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New Blakes 7?

Elenopa

Regular
Just got sent this. I'm not sure if it's good news or not.

B7 Productions have issued a press release:

DREW KAZA APPOINTED: CHAIRMAN, B7 PRODUCTIONS

Former UIP Pay-TV President and BBC Worldwide executive is the
new Chairman of UK-based independent production company, B7
Productions


LOS ANGELES, November 2, 2005: UK-based independent film and
television production company, B7 Productions, has announced the
appointment of Andrew L. Kaza to the position of Non-Executive
Chairman.

Kaza, whose career spans 20 years in TV, film, music and new
media industries, will be responsible for spearheading
development of the new “Blake’s 7” series, based on the British
classic serial from yesteryear.

B7P said it plans to tap into Kaza's studio and industry
connections to bring a number of projects to fruition in 2006 and
beyond. Kaza joins a board, which includes Simon Moorhead who
recently produced Sony Pictures’ “Mirrormask”.

Andrew Mark Sewell, Managing Director, B7P comments: “It’s
fantastic to have Drew on board. His experience and industry
knowledge is both diverse and global, which I’m sure will benefit
us in bringing our projects and brands to a worldwide audience.”

Kaza said: "I am delighted to be involved with Blake’s 7 and the
outstanding B7 production team. The original series has a long
running love affair with British audiences and was aired in some
40 countries. We are confident we can build on that success by
taking the legacy to a whole new audience."

Kaza added that there are other great products in the B7P stable
and he anticipates a "long-standing involvement" with the company.

Drew Kaza: Career History:

In accepting the non-exec Chair role, Kaza continues to maintain
his own consultancy, quoin media [www.quoinmedia.com] which
assists start-up media firms and existing "blue chip" clients in
international media development. Originally with Comcast both in
the US and UK, he was previously President of studio joint
venture UIP from 1993 to 1995 and joined the board of BBC
Worldwide and ran its Internet and Interactive division from
1999-2001.

More recently, he was CEO of Paul Allen's London-based Hospital
Group, where he oversaw Vulcan investments in Europe, including a
stake in the Irish-based North American Sports Network (NASN).
Vulcan sold its interest in the channel earlier this year.
Oregon native Kaza left Allen's employ in early 2003 and
re-started his consultancy work later that year.

B7 Productions: Projects in Development:

Blake’s 7: Legacy
2 x 90’ Mini-Series
Written by Ben Aaronovitch and D. Dominic DeVine
Based on the original television series BLAKE’S 7 created by
Terry Nation
Christina Tala swore an oath to uphold the ideals of Nu Earth.
When terrorists strike at the very heart of her society, Tala’s
response is immediate and fearless, but she finds herself caught
up in the legacy of past events. Forced to confront an evil as
terrifying, as it is secretive, Tala will find that history casts
a long shadow over her, her friends and Nu Earth. She will be
forced to make a choice that could turn her against her own
society and lead, ultimately, to the genocide of the human race.

Blake’s 7: The Animated Adventures
26 x 22’ Children’s Animated Action Adventure Series
Writer(s): Ben Aaronovitch, Andrew Cartmel, Marc Platt and James
Swallow
When fate puts a small band of questionable misfits and criminals
in control of the most powerful spaceship in the known galaxy -
the LIBERATOR - it falls to ROJ BLAKE to lead them. He alone can
weld this disparate group into a unified fighting force if they
are to topple the corrupt Federation and restore liberty and
justice to the galaxy.

The Puckaneers
26 x 22’ Children’s Animated Comedy Series
Co-created and Written by Bev Doyle
Somewhere on the second floor of the Universe is a very peculiar
Galaxy in which a small band of rebel parrots are all that stand
in the way of environmental meltdown! Cue the baddies! Howling
out of the abyss come the evil Eaton Empire, an outrageous race
of evil consumerists who are compulsively snacking their way
across the universe. These are the continuing adventures of
Captain Pilsna and his buccaneering band of Puckaneers striking a
feathered blow for freedom.

Once Upon a World: Audio Book (2005)
Children’s Bedtime Bible Stories
Written and Illustrated by Robert Duncan. Narration by John Le
Mesurier
“On the first day the world had ever known God had a busy week in
front of Him …” Bible stories selected from the Old and New
Testaments are told in a modern, light hearted, highly readable
style and illustrated with delightful humorous cartoon sketches.
The fresh clear style of author and illustrator, Robert Duncan
combines superbly with the narration of the late John Le
Mesurier, known for a plethora of classic British comedy films.
 
HM, I agree, on the surface it sounds very exciting, but, watching it ;lay out could weel be a nightmare.

If it comes to pass (Paul Darrow? who plays Avon tried a few times to get it going again, but they crashed and burned) let's hope it does the original justice.
 
Dig around on BBC, these people have been around for some time. Lots to say, but little cash to say it with, sadly...

With Dr Who riding high, there has never been a better time for this sort of thing. Hopefully with an experienced producer at the helm it will take off.

On a side note, Mirrormask looks great.
 
You know, I would be happy if they just worked out the rights issues so that there could be a Region 1 DVD set of B7.

That way, I would have a chance to actually see it. Back when B7 was apparently widely shown on US PBS stations, it was the period when I was a broke college student without a TV. I don't remember ever having seen an episode of it, though I keep hearing good things about it.
 
You know, I would be happy if they just worked out the rights issues so that there could be a Region 1 DVD set of B7.

That way, I would have a chance to actually see it. Back when B7 was apparently widely shown on US PBS stations, it was the period when I was a broke college student without a TV. I don't remember ever having seen an episode of it, though I keep hearing good things about it.

Ditto, although I did get to see 4 or so episodes when I visited a friend in another state.

It was a good show, from what I saw. I've read about the ending. I would so love to see it, but I don't know how likely that is.

Next time I get a DVD player, I'll have to make it one that I can easily see region 2 dvd's on. :(
 
You know, I would be happy if they just worked out the rights issues so that there could be a Region 1 DVD set of B7.

That way, I would have a chance to actually see it. Back when B7 was apparently widely shown on US PBS stations, it was the period when I was a broke college student without a TV. I don't remember ever having seen an episode of it, though I keep hearing good things about it.


Your situation might actually have spared you some frustration. It WAS shown on WTVS 56, our local PBS station, for most of it's run. Then, they just stopped it, without continuing to the end, with no explanation I ever heard, or read. I was pretty pissed off!
 
Channel 54 in the San Francisco Bay Area ran it for several years (52 episodes, so 1 year for each run through at an episode a week). So, I actually had the opportunity to see most of them a couple times. I really enjoyed it and wish they would release US watchable box sets. Even if you get the UK DVDs though, they're in small sets I believe (1-3 episodes?) so, to buy the series would be astronomical
 
I have a full season set sitting on my shelf that I borrowed from a friend. It's between Firefly and B5.

Remember, a season of B7 is only 13 episodes.
 
I have a full season set sitting on my shelf that I borrowed from a friend. It's between Firefly and B5.

Remember, a season of B7 is only 13 episodes.

Only 13 eps a season? I thought it was 3 seasons long, total 52 episodes?

Ah, Okay 4 seasons of 13, apparently. I gues it was more than a year ago, I checked, the first one came out in MArch '04.
 
I just received all of Blake's 7 on DVD that I picked up on Ebay. There are 26 DVDs with 2 eps on each disk and they're Region One. Paid $100 plus shipping for them. They were put out by BFS Video, a Canadian company. You might try emailing them to see if they're still available.
 

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