(July 9, 2002)…Mentors is firing up “Visicron” for a fourth exciting production season of family entertainment! Cameras start rolling in Edmonton this week on the award-winning series, produced by Anaïd Productions and Minds Eye Entertainment. And the first episode has everyone Kung-Fu fighting with Edmonton-born guest star, Terry Chen (Romeo Must Die, Almost Famous) as an ancient Chinese fighting master. Director Grant Harvey (American Beer) returns behind the lens for this high-kickin’ start to the season.

Mentors follows the adventures of young brother and sister team, Simon and Crystal Cates, after their cousin, Oliver, bestows his invention, VisiCron, to them. Using this ingenious computer program, Simon and Crystal zap historical figures into their 21st Century lives to help them solve a particular challenge they’ve encountered. Along the way, the mentors reveal surprising, little known facts about themselves, adding new hues to their already colourful lives.

The season opener, Enter the Monolith, sees Simon (Stevie Mitchell) trying to overcome a Cyber guardian in Visicron’s virtual reality world. Convinced he needs the help of an expert fighter, he calls forth martial arts master, Wong Fei Hung – but unknowingly brings back Hung’s student, Wong Lee (Terry Chen). When Simon’s virtual reality helmet falls into the wrong hands, it’s up to Simon, Wong and Oliver (Chad Krowchuk) to rescue it before it’s destroyed by the thugs. Upon saving the helmet, Oliver ventures into VisiCron’s virtual reality to defeat the Guardian – which has some unexpected and potentially ‘time-shifting’ results!

“Four seasons is a wonderful milestone to achieve in Canadian series television,” says producer, Margaret Mardirsossian. “We’re pleased to welcome back our talented cast and crew, many who’ve been with us since Day One, and very excited to welcome Will Dixon aboard as our new Creative Producer. And with some surprising storyline twists, this season promises to be the most exciting and entertaining one yet!”

“It’s really great to be back in Western Canada again and working with a lot of talented people who are so passionate about the series,” says Mentors new Creative Producer, Will Dixon (Earth: Final Conflict, Outer Limits).

Mentors was created by Josh Miller of Minds Eye Entertainment and is produced by Margaret Mardirossian of Anaïd Productions and Will Dixon with Kevin DeWalt of Minds Eye Entertainment. The series features Stevie Mitchell (Snow Day) as Simon, Samantha Krutzfeldt (Orange Seed Myth & Other Lies Mothers Tell) as his sister Crystal, Brian Martell (Texas Rangers) as their father Norm Cates and Jane Sowerby (MVP) as their mother, Peggy.

Historic mentors from the past seasons include Frederick Banting (Matt Frewer in a Gemini Award-winning performance), Albert Einstein (Elliott Gould), Lewis Carroll (Thomas Cavanagh), Napoleon Bonaparte (Saul Rubinek), Ludwig van Beethoven (Henry Czerny), Daniel Boone (Roddy Piper), Dr. James Naismith (Joe Flaherty), Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (William B. Davis), Queen Elizabeth I (Margot Kidder), Casanova (Tony Rosato), Dave Thomas as Oliver’s science teacher, Al Sherman, William Shakespeare (Stephen Ouimette), William Randolph Hearst (Michael Moriarty), Vlad Tepes aka Dracula (Nick Mancuso), Confucius (Henry Chan), Annie Oakley (Megan Follows), Mack Sennett (Mark McKinney), Anais Nin (Arsinee Khanjian) and Mavor Moore.

Anaïd Productions Inc. is an award-winning film and television production company focused on family programming and documentary series. Anaïd Productions Inc is currently in production on the second season of Taking It Off for Life Network and Discovery UK as well as a family feature film for A-Channel and Movie Central. Website address is www.anaid.com.

Established in 1986, Minds Eye Entertainment is a fully integrated production, post-production and distribution entity with offices in Canada and the U.S. As Western Canada’s largest independent film and television production company, Minds Eye Entertainment has been instrumental in contributing to the country's thriving motion picture industry. Its award-winning feature films, television series, shorts and documentaries have been sold in more than 100 countries. The company website is www.mindseyepictures.com.

Mentors is produced with the participation of The Family Channel Inc., the Canadian Television Fund created by the Government of Canada and the Canadian cable industry, Telefilm Canada: Equity Investment Program, CTF:Licence Fee Program, Shaw Children’s Programming Initiative: the Dr. Geoffrey R. Conway Fund and the Shaw Television Broadcast Fund, Alberta Foundation Grant, Alberta Film Development Program, CanWest Western Independent Producer’s Fund, Harold Greenberg Family Film Program, the Government of Canada Film Tax Credit Program and Minds Eye International.

International distribution of Mentors is provided by Minds Eye International.

Visit our website at www.mentorstv.com

For more information/interviews, please contact:
Larissa Banting APR
Unit Publicist (780) 619-6510
lbanting@hotmail.com