Tues / Feb 14 / 2017 Company Profiles 2 3 DHX Media 4 Flying Kraken 5 Kickstart 6 Rainmaker Studios 7 8 Yeti Farm Creative 9 Canadian Media Producers Association – BC Producers Branch 10 Youth Media Alliance 11 Creative BC

Lunch with BC 1 ATOMIC CARTOONS DHX MEDIA

Award-winning Atomic Cartoons, a Thunderbird company, is a full- DHX Media Ltd. (www.dhxmedia.com) is a key player internationally in the production, distribution, service animation studio located in ’s busy Animation District. broadcast and licensing of entertainment content for children and families. Owner of the world’s Atomic Cartoons creates, produces and finances animation for distribution largest independent library of kids’ and family content, at more than 11,000 half-hours, DHX Media across multiple channels. Atomic Cartoons is an artist’s studio that includes some is recognized globally for such brands as , Yo Gabba Gabba!, , In the Night Garden, of Canada’s most creative animators, directors, producers and writers. Adept at multiple , , Slugterra and the multiple award-winning Degrassi franchise. genres and animation styles, Atomic Cartoons is recognized internationally as one of the leading DHX Media is comprised of four main business units: DHX Studios creates high-quality original animation studios in . entertainment at its Vancouver and Halifax animation studios, its live-action studio, and Since its founding more than 17 years ago, Atomic has worked for clients such as Marvel in working with top international producers; DHX Distribution is a major provider of content to the Animation, , , Warner Bros. and Walt Disney to name a few. Notable, global market; DHX , home to the Family suite of channels, is dedicated to delivering too, is Atomic’s success with its homegrown shows; award winning international hit , best-in-class programming to Canadian families; and DHX Brands specializes in creating, building preschool production Nico Can Dance and . Other work includes Little Charmers, Marvel’s and managing high-profile global entertainment brands within the children’s and young-adult Avengers Assemble, , , Max and Ruby and Rescue Bots. markets. DHX Media also owns the full-service international licensing agency, Copyright Promotions Licensing Group Ltd. (CPLG), which represents numerous entertainment, sport and design brands. DHX Media has offices in 15 cities worldwide, including Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax, , , , Barcelona, Milan, Munich, Amsterdam and Beijing. The Company is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol DHXM, and on the Toronto Stock Exchange Jennifer Twiner-McCarron PRESIDENT under the ticker symbols DHX.A and DHX.B. Jennifer Twiner-McCarron joined Atomic Cartoons as the Head of Production in 2011 and supervised all in-house production. Under Jenn’s leadership, the team grew from 30 people to over 200 + today. Jennifer lead production on multiple productions including BeatBugs – ’s original series for kids featuring the music of the Beatles, the award winning Rocket Monkeys for , and the hit series Little Charmers for Spinmaster and Nelvana. Kirsten Newlands SVP, ANIMATION PRODUCTION As President of Atomic Cartoons, Jennifer is responsible for Atomic’s continued growth, creative As Senior Vice President of Animation Production for DHX Media, Kirsten is a passionate leader excellence and valued collaborations with its partners. who has executive produced more than 600 half hours of animated children’s television, including Prior to joining Atomic, Jennifer was Vice President of Production for Rainmaker Entertainment popular hits such as My Little Pony, The Deep, Kid vs Kat and most recently, Cloudy with a Chance in Vancouver. Over the past 15 years, Jennifer has produced or executive produced dozens of of Meatballs. Managing all animation production activities for DHX, she oversees the robust slate animated television series, video game cinematics, and direct to DVD features including the popular of both DHX wholly owned series, as well as the work for hire business. Kirsten’s enthusiasm Princess franchise with Filmed Entertainment. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts to nurture the creative artistry of the studio’s productions has positioned DHX as a key player from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, and a degree in studies from the Vancouver Film internationally in the creation of kids’ content. She currently oversees and manages the growing School. She is an award winning Producer having received several Leo awards, an ELAN, and a operations across three studios with a combined fourteen in production. DTV award, and was voted one of the “Top 25 Women in Animation” by Animation Magazine in 2004. Before moving into animation production 12 years ago, Kirsten held a range of production roles Jennifer’s greatest achievement, however, is her family and she cherishes spending time with her on live-action feature films and television series. She was actively involved in CineCity, CHUM eleven year old daughter and seven year old twins. Television’s commitment to the local film community to help emerging visible minority and aboriginal filmmakers produce short, dramatic films in the province of . She is a Founding member of Drawn Together Vancouver, a past board member of Women in Film and Video Vancouver, is a graduate of the National Screen Institute’s Totally Television Programme, and of the Canadian Film Centre’s Producer’s Lab.

2 Lunch with Animation BC Lunch with Animation BC 3 FLYING KRAKEN KICKSTART

Flying Kraken is an independent boutique IP and design studio based in Vancouver. Kickstart is a true independent with offices in Vancouver, Los Angeles, London, India and Hong After working as top level executives in studios for many years, Rose-Ann and Greg Kong. We are passionate about creatively collaborating with studios, agencies, brands, directors, officially released the Kraken in 2008. Kraken’s mandates are: to provide high quality, writers, designers and illustrators to tell great stories. At Kickstart we develop and produce our original conceptual design for development and production in film and television for clients own IP for film, TV and web. We also take great pride in our service-work for valued clients such as globally. Consult with clients in developing their own IPs. Create and develop our own projects which Mattel, Marvel, and Spinmaster. we are truly passionate about. We are currently looking to align Kraken with like-minded partners. The company was founded by Jason Netter in 1999 and has been hard at work ever since. Kraken is dedicated to remaining a boutique studio. We work with clients one on one. Greg is the Whether it is through advancing an early concept, managing a production or applying one of our designer you will work with. With the multitude of styles Greg creates, it’s one stop shopping. Having many creative services, Kickstart maximizes its rich resources to bring cool ideas to life, in a been a production executive in a studio, Rose-Ann understands schedules, timelines, deliverables personalized and collaborative environment. and will work with you on your project’s needs. Our core services include development, live action production for film and television, design, Good design matters! We create stories by design and we create story in design! A partial list of animation, visual effects, integrated media, and co-financing, as well as literary publishing. our design clients: , Bento box, eOne Family, Hit UK, DHX, Eh-Okay, Bardel Ent., Some of the projects that have kept a special place in our hearts over the years: Wanted (Universal), , Amazon, Spin Master and Mattel. Currently we are in development with a Canadian broadcast- Voltron Force (Nicktoons/World Event Productions), Wolverine and the X-Men (Marvel), Finley the er on a 52 x 11 pre-school series titled Pop in Park. Fire Engine (Hallmark/BBC), The Amazing Screw-On Head (SciFi), Dance-A-Lot- Robot (Disney), A Monsterous Holiday (Cartoon Network). Kickstart is currently in Production on: season 2 of Ready Jet Go! (Wind Dancer / PBS), Fruit Rose-Ann Tisserand PRODUCER Ninja (Halfbrick / YouTube RED) and a new brand project for Mattel. Kickstart recently wrapped Rose-Ann began her entertainment career in live action television and feature film before crossing production on Bottersnikes and Gumbles (Netflix / Cheeky Little / Mighty Nice / Cake). over into animation. Rose-Ann has a unique perspective having built her career in both creative and the executive offices of production. She was Supervising Producer at for 8 years, growing the studio from 75 to 350. The studio also expanded from 2D and Flash to include CGI and Harmony, proprietary as well as service work. Since Bardel, Rose-Ann launched Flying Kraken and continues to consult with studios for production, as well as creatively in development, while working on original Kraken properties. Heather Puttock CANADIAN CO-FOUNDER Credits include: Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, Raven Tales: The Movie. Supervising Producer at Heather is a producer of animation and live-action and has worked in the children’s entertainment Twenty One Inc. for previsualization services on 5Nal Destination (WB), Superman: Man of Steel (WB) biz for 15 years. She has been with Kickstart since 2005 and set-up the Canadian expansion in and Christmas (Aardman/). Supervising Producer at Bardel Entertainment for 8 years on Vancouver in 2007 overseeing the numerous projects that have run through the doors since its over 200+ hours of film and television IP and service work including Chaotic, Viva Pinata, Word World, inception. Wow Wow Wubbzy!, Zeke’s Pad, Edgar and Ellen and The Christmas Orange to name a few. Heather started in casting and voiceover for animation in Vancouver back in 2001 before running Rose-Ann is a dedicated animation professional in the community of Vancouver. She is the away to LA to join the busy Kickstart team south of the border. After a couple of years she migrated current Director of the Spark Animation Business Symposium, jury member of the Spark Animation back to the North to open and run Kickstart Canada and eventually open Eh-Okay Entertainment, Festival and founding member of Women Drawn Together Vancouver. Rose-Ann also mentors up and Inc. coming short film makers. Eh-Okay is dedicated to true quality and truly Canadian content. All of our homegrown IP projects and partnered co-pros are cultivated at Eh-Okay. We love the true North strong and free Greg Huculak CREATIVE DIRECTOR / DIRECTOR and continue to spread our wings here at home. Greg is an award winning conceptual production designer, development executive, director and Eh-Okay just completed Ghost Patrol, a CG holiday special with supplementary game for DHX / content creator. Greg is well known for high quality design in an unending variety of styles. Greg’s Netflix / Disney, and are in development on a slate of fresh projects. speciality is creating original design from the script page up. Directly and indirectly clients include: Nelvana, DHX, Spin Master, Silvergate Media, Disney XD, eOne Family UK, Hulu, Mattel, Hasbro, Bento Box, Breakthrough Entertainment, PBS and Hit Entertainment. Just a few of the television series Greg has created original design for include: Ready Jet Go!, Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, Mother Up with Bardel Ent / Breakthrough Ent. for Hulu, Fairly Odd Parents, Mega Bloks Dragons: Fire and Ice and Dragons: Metal Ages. Zeke’s Pad and Edgar and Ellen with Bardel and the Emmy winning Word World with Moody Studios for PBS. Prior to founding Flying Kraken, Greg was Creative Director at Bardel Entertainment overseeing the development slate and directing sizzle reels and tests. Greg was also Senior Designer overseeing all aspects of design for projects. Greg was instrumental in launching Bardel into pre-production service work with studios globally. Greg also graduated from Sheridan College’s Classical Animation Program with high honours as well as holding a Fine Arts degree. 4 Lunch with Animation BC Lunch with Animation BC 5

STUDIOS RAINMAKER A DIVISION OF WOW! UNLIMITED MEDIA SLAP HAPPY CARTOONS

Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Rainmaker Studios is a multifaceted Slap Happy Cartoons was founded by top animation professionals Kathy A. Rocchio, Greg Sullivan, independent animation studio and one of Canada’s largest producers of CG animation. The company Josh Mepham and Vito Viscomi. recently joined forces with to form , Inc., led by CEO After spending numerous years working on various successful productions, the four principals , with offices in Burbank, CA, New York, NY, Vancouver BC, and Toronto ON. formed Slap Happy to realize their shared vision and passion for creating original, funny and Originally established as Mainframe Entertainment in 1991, Rainmaker quickly earned its sometimes twisted cartoons for both kids and adults. reputation for original storytelling and cutting edge technology by creating Reboot, the first-ever Slap Happy Cartoons offers their expertise and experience to clients all over the world, which CG-animated series. 25 years later, we continue to break new ground in animation, content strategy include development and production partners Netflix, , Comedy Central, and technology across all media platforms. Our service clients include Mattel, The Weinstein KidsWB!, Canucks Sports and Entertainment, Knowledge Kids Network, Disney XD, Marblemedia, Company, Hasbro, , Sony, HIT Entertainment and many other world-class media Bejuba, and 9 Story Entertainment. companies. On the original content side, Rainmaker Studios produces feature films including 2013 After completing two seasons of their original series , Slap Happy is hit , which earned $75,000,000 in worldwide box office. Original television currently in production on the first season of their Netflix Original Series The Hollow launching projects are produced under the banner and include a new ReBoot series, in Spring of 2018. production now, that uses our groundbreaking Unreal game engine pipeline for seamless transition between series, game and VR experiences. For more information visit www.rainmaker.com

Michael Hefferon PRESIDENT, RAINMAKER & MAINFRAME STUDIOS, EXEC. VP, WOW UNLIMITED MEDIA Vito Viscomi PARTNER / EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Throughout his 25-year entertainment industry career, Michael Hefferon has catapulted the Vito is a creator/story editor who has written for many animated series including Nerds and growth of established business operations around the globe using his unique combination of Monsters, The , Kid vs Kat, and was a writer/story editor for two seasons of the creative and strategic experience. On the strategic side, Michael has successfully guided multiple Shaw Rocket Prize-winning . He has written for live-action comedies including The Vacant creative companies to profitability resulting in sale or recapitalization. On the creative side, Michael Lot, Jackass, The Howard Stern Radio Show, The Tom Green Show, and The MTV Movie Awards. Vito has built numerous successful project slates as an executive and successfully created and run received the 2006 Best Writer “Elan” and has three nominations for Best Writing - Canadian Screen shows as an Executive Producer, writer and Story Editor. Most recently, Michael has conceived Awards. and executed a 360 degree approach to content production that takes advantage of media’s diversification across platforms and windows. As an example of Michael’s complementary skillset, Kathy A Rocchio PARTNER / EXECUTIVE PRODUCER he created Rainmaker’s new Reboot series, conceived the project’s 360-degree content approach Kathy is an award winning creator / producer whose credits include The Hollow, Nerds and Monsters, and led Rainmaker’s development of an Unreal-based game-engine pipeline to produce the project Being Ian, , Yvon of the and The Legend of Frosty the Snowman. simultaneously in multiple platforms. She has produced numerous shows through development and production and has extensive Michael joined Rainmaker from Canada’s Bardel Entertainment, where he oversaw numerous experience creating budgets, working with coproduction partners, distributors, broadcasters (both productions and relationships with broadcasters worldwide. Michael’s first company, Phoenix traditional and streaming content) and CMF funded projects. Animation, quickly built a strong reputation as a source for high-quality productions, working on

five theatrical feature films including Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest, and during his 25-year career he has produced over 700 half hour television episodes and numerous specials. After a successful sale of his studio, Michael went on to hold executive level positions with leading entertainment companies including Catalyst Entertainment (now CCI Entertainment); the Britt Allcroft Group (now known as HIT Entertainment); Gullane Entertainment; BFC Berliner Film Companie GmbH (Berlin); and EM Entertainment’s Australian studio . Along with serving as the President of Rainmaker/Mainframe Studios, Michael is also EVP of the newly-formed Wow Unlimited Media Incorporated.

Gregory Little SVP CONTENT Gregory Little is Rainmaker Studios’ senior content executive, responsible for creative development, content strategy and content-related business development. This is Greg’s second stint at Rainmaker, where he was previously head of development and responsible for bringing Escape From Planet Earth to the company. Before returning to Rainmaker, he headed ’ US office for four years and was VP Development for The Gotham Group, in charge of the company’s first-look deal with Animation.

6 Lunch with Animation BC Lunch with Animation BC 7 SPONSOR YETI FARM CREATIVE Canadian Media Producers

Todd & Ashley Ramsay are the founding partners of Yeti Farm Creative and its newly hatched sister Association – BC Producers Branch company, YetiLABS. Both companies operate out of Kelowna, British Columbia Canada, about a 3 hour drive from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. YetiLABS self-produces/distributes its own The CMPA-BC is a trade association representing over 75 member companies across British slate of original children’s series utilizing the internet as its primary distribution and monetization Columbia engaged in the production and distribution of television programs, feature films, and platform. Yeti Farm Creative services out animation for Nickleodeon, EA Sports, The Capture Lab, interactive media content. We are significant employers of BC creative talent (writers, directors, Kickstart Entertainment, , Atomic Cartoons and TribalDDB. actors) and our members assume the financial and creative risk of developing original content for Canadian and global audiences as well as service work for international clients. Our members create content for distribution on traditional film and television as well as newly emerging internet and mobile wireless platforms.

Ashley Ramsay PRESIDENT & CEO Liz Shorten Ashley founded Yeti Farm Creative in 2007 with creative partner Todd Ramsay, adding new business Liz Shorten has been working to build capacity in the film, television and digital media sectors partners Jay Surridge (Formerly Kickstart Entertainment) and Blair Peters (formerly Studio B/DHX for the past 20 years. Liz has held senior positions at the Ontario Film Development Corporation, Founder) in 2016. Yeti Farm is a 120+ seat Maya, Harmony and studio located in British Columbia Film, CBC Television and Mediaskillset Consulting. She is currently Managing Kelowna, British Columbia. The studio currently services broadcast television, is in development Vice-President, Operations and Member Services at the Canadian Media Production Association, BC on a robust slate of new IP and runs multiple YouTube channels globally. Ashley was recognized as Producers’ Branch. In her role at the CMPA-BC, Liz advocates for BC companies, creates policies and Profit Magazines Top 10 Rising Star Business Women in Canada in 2016, Top 40 Under 40 Kelowna, strategies to assist in industry growth, and organizes industry development initiatives. BC 2015, and sits on the Board of Directors for the Small Business of BC Ministry. Ashley serves She sits on the National Board of Directors of the Cultural Human Resources Council, Reel as President and CEO of the company and focuses on new business relationships, acquisitions and Canada and is President of Women in View. In BC, Liz is a Trustee of the Performing Arts Lodge co-productions. Vancouver and is active in the Motion Picture Production Industry Association as Co-Chair of its Education and Training Committee and member of its Executive and Government Affairs Committees, and is a member of the Advocacy Committee of Women in Film and Television Vancouver. She sits on the Film Industry Advisory Committees of Capilano University and Praxis/Simon Fraser University. Liz is recipient of the Women in Film and Television “Wayne Black Service Award” in honour of her “behind-the scenes” work in support of the film and television industry in BC.

Jennifer Buchanan Jennifer joined the CMPA in 2012, bringing a diverse international HR background to the role of Manager, Industrial Relations and Member Services in the Vancouver office. Jennifer is responsible for administration of the BC collective agreements and provides support to the VP of Industrial Relations for all matters relating to the collective bargaining process. Jennifer is also responsible for a number of member focused projects and events, and provides a range of advice to BC based production companies on matters such as agreement interpretation, workplace safety, CMPA administration fees and membership. Jennifer holds a BSc in Business Administration and Human Resources Management from the University of London and has Chartered Member status with the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development in the UK.

8 Lunch with Animation BC Lunch with Animation BC 9 SPONSOR SPONSOR YOUTH MEDIA ALLIANCE CREATIVE BC

Youth Media Alliance (YMA) seeks to enrich the lives of Canadian children and teens by helping Creative BC is an independent non-profit agency created, and supported, by the Province of British improve the quality of the content created for them on all screen-based media. The Alliance Columbia to help sustain and grow BC’s creative sector. This includes its motion picture (film and pursues its mission of encouraging high-quality content by presenting annual awards of excellence television), digital and interactive media, music, magazine and book publishing industries. to the best productions targeting young English- and French-speaking Canadians. It offers ongoing The agency acts as an industry catalyst helping these industries to reach their economic and training tailored to the special needs of youth production professionals through workshops, creative potential both at home and in the global marketplace. seminars, and special events such as the Children, Youth & Media and Média-Jeunes conferences. Our programs and services include: It also conducts original research investigating the impact of screen-based media on young people. • Tax Credit Administration – we administer the provincial government’s tax credit programs for Finally, Youth Media Alliance advocates for the needs of Canada’s child and youth media consumers film and television production. in matters of public policy. • International and domestic marketing – we lead and participate in trade missions and trade fairs to attract inward investment into the province as well as promote BC’s motion picture and production capabilities . • Development and export marketing programs – we provide funding to assist BC-based film, television and digital media companies create new creative content as well as sell, distribute and Chantal Bowen license their products to global audiences. We also support a wide range of industry initiatives to Chantal Bowen spent more than a decade perfecting her production skills at the National Film build the capacity of our creative sector. Board of Canada. At the NFB, Ms. Bowen, winner of 17 national and international awards, also • Motion Picture Production Services – we provide a variety of services including management developed educational series such as Les jeunes: vers un dialogue démocratique and Teens Against of the province’s online location library, preparation of location packages, scouting, surveys, Violence. community relations mediation and support and referral to industry contacts and resources. Ms Bowen has worked as a freelance producer for a variety of English and French-language • Development and export marketing programs – we provide funding to assist BC-based film, production companies throughout Canada. She was the line producer at Pixcom for Hypnosis: A television and digital media companies create new creative content as well as sell, distribute and Window Into The Mind, for CBC’s The Nature of Things, and also for the CBC/SRC documentary license their products to global audiences. feature A Species’ Odyssey where she won a Gémeaux Award. • Research and information – we conduct research and provide information on the various Chantal was nominated for a Gémeaux Award for the Sovimage series En quête de Jean Drapeau industry sectors we represent. for SRC/CBC. She was the producer for Gauvreau ou l’obligation de la liberté directed bu Charles Binamé for SRC, Télé-Québec and Art TV. Other credits include Lethal Beauty for CanWest Global Communications and the French version Sauver sa peau for SRC, RDI and TFO. She is enjoying the challenges and responsibilities of working with the digital/television producers and broadcasters of the Youth Media Alliance. Robert Wong VICE PRESIDENT + ACTING FILM COMMISSIONER Robert joined British Columbia Film + Media (now Creative BC) in 1998 and was originally tasked

with developing the framework of the provincial film and television tax credit program. In that time, the tax credits have grown into a $260 million per year program in a billion dollar industry, and Robert has played an integral role in the evolution of British Columbia’s film and television tax policy, with the aim of continuing to build the success of the industry in BC. In addition to overseeing the administration and marketing of the tax credit program, he is responsible for Creative BC’s project, skills and international market development initiatives. Robert is an advisor to government on the creative industries and is a regular guest speaker in the local and international motion picture community.

10 Lunch with Animation BC Lunch with Animation BC 11 NOTES STUDIOS A DIVISION OF WOW! UNLIMITED MEDIA