On June 4, 1997, the Production Working Group of the
Task Force on the Implementation of Digital TV completed its work and presented
its report. The details of the report, along with those of the three other
working groups which comprised the full Task Force, were then consolidated into
the final document, which included proposed funding initiatives to provide
additional incentives to Canadian producers in the development of Digital TV
content, as well as in training.
3 years ago, the original “working group”
orchestrated a survey of a cross section of producers throughout Canada
regarding their level of interest, investment, and intention toward the
evolution of advanced television content development for these new DTV markets.
The results were startling in respect to the
community’s lack of awareness of the impending “crisis and opportunity” created
in the predictable and dynamic wake of change through the mandating of DTV.
Then and now, we have viewed that Canadian producers, who choose to be an early
adopter of such processes, may have a unique opportunity in the international
markets during the next 5 years to tell and sell Canadian stories based in part
upon their advanced format, and predictable early-market demand. Furthermore,
it is clear that a producer who is shooting programming today for tomorrow’s
markets, must immediately consider the heightened future market opportunities
by capturing aspect and resolution today that is upwardly and onwardly mobile.
Almost 3 years later, on April 19 of this year, the
Production and Training Committee of CDTV Inc. was officially convened with the
realization that little has changed in that same time frame, and that there is
much work to be done. Of course, there has been progress in respect to the
“roll out” of DTV, particularly in the US where more than 100 broadcasters are
already on the air with simulcast DTV. We are finally beginning to see the
first signs of advanced content being developed specifically for this new
“broadcast window” and, in this respect, there is a particular focus on wide
screen (16 : 9) and high definition (1080i or p.).
The Production and Training Committee has now been officially launched as CDTV’s newest addition to its arsenal of proactive initiatives in the emergence of Canadian DTV. In its first meeting, on April 19, (chaired by Steven Stohn of Epitome Pictures Inc and Co-Chaired by Doug McKenzie of Advanced Media Group Corp), the new committee set its future agenda through the adoption of various “objectives and deliverables”. Included in these mandates are:
· Study the current production
market status in relation to the original Task Force survey
· Review, adopt or amend the
findings of the original Task Force Production Working Group
· Create awareness amongst the
Canadian production community of the challenges and
opportunities in the development of advanced program formats
· Establish test trials and
analyze costs and other relevant data
· Engage the production
community in the process of identifying and lobbying for incentives and
programs through Government and otherwise
· Other initiatives
CDTV Inc is pleased that the CFTPA has continued to
offer its support of this process, and we are particularly grateful for its
assistance in soliciting committee members and in providing other resources in
support of the mandate of CDTV’s Production and Training Committee. For further
information regarding this new committee and its findings please contact: Doug
J. McKenzie
Co-Chair, Production and
Training Committee, CDTV Inc.
Christine, I need his e-mail address
here