CCI Entertainment Ltd. is pleased to announce the acquisition of worldwide distribution rights for Apartment 11’s Finding Stuff Out. The 16 x 30 minute series targeting kids 6-9 explores and delivers answers to science-related questions that kids are curious about. Canadian Broadcasters include TVO. CCI’s digital division, with funding from Bell and Shaw Rocket Fund, has also co-developed all online content for the show.
Finding Stuff Out isn’t your typical science program. The series centers around an energetic young host who produces a webcast devoted to gathering cool questions from real kids and finding out the answers to them. To help demonstrate the answers, the host relies on colourful in-studio demonstrations, eye-catching video, special guests, playful animation and the knowledge that kids already have!
“We are excited that CCI Entertainment Ltd. will be bringing our newest series, Finding Stuff Out to market. They have a great track record with shows that entertain and inform, and we are thrilled to be in their very capable hands,” says Mindy Laxer, VP and General Manager of Apartment 11.
Rekha Shah, VP of Distribution & Co-production at CCI stated, “We are really excited about working with Apartment 11 on this series. The energy of the host as well as the engaging content made Finding Stuff Out a must-have series for us and we look forward to launching it at MIPCOM later this month.”

Apartment 11 Productions
Founded in 2000, Apartment 11 Productions is a development and production company committed to creating compelling, story-driven television programming. Based in Montreal, Canada, Apartment 11 has produced over 300 half-hours of television programming seen by audiences worldwide and received multiple international awards. Since Producing the Gemini Award-winning series Mystery Hunters, Apartment 11 has established themselves as leaders in the kids’ format business, with their scripted, hidden camera reality series Prank Patrol, and their popular reality competition series In Real Life which is currently in its third season.

Now in its eleventh year, Apartment 11 has proven itself to be a unique independent studio that creates exceptional programming concepts, and produces top quality content within a budget to meet the demands of their global broadcast partners to generate ratings successes.

CCI Entertainment is one of Canada’s leading independent production and distribution companies with a successful track record spanning twenty years. CCI has been particularly recognized in the area of family programming, having been responsible for thousands of hours of award-winning television for the world market including: Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs, Erky Perky and Ghost Trackers as well as Monster By Mistake, Timeblazers, Shining Time Station and Sharon, Lois & Bram’s Elephant Show. CCI Entertainment’s mission is to create family entertainment that entertains, engages and fuels imaginations.

For further information contact:
Joanna Bryden
CCI Entertainment
+1 (416) 583-2919

CCI Entertainment is pleased to announce that Wooky Entertainment, a worldwide master arts & crafts licensee, has been acquired for CCI`s award-winning series Artzooka!. With this new partnership, CCI and Wooky are planning to launch product at retail for Spring 2012. The line will reflect the innovation and spirit of the series and will include everything from craft tools to activity kits.

Artzooka! targets children ages four to seven and focuses on a range of art techniques to show kids that everyone can be an artist and that art can be made out of anything and everything. The property features cutting edge digital elements, electronic art and includes bizarre, animated characters who contribute to the show’s upbeat, off-the-wall energy. All of the art projects are easily mastered and accessible to children, while at the same time being inventive and dazzling…What will you Artzooka! today?

A global branding and marketing strategy for Artzooka! has also been developed by CCI and shaped under the leadership of L.A.-based Brandissimo!

CCI Entertainment Ltd. (Cambium Catalyst International) CCI Entertainment is one of Canada’s leading independent production and distribution companies with a successful track record spanning twenty years. CCI has been particularly recognized in the area of family programming, having been responsible for thousands of hours of award-winning television for the world market including: Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs, Erky Perky and Ghost Trackers as well as Monster By Mistake, Timeblazers, Shining Time Station and Sharon, Lois & Bram’s Elephant Show. CCI Entertainment’s mission is to create family entertainment that entertains, engages and fuels imaginations.

For further information contact:
Kristin Lecour
CCI Entertainment
+1 (416) 583-2905

CCI Entertainment is pleased to announce an agreement has been reached with Discovery Home & Health for two new seasons of lifestyle series CANDICE TELLS ALL and seasons 7 and 8 of DIVINE DESIGN, both series hosted by design guru Candice Olson. The deal brings an additional 104 x 30’ episodes to the network.

This sale comes on the heels of a raft of international agreements. In addition to Discovery Latin America, the new seasons of Candice Tells All have been acquired by CANAL+ for Domo.tv channel in Poland, The Home Channel in South Africa, LiTV Asia, and Home in Australia, while seasons of Divine Design have been acquired by Fine Living Europe, Cuisine TV in France, by Decasa (Chello Multicanal) in Spain, with an agreement finalized in Australia.

Produced by Fusion Television, Candice Tells All and Divine Design present home design principles in unique and innovative ways.

Federico Vargas, Director of Sales – Latin America, Iberia, CEEMEA states, “It’s exciting to have a dynamic personality like Candice Olson be part of our global factual strategy. We are delighted that the series continues to be well received internationally and that the Discovery Latin America audiences have been an important part of that success.”

“Candice has become a personality that our audience has grown to love and expect every Thursday during our Home Night and it gives us great satisfaction to be able to offer new episodes of her shows,” said Angela Recio Sondon, Vice-president and Channel Director of Discovery Home & Health, the network that broadcasts Divine Design in Latin America. “Candice’s amazing transformations embody like no other the concept of ‘home’ in our network.”

Both Candice Tells All and Divine Design, are hosted by design expert Candice Olson. In Divine Design, join Candice as she leads you through the process of taking a room from drab to utterly divine!

In Candice Tells All, Candice takes viewers through the ins-and-outs of her jaw-dropping makeovers while exploring a major design principle in every episode.

CCI Entertainment Ltd. (Cambium Catalyst International)
CCI’s lifestyle library features series such as Avventura, She’s Crafty, and Whose Design is it Anyway? CCI Entertainment continues to be an industry leader by developing and distributing content that entertains, engages and fuels imaginations including Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs, and classics such as Sharon, Lois & Bram’s Elephant Show and Shining Time Station.

CCI Entertainment is one of Canada’s leading independent production, distribution and licensing companies with a successful track record spanning twenty five years. CCI has been particularly recognized in the area of family television, lifestyle programming, documentaries and movies having been responsible for thousands of hours of award-winning entertainment for the world market.

Discovery Home & Health is a lifestyle genre channel aimed at women aged 18 to 45. It offers varied programming in the areas of beauty, fitness, well-being, intimate relationships, home décor and family life. The mission of Discovery Home & Health is to contribute to its audience’s personal development by addressing different aspects of contemporary women’s lives from an entertaining, real and positive perspective.

For further information contact:
Kristin Lecour
CCI Entertainment
+1 (416) 583-2905

CCI Entertainment is pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached with The Juno Company to produce a television series based on the Emmy award-winning Juno property. Under the deal, CCI Entertainment will play a role in the further development of the brand and be responsible for financing the production and distributing the series globally, as well as creating and executing the broadcast strategy and roll-out internationally.

The Juno Company proudly announces that The Day the Music Stopped from the new Juno Jr. series has garnered two 2011 Emmys in the Musical Composition/Arrangement and Children’s Programming categories. Co-Founders of The Juno Company, Belinda Takahashi, Ph.D. and Adam Adelman, accepted the awards at The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences ceremony this past Saturday, June 18th, 2011.  ”Our intent is to create original children’s programming based on music, that is loved by parents and children alike.  We’re honoured and thrilled to be recognized by our peers for our work as well,” states Takahashi.

“Enthusiasm for The Juno Company and our brands is growing exponentially fast and fans of our children’s franchise are eager for us to bring Juno, her friends and their musical adventures to the TV screen,” said Liza Coppola, SVP Marketing, The Juno Company. “CCI’s extensive production experience and unprecedented recognition in family television is a perfect fit for the Juno property.”

“We are really excited to be working with the Juno team to build this property on an international scale”, said Arnie Zipursky, Co-Chairman of CCI Entertainment Ltd “With every storyline, Juno sparks a genuine love of music in young children. The rich content, friendly characters and real orchestral music behind Juno properties give us the ingredients to create a TV series that does just that.”

About The Juno Company
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, The Juno Company is a leading children’s digital media company specializing in the creation of innovative, music education products from digital apps and games to movies that encompass virtual goods and/or physical goods. Founded by classical composer and mom, Belinda Takahashi, Ph.D., The Juno Company collaborates with top researchers, instructors, artists, and musicians to produce its award-winning lines, Juno Baby and Juno Jr. The world’s most talented puppet makers and orchestral musicians were involved in the making of Juno Baby and Juno Jr. products to create fun, witty and beautiful music education experiences through a series of DVDs, CDs, mobile Apps and books for children aged 12 months to preschool-age. Other products include toys, peripherals, and apparel and are presently sold at various national retail stores. The Juno Company’s series of digital apps and eBooks are based on the Juno Baby and Juno Jr. storylines and provide children a new way to interact with, learn about and share music. Juno Baby and Juno Jr. IPs are owned by The Juno Company. The Juno Company at 116 New Montgomery Street, Suite 200 San Francisco, CA 94105; Phone (415) 820-5100 or (877) JUNO-BABY; Fax (415) 879-9937; and website at www.JunoBaby.com.

About Juno Baby and Juno Jr.
All DVDs, CDs, books, and apps published by The Juno Company feature original music composed and performed by live orchestral musicians, and a cast of lovable puppets that interact with children through creative and educational storylines. The Juno Baby and Juno Jr. puppets were designed and created by Belinda Takahashi and built and pupeteered by the talented hands of Ex Henson who was the talent behind some of your favorite Muppet and Sesame Street characters*. The main characters of the Juno franchise are: Juno, a young girl who loves music, Rai Rai, Juno’s brother, a rabbit named Bunny, a cat named Indie, a caterpillar named Murphy and a bee named Buzz. In Juno Jr., the characters live in the musical world of Harmonia Springs where trees are made of cellos, cars are shaped like bass clefs and lamp posts like French horns, street signs flash “Waltz” and the train that takes them on their journey is made up entirely of musical instruments. Through their journeys, the characters learn new musical concepts as they sing to the original, orchestral music.

*The Muppet and Sesame Street trademarks and associated characters are the trademarks and intellectual property of their respective owners. Juno Baby, Inc. is not sponsored by, affiliated or associated with these companies.

About CCI Entertainment Ltd.
Formed in 2002 through the merger of Cambium Entertainment Corp. and Catalyst Entertainment Inc., CCI Entertainment is founded on over 30 years of experience in television production and international distribution. During this time, the Toronto-based company has set new standards for excellence, service and integrity in the Canadian entertainment arena. CCI is respected for its ability to form strong alliances with Canadian and international co-production partners and is committed to creating and selling quality entertainment around the world.

The Juno Company Media Contact:
Danitra Alomia
Reverb Communications
danitra@reverbinc.com
(209)- 586-1495 x115

CCI Entertainment Media Contact:
Kristin Lecour
VP of Marketing and Licensing
klecour@ccientertainment.com
(416)- 583-2905

CCI Entertainment is pleased to announce that Federico Vargas has been promoted to Director of Sales, Latin America, Iberia, & CEEMEA.  

Vargas will oversee sales across all genres, including CCI’s all rights film sales division. The appointment sees him in charge of sales at DISCOP this month. In his new role, Vargas will report to Rekha Shah, VP of Distribution and Co productions. Vargas joined the company in 2005, managing distribution operations. He made the jump to sales in 2008, becoming an integral member of the sales force. Federico earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio and Television Arts. He is also a graduate of the Norman Jewison’s Canadian Film Centre.

“Federico has bolstered sales in Latin America, having developed strong and long standing relationships. We firmly believe that he will strengthen our efforts across Iberia and the CEEMEA territories”, says Shah. “We are thrilled to also have Federico lead our sales efforts in the feature film arena – where we will be attending TIFF, AFM and EFM this year. Federico will be a vital part of this growth strategy going forward.”
CCI Entertainment Ltd. (Cambium Catalyst International)

CCI Entertainment is one of Canada’s leading independent production and distribution companies with a successful track record spanning twenty years. CCI has been particularly recognized in the area of family programming, having been responsible for thousands of hours of award-winning television for the world market including: Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs, Erky Perky and Ghost Trackers as well as Monster By Mistake, Timeblazers, Shining Time Station and Sharon, Lois & Bram’s Elephant Show. CCI Entertainment’s mission is to create family entertainment that entertains, engages and fuels imaginations.

For more information contact:
Kristin Lecour
(416) 583-2905
Klecour@ccientertainment.com

CCI Entertainment is pleased to announce a new localized co-production of the live action / CGI blended art series, Artzooka! in association with France Télévisions. This original Artzooka! production, shot in French, is slated for a Fall 2011 launch. The series will be hosted by France native, Mark Antoine.

This deal marks the fifth localized version of Artzooka! The show has already seen great success in German on Nickelodeon Germany, on Discovery Kids Latin America in both Portuguese and Spanish and in English on Canada’s Kids’ CBC. In addition to these localized versions, the series has sold its English version in over 30 markets, including Asia (Nickelodeon) and Israel (Noga).

The agreement with France Télévisions includes the rights to Artzooka!’s cutting edge interactive website, which translates the upbeat tone of the series to the web and extends the artistic experience. Kids are able to download art instructions, play a series of art-inspired games and showcase their creations.

With CCI’s commitment to interacting with kids on all platforms, discussions regarding local marketing strategies are already underway and will incorporate interactive live events and an extensive consumer products line.

Julien Borde, Head of Children’s and Youth Programs at France Télévisions says, “We are proud to offer the ‘Artzooka! experience’ to French viewers. It’s the very first time an arts and crafts format is localized for a terrestrial broadcaster: France 5. We love the show because it’s a unique way to entertain and teach kids how to express themselves and play with their imagination. We are convinced Artzooka will be one of our hits when French children and their families discover it next fall.”

“Artzooka is a global property; we pride ourselves on the show’s model and ability to transition seamlessly into local versions” says CCI Co-Chairman Charles Falzon. “We are very pleased to be partnering with France Télévisions for this new local Artzooka! production and look forward to bringing the inspiration and creativity of Artzooka! to children all over France”.

Artzooka! is a mix of fun, intrigue and surprise, which shows kids that everyone can be an artist and that art can be made out of anything and everything. The property features digital elements and electronic art and includes bizarre, animated characters who contribute to the show’s upbeat, off-the-wall energy. All of the art projects are easily mastered and accessible to children, while at the same time being inventive and dazzling…What will you Artzooka! today?

France Télévisions
Each day young audiences discover through France Télévisions the best available French and International animation. FTV’s offer of challenging and innovative TV series in phase with children’s desires essentially shows that we are different.

From shorts to features, France Télévisions has participated in the production of animated programs for the small as well as the big screen. On France 3, France 4 and France 5 our animated heroes offer a real cultural alternative with previously unreleased and exclusive offers of TV series, some really wonderful animation specials and new adaptations of literary works and cartoons. France Télévisions also offers original stories with increasingly innovative motion graphics and thereby confirms its position as the premier distributor in France of animated programmes for all ages, and the leading co-producer of animation in Europe.

CCI Entertainment Ltd. (Cambium Catalyst International)
CCI Entertainment is one of Canada’s leading independent production and distribution companies with a successful track record spanning twenty years. CCI has been particularly recognized in the area of family programming, having been responsible for thousands of hours of award-winning television for the world market including: Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs, Erky Perky and Ghost Trackers as well as Monster By Mistake, Timeblazers, Shining Time Station and Sharon, Lois & Bram’s Elephant Show. CCI Entertainment’s mission is to create family entertainment that entertains, engages and fuels imaginations.

For further information contact:
Kristin Lecour
CCI Entertainment
+1 (416) 583-2905

Charles Falzon’s business was the type of operation that most entrepreneurs dream of building – a steady, predictable company that’s been making money for nearly 30 years.

But five years ago, the co-chairman of CCI Entertainment Ltd., a Toronto-based TV production and distribution company, noticed his industry was changing. Competitors which, like CCI, used to only create and then sell TV programming to networks, began making products for digital mediums, like the web, mobile phones and video game consoles.

Mr. Falzon knew he had to adapt in order to keep his business alive.

So in 2006, Mr. Falzon opened a new a digital division, which develops online interactive games for its products. As well, he turned the company’s marketing and licensing operations – which develop toys, games and other products – into a brand-development division. This part of the company still merchandises its shows’ characters on items like toys and clothing, but it’s now also branding digital products, such as mobile apps.

Its latest venture – its new GeoFreakZ brand – brings together all of the component parts, tackling TV, online, live shows and merchandising simultaneously.

“The broadcast model is longer the same as it was,” says Mr. Falzon, who expects CCI’s digital operations, which now account for 10 per cent of activity, to grow significantly over the next few years.

“We needed to look at different ways of commercializing various products right from the start.”

CCI Entertainment is just one of many companies having to take its traditional business in whole new directions to keep up with technological change – and competitors.

David Wilton, director of small business banking at Bank of Nova Scotia, says he sees a growing trend in companies being forced to morph.

“Our bankers tell us that the business owners they deal with daily are increasingly asking for advice on how to change,” he says. “They want to know how to adapt to new technology and keep their business going.”

Making that change isn’t easy. Mr. Falzon continues to be nervous about where his industry is headed and how his company can keep up.

His biggest challenge, he says, is balancing being too cautious with staying ahead of his competitors while not doing anything to harm his company.

“I fear being in denial,” he says. “It’s easy to say no or yes to things, but it’s not always easy to think it through and do things fast and intelligently enough.”

Adding new lines of business or entirely changing a company rarely goes totally smoothly, Mr. Wilton says. It takes carefully planning and prudent decision-making to make sure the new business doesn’t destroy the old.

Mr. Wilton suggests putting “a big toe in the water” to start.

“Test an idea and learn more about it by trying it out,” he suggests. That offers the advantage of gaining some experience in a new field without putting operations that have already been making money at risk.

It also helps get a better idea of what to include in a new business plan, something Shane Lawrence, assistant vice-president of business banking at TD Canada Trust, says companies should create.

“It all comes down to having a plan,” he says. “Really understand what the margin of the new business is, and ask your self why you want to do this.”

Figure out if you’ll need to hire staff, if the demand for new services from your company is really there, what a new business will do to cash flow and how you can leverage your existing company, he says. “This forces you to answer the tough questions.”

Mr. Falzon didn’t develop a new business plan, but he did crunch numbers to make sure he could afford new hires. His initial investment was in two senior development people, who, he says, aren’t doers but thinkers. “They’re people pushing the envelope,” he says.

They helped Mr. Falzon and Arnie Zipurski, the company’s chief executive officer, determine where their industry was headed and how they should take advantage of new opportunities.

CCI makes most of its money from children’s programming, though it creates adult shows, too. It’s best known for producing and distributing Thomas & Friends – a famous program about a talking train – and also created Sharon Lois and Bram’s popular program The Elephant Show.

The company’s major focus now is on GeoFreakZ, a fantasy adventure show where characters called GeoFreakZ have to save the universe by looking for crystal stars around the world.

It cost the CCI “well into the seven figures” and took three years to create, says Mr. Falzon. The project, which will launch closer to the summer, is the first one that’s brought together CCI’s different divisions all at once.

In the past, a show would be produced and distributed, then merchandising and interactive online games would come later. This time the company is taking on TV, online, live shows and merchandising all at the same time.

There are three main components: a television show, an online game and live events. Mr. Falzon says people can participate in just one and still get a lot out of the programming, but each part is connected. Clues hidden in the television show and at live events will help further people in the game.

“In effect you’re using different lenses too look at the same brand, which enhances it in different ways,” he says.

It’s bringing together digital, production, distribution and licensing at the same time where Mr. Falzon sees his company’s future.

It’s a big job to push out a show across various platforms, which is why CCI is getting help from other businesses, such as children’s book publisher Scholastic Canada Ltd., television network Teletoon Canada Inc. and location-based technology company Groundspeak Inc., to develop the myriad products that come with a production these days.

“We’re mitigating our risk and sharing the upside with our strategic partners,” Mr. Falzon says. “Our role is it to be the lead promoter and brand developer.”

For many businesses, the connection between an old business and a new one isn’t as obvious. Scott Wilson started Burlington, Ont.-based eMotion Picture Studios, a TV production company, in 2001, but these days the majority of his revenues come from his other company, RankHigher.ca, a search engine optimization business.

Mr. Wilson fell into the SEO business almost by accident. He wanted to get his company’s name higher on Google, so he paid a company to help him. The company couldn’t produce the right results, so Mr. Wilson decided to research SEO strategies himself.

He managed to get eMotion’s name on top of search results. Soon his clients began asking how he did it, then companies started to hire him to be their SEO guru. It wasn’t long before he had two full-time businesses.

At first, they seemed pretty different, but Mr. Wilson found a way to sell both companies to his clients. He discovered that videos can boost search engine rankings. As well, the companies that come to him for SEO help – corporate clients like Home Depot and Gatorade – also want multimedia solutions.

“The video business became hugely more profitable because of it,” he says. “A lot of companies benefit with internet marketing, so there’s a lot of cross work.”

While RankHigher accounts for 75 per cent of Mr. Wilson’s revenues these days, it was eMotion’s foundation that helped his new businesses get off the ground.

That’s not unusual, Mr. Wilton says.

In many cases, the original business provides stability, and a predictable cash flow and customer base, even if profits may be in decline.

“When you’re moving into a new area that doesn’t have that predictability, it’s often nice to maintain that element of stability in the previous business,” he says.

Keeping employees in the loop is an integral part of a transition. Many might worry about losing their jobs if a business takes on a new focus but , in reality, people may have a lot more work to do, Mr. Lawrence says.

Mr. Falzon’s made sure to keep an open dialogue with his staff. “We tell them that all we’re trying to do is stay two or three steps ahead of the game,” he says. “People have actually been inspired to participate, rather than fear change.”

Like any good entrepreneur, Mr. Falzon thinks the new direction will work out for the better.

“I’ve got a lot more exciting opportunities these days, and of them could be a big mega-success.”

Special to The Globe and Mail

CCI Releasing Inc. is proud to announce that it has acquired four new high-definition, factual home-improvement series that are ready for the world market. This roster includes: Making House, by General Purpose Pictures, Candice Tells All and Home Wreckers from Fusion Television, and the American favorite, This Old House. 

“These series are fresh with a mainstream appeal,” says Jill Keenleyside, Executive Vice President of Distribution at CCI. “All of the new titles bring a unique perspective to the home improvement and design genre, and come together to create a wide-ranged selection for broadcasters.” 

CCI Releasing boasts proven success in releasing quality lifestyle programs, such as Divine Design with Candice Olson, which has received excellent ratings on HGTV and is the forerunner to Olson’s new series, Candice Tells All. With almost 400 hours of new lifestyle programming, international broadcasters can look to CCI to provide something that is engaging with mass appeal.   

The recently expanded library includes: 

Making House (13×30 HD): After 10 years of marriage, 3 kids and 10 houses,  interior designer Jenn and contractor husband Chad are finally ready to put down roots. Making House is a very personal story about what really happens to a family battling reno chaos, money woes and relationship stress as they create their dream home – all in time for baby #4! 

Home Wreckers (13×30 HD): Contractor, plumber and mother of two Kristi Hansen takes a tough love approach to teaching homeowners, and viewers at home, how to maintain a lifetime relationship with their homes. 

Candice Tells All (26×30 HD): Candice Olson offers an intimate glimpse into her world, her design process and inspiration; taking viewers on a journey across the city to explore modern design principals and meet industry insiders.  A chance to see her as we never have before – up-close and personal! 

This Old House (208×30): The number-one-rated home improvement series on television, this PBS primetime classic has earned 17 Emmy Awards. Audiences keep turning to the infamous team of renovation professionals for a trusted source of expertise, coupled with wit, humour and a great sense of camaraderie. 
CCI Entertainment Ltd. (Cambium Catalyst International)  

CCI Entertainment is one of Canada’s leading independent production and distribution companies with a successful track record spanning twenty years. CCI has been particularly recognized in the area of family programming, having been responsible for thousands of hours of award-winning television for the world market including: Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs, Erky Perky and Ghost Trackers as well as Monster By Mistake, Timeblazers, Shining Time Station and Sharon, Lois & Bram’s Elephant Show. CCI Entertainment’s mission is to create family entertainment that entertains, engages and fuels imaginations. 

For further information contact: 

Kristin Lecour
CCI Entertainment
+1 (416) 583-2905

CCI Releasing Inc. is excited to announce that they will be the worldwide distributors for THIS OLD HOUSE, America’s longest running home renovation series. Over 200 episodes of this PBS primetime classic will now be available for the first time to the world market. 

“The series has a timeless appeal,” says Rekha Shah, CCI’s VP of Distribution and Co-Productions. “This Old House is new for international audiences while remaining a comfortable favourite of North American viewers”.
The number-one-rated home improvement series on television, THIS OLD HOUSE has earned 17 Emmy Awards and 82 nominations. Audiences keep turning to the infamous team of renovation professionals for a trusted source of expertise, coupled with wit, humour and a great sense of camaraderie.CCI Entertainment is one of Canada’s leading independent production and distribution companies with a successful track record spanning twenty years. CCI has been particularly recognized in the area of family programming, having been responsible for thousands of hours of award-winning television for the world market including: Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs, Erky Perky and Ghost Trackers as well as Monster By Mistake, Timeblazers, Shining Time Station and Sharon, Lois & Bram’s Elephant Show. CCI Entertainment’s mission is to create family entertainment that entertains, engages and fuels imaginations.

CCI Entertainment Ltd. (Cambium Catalyst International)

For further information contact:
Kristin Lecour
CCI Entertainment
+1 (416) 583-2905

Joe and Jack has been green-lit for production and a deal with Ireland’s National Broadcaster- RTE, to purchase the first season of Joe and Jack has been finalized. The series will launch to the international market at MIPTV 2011, and will be ready for delivery summer 2012.

Joe and Jack revolves around the comedic adventures of a boy Joe, and his best friend Jack. The only catch, Jack is a cat! The daring duo turn the ordinary into the extraordinary by using their imaginations to make dreams come true. The series embodies themes of friendship and fun and tackles preschool challenges.

“We are delighted to be working with CCI on Joe and Jack” said Executive Producer at Dancing Girl Productions, Maeve Mc Adam. “Their knowledge of the market and support for the project has been invaluable; we look forward to future collaborations”.

EVP of Distribution at CCI Entertainment, Jill Keenleyside stated, “CCI is excited to be working with Dancing Girl Productions and the Joe and Jack team. This charming series is sure to engage preschoolers and get the attention of broadcasters around the world”.

Dancing Girl Productions Ltd.
Dancing Girl Productions was established by veteran animation and live action producers Maeve Mc Adam and Villi Ragnarsson with offices in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Dancing Girl Productions is focussed on developing and producing long-running animation series and live action projects for the domestic and international markets.

CCI Entertainment Ltd. (Cambium Catalyst International)
CCI Entertainment is one of Canada’s leading independent production and distribution companies with a successful track record spanning twenty years. CCI has been particularly recognized in the area of family programming, having been responsible for thousands of hours of award-winning television for the world market including: Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs, Erky Perky and Ghost Trackers as well as Monster By Mistake, Timeblazers, Shining Time Station and Sharon, Lois & Bram’s Elephant Show. CCI Entertainment’s mission is to create family entertainment that entertains, engages and fuels imaginations.

For further information contact:
Kristin Lecour
CCI Entertainment
+1 (416) 583-2905