MENTORS GOT GAME

Released: July 7, 2000

(EDMONTON) Mentors is setting up for a perfect three-pointer next week when Joe Flaherty (SCTV) guest stars as basketball's creator, Dr. James Naismith, while Fred Frame (Incredible Story Studio) returns behind the lens. Produced by Minds Eye Entertainment and Anaid Productions, Mentors is currently filming 13 episodes in and around Edmonton for its second season.

Mentors follows the adventures of young computer genius Oliver and his friend Dee as they zap historical figures into their 21st century lives via an ingenious computer program. Each mentor is called upon to help the kids 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.

Wrapping up on this week's filming of the episode Father's Day is newcomer Matthew MacCaull as Oliver's father Roy Cates --circa 1972 -- with Norm Fassbender (Staring at a Fearful Ocean) directing. After Oliver has a fight with his father, Roy Cates, Dee brings a teenage Roy (Matthew MacCaull) forward in time so Oliver can see that Roy had conflict with his own father, helping Oliver relate to his dad more as a person.

"This nationally and internationally broadcast series is a great opportunity for local talent to strut their stuff on a global stage," says producer, Margaret Mardirossian. "Father's Day director Norm Fassbender apprenticed with us last year and this year, he is helming his first episode. In the same episode, we have St. Albert native Matthew MacCaull as the young Roy Cates, his first starring role on television."

Next week's episode, Nothing But Net, sees Dee summoning basketball's inventor, Canadian Dr. James Naismith (Joe Flaherty), for some tips on how to play the game when her "win at all costs" coach pressures her to bend the rules. Naismith shows the conflicted Dee that sportsmanship and personal character are the stuff of hoop dreams.

"We are very much looking forward to welcoming Joe Flaherty back to Edmonton, where he will be filming with us in the very studio complex where he originally performed in SCTV," states producer Josh Miller. "A lot of the current writers and directors on our series are either former or recovering SCTV-aholics, so we have our autograph books at the ready."

Mentors was created by Josh Miller of Minds Eye Entertainment who is producing the series with Margaret Mardirossian of Anaid Productions with Kevin DeWalt of Minds Eye Entertainment as Executive Producer. The series features Chad Krowchuk (Jake and the Kid) as Oliver, Belinda Metz (So Weird) as his mother Anne, Shaun Johnston (Traders) as his father Roy, and Sarah Lind (Incredible Story Studio) as his best friend, Dee. Historic mentors from previous episodes include Albert Einstein (Elliott Gould), Alexander Graham Bell (Len Cariou), Joan of Arc (Lisa Jakub), Lewis Carroll (Thomas Cavanagh), Napoleon Bonaparte (Saul Rubinek), Oscar Wilde (Simon MacCorkindale), St. Nicholas (Brian George), Harriet Tubman (Sandra Caldwell), Cleopatra (Ellie Harvie), Ludwig van Beethoven (Henry Czerny), Daniel Boone (Roddy Piper), Frederick Banting (Matt Frewer), Edgar Allen Poe (Michael Sarrazin) and Nostradamus (Kim Coates).

Anaid Productions Inc. is an award-winning film and television production company focused on family programming, arts documentaries, drama, comedy and variety series. Recipient of the CCA Rogers Communications award for the arts documentary Ronnie Burkett: A Line of Balance and an Alberta Film and Television Award for the comedy travel series, The Tourist. Into its third season, The Tourist airs on Life Network in Canada, Travel Channel (US) and Travel Channel (UK). The Tourist holds the distinction of being the most-watched travel show in all of the United States of America.

Established in 1986, Minds Eye Entertainment is a fully integrated production, post-production and distribution entity with offices throughout Western Canada and the US. Its award-winning feature films, television series, shorts and documentaries have been translated into a dozen languages and sold in more than 100 countries. Internationally recognized for its commitment to distinctive motion picture product, Minds Eye's selected list of credits includes the features Sins of the Father with Andy Garcia; the romantic comedy Something More, an Alliance 55 screen release; Viva Las Nowhere with James Caan, Daniel Stern and Patricia Richardson; Without Malice starring Craig Sheffer, Jennifer Beals and Corey Haim; Murder Seen with Nicole Eggert, Callum Keith Rennie and Timothy Bottons; and the comedic Held Up starring Jamie Foxx and Nia Long. On the small screen Minds Eye is best known for the 52 episode hit series for kids Incredible Story Studio; the top rated mini-series The Lost Daughter with Richard Chamberlain; Stranger in Town starring Harry Hamlin; and Eli's Lesson with Academy Award-winner Jack Palance.

Mentors is produced with the participation of Family Channel Inc., Shaw Children's Programming Initiative via the Dr. Geoffrey R. Conway Fund and the Shaw Television Broadcast Fund, CFCN Production Fund, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Canada Television Fund - License Fee Program, Telefilm Canada - Equity Investment Program, the Government of Canada Film Tax Credit Program and Minds Eye International.

International distribution of Mentors is provided by Minds Eye International.

Watch Mentors on Sunday nights at 5:30 PM Central and 6:30 PM Pacific/Eastern on Family Channel (check local listings for times and days).