The newly formed alliance of Canadian production company CinéGroupe and animation producer Film Roman Studios has begun production on SCI FI Channel's first-ever animated series TRIPPING THE RIFT. The CG-animated series is based on the short film of the same name, with thirteen half-hour episodes slated to debut in first quarter 2003 as part of SCI FI's regular Friday primetime line-up of original series. Created by Chuck Austen and Chris Moeller, TRIPPING THE RIFT follows the adventures of The Free Enterprise, a smuggling vessel led by a purple alien called Chode who, along with his misfit shipmates, battles enemies and new obstacles in space each week.