When Jason Edmonds found out that the shipment of frozen grass required for a commercial arrived on set thawed and alive, but strangely black, he simply put down his fork, got on the phone and told his crew to paint it green.

As a key player in Toronto-based Solutions - a triumvirate of companies made up of Performance Solutions, which specializes in physical effects and rigging, Set Solutions, which specializes in set construction, and Creative Solutions, the design, graphics and animation arm of the group - Edmonds is a virtuoso when it comes to solving problems.

Take, for example, a recent midnight call on the eve of a shoot, requesting that he take several inches off the height of an iron basketball hoop. By 8 a.m. the next morning, the mission was accomplished.

"We pride ourselves on the fact that we can make things happen," says Edmonds, who is owner and president of Creative Solutions, co-owner and vice president of Set Solutions, and all-round art director guy.

Performance Solutions has been providing physical effects for 15 years and is owned by Edmonds' partner Jordan Craig. Four years ago the two got together to establish Creative Solutions, which at the time included the work of the now year-old Set Solutions.

"Between the three companies, the annual revenue is close to $10 million," says Edmonds, noting that having everything in one place also allows them to respond quickly and work more efficiently. Solutions employs 15 full-time staffers and workds with about 40 regular freelancers.

Responding to marketplace demands means the companies are continually evolving. Creative Solutions has recently begun providing clients with full-color, fully dressed 360-degree set design proposals created in 3D Studio. Solutions can relay exact specs of their set design during the bidding process, and allows for simple and quick modifications.

As for the future, Edmonds says he sees opportunity on the graphics and animation front. Solutions has produced two animated spec spots, and Edmonds hopes to open a digital studio in the future. However, in the meantime, he's hedging his bets. "We just want to move a little bit on all fronts and then hopefully we'll be able to move into whatever area is dominant."

Webfiles:
Creative Solutions> http://www.creative-solutions.tv