Epitome Pictures
 | |
| Type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film and television production |
| Predecessor | Playing With Time, Inc. (1976-1992) |
| Founded | 1992 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Defunct | 2019 |
| Fate | Building sold off, ceased operations |
| Headquarters | 220 Bartley Drive, , |
Key people | Linda Schuyler, Chief Operating Officer Stephen Stohn, President |
| Services | Production, distribution, broadcast and licensing of entertainment content for children and families. |
| Parent | DHX Studios (DHX Media) |
Epitome Pictures Inc. (later known as DHX Studios Toronto and WildBrain Studios) was a Canadian film and television production company based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded by Linda Schuyler and Stephen Stohn in 1992, the company is best known for producing Degrassi: The Next Generation and Degrassi: Next Class, the fourth and fifth respective entries of the Degrassi teen drama franchise, of which was co-created by Schuyler. Other television series produced by Epitome include Liberty Street and Riverdale.
History[]
Schuyler and Stohn founded Epitome Pictures in 1992,[1] and purchased the studio building in 1995, to film Riverdale.[2] At the time, the studio was allegedly "in a sorry state, with snow melting on the leaking roof and cans catching the water".[2] In April 2014, the company was acquired by fellow Canadian television producer DHX Media.[3][4] After the buyout, the shows that were produced by the company replaced the Epitome branding in favour of DHX Media's. Epitome itself was renamed to DHX Studios Toronto in 2016.[5] On April 2, 2019, DHX announced they were planning to sell off the building where the studios were housed,[6] ceasing operations of the studio in the process; in September that year, DHX Media was renamed WildBrain.[7]
Playing With Time, Inc.[]
Playing With Time, Inc. was a Canadian film and television production company based in Toronto, Ontario and the predecessor of Epitome Pictures. Founded by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1976,[8] the company is best known for producing The Kids of Degrassi Street, as well as Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High, the first, second, and third respective entries of the Degrassi franchise. Schuyler, a Grade 7 and Grade 8 media teacher at Earl Grey Senior Public School in Toronto in 1976,[9] met Hood, then an editor for television commercials, when she needed help from an experienced editor to save the "muddled footage" of one of her projects.[10] Hood and Schuyler found a balance; editor Hood was inexperienced in writing, and writer/producer Schuyler was inexperienced in editing, leading to their creative partnership.[10] The production offices were located on 935 Queen Street East,[11] where the Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High cast would routinely gather to be taken to the schools where the respective series were filmed.[12]
Epitome Pictures later owned the rights to the three previous Degrassi shows produced by Playing With Time.[3]
Filmography[]
Playing With Time[]
- Jimmy: Playing With Time (short film)[10]
- Our Cultural Fabric (1978, short film)[10]
- The Kids of Degrassi Street (1979–1986)
- Growing Up with Sandy Offenheim (1980, five shorts)
- Pearls in the Alphabet Soup (1980, short film)
- Don't Call Me Stupid (1983, short film)
- Advice on Lice (1985, short film)
- OWL/TV (1985–1986) ("Real Kids" segments)
- Degrassi Junior High (1987–1989)
- Degrassi High (1989–1991)
- Degrassi Talks (1992)
- School's Out (1992)
Epitome Pictures[]
- X-Rated (1993, TV movie)
- Liberty Street (1994–1995)
- Riverdale (1997–2000)
- Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001–2015) (co-production with Bell Media)
- Instant Star (2004–2008)
- Degrassi Goes Hollywood (2009, movie)
- Degrassi Takes Manhattan (2010, movie)
- The L.A. Complex (2012)
- Open Heart (2015)
- Make It Pop (2015–2016) (co-production with Tom Lynch Company, N'Credible Entertainment, and Nickelodeon)
- The Other Kingdom (2016) (co-production with Tom Lynch Company and Nickelodeon)
- Degrassi: Next Class (2016–2017)
- Letterkenny (2016–2019)
- Massive Monster Mayhem (2017)[13]
References[]
- ^ "Growing up Degrassi". Retrieved 2022-02-13.
- ^ a b Zekas, Rita (2013-10-04). "Degrassi their home away from home". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
- ^ a b "DHX Media Acquires 'Degrassi' Producer Epitome". www.dhxmedia.com. DHX Media. Archived from the original on April 14, 2015. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ^ Houpt, Simon (3 April 2014). "DHX Media Buys Degrassi TV Studio". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
- ^ Vlessing, Etan (3 April 2014). "Degrassi Producer Epitome Pictures Bought by DHX Media". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
- ^ "DHX Media selling building in Toronto for $12 million, proceeds to pay down debt | Globalnews.ca".
- ^ "DHX Media changing name to WildBrain, begins reorganizing company | CBC News".
- ^ "Kit Hood, Co-Creator Of Beloved Canadian TV Series 'Degrassi,' Dies". ET Canada. The Canadian. 25 January 2020. Archived from the original on 2 May 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
- ^ Ellis 2005, pp. 8
- ^ a b c d West, Linda (September 1979). "Introducing...Kit Hood and Linda Schuyler" (PDF). Cinema Canada.
- ^ "People want to name a Toronto laneway after Degrassi's co-creator". www.blogto.com. Retrieved 2022-02-18.
- ^ "Niki Kemeny Interview by Natalie Earl". 11 December 2007. Archived from the original on 11 December 2007. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ "Nick orders Knight Squad, goes for DHX's Mayhem". Kidscreen.com. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
External links[]
- Epitome Pictures Inc. archives at the University of Toronto Media Commons
Coordinates: 43°43′11″N 79°18′58″W / 43.71972°N 79.31611°W
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