Toronto-based producer and distributor Tricon Films & Television has made further sales of 13x60 science fiction series SANCTUARY at MIPCOM 2008. Entertainment channel AXN has snapped up the series in a deal for Central Europe that includes Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia and in a further deal, Sci Fi Channel Asia has taken the series to air on its channels in more than 25 countries.
SANCTUARY has previously sold to Sci Fi Channel in the U.S., Astral Media's The Movie Network and Corus Ent's Movie Central in Canada and ITV in the UK.
The series follows the adventures of the beautiful and enigmatic Dr. Helen Magnus, her new and somewhat reluctant protege Will Zimmerman and her fearless daughter Ashley, as they track down, study and try to help the strange and often terrifying creatures that secretly populate our world.
SANCTUARY stars Amanda Tapping (STARGATE SG-1), Robin Dunne (DAWSON'S CREEK), Emilie Ullerup (JPOD), Christopher Heyerdahl (STARGATE ATLANTIS) and Ryan Robbins (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA). Helmed by some of the innovative talents behind STARGATE SG-1 and STARGATE ATLANTIS, the series creative team includes exec producer, creator and writer Damian Kindler; executive producer and lead actor Amanda Tapping; and executive producer and director Martin Wood. In addition, Sam Egan (JEREMIAH, THE OUTER LIMITS) serves as exec producer and writer along with John Smith (STARGATE SG-1, STARGATE ATLANTIS) and Keith Beedie as exec producers, and George Horie as producer (STARGATE ATLANTIS).
SANCTUARY is the first television series in North America to use the RED camera, a digital system that captures images at four times the resolution of an HD camera. It is also the first television series shot almost entirely on green screen with live-action actors using the same cutting-edge style as the feature films 300 and SIN CITY. The result is an original graphic novel tone that blends realistic and detailed 3D backgrounds and visual effects (created by the multiple Emmy award nominated Anthem Visual Effects) with live-action cinematics.
The show makes the leap to television from the Internet where it began as the world's HD sci-fi Web series. As Webisodes, SANCTUARY received nearly four million downloads and views within the first six months of being online.
SANCTUARY is produced by Vancouver-based Sanctuary 1 Productions.
