Atlantis Communications was a Canadian production company and television broadcaster that was formed in 1978 by Queen's University students Michael MacMillan, Janice L. Platt and Seaton S. MacLean. It was later merged in 1998 with Alliance Communications to form Alliance Atlantis Communications.[1]
History
The company made its start in April 1978, first as Birchbark Films Limited, then as Atlantis Films Limited by Queen's University students Michael MacMillan, Janice L. Platt and Seaton S. MacLean, and it was started on $150, making documentaries.[1] A year later, the company set up operations in Toronto to produce films for industry and government.[1]
In 1983, the same year the company founded, it started Atlantis Television International to serve as international distributor for Atlantis productions and, later, the distribution of outside projects, which in 1987 became Atlantis Releasing, and establishes offices in Toronto, Amsterdam, London and Sydney.[1][2]
In 1986, it launched a partnership with P.S. Production Services to set up Cinevillage, which was a 4-acre film and video production center in Toronto.[3][1]
In 1993, the company pushed its operations in the United States, with several made-for-cable movies, such as an adaptation of A Life and His Dog,[4] and two years later, the company entered the cable television business with the launch of Life Network, which in 1996, took control of the network.[5] Also that year, it teamed up with Universal Television to produce the series TekWar.[6]
The company previously held an interest in the YTV network, for which it owned a minority interest in 1994.[7] Also that year, the company had acquired Soundmix Ltd., which was an audio post-production facility in Toronto, and also has interests in Great North Communications and Salter Street Films.[8] In 1995, a minority interest of the company was sold to the Interpublic Group of Companies.[1][9][10]
In 1996, the company was an applicant for a Canadian version of HGTV, which would later launch in 1997.[11]
In 1997, the company had signed a distribution deal with CBS Broadcast International to begin distributing content or the Canadian market, for $10 million.[12] Also that year, the company gained a 50% interest in Calibre Digital Pictures, a visual effects company.[13]
Later that year, the company had acquired Ironstar Communications, in order to expand Atlantis' distribution operations in the United States, and hired Ironstar executive Derek McGillvay to join the company as VP of sales.[14]
Currently, the majority of the former assets of Atlantis Communications are owned by Lionsgate Canada, via its acquisition of eOne in 2023, while the broadcasting unit is owned by Corus Entertainment.
Some of the assets listed above are majority-owned, wholly-owned, by Corus Entertainment, or are under license. Refer to full asset list for detailed information.
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