Toronto Festival Tower and tiff Bell Lightbox | 156.96m | 42s | Daniels | KPMB

Bell Lightbox

Name for new headquarters 'evokes the power of film to captivate us'
Aug 27, 2007 04:30 AM
Martin Knelman
entertainment columnist

What's in a name? Forget Bell Festival Centre.

That was the temporary handle of the Toronto International Film Festival Group's new home, soon to rise over a former parking lot at King St. W. and John St.

Bell Lightbox is the for-real name, set to be revealed this morning by Bell and TIFF, along with a glittery logo.

For the benefit of those who don't quite get concept, Bell Canada CEO Michael Sabia spells it out: "It evokes the power of film to captivate us and illuminate our ideas."

"We're excited and delighted," says Piers Handling, CEO of the TIFF group. "It's a strong and evocative name that captures what the building is about, and an apt description of Bruce Kuwabara's architecture."

The process of choosing a name has gone on for years, involving high-priced consulting firms and a committee of board members and gurus, climaxing with a think-tank meeting at a retreat in Cambridge, Ont.

There were four other potential names on the short list, but Handling isn't telling what they were. Let's hope consumers don't flock to King and John trying to buy light fixtures.

Meanwhile, the Copyright Collective of Canada has increased its donation to funding the new building to $3 million from its previous $1 million commitment. That brings to $137 million the total raised so far in the $196 million capital campaign.
 
The process of choosing a name has gone on for years, involving high-priced consulting firms and a committee of board members and gurus, climaxing with a think-tank meeting at a retreat in Cambridge, Ont.
Click to expand...

Wow. Yet, another prime example of our Canadians' competency.
 
Lightbox, such a Toronto name. Kind of reminds me of Skydome.

Remember how stupid we thought that was when it was first introduced. Now we cant call the Rogers Centre anything else but.
 
The leading quote from the new website:

"What is now a hole in the ground will over the next few years become the world's pre-eminent destination dedicated to the culture of the moving image."

Piers Handling attempts to distinguish his ass from the Bell Lightbox.
 
I think M5V, the condo across from it, should rename its to "Heavybox" :D
 
It's very difficult to come up with distinctive and evocative names for projects like this. Nearly everything obvious has already been used for something'r'other of similar type, and that's why it takes high-priced consulting firms and boards and gurus.

I think they've done pretty well in coming up with something unique and memorable. Too bad it's such a distinctively crappy name!!

The whole 'box' bit is just too understated (and I like understatement): it simply does not sound grand enough to describe the complex they are building. I could understand it being applied to a single cinema, or maybe the exhibition space within the centre, or to a themed cafe or shop, but for the whole centre? To me it just doesn't work as a description of a multi-purpose project.

I think think they come up with something that will inspire eye-rolling every time the name is muttered, and will require explanations of what it refers to for years. The name 'Bell Festival Centre' at least told us that a festival takes place within at times, even if it sounded somewhat unsure of what kind of festival...

Good start.

42
 
I think Lightbox is cleaver. Reminds me of a pin-hole box (a primitave camera) with the fun of Light-Bright!
'I'm going to the Lightbox tonight to see <blank>, yippy!' -me in a few years
 
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