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Fireworks Entertainment
FormerlySkyVision Entertainment (1991–1994)
SkyVision Partners (1994–1996)
Fireworks Pictures (1996–2005)
IndustryTelevision and film production and distribution
Founded1991; 33 years ago (1991)
FounderBrian K. Ross
DefunctMarch 14, 2011
FateName changed to Content Television
SuccessorKew Media Group
Quiver Entertainment
HeadquartersCanada (1991-2005)
United Kingdom (2005-2011)
Key people
Jay Firestone
ParentJohn Labatt Entertainment Group (1991–1996)
CanWest (1998–2005)
Content Media Corporation PLC (2005–2011)

Fireworks Entertainment (originally Skyvision Entertainment and Skyvision Partners) was an independent studio originally founded in 1991 by Brian K. Ross and later bought out by Jay Firestone in 1996 to produce, distribute and finance television shows and feature films.

History

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Skyvision Entertainment was originally operating as a division of John Labatt Entertainment Group.[1]

In 1993, Orion Pictures inked an agreement with Skyvision Entertainment to handle series rights to the RoboCop franchise.[2] Also that year, it entered into an agreement with Rigel Entertainment for international distribution rights to RoboCop: The Series.[3] The company, known as Skyvision Partners by then, teamed up with Disney subsidiary Buena Vista Television to produce the first-run syndicated action hour Land's End.[4][5]

In 1996, Skyvision Entertainment was purchased by Jay Firestone, former employee of Alliance Communications, and rebranded it to Fireworks Entertainment.[6] The first show under the new name was F/X: The Series, which they acquired from Orion Pictures in 1994.[7]

Fireworks was acquired by Canwest Global in May 1998, and was later sold to ContentFilm (production company of The Cooler),[8] a British company, in April 2005. Over the years, Fireworks has amassed a significant catalogue of television shows and movies (under the Fireworks Pictures label). In 2000, Canwest Global had bought out Endemol Entertainment's international distribution arm and merged into Fireworks Entertainment.[9] Also that year, Canwest had acquired its assets of Western International Communications, and its WIC Entertainment unit, along with its library, would later be folded into Fireworks.[10]

In 1998, Peter Hoffman's Seven Arts Pictures formed an alliance with Fireworks to start out the Seven Arts International branding.[11] In 2000, CanWest Films merged with Seven Arts International, another Canwest subsidiary to start the Fireworks Pictures branding to produce theatrical motion pictures.[12] On October 2, 2001, Pliny Porter was hired as head of production and development for the Fireworks Pictures subsidiary, in order to make an effort to continue producing their own feature films.[13] In 2005, after ContentFilm had bought out Fireworks, the television library, through its subsidiary Fireworks Distributing Corp. to rival firm Alliance Atlantis.[14]

On March 14, 2011, Fireworks International was renamed as Content Television and its parent company, ContentFilm was also renamed as Content Media Corporation, which was later acquired by Canadian-based Kew Media Group in 2017 and after Kew Media's liquidation and collapse in 2020, its library was later acquired by Quiver Distribution via its Quiver Entertainment division and in 2023, the underlying rights to the Kew Media library was later acquired by West Side Pictures, with Abacus Media Rights and Magnolia Pictures both handling distribution .[15][16][17][18]

Court cases

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The original company was sued by Sony regarding Queen of Swords[19] and by 20th Century Fox regarding Mutant X.[20]

Television shows (as Fireworks Entertainment)

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TV shows filmed in widescreen 16:9 from 1998 but generally broadcast in 4:3 pan and scan. The widescreen versions are available on DVD.

Films (as Fireworks Pictures)

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References

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  1. ^ Chidley, Joe (October 31, 1994). "The $50-Million Man". Maclean's. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  2. ^ Ayscough, Suzan (1993-04-29). "Orion signs 'RoboCop' series deal". Variety. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  3. ^ "Rigel pacts for 'Robocop' series rights". Variety. 1993-08-31. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  4. ^ Benson, Jim (1995-04-03). "BVTV aims high with new strips". Variety. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  5. ^ Benson, Jim (1995-01-09). "Hours Lose Power In Syndie Market". Variety. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  6. ^ Taylor, Julia. "Further Reading" (PDF).
  7. ^ Lowry, Brian (1994-04-04). "Rysher Ent. lands 'F/X,' will produce 2 web pilots". Variety. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  8. ^ "News : Selected Press Clippings". ContentFilm. 2006-01-24. Archived from the original on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2012-12-29.
  9. ^ Kelly, Brendan (2000-07-28). "CanWest bags Endemol unit". Variety. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  10. ^ Kelly, Brendan (2000-09-26). "Top Canuck webs up competish". Variety. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  11. ^ Carver, Benedict (1998-09-25). "Hoffman, Firestone form distribbery". Variety. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  12. ^ Harris, Dana (2000-07-25). "Seven Arts, CanWest explode as Fireworks". Variety. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  13. ^ Dunkley, Cathy (2001-10-02). "Exec a match for Fireworks". Variety. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  14. ^ Tillson, Tamsen (2005-10-04). "Fireworks blowout". Variety. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  15. ^ "Content Media PLC retrieved 5 Nov 2011". Contentmediacorp.com. Retrieved 2012-12-29.
  16. ^ "Kew Media Group Acquires Six Companies, Including Content Media, for $104M". Deadline Hollywood. February 3, 2017.
  17. ^ Kanter, Jake (May 12, 2020). "Quiver Entertainment Swoops For Kew Media Distribution Library". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  18. ^ "MEP Capital Bows West Side Pictures with 800-Title Library, Partnerships with Magnolia, Abacus". Variety. March 16, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  19. ^ Mark Litwak (2001-11-01). "Retrieved November 15, 2009". Marklitwak.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2012-12-29.
  20. ^ "Retrieved February 21, 2010". Openjurist.org. Retrieved 2012-12-29.
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