Epitome Pictures Inc. (later known as DHX Studios Toronto and WildBrain Studios) was a Canadian film and

television production company A production company, production house, production studio, or a production team is a studio that creates works in the fields of performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, comics, interactive arts, video games, websites, music, and vi ...

based in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

. Founded by

Linda Schuyler Linda Schuyler, (; née Bawcutt; born February 12, 1948) is a Canadian television producer. She is best known for being the co-creator and producer of the ''Degrassi'' teen drama franchise, which has spanned five series over four decades. She i ...

and

Stephen Stohn John Stephen Stohn (born May 8, 1948) is an American-born Canadian entertainment lawyer and television producer. He is best known for his involvement with the ''Degrassi'' teen drama franchise, particularly as an executive producer on '' Degrassi: ...

in 1992, the company is best known for producing '' Degrassi: The Next Generation'' and '' Degrassi: Next Class'', the fourth and fifth respective entries of the ''

Degrassi ''Degrassi'' is a Canadian television franchise created by Kit Hood and Linda Schuyler in 1979. It is centred on a multigenerational teen drama about an ensemble cast of teenagers attending the namesake Toronto school as they navigate their ...

'' teen drama franchise, of which was co-created by Schuyler. Other television series produced by Epitome include '' Liberty Street,'' '' Riverdale'', and '' The L.A. Complex.'' In 2016, Epitome was absorbed into

DHX Media WildBrain Ltd. (formerly known as DHX Media, Ltd.) is a Canadian media, animation studio, production, and brand licensing company, mostly associated as an entertainment company. The company is known for owning the largest library of children ...

(later WildBrain) and the Epitome name and branding ceased.

History

and

founded Epitome Pictures in 1992, and purchased its first studio building in 1995, to film ''Riverdale''. At the time, the studio was allegedly "in a sorry state, with snow melting on the leaking roof and cans catching the water". Its main headquarters were located on a 100,000 square-foot lot in Bartley Drive in

. In April 2014, the company and its library, including the ''

'' series produced before Epitome (''

The Kids of Degrassi Street ''The Kids of Degrassi Street'' is a Canadian children's television series and the first in the ''Degrassi'' franchise created by Kit Hood and Linda Schuyler. It follows the lives of a group of children living on De Grassi Street in Toronto. It ...

'', ''

Degrassi Junior High ''Degrassi Junior High'' is a Canadian television series and the second series in the ''Degrassi'' franchise created by Kit Hood and Linda Schuyler. A successor but not a direct spin-off of ''The Kids of Degrassi Street'', it debuted on CBC ...

'', ''

Degrassi High ''Degrassi High'' is a Canadian teen drama television series and the third series in the ''Degrassi'' franchise created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood. A direct continuation of '' Degrassi Junior High'', it debuted on CBC in Canada on November ...

'', and the non-fiction documentary series ''

Degrassi Talks ''Degrassi Talks'' is a Canadian non-fiction documentary Television program, television series and part of the ''Degrassi'' franchise created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood. Running six episodes from February 29 to March 30, 1992, it revolved arou ...

''), was acquired by fellow Canadian television producer

for $33 million. After the buyout, Epitome's assets were absorbed into DHX Media, and the studio was renamed DHX Media Toronto in 2016. On April 2, 2019, DHX announced plans to sell the Bartley Drive studio for $12 million, as part of their intentions to streamline its physical operations across Canada. In September that year, DHX Media was renamed WildBrain.

Playing With Time, Inc.

Playing With Time, Inc. was a Canadian film and

based in

, and the predecessor of Epitome Pictures. Founded by

and

Kit Hood Christopher Hood (24 March 1943 – 20 January 2020) was a Canadian television editor, director, writer and producer. He is best known as the director and co-creator of the '' Degrassi'' franchise alongside Linda Schuyler, including the series ...

in 1976, the company is best known for producing ''

'', as well as ''

'' and ''

'', the first, second, and third respective entries of the ''

'' franchise. Schuyler, a

Grade 7 Seventh grade (or grade seven) is a year or level of education. The seventh grade is the eighth school year, the second or third year of middle school, and the first year of junior high school. Students are around 13-14 years old in this stage of ...

and Grade 8 media teacher at Earl Grey Senior Public School in Toronto in 1976, met Hood, then an editor for television commercials, when she needed help from an experienced editor to save the "muddled footage" of one of her projects. Hood and Schuyler found a balance; editor Hood was inexperienced in writing, and Schuyler was inexperienced in editing, leading to their creative partnership. The production offices were located on 935 Queen Street East, where the ''Degrassi Junior High'' and ''Degrassi High'' cast would routinely gather to be taken to the schools where the respective series were filmed. Epitome Pictures later owned the rights to the three previous ''Degrassi'' shows produced by Playing With Time.

Filmography

Playing With Time, Inc.

* ''Jimmy: Playing With Time'' (short film) * ''Our Cultural Fabric'' (1978, short film) * ''

'' (1979–1986) * ''Growing Up with Sandy Offenheim'' (1980, five shorts) * ''Pearls in the Alphabet Soup'' (1980, short film) * ''Don't Call Me Stupid'' (1983, short film) * ''Advice on Lice'' (1985, short film) * ''

OWL/TV OWL/TV is a Canadian children's educational television series that aired on CBC, from 1985 to 1990, and then later on CTV, from 1990 to 1994. It focused on nature and science discovery, emphasizing to viewers how they can affect their own envir ...

'' (1985–1986) ("Real Kids" segments) * ''

'' (1987–1989) * ''

'' (1989–1991) * ''

'' (1992) * '' School's Out'' (1992)

Epitome Pictures

* ''X-Rated'' (1993, TV movie) * '' Liberty Street'' (1995) * '' Riverdale'' (1997–2000) * '' Degrassi: The Next Generation'' (2001–2015) (co-production with

Bell Media Bell Media Inc. (French: ) is a Canadian company formed by the amalgamation of several companies. Establishment (2011–13) On December 9, 2011, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan announced the sale of its majority stake in Maple Leaf Sports ...

) * ''

Instant Star ''Instant Star'' is a Canadian musical comedy-drama television series which aired from 15 September 2004 to 26 June 2008. The series starred Alexz Johnson as teenage singing competition winner Jude Harrison. The show chronicles Harrison's experi ...

'' (2004–2008) * ''

Degrassi Goes Hollywood ''Degrassi Goes Hollywood'' is a 2009 Canadian film adaptation of the popular, long-running teenage drama '' Degrassi: The Next Generation''. The movie premiered in the United States on The N on 14 August 2009, and in Canada on CTV on 30 August 2 ...

'' (2009, movie) * ''

Degrassi Takes Manhattan ''Degrassi Takes Manhattan'' is a 2010 Canadian television film based on the teen drama television series ''Degrassi'', which was known as ''Degrassi: The Next Generation'' prior to this film. The film premiered in Canada on MuchMusic on 16 July ...

'' (2010, movie) * '' The L.A. Complex'' (2012) * '' Open Heart'' (2015) * ''

Make It Pop ''Make It Pop'' is a Canadian musical comedy television series created by Thomas W. Lynch and Nick Cannon that aired on Nickelodeon from March 26, 2015 to August 20, 2016. The series stars Megan Lee, Louriza Tronco, Erika Tham, and Dale Whibley. ...

'' (2015–2016) (co-production with Tom Lynch Company, N'Credible Entertainment, and

Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its networks division's Kids and Family Group. It ...

) * ''

The Other Kingdom ''The Other Kingdom'' is a fantasy sitcom created by Thomas W. Lynch that aired on Nickelodeon from April 10, 2016 to June 19, 2016. The series stars Esther Zynn, Callan Potter, Celina Martin, Taylor Adams, and Josette Halpert. Plot Fairy Pri ...

'' (2016) (co-production with Tom Lynch Company and Nickelodeon) * '' Degrassi: Next Class'' (2016–2017) * ''

Letterkenny Letterkenny ( ga, Leitir Ceanainn , meaning 'hillside of the O'Cannons'), nicknamed 'the Cathedral Town', is the largest and most populous town in County Donegal, a county in Ulster, the northern province in Ireland. Letterkenny lies on the R ...

'' (2016–2019) * '' Massive Monster Mayhem'' (2017)

References

External links

Epitome Pictures Inc. archives
at the University of Toronto Media Commons {{Coord, 43, 43, 11, N, 79, 18, 58, W, display=title WildBrain Television production companies of Canada Companies based in Toronto