NEW SASKATCHEWAN FILM PROJECT ANNOUNCED

Released on October 30, 1995

Economic Development Minister Dwain Lingenfelter said Friday the
announcement of a new film production project for Saskatchewan is a
welcome step in the growth of the province's expanding film and video
industry.

Lingenfelter took part in a news conference in Regina to provide
details of the film, Lyddie, being produced by a team of local,
national and international companies.

Set in the mid-1800s, Lyddie is the story of a teenage girl's struggle
to reunite her family, and her journey from a tiny backwoods cabin to
the newly industrialized city.

About 70 per cent of the project is being shot in Saskatchewan, with
the balance shot in the United Kingdom. The majority of audio
post-production work will also be done in the province. The project is
expected to employ a crew of 100, plus 180 cast members, resulting in
expenditures in the province of about $1.5 million. Twenty-three of
the jobs are being supported by Future Skills, a program offered by
Saskatchewan Education, Training and Employment to meet industry needs
for skilled workers. There is currently a shortage of skilled
Saskatchewan film production technicians.

The project will be produced by Minds Eye Pictures of Regina, The Film
Works of Toronto and Wall to Wall Television Ltd. of the UK. Other
participants include the CBC; BBC Worldwide Ltd., a subsidiary of the
British Broadcasting Corporation; and the Cable Production Fund, a fund
financed by the cable industry to support Canadian programming. The
CBC and BBC will broadcast the film during their 1996-97 schedules.

"We believe this project will enhance Saskatchewan's growing reputation
as a good location for filming," Lingenfelter said. "It will create
increased awareness of the positive investment climate for this
industry in our province and demonstrate the exceptional quality of our
local film producers."

The Government of Saskatchewan will invest in the $3.2-million project
through a commercial loan of $450,000 from Saskatchewan Opportunities
Corporation and an equity investment of $350,000 from SaskFilm.

Lingenfelter said the Lyddie project is another step in the growth of
the province's film industry. In the past five years, the production
budgets of films produced in the province have jumped five-fold, from
$4.5 million in 1991 to a projected $25.8 million in 1995.

"The government encourages and supports development of the film
industry," Lingenfelter said. "It is highly labour intensive and
provides positive economic spin-offs, with from 50 to 60 per cent of
each production budget spent on salaries, personnel fees and benefits,
with the balance primarily going toward services such as hotels,
restaurants, car rentals, etc."

Last year the film/video industry generated the equivalent of 240 jobs
and $6 million in salaries, plus benefits for suppliers such as the
hospitality industry, auto and equipment rentals, information
technology and office support services and supplies.

There are currently more than 40 independent private sector companies
producing dramas, television series, educational programming and
commercials in Saskatchewan. In addition, more than 100 freelance film
technicians live and work full-time here.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Zach Douglas Kevin DeWalt Mark Prasuhn
SOCO Minds Eye Pictures SaskFilm
Regina Regina Regina
Phone: (306) 787-8575 Phone: (306) 571-8500 Phone: (306) 347-0785