CineGroupe going live on 'Galidor'
Toon group to use CG f/x on new kids skein to air on Fox
Montreal-based CineGroupe will produce 26 half-hour episodes of the series created by Tom Lynch, whose credits include the Nickelodeon shows "Caitlin's Way" and "The Secret World of Alex Mack." Show will bow on Fox early in 2002.
Until recently, CineGroupe has focused on animation. Earlier this year it began shooting its first live-action series, teen sitcom "Big Wolf on Campus," and brought onboard former Telescene Film Group president Robin Spry to develop live-action projects.
"Galidor" will use 3-D backgrounds and computer-generated effects created at CineGroupe's Montreal studio.
"It grows us from our base in animation," said Ken Katsumoto, CineGroupe's L.A.-based head of family entertainment. "But CGI is part of animation, so we'll always have our roots in animation. The appeal of the project was the combination of a great story with creating a new area of expertise for CineGroupe."
"Galidor" follows the adventures of Nicholas Bluetooth, a 15-year-old who discovers he has secret powers.
"Galidor" is produced by CineGroupe in association with Canadian youth web YTV. Worldwide distribution will be handled by CineGroupe and Columbia TriStar Intl. Television.
Executive producers for the series are CineGroupe president Jacques Pettigrew and Lynch, production executive is Katsumoto, and the producers are Michel Lemire and Marie-Claude Beauchamp.
