SANTA MONICA, California -- Quebec: home to French speakers, great skiing, independence agitators ... and world-class animators.
That last one may catch some off-guard. But it isn't a secret in Hollywood, where productions from Titanic to the *Arthur * children's program have leaned heavily on the animation and special-effects talents from the Canadian province.
Like any Hollywood studio, Quebec wants to make sure it maximizes cash flow from its prize franchise. So Saturday, a delegation -- including the province's premier and a newly created association of 20 Quebec animation companies -- treated Hollywood's elite to hors d'ouevres, the Cirque du Soleil, and a high-octane pitch for Quebec's animation business.
"We want you to test us. We are ready to take the challenge," proclaimed Premier Lucien Bouchard, as his guests drank champagne and nibbled caviar in a tent pitched next to the Santa Monica Pier.
Since last Wednesday, the French-speaking group has been meeting with executives at top studios such as Universal Studios and Disney, meetings that the visitors from Quebec said will undoubtedly lead to new partnerships and business.
That was hard to assess on Saturday as guests politely watched a video of Quebec's finest efforts, lined up for digital snapshots with their kids, and trooped to their front-row seats in the Cirque tent next door.
Disney, with studios in Toronto and Vancouver, has no immediate plans to set up shop in Montreal, said Lenora Hume, senior vice president of production in the television animation department.
"My main role here today is to show support," said the Toronto-born executive.
The hosts were hard-pressed to explain exactly why Quebec produces so many skilled animators, although one producer floated a theory.
"It's really fucking cold," suggested Roddy McManus, executive producer for Tube Images in Montreal. "You stay inside all winter. There's nothing else to do."
Even without its animators, Quebec is a fixture in Hollywood's special effects business, which relies on software from Quebec companies such as Softimage and Discreet Logic.
Then there are all those American films shot in Quebec and the rest of Canada, where the weak dollar and American-style architecture make it a cost-effective alternative to shooting in the United States.
That's something of a sore spot for Hollywood producers, who are frequently chided in the press for spending American dollars in Canada instead of at home.
Quebec delegation members were quick to point out that animation is a different beast. The current Pokemon phenomenon, for example, started in Japan. Teletubbies, another children's favorite, is British.
"The animation business has always been international," said producer McManus. "In order to compete globally, major US [studios] need to partner."
Quebec's own phenomenon, the world-famous Cirque du Soleil, has its own international special effects projects under the guidance of producer Peter Wagg. One key effort: The Journey of Man, a 3-D film featuring Cirque performers that will air in IMAX theaters next May. (IMAX is also Canadian.)
