts that ReBoot is the first completely 3-D computer animated half-hour TV series and that both ReBoot --
and the company's new series, Beasties, are consistently rated in the Top 10 by viewers of Canada's YTV television network.
The company also says they "have earned consistently high Nielsen ratings" in the U.S. where they are syndicated in 112
television markets.
The attraction of a successful computer-animated cartoon series becomes very clear when you look at the latest deals
Mainframe has been able to strike for ReBoot-based products. These additions include two new "ride films" (theme park rides
that incorporate filmed material) based on the ReBoot franchise for IMAX Corp.'s Ridefilm motion simulation. Produced in
association with IMAX, the first of these rides is due to open in the next few months and the second shortly thereafter.
Mainframe is also partnering Burnaby, B.C.-based entertainment software producer Electronic Arts to produce Countdown to
Chaos, an interactive video game based on the ReBoot show. The game is scheduled for release on Sony PlayStation this
summer, with versions for the SEGA game system and CD titles following later this year.
The financial benefits of this success are also easy to see. Late last year, Mainframe was able to say it had successfully
completed a first-stage reduction of Alliance's financial participation in the company. It followed two private placements totaling
about $26 million of which $17 million was paid to Alliance to reduce its investment in Mainframe to approximately 15% from
an original 50% equity interest. |
