CinéGroupe
Encyclopedia
CinéGroupe Corporation is a Canadian animation
studio based in Montreal
, Quebec
. The company also has offices in nearby Toronto
and in the U.S. city of Los Angeles
. Its shows and films have been seen in over 125 countries as of 2005.
In 2002, the company united with Star Records
to create a home video distributor called CinéGroupe/Star
. The partnership was ended in January 2004.
(shown on the former Fox Family
banner, now ABC Family
); the computer-animated Tripping the Rift
(on the Sci-Fi Channel
); and PBS' Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat
. With Sony Wonder
, it has produced Mega Babies
(also shown on Fox Family), as well as a direct-to-video
feature, Lion of Oz and the Badge of Courage (a prequel
to both the L. Frank Baum
work, and the 1939 movie
).
In the 2000s, the company remade the 1981
cult classic Heavy Metal
as a Columbia TriStar Home Video release
, shown on the Starz family of networks in the U.S. and on Teletoon in Canada from 2001 onwards. In 2004, it made Pinocchio 3000
, a sci-fi retelling of the Carlo Collodi
tale
. Galidor
, a live-action fantasy series for teenagers, has also been produced by the company. The company also cooperated with MGA Entertainment
in the creation of Bratz: Starrin' and Stylin', a 2-D animated direct-to-video movie based on MGA's Bratz
line of fashion dolls.
For many of CinéGroupe's animated productions, they often rely on a pre-formed crew of voice actors to do the work. The crew usually consists of Rick Jones
, and Terrence Scammell
, among others. They are very common actors in CinéGroupe productions.
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
studio based in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. The company also has offices in nearby Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and in the U.S. city of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Its shows and films have been seen in over 125 countries as of 2005.
History
CinéGroupe was founded in 1974; one of its earliest credits was the 1983 live-action drama, Rien qu'un jeu.In 2002, the company united with Star Records
Star Records
Star Records, referring loosely to two companies, Star Recording and Star Songs Music Publishing, is an ABS-CBN Entertainment Group company whose main lines of business include: producing, developing and distributing audio and video content; music publishing; events production and music artists...
to create a home video distributor called CinéGroupe/Star
Star Records
Star Records, referring loosely to two companies, Star Recording and Star Songs Music Publishing, is an ABS-CBN Entertainment Group company whose main lines of business include: producing, developing and distributing audio and video content; music publishing; events production and music artists...
. The partnership was ended in January 2004.
Franchises
Notable franchises from CinéGroupe include The Kids from Room 402The Kids from Room 402
The Kids from Room 402 is a television program that originally aired on Fox Family in the USA starting in 1999, previously aired on Teletoon, and currently airs in the UK.The show is focused primarily on the students from Room 402, as the title implies...
(shown on the former Fox Family
Fox Family
Fox Family may refer to:* The Fox Family, a 2006 South Korean film* Fox Family, a former name of American television cable network ABC Family...
banner, now ABC Family
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
); the computer-animated Tripping the Rift
Tripping the Rift
Tripping the Rift is a CGI science fiction comedy television series. It is based on two short animations published on the Internet by Chris Moeller and Chuck Austen. The series was produced by CineGroupe in association with the Sci Fi Channel...
(on the Sci-Fi Channel
Sci Fi Channel (United States)
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
); and PBS' Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat
Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat
Sagwa is the name of a cat in the children's book Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat by author Amy Tan. Sagwa's popularity with children prompted an educational animated series of the same name on PBS Kids, with production held by French animation studio CineGroupe and Sesame Street creator Sesame...
. With Sony Wonder
Sony Wonder
Sony Wonder is a children and family's music and home video arm of Sony Music Entertainment, founded in 1991. The division once distributed material from Sesame Workshop and Classic Media...
, it has produced Mega Babies
Mega Babies
Mega Babies is a Canadian cartoon created by the Tremblay brothers, Christian and Yvon, and produced by CinéGroupe and Landmark Entertainment Group in association with Sony Wonder....
(also shown on Fox Family), as well as a direct-to-video
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
feature, Lion of Oz and the Badge of Courage (a prequel
Prequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
to both the L. Frank Baum
L. Frank Baum
Lyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
work, and the 1939 movie
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
).
In the 2000s, the company remade the 1981
1981 in film
-Events:*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it....
cult classic Heavy Metal
Heavy Metal (film)
Heavy Metal is a 1981 Canadian fantasy-animated film directed by Gerald Potterton and produced by Ivan Reitman and Leonard Mogel, who also was the publisher of Heavy Metal magazine....
as a Columbia TriStar Home Video release
Heavy Metal 2000
Heavy Metal 2000 is the 2000 follow-up to the 1981 animated cult film Heavy Metal, based on the fantasy magazine of the same name. The story itself is based on the graphic novel, The Melting Pot, written by Kevin Eastman, Simon Bisley and Eric Talbot...
, shown on the Starz family of networks in the U.S. and on Teletoon in Canada from 2001 onwards. In 2004, it made Pinocchio 3000
Pinocchio 3000
Pinocchio 3000 is a 2004 Canadian computer-animated film by Christal Films. Like A.I. Artificial Intelligence, it is a futuristic science fiction interpretation of the classic tale The Adventures of Pinocchio where Pinocchio is a robot brought to life by tapping into a city's power surge, rather...
, a sci-fi retelling of the Carlo Collodi
Carlo Collodi
Carlo Lorenzini , better known by the pen name Carlo Collodi, was an Italian children's writer known for the world-renowned fairy tale novel, The Adventures of Pinocchio.-Biography:...
tale
Pinocchio
The Adventures of Pinocchio is a novel for children by Italian author Carlo Collodi, written in Florence. The first half was originally a serial between 1881 and 1883, and then later completed as a book for children in February 1883. It is about the mischievous adventures of Pinocchio , an...
. Galidor
Galidor
Galidor: Defenders of the Outer Dimension, also known simply as Galidor, is a show that ran on Fox Kids in 2002 with a total of 26 half-hour episodes. The series was created by Thomas W. Lynch, the creator of The Secret World of Alex Mack and The Journey of Allen Strange...
, a live-action fantasy series for teenagers, has also been produced by the company. The company also cooperated with MGA Entertainment
MGA Entertainment
MGA Entertainment is a manufacturer of children's toys and entertainment products founded in 1979. Its products include the Bratz fashion doll line, Lalaloopsy, Kachooz!, Moxie Girlz, Moxie Teenz, Hugwallas, BFC, Ink. and Rescue Pets. MGAE also owns The Little Tikes Company...
in the creation of Bratz: Starrin' and Stylin', a 2-D animated direct-to-video movie based on MGA's Bratz
Bratz
Bratz is an American line of fashion dolls and merchandise manufactured by MGA Entertainment. Four original 10" dolls were released in 2001 - Cloe, Jade, Sasha and Yasmin...
line of fashion dolls.
For many of CinéGroupe's animated productions, they often rely on a pre-formed crew of voice actors to do the work. The crew usually consists of Rick Jones
Rick Jones
Rick Jones may refer to:*Rick Jones , fictional character from the Marvel Universe*Rick Jones , BBC children's programme presenter *Rick Jones , MLB pitcher...
, and Terrence Scammell
Terrence Scammell
Terrence Scammell is a Canadian actor and voice actor who commonly playes multiple characters in cartoon series. He is a member of the ACTRA and Canadian Actors' Equity Association unions.-TV series:* 3 Gold Coins...
, among others. They are very common actors in CinéGroupe productions.