VANCOUVER: While Imax Corporation’s recent announcement to significantly reduce investment in its motion-simulation assets has had an adverse impact on Vancouver’s Mainframe Entertainment (the CGI prodco took a US$574,000 write-down related to Mainframe’s investment in software for motion-simulation rides), Imax’s 3-D feature plans have boosted the ReBoot creator’s bottom line.

In the fourth quarter of 1998, Imax had invested US$11 million in Mainframe common stock and convertible senior debt to co-produce three 3-D, computer-generated animated films for release to Imax theaters and other markets. The first 3-D animated film, already in development, is Gulliver’s Travels, which is scheduled for release by summer 2001. The Pied Piper and Pandora’s Box are the other two titles.

On the CGI series front, ReBoot began airing daily on Cartoon Network in April, and Beast Wars, now entering its fourth season of production, begins airing on Fox Family Channel this fall. New series Weird-Ohs also debuts this fall, and Mainframe will begin earning new revenues from a line of Shadowraiders-based merchandise that hits toy stores this month.