Toronto - Bernie Zukerman broke with tradition on his latest title, picking up the script for the sports biopic Victor from outside his company, rather than developing one of his own ideas.

"Usually I develop my own projects," says Zukerman (Million Dollar Babies, This Is Wonderland). "For whatever reason, that's the modus operandi I've always worked in."

But actor-turned-writer Mark Lutz (Angel, Doc) did a good job with the short life of Olympic swimmer Victor Davis - "incredibly powerful," says Zukerman - and Victor hit the fast track at Indian Grove Productions. Davis won a gold and two silver medals at the 1984 Olympics in L.A., another silver in Seoul, and was killed in a hit-and-run in 1989.

"Within a day I had optioned it and, I think, within a day I'd made a deal with CBC." Global has the second window.

Victor is shooting in Toronto until mid-September, with Lutz, himself a former Olympic swimming hopeful, in the lead and Jerry Ciccoritti in the director's chair. Zukerman is producing on a budget upwards of $3.5 million.

Indian Grove will also shoot The Call, a police drama pilot for CBC, in September.