Attraction creates studios arm as firms unite

Canada’s Attraction is bringing together its production and sales assets under a new banner.

Attraction Studios will comprise Attraction Images, CMJ Productions and Attraction Distribution.

Attraction Images president and executive producer Marleen Beaulieu has been promoted to president of Attraction Studios, and will oversee operations of the three business units and provide strategic vision.

She’ll also look after existing assets and develop new business opportunities in Attraction’s Québec home and elsewhere.

This comes after Attraction last November acquired Montreal-based factual prodco CMJ, which is currently working up the 6x60mins Guilty Rich for US cable channel Investigation Discovery.

CMJ is also behind A Stranger in My Home, Fatal Vows and Accident Investigator, and has produced a catalogue of around 550 hours of English-language programming in total.

Attraction Images has produced more than 5,500 hours of programming and 15 feature films across drama, youth-skewed programming and documentary, game shows since its creation in 2002.

Beaulieu will remain as the prodco’s president, as well as taking on the Attraction Studios role.

Attraction Distribution was founded a year later, and is now involved in co-financing, rights distribution, feature film sales, children’s programming and promotion.

“Uniting the strengths of Attraction’s production and distribution entities will simplify our Canadian operations and foster our cross-border development,” said Attraction executive VP and COO Sylvain Chamberland.

“I have entrusted Marleen to execute the strategic vision of Attraction Studios with a focus on maximising our existing assets to develop additional new business opportunities both inside and outside of Québec.”