News & Blogs
June 18, 2010CONGRATULATIONS Phil and Dav!
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CONGRATULATIONS to our LEO AWARD WINNERS!
Philippe Ivanusic-Vallée and Davila Leblanc
Best Screenwriting in an Animation Program or Series for THE LEAGUE OF SUPER EVIL
THE LEAGUE OF SUPER EVIL, created by Philippe Ivanusic-Vallée and Davila Leblanc, also won for Best Animation Program or Series.
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Leo Awards
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The Leo Awards were established in 1998 to celebrate excellence in British Columbia film and television. The Leo Awards 2010 Celebration and Gala Awards Ceremonies take place June 4 and 5 at the Westin Bayshore Vancouver.
The Leo Awards are a project of the Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Foundation of British Columbia, and produced by Troika Productions Inc. and Events One.
The Nominees are…………
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Matt Frewer - Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Feature Length Drama for ALICE
Kandyse McClure - Best Lead Performance by a Female in a Feature Length Drama for COLE
Lorne Cardinal - Best Performance or Host(s) in a Music, Comedy or Variety Program or Series for WOLF CANYON
Kwesi Ameyaw - Best Supporting Performance by a Male in a Feature Length Drama for RIVERWORLD
Alison Grace - Best Picture Editing in a Feature Length Drama for A SHINE OF RAINBOWS
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Mary Frymire - Best Direction in an Information or Lifestyle Series for SMART COOKIES: FINDING LOVE AND SAVINGS
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Victor Nicolle - Best Screenwriting in an Animation Program or Series for 1001 NIGHTS: WHAT’S YOURS IS MINE
Cathy Moss - Best Screenwriting in an Animation Program or Series for DOGGY DAY SCHOOL: BOSSY BOOTS
Louise Moon - Best Screenwriting in an Animation Program or Series for FRANNY’S FEET: LIGHTS IN THE NIGHT
Philippe Ivanusic-Vallée and Davila Leblanc - Best Screenwriting in an Animation Program or Series for LEAGUE OF SUPER EVIL: GLORY HOG
* LEAGUE OF SUPER EVIL, created by Philippe Ivanusic-Vallée and Davila Leblanc, is also up for Best Animation Program or Series.
RICHARD’S RANT APRIL 2010
Peter Mitchell at Vancouver Film Studios assesses the current climate of British Columbia very bluntly… he states “The Canadian film industry has all but disappeared and the Canadian domestic business is our No. 1 priority as a film industry community”.
I had a great debate with myself of whether it was a good idea, or not, to write another post that was discouraging. At the end of the day, I decided that it was better for our many clients who are not working to know that they are not alone, and that this current malaise goes all through the BC industry. The “state of the nation” is that things are stagnant, for example there are no up and coming agencies, casting directors, production houses and it is as challenging for talented young actor’s trying to break in to the business as it is for established actors to try and hang on to past levels of success.
The reasons are not new…Our provincial government has not matched the much more favourable tax credits in Ontario and Quebec, a Canadian dollar near par is anything but helpful, and the industry in general is still not in a healthy place. The biggest issue we have in BC is that our local industry was down more than 40% last year. It is lovely for us to have 100 million Hollywood feature productions coming here but they are only good for the few clients that will be cast and offer no employment opportunities to our Literary clients. Big-ticket projects mostly just tie up the studios and crew for months on something that most clients did not get a “hit” on. Reality is the 100 million plus projects are much more able to weather the strong dollar/less favourable tax credits than a 10 million dollar one. Reality is also that the domestic side of our community is what creates the most employment opportunities for us! Some clients have been asking how things are in Toronto and the answer is “better”, but certainly “no picnic”. While Ontario does have significantly more Canadian/domestic production happening, they also face their own challenges.
Domestic companies like Brightlight, No Sugar (Larry Sugar), Reunion and Omni all need a healthy climate to grow and to grow their own product. All the “BC Players” are working hard to identify new business models and new investment and co-production partners to find long-term solutions for our industry. On the bright side, more than a few US series have been renewed to shoot here, and it does look like studios will be booked up for the summer with big-budget product.
At the agency our battle cry remains…We’re here…we’re sober…Give us a call if you have any questions or just want to have a good YAK.
February 25, 2010WATCH CAMILLE MITCHELL ON CAPRICA
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“There Is Another Sky” airs Friday, February 26 at 9PM and 11PM on Syfy in the USA and at 7PM on SPACE in Canada.
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Camille was delighted to be offered this juicy role on the new BATTLESTAR GALACTICA prequel CAPRICA and says…
“I had a ball playing Vesta, a powerful but shady avatar with wild hair and guns, who runs an exclusive casino where Russian roulette is played for real for big bucks, in a world with no rules. I had originally auditioned for director Michal Nankin back in 2007 for the role of Starbuck’s alcoholic dying mother on “Battlestar” and I am so grateful that he remembered me from that audition and brought me back for this. It was a wonderful experience!”
In addition to her numerous stage and film credits, Camille became a familiar face on television from her five seasons as Sheriff Nancy Adams on the CW’s SMALLVILLE. She will appear again on that network on April 12 in a guest appearance on their very positively reviewed new series LIFE UNEXPECTED. David Hinck from The New York News says, “LIFE UNEXPECTED is TV pleasure unexpected!”
Magda Apanowicz stars in CAPRICA
“Be sure to watch our own Magda Apanowicz in the new series CAPRICA, premiering Friday January 22nd @ 9pm EST/6pm Pacific, on Space”
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Click here to read Magda’s Interview with The National Post
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January 19, 2010HST AND THE ARTIST
Award-winning artist William B. Davis is a longstanding “Lucas” client who will always be remembered as one of TV’s favourite villains, “Cancerman” from THE X-FILES. In addition he has numerous other stage, film and television credits including guest roles in new series’ CAPRICA and HUMAN TARGET plus the upcoming feature BEHEMOTH
Here is a great article that should be of interest to all clients in regards to the looming HST tax. There are many issues and questions about how the tax will actually be applied (for example what happens when you work out of province or what happens with clients who are represented by Lucas Talent, but who live out of province?)…and will registration be mandatory or optional?(presently for GST you are not obliged to register until you earn more than 30K a year). At this time, the draft legislation to implement the HST in Ontario and BC has not yet been passed, and answers to many of our questions are not available. But while we await direction on these and other fronts, we know many of our clients are concerned about what it all will mean, so we are happy to offer Bill’s informed opinion on the subject…take it away Bill!
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How does the HST benefit an artist? The same way the GST does. The only person who should pay the GST and soon the HST in our business is the audience. It is a consumption tax paid by the consumer.
So – if you have a GST number – and soon an HST number – and you should have a number regardless of your earnings - here is how it works:
In the course of pursuing our business we incur expenses: wardrobe, travel, agent’s fees, publicity, professional development etc. Currently we are charged GST on these expenses. We are charged PST also on goods but not services. Soon the PST will be added to services as well as goods and so we will be charged a 12% Value Added Tax on all of these purchases.
When we work we collect GST and soon HST from our employers. This amount is in addition to our fee and since the employer can recoup the cost they have no problem in paying it. We are required to submit this money to the government; it is a tax we have collected on their behalf.
BUT the key point is that we can then deduct the HST (formerly the GST) that we paid on our expenses from the amount we remit to the government.
Under the old system we simply had to eat the PST on our expenses but now we will be able to claim it back against our earnings.
And the even better part is that if we spend more on GST/HST than we collect in earnings the government sends us a cheque!
Essentially what the new system means is that we will no longer be out of pocket for PST on any business related expenses. Good for us.
But to benefit from this system you have to have a number – easy to get – and file – easy to do – either annually or quarterly.
And for historical interest, membership in the European Common Market requires member states to have a Value Added Tax of at least 15%. The HST is not some evil thought up by the neo cons, it is a normal tax in the modern world.
What would be truly tragic for our business would be if Ontario adopts the HST and BC doesn’t. More film business would move to Ontario as the HST is such a benefit to business. Producers have already said they will move should that happen.
January 19, 2010
RICHARDS RANT: A LITTLE GOOD NEWS FOR 2010
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OKOKOK…I need to accept that I may have to park my fat ass in front of the TV and watch the Olympics because we may be dead until March…there I have said it…now…no RANT this month and HOW ABOUT A LITTLE GOOD NEWS FOR 2010
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USA Director’s Guild honours three Canadians-The DGA have nominated James Cameron (AVATAR) and Jason Reitman (UP IN THE AIR) for 2009 Outstanding Directional Achievement in a Feature Film. Fellow Canuck Norman Jewison will be awarded their highest honour, a Lifetime Acheivement Award.
Leno Moving Back to Late Night-Leno’s move to 10PM had sucked up five hours of primetime network television that was scripted drama. This cost cutting NBC experiment did not work, Jay was still in 4th place (of the networks) and his 10PM ratings were weaker even that their shows in the same slots last season…now NBC is not going to turn out and make five “LAW AND ORDERS” but it does leave a five hour prime time crater, ripe to be filled with scripted dramas. (Even their bad ones last year rated 30% higher than Leno; albeit his show had a much lesser budget)
Series Renewals – STARGATE UNIVERSE has been renewed with a full order for Season 2…SANCTUARY has been picked up for another season. We hear through the grapevine that the pilot PREPPED has been picked up to go to series here. Don’t be surprised if the Vancouver shot CW shows get picked up – they make a lotta dough for that network!
Meg Liberman who does LA casting for CBS/CW Network told me that she expects ALL their series work will be coming to Canada this year…GREAT news, but let’s hope we get a little tax credit help from the BC Liberals so Ontario does not get it ALL.
Vancouver shot ALICE had the second highest ratings ever for SyFy (next to Nick Willing’s other Vancouver shot mini series TIN MAN). Watch for more projects coming from Reunion and Willing this spring!
Homegirl/Homeboy success – Our Madga Apanowicz, represented by Debbie Mahood, is one of the stars of CAPRICA (the new BATTLESTAR GALACTICA prequel) that has its Canadian premiere on SPACE January 22nd. Although the shows boasts veteran stars like Esai Morales and Eric Stoltz, creator David Eick says that the series “hinges on the performers playing the teenagers, Magda and Alessandra Toresani”…and how great to see Vancouver actors, Cory Monteith and Patrick Gallagher chewing it up on the hit series GLEE!
Stuart Aikins is feeling pretty warm and fuzzy about 2010 and says that he expects March to be a very busy month…He has been approached about many projects that look like they are coming our way plus he will be casting a new series TOWER, and EUREKA has been renewed for another season.
Coreen Mayrs reports that she also feels it will be very quiet until the end of the first week of March. That said, in recent conversations with various LA studio execs she believes it will heat up considerably afte
December 4, 2009Matt Frewer
Watch Matt Frewer in ALICE
He’s as mad as a box of frogs!
Our Matt Frewer stars with grown-up Alice (Caterina Scorsone) and Queen of Hearts (Kathy Bates) in the mini series Alice premiering this Sunday and Monday evenings. Alice offers a modern take on Lewis Carroll’s novels. Alice finds herself in a futuristic Wonderland and when the Queen kidnaps her she seeks an ally in the White Knight (Frewer), a character from Through the Looking Glass.
Frewer says, “He’s a knight of old, and the knights in this version have died off so he’s the one remaining crusader who will champion Alice’s cause. That’s the idea. He’s actually gone mad, as a result of too much time on his own. He’s a cross between Don Quixote, Baron von Munchausen and the Cowardly Lion; he’s mad as a box of frogs!”
Frewer adds that the “Wonderland” atmosphere extended past work. “We had a wonderful time doing it. It’s a fantastic piece to work on, and we’re just very grateful.”
Alice premiers on Showcase and SyFy Channel this Sunday:
Night One:
Sunday December 6
On SyFy Channel at 9 pm
On Showcase at 8 pm
Night Two:
Monday December 7
On SyFy Channel at 9 pm
On Showcase at 8 pm
October 27, 2009
PAL Benefit
100% of proceeds to benefit PAL Vancouver, the Performing Arts Lodge
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Shawn Williamson - Partner in Brightlight Pictures, he is a leading independent film and television producer whose credits include WHITE NOISE (starring Michael Keaton), which was a Canada/UK co-production that grossed more than $100 million. He executive produced the recently wrapped FRANKIE AND ALICE starring Halle Berry.
Richard Lucas – Established in 1986, Lucas Talent Inc. has since grown to become a thriving agency that represents actors, writers and directors and other “above the line” personnel. Our team of Talent and Literary agents are proud to represent many of Canada’s leading players in the film and television industry including Richard’s clients Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica, Human Target) and Matt Frewer (The Watchmen and, starring with Kathy Bates, in the upcoming Alice). Visit us at www.lucastalent.com
Anna Archer – Literary Agent, together with fellow agent Doreen Holmes, she represents a diverse roster of writers, directors and editors across all genres including showrunner Susin Nielsen (Robson Arms, Alice, I Think), picture editor Alison Grace (Defying Gravity), animation writer Cathy Moss (Franny’s Feet), drama writer David Schmidt (Shattered), comedy writer David Moses (Hiccups) , and award winning directors Anne Wheeler and Carl Bessai.
Louise Clark – Producer and top Canadian Development Executive, she is also the former CTV Vice President of Program Development and was responsible for the network’s original series development and production including Corner Gas, Robson Arms, not to mention Flashpoint and The Listener, CTV dramas that were picked up by American networks CBS and NBC.
Stuart Aikins - Casting director on more than 300 projects, most recently the hugely popular Twilight series, New Moon and Eclipse. He is the recipient of an Emmy Nomination and a Casting Society of America (CSA) Award for Best Mini-Series Casting.
Gary Harvey - Director/producer Gary Harvey has been working in the Canadian film and television industry for over 20 years in many production capacities. Over the past 15 years, his focus has been producing and directing. Gary has produced over 120 episodes of television and has directed over 100 additional episodes of such series as Being Erica, The Border, Wild Roses, Exes and Ohs, Godiva’s, Traders, The Associates, Tom Stone and Nothing Too Good For a Cowboy.
He produced the award-winning CBC television movie The War Between Us, and co-wrote the award-winning pilot episode of Madison, becoming a director on that series. He produced the first season of The Adventures of Shirley Holmes, and was the supervising producer on the CBC series The Rez. Harvey produced Seasons IV, V, VI and VII of Cold Squad for Alliance Atlantis and CTV and directed the CBC’s television movie, Another Country, based on the series North of 60 as well as the CTV made for television movie Playing For Keeps for CTV. He has just completed post production on the Lifetime movie Cinderella Pac.
Gary was executive producer, co-creator on Robson Arms and he co-executive produced Alice, I Think, a 13-part prime-time comedy series also for CTV and the Comedy Network, along with his Robson Arms partner, Susin Nielsen.
Elizabeth Hodgson – Manager of top producers, writers and Canadian actors who work internationally, including Carrie-Anne Moss, Callum Keith Rennie and Brent Butt.
Alexander Ludwig – Vancouver based teen star who was the lead in the FOX feature film The Seeker and most recently starred with Dwayne Johnson aka “The Rock” in Race to Witch Mountain.
Larry Sugar - Larry Sugar has enjoyed a successful 38 year career in the motion picture business, specializing in the international licensing, marketing and distribution of feature films for such media giants as Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, Lorimar, CBS and Republic Pictures. He then produced, wrote or co-wrote a series of seven films in association with Showtime, including “Robin of Locksley” which, on airing, was the highest rated of all of Showtime’s family films. Larry has produced numerous television series that were shot in BC including “Dead Man’s Gun,” science fiction series “First Wave”, “Just Deal” for NBC, three seasons of the one-hour dramatic series “The Collector,” and “JPod”, based on Douglas Coupland’s book by the same title. Larry has also executive produced feature films including “Helen” (starring Ashley Judd), “Kill Kill Faster Faster” (starring Gil Bellows) and Peter Greenaway’s “Nightwatching”.
Matthew O’Connor - Currently a partner in the production and financing company Reunion Pictures, O’Connor has, throughout his career, produced over 1.5 billion dollars worth of production. O’Connor’s more than 100 hours of long form television have garnered numerous awards and nominations. He received the prestigious Peabody Award for the television movie The Baby Dance. His television movies, mini-series and features have garnered him multiple nominations for Emmy, Golden Globe, Genie and Gemini awards including a Gemini win for Best Television Movie or Mini-series for the docudrama 100 Days in the Jungle. O’Connor has also produced films for such major studios as Columbia Pictures, Metro Goldwyn Mayer and Tri-Star. He is currently working on post production on Nick Willing’s ALICE, starring Oscar winner Kathy Bates and BC’s Matt Frewer.
Rob Bromley-President/Force Four Entertainment Inc. Over the past twenty years Rob has developed ongoing relationships with national and international networks and production partners on a variety of drama, lifestyle, and documentary projects. He recently Executive Produced a television movie for CTV and Lifetime, and is currently executive producing a documentary series for Canwest, a series for W Network, and two, one hour documentaries for CBC including the award winning 65_RedRoses which recently screened at HotDocs and the Vancouver International Film Festival.
Rob is actively involved in the Canadian production community and chairs the BC Branch Council of the CFTPA and is an advisor to the Canadian Film Centre. He participates at international markets and conferences, and as a presenter at various workshops and panels. Rob is also chair of a non-profit organization called Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network (PLAN) which provides support to families of people with disabilities.
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Lucas Talent Inc, Fiona Forbes and Seema Dhillon (Showroom PR) are producing this event, with the generous assistance of the Arts Club Theatre. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to PAL Vancouver, the Performing Arts Lodge.
September 16, 2009
Beverley Elliott is Lucille Starr
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Our Beverley Elliott returns both to the stage and her country roots to play the title role in the world premiere of…
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Lucille Starr is a Franco- Manitoban/ British Columbian singer, songwriter and yodeler best known for her 1964 hit single, “Quand Le Soleil Dit Bonjour Aux Montagnes” (”The French Song”). The play begins in 1981 with Lucille/Beverley returning to her hometown, Coquitlam, BC, for her comeback tour. Coming home stirs up a lifetime of memories- from a successful career to the loss of her voice and recovery. The tour brings her back to her music, herself and… back to you.
Besides her numerous stage appearances, Beverley is a familiar face in film and television where she has appeared in over 50 projects. Some of her favourite films include working with Clint Eastwood in UNFORGIVEN and opposite the late John Candy in HARRY CRUMB. On TV she has been a series regular on HARPER’S ISLAND, BORDERTOWN and HOPE ISLAND. She has also been seen in Spielberg’s mini series TAKEN and Stephen King’s KINGDOM HOSPITAL.
EVERGREEN CULTURAL CENTER
September 22 - 26
Click here for online tickets
1205 Pinetree Way,
Coquitlam BC
FIREHALL CENTER
DATES: September 30- October 10
For tickets call the Firehall Box Office at - 604.689.0926
280 East Cordova Street
Vancouver, BC
THE GATEWAY
November 11 -21, 2009
Click here for online tickets
6500 Gilbert Road
Richmond BC
MCCLURE MANIA!
Kandyse McClure signs as one of the leads in Brett Ratner’s(X-MEN) latest film MOTHER’S DAY
Kandyse has her cards and flowers ready for “Mother’s Day,” Darren Lynn Bousman’s remake of Charles Kaufman’s 1980 Troma cult classic.
The original “Mother’s Day” revolved around three female friends who, while camping, run afoul of two brothers who engage in murder and rape to impress their deranged mother. The new version, written by Scott Milam, is being remolded as a psychological thriller in which the wicked family returns to the house where they grew up to terrorize the new owners and their guests.
McClure will play Gina, a guest at the house along with friends Shawn Ashmore(XMEN) and Deborah Ann Woll(TRUE BLOOD). Filming commences September ’09 with a spring 2010 release timed to Mother’s Day being eyed.
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Kandyse stars in COLE which has its world première at TIFF September 15, 2009
Cole Chambers (Richard de Klerk) is an aspiring writer living in the small British Columbia town of Lytton. He enrols in a writing course at a university in the city, and meets Serafina (Kandyse McClure), a black woman who lives with her wealthy and controlling parents. Attracted to the possibility of escape that the other offers, Cole and Serafina start an affair few close to them understand.
Cole is an intense and insightful drama from director Carl Bessai and writer Adam Zang. Bessai turns his lens from
his typical urban setting to more rural surroundings, and finds both beauty and pathos. De Klerk and McClure anchor the film with their casual intimacy. Cole is Bessai’s most assured movie yet. At times challenging but ultimately life-affirming, Cole is a polished and mature work from one of Canada’s most active and engaging filmmakers.
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CHILDREN OF THE CORN premieres September 26 on SY FY
Kandyse (aka Dualla) may have wrapped the Battlestar Galactica series, but she returns to SCI FI Channel as the leading lady in the upcoming original movie Children of the Corn. 
In the film, McClure and David Anders (HEROES) star as Vicki and Burton Stanton, a couple who decide to go on a driving trip as sort of a second honeymoon and somehow end up in a rural community with some freaky ass children. The flick was shot on location in and around Davenport, Iowa. Donald P. Borchers is directing the shenanigans from his own script.
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NBC to broadcast new series PERSONS UNKNOWN
NBC has picked up Persons Unknown, the Fox TV Studios drama series from Oscar winner Christopher McQuarrie(”The Usual Suspects” ). The order is for 13-episodes. Persons Unknown, executive produced by showrunner Remi Aubuchon, McQuarrie and Heather McQuarrie, stars Kandyse with Jason Wiles and Daisy Betts and revolves around a group of strangers who wake up in a deserted town with no recollection of how they got there, only to realize that they are watched by omnipresent security cameras. To escape, they must work together to solve a surreal puzzle. Première date TBA
WECOME NEW CLIENTS
This summer Eric and Richard have welcomed two new clients to their roster who have both recently relocated to Vancouver.
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Demore Barnes joins us via both Toronto and LA. Canadian audiences will remember him from the legal series THE ASSOCIATES where he was twice nominated for a Gemini Award for Best Leading Actor in a Dramatic Series. State-side he played ‘Sergeant First Class Hector Williams’ aka Hammerhead, in Seasons
1,2 and 3 of CBS’s critically acclaimed series THE UNIT.
Demore had a nice welcome to Vancouver where on his first appointment he booked a new recurring lead role on CW’s hit series SUPERNATURAL. Playing the dual role of Darryl and Raphael, he will provide some twists and turns this season for SUPERNATURAL fans!
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Mark Lutz is a multi-talent actor and screenwriter who is well known as the star and author of TV feature VICTOR. Based on the inspiring, true-life, story of swimmer Victor Davis, Mark played this working class kid who through sheer guts and determination overcame both physical and psychological challenges to reach the pinnacle of his sport, becoming an Olympic gold medal champion. The project won two 2008 Gemini awards! Although Mark has guest starred on numerous episodics including 
popular shows like FRIENDS and ER, he may be best known as ‘The Groosalugg’ aka ‘Groo’ from season 2 and 3 of WB hit show ANGEL. Part demon and part human, our Mr. Lutz got to battle Angel for the affections of the lovely Cordelia. Wanna find out who prevails?…then buy the damn DVDs people 
SUMMER ’09 VANCOUVER TELEVISION REPORT
Greetings oh dear clients…
How about a little good news for a change?
Thought you would be interested in seeing updates about what this summer is going to look like in Vancouver.
Feature films are lovely, and they bring a very high visibility to the Vancouver market…but as Crawford Hawkins the DGC president says, “The features are the glamour, and the television is the lifeblood of our BC business”….and Ken Anderson the president of IATSE Local 891 states “Series work is the bread and butter for Vancouver.”
So here is the latest on ‘whazzup’ in Vancouver TV-Land
SERIES ALREADY SHOOTING
SANCTUARY - Sci-Fi network in season 2. Dr Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping) and her
team continue to track and find the monsters that move secretly among us. Casting: Stuart Aikins
STARGATE UNIVERSE - new series with a full season order on the Sci-Fi Channel. The third show in the live action Stargate franchise and will start airing summer 2009. Casting: Clark & Page
PSYCH – Season 4, a novice sleuth tricks the police into thinking he has psychic powers, and now they’ve hired him to solve complicated crime cases. Casting: Clark & Page
THE TROOP – Nickelodeon series about a covert society group of kids who protect the world from supernatural creatures will begin filming season 1. Casting: Maureen Webb
EUREKA – Sci-fi Network has green-lit Season 4 but it 
may start shooting as late as January! A small town kept secret and guarded from the world is inhabited by only brilliant scientists who work on scientific government advances that usually go awry. Casting: Aikins & Cossey
DEFYING GRAVITY –just finishing first season and the series is looking for a US network home once filming has been completed. It is to be aired in Canada and on BBC 2 in the UK. Series had VERY little guest cast requirements and may or may not get renewed for a second season… Eight astronauts living aboard an international spacecraft on a mission through the Solar System, as the world watches from thirteen billion kilometres away. Staring Ron Livingston. Casting Mayrs & Brandstatter
COMING BACK SOON
click ‘more’ tab below to continue this report
June 17, 2009REPORT FROM BANFF
Lucas Literary Agent Doreen Holmes is just back from being both a delegate and a guest participant at the Banff World Television Festival 2009
The Banff Television Festival – It’s a perfect place to meet new people and catch up with those you don’t see very often – throw in sessions with broadcasters, producers, commissioning editors, master classes, award ceremonies and gawd – this time, pitch sessions in a room full of other agents – cocktail parties and, of course, a grand-slam barbecue complete with not one, but two fire pits, live bands and a cowboy meal served on the biggest darned tin plates I’ve ever seen, while perched amongst Rocky Mountains, and you’ve got a near perfect setting for a focused industry conference.
For some, Banff is a place to pitch projects, or to find projects, to gather information, gain a new perspective on the business, gather new information or market trends, or to find agent representation – I actually had one writer fall to her knees in front of me bowing as though I was some kind of deity (that was a bit odd and rather unnecessary). I go for many of these reasons, but mostly to foster relationships and try to gain an understanding of who’s looking for what, what kind of projects appeal to a particular person or company and begin the introduction process of our clients to production companies and broadcasters.
So what are producers and broadcasters looking for? Comedies, dramas, projects that can be shot in Canada, projects that need a co-producer, top writers, new writers, projects with an strong new media component to name a few. There were less people attending this year (I heard numbers ranging from 900 to 1,200 instead of the normal level of 2,000) and I believe the feeling was slightly more low-key than in the past, but there was still a good representation – program executives, producers, broadcasters, writers, show runners, funders – and so many are looking for good projects – make that great projects – with a fresh voice. And they are interested in the people who create and work on them! Ultimately, they all speak to who their market is – who’s watching their programs.
So now, back in Vancouver, my real work begins – following up and nurturing those new relationships, staying in touch with all those folk as I continue to promote our clients and their projects in this ever-changing industry.
April 28, 2009Congratulations to Anne Wheeler, “Our first lady of Canadian film”
Wheeler’s LIVING OUT LOUD starring Emmy-award winner Gail O’Grady premieres on the Hallmark Channel May 2, and Anne is nominated for her fine work on this project with a Best Direction of Feature Length Drama nomination at the May 9th LEO Awards
Wheeler is always busy with directing and writing assignments, and tries to have a half dozen projects on the go at all times. She loves to try anything new, and draws from her own wide range of experiences.
Recently, Anne has directed ‘Mail Order Bride’, ‘The Gambler, The Girl and the Gunslinger’, ‘Christmas on Chestnut Street’ and ‘Me, Mom, Dad…. And Her’.
Now living in White Rock, just south of Vancouver, B.C., she loves to pass on her enthusiasm to young and old alike. Her films have touched the hearts of her audience, won numerous awards and have earned her SIX HONORARY DOCTORATES and THE ORDER OF CANADA.
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A shocking change in a woman’s life inspires those around her to reconsider what’s really important to them in “Living Out Loud,” a Hallmark Channel Original Movie directed by Anne Wheeler premiering Saturday, May 2th at 9:00PM with an encore presentation at the same time on May 8th.
Emily Marshall (Gail O’Grady) is a high school chorus teacher who is all about helping others achieve their goals, having abandoned her own years before as a youthful fantasy. But a visit to the doctor throws Emily for a loop when 
she is diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. She starts chemotherapy treatment right away, leaving her husband Brad (Michael Shanks, “Stargate SG-1″) to take care of Melissa (Jessica Amlee, “Heartland”) and Ben (Alex Ferris, “The L Word”), their children he’s been too busy with work to get to know. Emily’s newfound strength becomes an inspiration to those around her.
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Just click on this link to watch a short preview.
http://www.truveo.com/Living-Out-Loud-Hallmark-Channel/id/3285506134
April 23, 2009RICHARD’S RANT - WHY AM I NOT WORKING?
“Why am I not working…what’s going on? I read in the paper that all the BC studios are busy and that it is going to be a terrific year.”
We are hearing this from a lot of clients lately. I know that everyone wants to “get out” more and that many of you are feeling the financial pinch, so I wanted to give you a comprehensive report on the current climate in our business.
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SAG STALEMATE: Since the SAG contract expired on June 30, 2008; there have been few to no STUDIO feature films (this does not include companies such as Lionsgate and the Weinstein Company who are not in AMPTP and as such have completion agreements). Some analysts say there are up to 200 feature films on hold. Around September, we started to see a mass movement of film actors to TV projects. Due to the lack of studio feature film production, BOTH film and TV actors are now competing for a limited number of jobs in the episodic and pilot environments. The good news is that a tentative deal in this nine-month dispute has been announced (which still needs to be put to the membership for ratification).
PILOT SEASON: During the Writer’s Strike of 2007-2008, Studios adapted and used the void to eliminate pilot season as we know it. Gone are the days of hundreds of pilots. In fact, this year, there were only 67 pilots to have registered for production – of which only about 35 have been green lit for production. (click ‘more’ tab to continue reading) more
April 8, 2009Beverley Elliott is one of the stars of CBS ’s HARPER’S ISLAND
Beverley says “Harper’s Island is nail-biting and terrifying…not a place I’d like to buy real estate.”
HARPER’S ISLAND is about a group of family and friends who travel to a secluded island off the coast of Seattle for a destination wedding. This island is famous for a streak of unsolved murders from seven years ago. Although they’ve come to laugh and to love, what they don’t know is they’ve also come… to die. As the wedding festivities begin, friendships are tested and secrets exposed as a murderer claims victims, one by one, transforming the wedding week of fun and celebration into a terrifying struggle for survival.
In every episode, someone is killed and every person is a suspect, from the wedding party to the island locals. By the end of the 13 episodes, all questions will be answered, the killer will be revealed and only a few will survive.
Don’t miss the broadcast premiere of HARPER’S ISLAND on Thursday, April 9 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT).
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April 7, 2009We are proud to congratulate our 2009 Leo Awards Nominees:
Barry Kennedy - Best Host in an Information or Lifestyle Series for “Out In The Cold”
Louise Moon - Best Screenwriting in an Animation Program or Series for “Kid Vs Kat”
Julie Patzwald - Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series for “The Guard”
Dan Payne - Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Feature Length Drama for “Mulligans”
Anne Wheeler - Best Direction in a Feature Length Drama for “Living Out Loud”
March 4, 2009
WES WILLIAMS joins all-star cast in the new drama series ‘THE LINE’
Actor Wes Williams will appear alongside an all-star cast in the upcoming drama series ‘The Line’, premiering Monday, March 16th, 2009 at 10 p.m. ET on TMN and 9 p.m. PT on Movie Central. It will also air Fridays at 9pm ET/MT on HBO Canada. ‘The Line’ revolves around the multifaceted lives of people on both sides of the law and brings viewers into an unpredictable world where the lives of cops, criminals and the innocent collide. This compelling 15-part series has a tremendous cast of heavy hitters including: Sharon Lawrence, Linda Hamilton, Daniel Kash, Ron White and Ed Asner, and was written by renowned playwright George F. Walker and his creative partner Dani Romain. (click ‘more’ tab to continue reading) more
ALEXANDER LUDWIG stars with “The Rock” Dwayne Johnson in the Disney feature RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN opening March 13th
Alexander reports from location….in Los Angeles
Nurturing an impressive body of work that encompasses film and television, Alexander Ludwig is positioning himself as one of Hollywood’s most promising young talents as his career continues to evolve with exciting and challenging projects.
Alexander stars in Walt Disney feature film “Race to Witch Mountain”
alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, which opens nationwide on March 13, 2009. He marked a milestone during the filming of the movie: he turned 16. Among his gifts from cast and crew was an acoustic guitar from Dwayne Johnson, also a gifted player.
A Vancouver, British Columbia resident, Alexander entered the entertainment business at age 10 by booking his first ever audition for a television commercial. Roles in several family films soon followed, including “Eve and the Firehorse,” “MXP: Most Xtreme Primate,” “Air Bud:
World Pup” and “The Sandlot III” to name a few.
Alexander was most recently seen in the thriller “The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising,” starring alongside veteran actors Ian McShane, Frances Conroy and Wendy Crewson.
When not in school or on film sets, Alexander enjoys the outdoors. He spends his free time snow skiing at Whistler Mountain near his home in British Columbia, surfing, water skiing, playing tennis and ice hockey.
Alexander writes from set….. (click ‘more’ tab to read Alexander’s account) more
February 16, 2009MADGA APANOWICZ signs to join the cast of new BATTLESTAR GALACTICA “prequel”, CAPRICA
Magda began acting at the age of 15 and has never looked back.
After appearing in numerous television series including The Bionic Woman and The L Word, she moved on to TV movies where most recently she starred as Brooke Preston in Hallmark’s Every Second Counts. Prior to the Caprica series Magda landed recurring roles in ABC Family Channel’s Kyle XY and on renegadepress.com, where she has twice been nominated for a Gemini award for her outstanding portrayal of Alex.
In her spare time you may find Magda on the slopes snowboarding or perhaps skydiving & bungee jumping off them! She will take a break from her daredevil activities when she joins the cast of Caprica, and shares the following story with you from the Pilot shoot…
While I was shooting Caprica, we taped for four days at the private room in the V-Club. The set was beautiful and quite elaborate and featured a liquid moat surrounding the entire room. But unfortunately I don’t think anyone gave the lighting a lot of thought. The moat was indistinguishable from the floor and just about everyone on the crew stepped into that thing at least once during our week there. I always like to take things to a new level, however, so as we were about to shoot an important scene, I was still listening to my iPod as the AD slowly walked me through the room. He had been joking around about some stuff when all of a sudden I heard him yell, “Watch out”. I didn’t react quickly enough and walked straight into the moat, where I slipped and fell face first into the water… iPod, sound mike and all. I easily took top prize amongst the entire Caprica cast and crew for “Best Spill of the Week”.
January 15, 2009LUCAS TALENT WELCOMES CARL BESSAI
UPDATE: January 2009 - CARL BESSAI is nominated for 2 Genie Awards (Achievement in Direction and Best Motion Picture) for NORMAL.
Anna Archer, Doreen Holmes and Richard Lucas are proud to announce that they are now representing the award winning filmmaker Carl Bessai.
Bessai started out in the film industry shooting documentaries and soon honed his skills as a producer, writer, director, and cinematographer. His feature films have won international critical acclaim, having screened at numerous festivals including Sundance, Berlin, and Toronto and have been released theatrically in Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and the USA. He has had the pleasure of directing international talents including Sir Ian McKellen (EMILE), Carrie-Anne Moss (NORMAL) and Colm Feore (LOLA).
In 2007 his film NORMAL (starring Moss plus Kevin Zegers, Cameron Bright and Callum Keith Rennie) premièred with acclaim at the Toronto International Film Festival and went on to win multiple industry awards. His 2006 feature, UNNATURAL&ACCIDENTAL premiered at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and at TIFF, before earning awards and nominations at the American Indian Film Festival, the Vancouver International Film Festival, the British Columbia film Awards (Leos), and the 2007 Genie Awards.
In 2009 watch for the release of two new Bessai features COLE and MOTHERS&DAUGHTERS.
January 14, 2009Barry Kennedy returns to Discovery Channel for season 2 of OUT IN THE COLD, premiering January 2009
Join host Barry Kennedy as he embraces freezing temperatures on a cross-country ride from the Yukon tundra to iceberg alley in Newfoundland. With back-to-back half-hour episodes, the six-part series OUT IN THE COLD premieres on Discovery Channel in January 2009.
Go to discoverychannel.ca for TV listings and info on the show
Advice From the Ice
Midnight. Midwinter. Dawson City, Yukon. Advice is flowing freely. . . .
Opinions come thick and furious in the north, relentless tormenting swarms like the summer blackflies that so clog eyes and nostrils caribou are driven in panicky headlong flight to their deaths. But our four-man crew is bearing up, refusing to bolt. The bar is called The Pit, for all obvious reasons, and serious counsel is on tap. (click ‘more’ tab to continue reading) more
December 3, 2008Justin Louis wins a Gemini Award for his Leading role in DURHAM COUNTY
UPDATE: January 2009 - JUSTIN LOUIS signs to play Colonel Evertt Young in the new STARGATE UNIVERSE series
We are proud to congratulate Justin on his well-earned Gemini Award in the category of “Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role” in the critically acclaimed series DURHAM COUNTY.
Just click on the link below and you will see why the Globe and Mail says “Justin Louis does his best work ever here.”
www.lucastalent.com/clips/LouisDurham.wmv
December 2, 2008What Happens in the Cornfield Stays in the Cornfield…Part Two
UPDATE: -January 2009- KANDYSE MCCLURE is shooting a new FOX series PERSONS UNKNOWN in Mexico City
KANDYSE MCCLURE concludes her report from location in Iowa…Shooting Stephen King’s CHILDREN OF THE CORN
The Lodge has become our home and we have all but taken over. The group tours of folks from Kiwanis and The Ladies Auxiliary smile and give us sideways glances as our chatter drowns out the live piano player at breakfast. We’re always in the hot-tub or chatting in the lobby. Everyone on the staff knows our names, I half expect there to be a bar called Cheers down the hall. But, even hanging around hot-tubs and bars can get old and we really just want to get started. Having been here over a week, almost a month for some, we’ve run out of things to buy at Target and are tired of the daily rehearsals and meetings and fittings. Just when we are all beginning to get a wicked case of cabin fever, we hear that shooting is about to begin. There’s one little problem though. . . . a tropical storm is off the southern coast of the US and we in Davenport have been under torrential downpour for days. I am under the impression that they’ve accounted for this by negotiating for weather days but I get the call anyway. Wednesday morning, 5am –Interior Thunderbird. We are to do almost 80% of our dialogue in the first two days on camera. Oh boy. (click ‘more’ tab below to continue reading)
RICHARD’S RANT
After many of you have worked hard for years to establish your rates and quotes we are now playing the game of “how low can you go”. Budgets and time are getting so compressed these days that a few of the recent 2 hour MOW products are being shot in as little as 9 or 10 days. Projects that qualify with less than 2 million dollar budgets are getting discounts on union rates and don’t think just the actors are getting this treatment. An experienced and talented director may be working on the same project and getting discounted up to 75% of their union minimum! Like you, many directors, producers, writers and editors are working on projects that are…how can I put this politely…are perhaps not projects that would have held the same interest a few years back. And if you have an off-the-record conversation with a casting director you might find that top houses have rolled back their rates to what they made 15 years ago in order to be competitive and land a job. In addition, many of them are also now expected to provide the cost of the audition space as part of that lower fee. (click ‘more’ tab to continue reading Richards Rant) more
KANDYSE MCCLURE reports from location in Iowa… shooting Stephen King’s CHILDREN OF THE CORN
What happens in the cornfield stays in the cornfield…Part One
No truer words have ever been spoken, especially when you’re doing a Stephen King remake in the middle of (choice expletive) Iowa. Actually let me just say - Iowa is wonderful in it’s own special way – the people are friendly and unpretentious, stuff is cheap, there are lots of sporting goods stores and Texas Roadhouse makes one of the most amazing rib-eye’s I’ve ever had. Or maybe that was the Jack Daniel’s talking. (click ‘more’ tab to continue reading) more
October 24, 2008Feel the Urban Rush
Watch Fiona Forbes and Michael Eckford weekdays on the new season of Urban Rush…and if that isn’t enough of this dynamic duo for you… contact Eric Edwards about having them host your next event!
October 18, 2008REPORT FROM LA
Ben Levine is a manager with top LA management firm Kritzer Levine Wilkins who has worked with Lucas Talent agents and clients for almost 10 years.
GREETINGS FROM LA…
So far the new fall television season still seems to be a bit nebulous. Because of the condensed pilot season and writer’s strike last year it seems that everyone was trying to cram things, and they didn’t have the proper time to develop their shows. What we got was a lot of shows that are either retreads like KNIGHT RIDER or 90210 or remakes of shows shot in other countries like THE EX LIST and KATH & KIM. It is estimated that the writer’s strike lost the networks 33% of their business and this is pertaining to the juggernaut shows like: GREY’S ANATOMY and CSI. Yet the television season is business as usual, even though studio feature production is at a stand still. We can thank SAG for that. (click ‘more’ tab to continue reading) more
MATT FREWER reports from location in SHANGHAI… shooting WUSHU WARRIOR
UPDATE: January 2009 - MATT FREWER is off to South Africa to film gritty Darfur epic JANJAWEED
UPDATE: December 2008 - MATT FREWER shoots DR STRASSFIELD with Halle Berry in the upcoming feature film FRANKIE AND ALICE
Matt Frewer is one very busy actor. In 2008 he has two feature films coming out, the lead in action/adventure film Wushu Warrior and Zack Snyder’s (Director of 2006 hit “300”) major Warner Brothers release, The Watchmen. Matt also had the pleasure of appearing in Snyder’s 2004 film Dawn of the Dead that is one of the top-grossing zombie films of all time! His other work on the big screen includes memorable roles like Big Russ Thompson, Rick Moranis’ neighbour in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, and his nefarious computer genius in Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace.
Gemini award-winning Frewer is also a familiar face on television where recently he has been a series regular on both Eureka (Sci-Fi) and Intelligence (CBC). He starred in three Sherlock Holmes films for Muse Entertainment, CTV and the Odyssey Channel. In addition to his long list of fine comedy and dramatic roles, Frewer will always be remembered for his groundbreaking work, and his creation of pop-culture icon Max Headroom. (click ‘more’ tab to continue reading Matt’s report) more
October 1, 2008TRICIA HELFER reports from location in MIAMI…shooting BURN NOTICE:
Tricia Helfer should be up for “the hardest workin’ woman in show biz award” as she has been doing triple duty shooting a 2 hour Battlestar Galactica MOW, her new FOX pilot Inseparable and this report comes from Miami where she is in the middle of an “arc” play of USA ‘s Burn Notice where she plays Carla, Michael’s sleek sexy and lethal “handler”. (click ‘more’ tab to continue reading Tricia’s report) more
Coming Next Month - Richard’s Rant
Eric tells me I am not allowed to “rant” in my opening blog so you will have to wait until next month for me to go postal on the plethora of scale-minus projects we have “enjoyed” in the past few years. So for now I shall be all sunshine and kitties, and welcome you to our new web site, to celebrate our new location. It was time for a new do and we hope that our clients and those who hire them will enjoy the new “bloggy” features we have. We look forward to hearing from you, what you like, what you don’t, and from whom and about what you want covered in the future!
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