MENTORS CAMERAS ROLL FOR MENTORS

Released: June 21, 2000

(EDMONTON)... Minds Eye Entertainment and Anaid Productions are pleased to announce the start of production on Season II of their award-winning family series, Mentors. Beginning June 23rd, a total of 13 exciting new episodes will be shot in and around Edmonton.

The "dynamic duo" of Anaid Productions' Margaret Mardirossian and Minds Eye Entertainment' Josh Miller are once again producing Mentors, with Kevin DeWalt of Minds Eye serving as Executive Producer. Since first teaming up together on the pilot three summers ago, Mardirossian and Miller have overcome numerous obstacles to bring Miller's series idea off the page and onto the screen. With a budget of $5.2 million and a cast and crew of over 100 people, Mentors continues as a vital production for the province as Alberta continues to expand its film and television industry.

"Mentors is the little series that could," says Miller. "Beginning with a pilot episode in 1997, we produced five more episodes in 1998 and seven more episodes in 1999 to get us to a full season of thirteen episodes. This year, for the first time, we have a full second season order from Family Channel, who have been airing the existing episodes throughout the week. Mentors is on a roll!"

"Although we're based out of Edmonton, Mentors is seen in 74 countries around the world," explains Mardirossian. "Mentors also provides a significant economic benefit to the community and creates over 100 jobs as well as training opportunities for young Albertans."

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.

The series features Chad Krowchuk (Jake and the Kid) as Oliver, Belinda Metz (So Weird) as his mother Anne, Shaun Johnston (Jake and the Kid) as his father Roy, and Sarah Lind (Incredible Story Studio) as his best friend, Dee.

"Mentors has really benefited from a great cast," Miller states. "Our recurring lead characters played by young Chad and Sarah have themselves have been mentored by our fabulous guest stars Ð among them Len Cariou, Saul Rubinek, Simon MacCorkindale, Henry Czerny, Matt Frewer and Michael Sarrazin. The mentoring never ends on Mentors."

Mentors from the first season 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) and Edgar Allen Poe (Michael Sarrazin) .

"The response we've received from viewers has been overwhelmingly positive," notes Mardirossian. "The challenges and humour of having a famous historic figure zapped into the present allows for highly engaging stories that entertain the whole family."

Established in 1986, Minds Eye Entertainment is a fully integrated production, post-production and distribution entity with offices throughout Western Canada and in Los Angeles. Its award-winning television series, made-for-television movies and feature films have been sold in more than 100 countries.

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.

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.

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