Mainframe ReBoots with Beasties By Mark Freedman Robot The Mit MI sorbs ler timlim. Since its debut in 1994, Mainframe that Vancouver was the only place to Hasbro Toys. [Ed.'s note: The show is Entertainment's computer–driven ReBoot produce the first animated CGI series. After known in the United States as Beast Wars, has consistently been at the top of its ratings one visit, Pearson, Blair and Mitchell agreed. but its Canadian broadcaster, YTV, refused time slot, generating an enormous amount to air a show with the word "wars" in the Financing was put in place with the usual of press and numerous awards for its title.] Based on the popular transformer complex and precarious arrangements, creators, including three consecutive toys, this service contract firmly established typical of Canadian productions. Initially, Geminis for best animated program, another Mainframe's production capabilities. ReBoot was co–produced by BLT Productions Gemini for technical achievement, and a Proving even more successful than ReBoot's (a successful Vancouver company partnered recent Banff Television Festival Rockie first two seasons, Beasties has been the by Brough and Joanne Lovick that nomination for best animation program. number 1–rated show in its time slot specialized in providing voice talent for throughout North America, with its last Produced through Mainframe's 40,000- animated series) and the U.K.–based episodes having the highest viewership ever square–foot production facility in down- Limelight Productions. When Limelight was on YTV. town Vancouver, the origins of ReBoot unable to meet its financial obligations, actually go back 10 years when Chris Toronto's Alliance Communications stepped While negotiating for a second season of Brough (a Canuck working in the Los in and with other parties—ITV in the U.K., Beast Wars, Mainframe has begun to Angeles film and television industry) was ABC in the U.S., Polygram International produce a third season of ReBoot, still shown a short demo by four animators—Ian Video, YTV, Telefilm Canada—the financial popular through syndication reruns. Free Pearson, Gavin Blair, Phil Mitchell and John picture was complete. from network restrictions, the show has Grace (collectively known as the "Hub")— evolved, according to Main Welman, After ReBoot's first season of 12 episodes while visiting England. Although primitive Mainframe's Director of Communications. aired in 1994, 11 more shows were in its approach because of software "ReBoot will grow up a bit, be slightly produced in 1995 with additional financing limitations, the demo impressed Brough darker. Now we are able to do what was from Alliance, which increased its enough for him to begin the long and originally intended for the show, to be a ownership in Mainframe to more than 51 difficult process of securing the financing more grown up, action–oriented program." per cent. It was shortly after this that Disney necessary to produce the series. Broken up into a series of four–part related acquired ABC and ReBoot was quickly story arcs, this season's first few episodes While Brough worked on the package, dropped from the network. Now sold tie up the loose ends left over from the members of the Hub kept pushing the through syndication, ReBoot ironically has second season cliffhanger. Only time will envelope with what was then ended up airing on more stations in the U.S. tell how audiences will react to this new state–of–the–art computer technology. One than it ever did on ABC, and it was one of approach. result was the innovative Dire Straits video the first syndicated shows the Los Angeles "Money for Nothing," animated by Pearson ABC affiliate purchased. In just a few short years, Mainframe has and Zondag Entertainment. That video, and become an important animation com- Each ReBoot episode (consisting of over subsequent other projects utilizing pany, setting the standard for CGI–series 200,000 frames making up about 31,000 Computer Generated Imagery (CGI), greatly production and enhancing Vancouver's finished images) initially took, on advanced the possibilities of an animated growing reputation as a world–class average, 18 weeks to complete. With computer–generated series. animation production centre. It's even Mainframe's proprietary software, that rumoured to be the object of a possible number was brought down to less than By 1993, all of the pieces had finally fallen takeover by Steven Spielberg's eight weeks. Although the actual cost of into place. High–speed silicon graphics DreamWorks, if and when Hollywood's producing a CGI series is comparable to workstations and computer animation biggest mogul is permitted to set up shop traditional 2–D animated series, the software had sufficiently developed to make in Canada. With over 170 employees, initial capital outlay for equipment and the series technically possible. (It would be Mainframe is a rare Canadian success development costs could not be recouped improved at Mainframe with proprietary story: instead of exporting our talent, it from this one series alone. software enhancement programs developed has brought together talent from Canada, by a team of in–house engineers, mostly In 1996, Mainframe ceased production on the U.S., and Britain, forming a dynamic graduates from nearby Simon Fraser ReBoot and co–produced, with Alliance company that is producing today's most University.) Brough had convinced the Hub Multimedia, the first season of Beasties for innovative animated television shows. ■

42 SUMMER 1997