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Welcome to Hollywood North Magazine. A Comprehensive Insight into Canada’s Film and Television Industry MANDATE:
The project began in late 2002, when plans were announced to build two large film studios to Toronto. One of the proposed studios was the Pinewood Shepperton Studio, which upon completion would have over 1.3 million square feet and the world's largest sound stage, over 15 stories in height. These announcements meant serious growth to Canada's film & television industry, but no magazine existed to properly publicize this prosperity. The only thing existing at the time was Playback, a bi-weekly newspaper format publication, which was mainly directed at executives in the industry, not the average film industry employee, as well as the executives. Thus, the concept of Hollywood North magazine was created. Our first allegiance was with Nielsen Media Research, whose parent company VNU Media publishes Billboard Magazine (Music Industry Trade Magazine), The Blue Book (Hollywood's answer to the Yellow Pages), and the Hollywood Reporter (#1 Trade Magazine in the U.S., currently in it's 73rd year). Nielsen Media Research agreed to supply us with exclusive prime time ratings for Toronto. They also allied us with their sister company in the U.S., Nielsen EDI, for Canadian box office information and Nielsen VideoScan for Canadian DVD and VHS sales. Once we realized we had something exclusive to print, we did our research, an began making calls to see what other people in the industry were willing to give. What we found were executives like Jay Firestone (Fireworks Entertainment) and Jeff Sackman (Think Films) were excited to sit down with a new trade paper. Both executives were not pleased with Playback as a source for industry information. What followed was the realization that interviews and information in all forms and with all types of people in the industry was attainable. The only thing left was the name. Incorporation was formed and Hollywood North Magazine Inc. was born. |