Entertainment One Snaps Up Blueprint, Oasis, Barna-Alper

TORONTO, July 7: The Canadian producer and distributor
Entertainment One (E1), whose assets already include Contender Entertainment
Group in the U.K., has acquired Blueprint Entertainment, Barna-Alper and Oasis
International.

"Combining these three television companies creates an
unrivalled cross-border force in television in North America supplying programs
to most major broadcasters on both sides of the border," said Darren
Throop, E1’s CEO.

The company is also acquiring Maximum Films' Canadian and
international distribution operations, which it will combine with its own
Seville Pictures. Throop said the move “will result in an enhanced theatrical
market-share in Canada and a company which is enviably well positioned for
international sales and distribution.”

Throop continued: “We are now able to create television
programs at a unique risk-return profile and direct this content as well as our
increased film content to our multiple territory distribution companies and
realize all of the synergies of this direct access."

E1 is now a fully integrated film, television, music, sales,
marketing and distribution company, with sales operations and libraries in
Canada, the U.S., the U.K., Holland and Belgium. Its library of 9,300 hours of
product available for worldwide licensing will be handled by two divisions of
the company—Oasis for television product and Seville for theatrical
films.

E1’s filmed-entertainment division, headed up by Patrice
Theroux as president, will now include Blueprint, Barna-Alper, Oasis
International, the newly-combined Seville Pictures/Maximum Films, Contender
Entertainment Group in the U.K. and RCV Entertainment in Holland and Belgium.

Blueprint is headed up by former Alliance Atlantis
executives John
Morayniss and Noreen Halpern, and its production credits include Kenny
vs Spenny for Comedy Central, Greek for ABC Family and The Best Years for The N. Barna-Alper, led by Laszlo Barna and
Laura Alper, has produced a range of factual and dramatic fare, including Da
Vinci’s Inquest for CBC and Megabuilders for Discovery. Oasis International, led by Peter
Emerson, features the hit sci-fi series ReGenesis in its catalogue, as well as TV movies, reality and
lifestyle fare, kids’ shows and documentaries. Oasis will now represent
globally all programs produced by Blueprint and Barna-Alper, as well as product
from third-party producers.

Morayniss and Barna said in a joint statement: "We are
very excited by the opportunity offered by the combination of our respective
businesses. Content creation, when combined with a strong distribution
platform, is a very powerful proposition in our industry. The ability to reach
the lucrative television, on-demand and DVD markets directly and to increase
our offering of television programs with feature films will be a key driver for
E1's growth. We fully embrace E1's strategy and look forward to contributing to
the success and the rise of this new force in the entertainment industry."

Morayniss has been tapped as the CEO of the television
group, reporting to Theroux. Barna will serve as president of television
production and Peter Emerson has been named president of international
television distribution, each reporting to Morayniss.

Halpern becomes president of U.S. television production,
reporting to Barna. Margaret O'Brien will be appointed COO of the television
group, and will report to Morayniss.

—By Mansha Daswani