From a media release:
THE MOVIE NETWORK AND MOVIE CENTRAL’S NEW ORIGINAL SERIES SANCTUARY EXPLORES THE EXTRAORDINARY USING CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY
- A series from some of the innovative talents behind Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis
- Sanctuary premieres Friday, October 3 on The Movie Network and Movie Central, day-and-date with SCI FI Channel in the U.S.
Astral Media’s The Movie Network (eastern Canada) and Corus Entertainment’s Movie Central (western Canada) delve deep into an incredible and breathtaking new world in Sanctuary, a new original drama that is one of the first ever television series to be conceived from an Internet-based concept. Premiering day-and-date with SCI FI Channel, Sanctuary debuts with a two-hour premiere on Friday, October 3 at 9 p.m. ET on The Movie Network and 8 p.m. PT on Movie Central. Subsequent episodes of the series will air at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Initially developed as eight broadcast-quality webisodes, Sanctuary is breaking new ground by becoming the first television series in North America to use the RED camera system, a digital camera that provides the latest in technology by capturing images at more than four times the resolution of a high definition camera. The series is also produced using an extraordinary amount of visual effects with green screen technology and virtual sets.
Sanctuary catapults audiences into the mysterious and electrifying adventures of Dr. Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping), an enigmatic medical doctor and researcher who has devoted her life to science and cutting-edge medicine, and her reluctant protégé Dr. Will Zimmerman (Robin Dunne), a forensic psychiatrist and master in behavioural profiling. Together with Helen’s fearless and somewhat reckless daughter Ashley (Emilie Ullerup), the team’s quirky tech-whiz Henry (Ryan Robbins), and even the sinister John Druitt (Christopher Heyerdahl), the group explores and ultimately protects the strange and mysterious creatures that secretly populate the world. Within the walls of the Sanctuary, all of nature’s creations and species are respected, helped and studied.
“Following Sanctuary’s tremendous success launching online, The Movie Network is thrilled to have been the first network on board and see the project evolve into a compelling and ground-breaking premium television series,†said Michelle Marion, Director, Canadian Independent Production, The Movie Network. “The series’ imaginative storytelling, strong creative force and innovative green screen and RED camera technology will bring our subscribers a never-before-seen visual experience that is sure to complement The Movie Network’s robust fall programming line-up.â€
“A first in Canadian television, Sanctuary has all the components of great drama — exceptional writing, strong character development, complex narrative structure — and it just happens to be sci-fi,” said Erica Benson, Vice President, Programming, Movie Central. “The Movie Central premium pay audience expects intelligent, engaging stories with cinematic production values, and this series delivers on all those fronts.â€
Commissioned by The Movie Network and Movie Central, in partnership with SCI FI Channel, the series is helmed by creator, executive producer and writer Damian Kindler (Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis), executive producer and lead actor Amanda Tapping (Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis), executive producer and director Martin Wood (Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis), executive producer and writer Sam Egan (Jeremiah, The Outer Limits); and executive producers John Smith (Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis) and Keith Beedie as well as producer George Horie (Stargate Atlantis). Sanctuary is produced by Vancouver-based Sanctuary 1 Productions Ltd. and distributed by Tricon Films and Television.
Sanctuary will be simulcast on The Movie Network and Movie Central’s High Definition channels and new episodes will also be available each week on The Movie Network OnDemand and Movie Central On Demand.
