Canadian science fiction television
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Canadian science fiction television was produced by the CBC as early as the 1950s. In the 1970s, CTV produced The Starlost. In the 1980s, Canadian animation studios including Nelvana, began producing a growing proportion of the world market in animation.
In the 1990s, Canada became an important player in live action
In the first decade of the 21st century, changes in provincial tax legislation prompted many production companies to move from Toronto to Vancouver. Recent series produced in Vancouver include The Dead Zone, Smallville, Andromeda, Stargate Atlantis, Stargate Universe, The 4400, Sanctuary and the reimagined Battlestar Galactica.
Because of the small size of the domestic television market, most Canadian productions involve partnerships with production studios based in the United States and Europe. However, in recent years, new partnership arrangements are allowing Canadian investors a growing share of control of projects produced in Canada and elsewhere.
History of science fiction television in Canada
Actors and creative staff
Famous Canadian actors who played popular science fiction roles include Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Jim Carrey, James Doohan, Nathan Fillion, Michael J. Fox, Lorne Greene, Michael Ironside, Leslie Nielsen, Walter Pidgeon, Christopher Plummer, Michael Shanks, William Shatner, Martin Short, Marc Singer, Donald Sutherland, Kiefer Sutherland, Amanda Tapping, Lexa Doig, Laura Bertram, Keanu Reeves, Kristin Kreuk and Carrie-Anne Moss.
Well-known Canadian
Canada's science fiction television industry is closely related to the United States. Many Canadian-born actors like Nicole de Boer, Amanda Tapping, Tricia Helfer, and Anthony Michael Hall are immediately recognizable to American SF fans, while some American-born actors and producers like Christopher Judge and Peter DeLuise have spent most of their working lives in Canada.
The Constellation Awards are awarded annually in Canada to honour the best science fiction or fantasy television or film works of the previous year.
After coming to Canada as a guest at
Toronto to Vancouver
In the early 2000s, changes in provincial tax legislation prompted many production companies to move from Toronto to
.Foreign control and co-production
Because of the small size of the domestic television market, most Canadian productions involve partnerships with production studios based in the United States and Europe. This sometimes create long preparation cycles for many shows, with years of delay between initial creative development and actual production. Although American management was a common model for Canadian production in the 1990s, more complex partnership arrangements are allowing Canadian investors a growing share of control of projects produced in Canada. This trend has also resulted in outflowing investment to projects produced in other countries, including Doctor Who, a co-production between the CBC and BBC, and Charlie Jade, developed in Canada but produced in South Africa.
References
- ^ "Canadian vs. Foreign Spent in British Columbia" (PDF). British Columbia Film. 2005. Retrieved 2007-01-11. [dead link]