Shaftesbury hires for tech push

Canadian producer-distributor Shaftesbury has created a new role to oversee its slate of technology projects, including one that uses virtual reality.

Ted Biggs

Ted Biggs has joined as VP of convergent and technology, marking Jay Bennett’s first hire at the company since arriving as senior VP and president of creative and innovation earlier this month.

He will work at Smokebomb Entertainment, the digital arm of the Toronto-based company, and expand its slate of technology projects.

So far these include an Oculus Rift virtual reality extension for Shaftesbury’s thriller series Slasher (8×60′), which is being produced for Super Channel in Canada and Chiller in the US.

Biggs has previously developed and produced a number of tech projects for Shaftesbury and Smokebomb, including an interactive experience for drama series The Murdoch Mysteries.

He joins Shaftesbury from mixed reality software startup AWE, where he was a founding shareholder and served as VP operations/client relations.

He is also a former head of production and creative producer at Xenophile Media, where he worked with clients including CBC, the BBC, Cartoon Network and TVO.