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."
"Laws of Motion" is an upcoming feature, produced by actress Hilary Swank, set to start in Connecticut April 9, 2007.
Director is Charles H. Wurmfeld. Premise of the story follows 'Morrie' and 'Betty', a repressed middle class couple living in a university suburb according to a 'conservative societal code', with Morrie quashing his rights to remain in good standing with his neighbors.
'Jay', Morrie's free-spirited youngest sibling and 'Ida', his mixed-up middle sister have various misadventures that threaten to jeopardize Morrie's financial security and upset the delicate balance of frustrated compromise his life has become.
Casting is still looking for:
Paul:
Mid 30s-40. Morrie's arrogant, neighbor and colleague. Morrie defers to Paul, bites his tongue, and swallows his pride because Paul has the power to get Morrie tenured at the University. This part is a Supporting Lead.
Laura:
Mid 30s-40. Paul's tightly coiffed wife, who conducts her picture perfect spouse role with seeming ease. Although she is close minded, with a brittle exterior, Laura has a vulnerable quality that softens her edges. This part is a Supporting Lead.
Gillian:
Late Teens-Early 20s. An urban hippie-child with a backpack, she is Jay's estranged wife who comes into Morrie's and Betty's lives at the precise moment when things couldn't get any crazier.
Gary:
Early-Mid 30s. Handsome, sensitive, former high-school football star and King of Homecoming. Ida's ex-boyfriend and the love of her youth, Gary is now crippled and engaged to be married.
Mid 20s, any ethnicity and smoking hot, he is involved in a mad-cap chase sequence at the movie's climax, which culminates in him recognizing Ida as a former paramour.
Rollerblade Girl:
Late Teens-Mid 20s, beautiful, sexy, young fantasy woman on roller blades who tantalizes Morrie from afar. She looks like a model who can rollerblade.
Passenger:
A cute hitchhiker with a back-pack that Ida gives a lift to.
Actress Lena "300" Headey stars in the upcoming Fox TV pilot "The Sarah Connor Chronicles", based on "Terminator" characters created by writer/director James Cameron. Headey has confirmed the pilot will start with a confrontation between 'Sarah Connor', her son 'John' (Thomas Dekker) and two new 'Terminator' robots including a female 'Cameron' (Summer Glau) and a male (Owain Yeoman).
The story picks up in the California desert, at the end of "Terminator 2: Judgment Day", with mother and son escaping to Los Angeles trying to carve out a normal life for themselves, while searching for 'Skynet'.
Warner Home Video, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation are set to release the PG-13 original movie "Superman Doomsday", September 18, 2007.
Utilizing a more 'provocative' story line, "Superman Doomsday" features the voices of Adam "Independence Day" Baldwin as 'Superman', Anne "Men In Trees" Heche as 'Lois Lane' and James "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" Marsters as 'Lex Luthor'.
Produced by Bruce Timm ("Justice League Unlimited", "Batman: The Animated Series") and written by Duane Capizzi ("The Batman", "The Batman vs. Dracula"), "Superman Doomsday" is based on DC Comics’ "The Death of Superman".
The story focuses on intergalactic killer 'Doomsday' and Superman meeting head on, with Supes throwing one last punch, then collapsing after making the ultimate sacrifice to save 'Metropolis' and his loved ones.
"Superman Doomsday" will be available exclusively on DVD with collectable packaging as well as over 70 minutes of DVD extras including:
The Clash of the Juggernauts
What happens when millions of fans are suddenly subjected to the death of their favorite character? Going on record about the "Death of Superman" will be Paul Levitz and other DC staff. News clippings, reports and first-hand archival testimony from fans will be pieced together in a retrospective. The featurette will also include a closer look at the 'dark Superman' appearing in "The Return of Superman" graphic novel.
The Artists Playground...From Art to Sound Design in Superman Doomsday
Producer Bruce Timm and his creative team of writers, animators and designers take a journey of character evolution, in a doc following early character concept drawings, final character art, stages of modeling, storyboards, animatics, layering of colors, voice talent and final animation.
Justice League: The New Frontier
A sneak peek at the next DC Universe Original Movie
Defeat Doomsday: Battle Challenge
Fight as Superman to defeat Doomsday in a 'dexterity challenge' which lets users relive the battle with gameplay inter-cut with footage from the movie.
"With an authentic animation look and feel, and a more emotional as well as action-packed storyline, "Superman Doomsday" will certainly appeal to adult comic book fans and older kids", said Dorinda Marticorena, WHV Vice President, Kids and Sports Marketing.
"Superman Doomsday" is the first "DC Universe" original animated movie. Other DC properties with animated films in development include "Justice League", "Teen Titans", "Green Lantern", "Flash" and "Wonder Woman".
According to Warners, the combined "Superman" films have generated over $1 billion in worldwide box office, over 35 'Superman' titles on video and DVD, 'Superman' comic books in over 40 countries and 400 licensing partners worldwide.
With filming scheduled to start this June in Berlin, the upcoming "Speed Racer" film is from executive producer Grant Hill, producers Joel Silver, Susan Downey, Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski and David Seltzer.
Directors are Andy and Larry Wachowski.
Screenplay is by John Lau, Patrick Read Johnson, Andy and Larry Wachowski.
Based on the classic 1960's series created by anime pioneer Tatsuo Yoshida, the film will follow the adventures of race car driver 'Speed' in his quest for glory in the gadget-laden vehicle 'Mach 5'.
The movie will also feature other characters from the show, including Speed's family and his mysterious archrival 'Racer X'.
Casting is currently looking for:
Japanese Actress:
Early-Late 20s, beautiful, feisty, should have strong acting abilities and good English for good Supporting Role;
Japanese Actor:
To play her father. Late 40s-Early 50s, ruthless and manipulative, should have strong acting abilities;
Japanese Actor:
Early-Late 20s, brother/son of former, smart, conniving, handsome racing driver but will not have to drive, with strong acting abilities.
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.
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