Media Services, a leading entertainment accounting, payroll, and software provider, today announced the company has opened a new office in the heart of Canada’s film district, located at 119 Spadina Avenue, Suite 304, in Toronto, Ontario. With operations in Los Angeles and New York, the Toronto office will enable Media Services to better serve its U.S. customers filming north of the border while reinforcing its relationships with Canadian based productions.
“Establishing a strong local presence in Toronto will expand our reach in a market dominated by primarily one other payroll service provider,” says Steve Bizenov, vice president of sales and software development at Media Services. “Providing film, television and commercial productions with another alternative and increasing competition in the marketplace will be a tremendous benefit to the industry.”
Leading the Toronto operations is Olimpia Shuster, a well-respected veteran with more than 20 years in the industry. She serviced Canadian productions in filling their daily calls for extra crew during her tenure at NABET Local 700 and later managed the Toronto and Vancouver offices of a production payroll company before joining Media Services.
“Competition is healthy, so I was thrilled to learn that a company as reputable as Media Services decided to enter into the Canadian market,” explains Shuster. “Media Services has operated under the same ownership for 30 years and shares my same vision and commitment to client service. I’m looking forward to overseeing this new office to ensure that vision is realized for our existing and future clients.”
Jackie Bowness, production accountant for The Weight, a Canadian television drama series, is one of the first clients to join Media Services.
“Anyone who has worked with Olimpia Shuster and Paul Thorpe in the past is familiar with their personable approach, dedication, and professionalism,” says Bowness. “They always go that extra mile to ensure our payroll is processed accurately and on time which is critical to our production.”
Shuster cites Media Services’ innovation in production software solutions through its Showbiz Software division as a significant advantage for production accountants and independent producers looking to save time with payroll processing, budgeting, and scheduling.
“Our clients are ramping up quickly with the company’s Media Win software which is easy to use and similarly structured as other accounting programs familiar to them,” adds Shuster. “And everyone is excited about the Canadian version of Showbiz Software Time Cards, the industry’s only automated time cards program that interfaces across multiple payroll accounting programs.”
Media Services anticipates capturing a sizeable share of the market, particularly in the commercial segment where the company has led the industry worldwide.
“Accurate and timely payroll services for clients is important to our business,” says Boris Leko of Focus Accounting, a firm which provides accounting services for commercial houses in Toronto. “We are looking forward to working with the great staff at Media Services, whose industry experience and focus on customer service stand out from other payroll service providers.”
About Media Services and Showbiz Software Stores
Media Services has been one of the entertainment industry’s leading accounting, payroll and software companies since 1978, serving feature, television, commercial, corporate and Internet productions world-wide as well as music video and residual clients. Media Services is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in New York and Toronto. The company is committed to driving the industry through constant innovation by offering best-in-class software solutions through its product division, Showbiz Software. In addition to its proprietary production accounting, payroll, budgeting, scheduling and time management software, the company offers a wide range of other entertainment industry software, books, tapes and supplies through its Showbiz Software Stores in West Los Angeles and New York as well as online, at www.showbizsoftware.com.
