Sphere Media, Paul Barbeau team up to boost Canadian service production

Bruno Dubé (left) and Paul Barbeau

Canadian production group Sphere Media and Fairmount Films founder Paul Barbeau have entered into a strategic alliance to attract more global scripted TV service production to Quebec.

The two companies will identify opportunities, develop competitive service production proposals and support international clients through the creative and production process.

Barbeau will lead business development efforts and introduce scripted TV projects to Sphere. He will also serve as line producer on select projects, overseeing production logistics, budgets and client relations.

Sphere, meanwhile, will provide the corporate and administrative structure required to deliver the productions.

The alliance will initially focus on scripted TV produced in Quebec but remain open to opportunities in other Canadian provinces.

Montreal-based Barbeau has almost three decades of experience producing films such as To Catch a Killer and is expanding into scripted TV.

Multi-genre content company Sphere has offices in Montreal, Toronto and London and has produced drama series Wayward (Netflix), sitcom Small Achievable Goals (CBC) and animated kids’ show Riley Rocket (TVO).

Bruno Dubé, CEO and president at Sphere Media, said: “This partnership will strengthen Sphere’s service production offering and position Quebec as an attractive destination for Canadian, American, and international scripted television productions.

“While we will continue to develop high-profile English- and French-language projects for top-tier broadcasters and global networks, Paul will combine attracting projects and building relationships with producers and applying the same physical production disciplines he has successfully developed in feature films to series, while protecting creative ambitions.”

Barbeau said: “I cannot wait to bring new scripted series production opportunities to Quebec and plan on making it a major international production hub.”