Telescene Film Group

Telescene Film Group, commonly referred to as simply Telescene, was a Canadian film production and distribution company based in Montreal, Québec. Founded in 1977, the company evolved into an established independent producer of filmed media, expanding its work throughout the 1980s and 1990s, before its shutdown in 2001. In January 2001, the company entered a joint venture with Canadian animation studio CinéGroupe. The company was initially created by Neil Leger alongside Canadian film director Robin Spry.

Notable television series produced by Telescene Film Group include: Big Wolf on Campus, The Hunger, and Student Bodies. Prominent films include: Hiroshima, Witchboard III: The Possession, and Going to Kansas City. The company produced works in a variety of genres and media. In 1997, Telescene helped establish 'The Action Adventure Network' along with Richmel Productions and Goodman Productions.

History

Telescene was founded in 1977 by Neil Leger. Leger would serve as the president of the company, assisted by vice-president Robin Spry, who played a crucial role in the company's creation.

In 1986, the company was divided into three divisions. During this period, the company went under the title "Telescene Films Inc.", with the studio relocating to a facility on Saint-Paul Street.

In 1989, the studio discontinued its commercial production to focus on filmmaking. Additionally, the company moved its workspaces to Mount Royal. Leger would also depart from the company, according to Executive Vice President Jamie Brown; his leave was "amicable."

By 1990, the company had altered its name again to "Telescene Film Group Inc." and Jamie Brown obtained secondary vice-president status.

In 1994, the company adopted the name "Telescene Communications Inc.," and Robin Spry, who succeeded Leger subsequent to his departure, officially became president.

In 1997, Telescene partnered with Richmel Productions and Goodman Productions to launch the $200 million CAD 'The Action Adventure Network', producing original action-adventure programming for which DirecTV acquired exclusive rights to content.

In 2000, Telescene faced numerous financial difficulties, including a halt of access to bank credit for production purposes, a bank debt exceeding $70 million CAD, and declining cash flow. These problems culminated in the company filing for bankruptcy on December 1st under the Canadian Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. Although the company filed for bankruptcy protection, it continued limited operations during restructuring and entered a production and distribution joint venture with CinéGroupe in early 2001, beginning with the third season of Big Wolf on Campus. CinéGroupe held an 80% stake, while Telescene retained 20%.

Library

The following is a selected list of known productions from Telescene, compiled from online databases and other archives.

Commercials

Telescene Film Group previously produced commercials before the studio's distance from the media in 1989. Following this shift, the company transferred focus toward television series and film development.

Series

Films