Search underway to replace Clarkson

With the search underway to replace Wayne Clarkson, the board of directors at Telefilm Canada says it will fill in for the former executive director until a successor is in place.

Any decisions which would previously have been Clarkson's call will instead go to the board, keeping the federal funder running "smoothly and effectively."

"As the industry is aware, our management committee is made up of experienced, competent managers who represent all sectors of the organization - ensuring that Telefilm's activities continue in a seamless way until a new executive director is named," said chairman and rumored frontrunner for the job Michel Roy, in a statement.

Moves

• Veteran development exec Jillianne Reinseth has joined Cookie Jar Entertainment as its new VP of development - working on all new projects in Canada including those of Cookie's teen and adult label, The Jar.

• Former CBC factual production head Cathie James has joined indie producer Proper Television (Canada's Worst Driver) as creative director. She will help secure rest-of-the-world financing for an expanded programming slate as the indie producer marks five years of business. James led the Ceeb into reality TV with the likes of Dragons' Den and Battle of the Blades, and with homegrown talkers like The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos.

• Pete Mitchell has been promoted to president and chief operating officer of Vancouver Film Studios, ending a two-year stint as EVP and COO. He is credited with building VFS' stable of repeat customers and leading the charge to make the facility carbon neutral.

Signings

• Being Erica star Erin Karpluk has landed a recurring role on the new CW series Life Unexpected, stepping in as the boss to stars Shiri Appleby and Kerr Smith.

• Watchmen screenwriter David Hayter has signed to write the pilot for Push, a series version of the sci-fi movie now in the works with E1 and Summit Entertainment. Hayter and production partner Benedict Carver will also produce, through their Dark Hero Studios, with Noreen Halpern and John Morayniss of E1.