Two docs, one sweet musical ride
” Two new documentaries exploring the Canadian music scene in the 1970s and ’80s sound like they could be a bad trip in a hippie van, packed with a mullet band and a punk hitchhiker. But chill, dude. Nicholas Jennings takes viewers on one sweet, tune-filled ride with This Beat Goes On and Rise Up, two two-part docs that add up to a fun, four-hour salute to Canadian pop music.” Read more.
THIS BEAT GOES ON and RISE UP: TWO REMARKABLE NEW DOCUMENTARIES CHRONICLE THE EXPLOSION OF CANADIAN POP MUSIC IN THE 1970s AND 1980s
AIRING OVER FOUR CONSECUTIVE THURSDAY EVENINGS ON CBC TELEVISION, BEGINNING THURSDAY, AUGUST 27 AT 9:00 PM ET/PT
Two remarkable, new, two-part documentaries, THIS BEAT GOES ON and RISE UP, chronicling the explosion of Canadian pop music in the 1970s and 1980s, will have their World Premiere on CBC Television over four consecutive Thursday evenings at 9:00 pm ET/PT, beginning August 27.
My interview with documentary filmmaker Maureen Palmer:
How to Divorce and Not Wreck the Kids Filmmaker Shares Stories of ‘Good’ Divorces
“After hearing Maureen Palmer’s personal tale of divorce, which involved sharing a home with her ex-husband for the benefit of their children, I had to ask: ‘Are you special?’ Palmer, whose documentary How to Divorce and Not Wreck the Kids airs January 8 on CBC, laughed.” Read more.
Apparently, it’s not such a small world after all
” While daily traffic in your neighbourhood probably suggests otherwise, there are areas of the world where populations are vanishing. Thus we have the four-part documentary series The Adventurers, part one of which debuts tonight on CBC’s The Nature of Things. The Adventurers will air on four consecutive Thursdays.” Read more.
Filmmaker John Curtin discusses his funny and insightful CTV documentary To Hell With Manners! The Decline of Civility, airing Sept. 20 at 7 pm. We chat about infuriating BlackBerry use and road rage and anonymous Internet commenters, among other examples, as well as the free hug movement and “Karmageddon,” the brainchild of the Join Me group that practices random acts of kindness.
UFO doc touches down
“More than 60 years after the first reported major UFO sighting, we’re still watching the skies. But it’s hard to miss the extraterrestrials populating our pop culture.” Read more.
UFOs: The Secret History: What Does Our View Of Aliens Say About Us?
“The truth might be out there, but David Cherniack isn’t convinced science is prepared to find it. “The role of science has been severely lacking in addressing the question of extraterrestrial visitation,” said the Toronto-based documentary filmmaker, who studied physics at the University of Manitoba.” Read more.
Documentary filmmaker David Cherniack discusses his History Television special UFOs: The Secret History, airing Tuesday, July 15 at 8 pm. Find out, among other things, how popular culture has shaped our understanding of the phenomenon, how conspiracy theories and fringe elements have contributed to the lack of scientific research, and just how likely it is that we are not alone in the universe.
Pet food not fit for a dog?
“For a half-century, pet owners have been encouraged to trust manufactured pet food. That trust has been misplaced, mishandled and exploited, according to the documentary Pet Food: A Dog’s Breakfast, which airs tonight on CBC as part of the Doc Zone series, and repeats Saturday on CBC Newsworld.” Read more.
Kinsella bio-doc Curveball hit and miss
“The biography/documentary special Curveball: W.P. Kinsella, which debuts tonight on Bravo, begins by interviewing various people who have made the pilgrimage to the real-life baseball diamond in Iowa where the most-memorable scenes in Field of Dreams were shot. You may never have pondered the possibility of a pilgrimage, but if you have a vague fascination with the movie, then Curveball will be of some interest to you.” Read more.
Global Television is pleased to present an all-new season of the critically acclaimed “Global Currents” documentary series.
Premiering October 13th at 10 p.m., each weekly, one-hour, independently-produced documentary features the talents of Canada’s best socio-political, environmental, humanist and scientific documentary filmmakers.
Gemini Award-nominated, “Global Currents” reflect character-driven stories about socially relevant issues important to all Canadians. Documentaries in this strand were selected by Global Television for their unique content and distinctly Canadian point of view.
Ilona Beiks of Playback on upcoming documentary series 4Real:
Phoenix and Haddock get Real for CTV
“Homegrown talents Sol Guy and Josh Thome are hip-hopping around the world with celebrities such as Joaquin Phoenix, Cameron Diaz, Mos Def, Charlize Theron and Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers to make 4Real, a doc series for CTV and MTV about young people using art and culture to change their worlds.”
Searching for Answers in Missing Link, an all-new series on SPACE
Sometimes the world presents us with questions we just cannot find the answers to. Sometimes things just do not fit together. Explore the intriguing, yet unexplained in Missing Link, a brand new series airing Thursdays at 10pm ET / 7pm PT on SPACE, beginning June 28.
The 13-part documentary series delves into a wealth of experiences, research and events related to paranormal phenomena that challenge current scientific beliefs including mythical creatures, divine manifestations, witchcraft, satanism, UFOs and poltergeists. Produced by Planete Bleue Television Inc. from Boucherville, Quebec, in association with SPACE, Missing Link is filmed entirely in Canada and presents selected themes with an interesting Canadian angle.
THE ADVENTURES OF BOB & DOUG MCKENZIE: STRANGE BREW and BOB & DOUG’S TWO-FOUR ANNIVERSARY – Sunday, May 20:
7 p.m.
THE ADVENTURES OF BOB & DOUG MCKENZIE: STRANGE BREW tells the classic story of two beer-addled brothers (Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis) who thwart a sinister plot to rule the world via mind-controlling lager.
9 p.m.
BOB & DOUG MCKENZIE’S TWO-FOUR ANNIVERSARY is a one-hour celebration of the McKenzie brothers-a 24-year enduring Canadian franchise credited with defining a national identity. This special reveals the fascinating stories of people whose lives were touched, affected or influenced by the McKenzie brothers; celebrates key milestones throughout the franchise’s history; and finally reveals the men behind it all-Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas.
THE SECOND CITY’S NEXT COMEDY LEGEND – begins Tuesday, July 10 at 9 p.m.
First-class sketch comedy, Canada’s hottest new comics, intense competition and ruthless ambition all come together in THE SECOND CITY’S NEXT COMEDY LEGEND-hosted by Trish Stratus, the most decorated Diva in WWE history. Sketch comedy performers from all over Canada compete and are judged by SCTV alumnus Joe Flaherty and comedians Elvira Kurt and Nick Napier. Comics vie for the chance to join the ranks of such legendary Canadian performers as John Candy, Martin Short, Catherine O’Hara, Mike Myers, Dan Aykroyd, Dave Thomas and Eugene Levy, all of whom got their start at The Second City.
HOMEFRONT airs on Global Television, March 10, 2007, 7 p.m. ET/PT
In January 2006, 1500 Canadian troops are deployed to help restore democracy to war-torn Afghanistan. While their stories are well-documented in the media, Homefront, a one-hour documentary produced and directed by Edmonton filmmaker Ava Karvonen, picks up where the media coverage stops — tracking the emotional journey of five families who face omnipresent fear and loneliness from the moment they say good-bye to their soldiers.
Homefront airs on Global Television on Saturday, March 10, 2007, 7 p.m. ET/PT as part of the Global Currents news documentary series.
Shot in both Edmonton and Afghanistan, Karvonen chronicles the challenges of soldiers in the desert and those of their families at home waiting to hear news of them. Relentless media reports on injuries and losses, offensives and retreats, keep them on constant edge, even while they struggle to maintain a sense of normalcy and calm. Overwhelming loneliness is evident as they face daily family dramas and personal losses without the support of their partners.
As an unprecedented spate of soldiers die in the battlefield, these spouses and families grapple with a gnawing sense of panic just weeks before their loved ones are scheduled to return home.
“I hear on the radio on my drive to work that a Canadian soldier’s been killed – your whole world stops at that moment,” says Nicole Whitton, documentary subject and wife of Corporal Gordon Whitton. “It’s just been an emotional rollercoaster watching the news and hearing the radio. … When you actually do see the pictures of the soldier that has died and then you see the families and the children that have been left behind, it’s heart-wrenching.”
“Making this documentary really opened my eyes,” says Karvonen. “I had no idea how stressful this tour was going to be for the families. I have a lot of respect for the support they provide not only to their soldiers, but to this country as a whole. They are also heroes but they are not recognized for their contributions to a tour.”
Homefront tells the stories of:
Newly-weds Cpl Troy McEachern and Amanda Griffin-McEachern with a baby on the way and a romantic vision of a wartime marriage
Capt. Derek Chenette, the almost too well-informed soldier-husband who waits for his wife Capt Marilynn Chenette while he parents their two- year-old son
Nicole Whitton who endures a tragedy on her own when her husband Cpl Gordon Whitton is outside the wire on a mission
Zoë Cooper, the veteran wife of DCO Maj Tod Strickland who struggles under the pressures of her husband’s third and most deadly tour
Carolina Hamilton, who must manage the most aggravating realities of a military spouse – single-handedly planning a family move to a new posting across the country which must occur before her husband, Capt. Jon Hamilton, returns.
Homefront was produced by Franco Dottor, Ava Karvonen and Jody Polowick for Reel Girls Media in association with Global Television and with the participation of the Canadian Television Fund License Fee Program and Equity Investment Program, the Alberta Film Development Program of the Alberta Government, Rogers Documentary Fund, Knowledge Network, Canadian Learning Television and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit Program.
WEBDREAMS – A Showcase original series – 12 new episodes of the hit documentary series – Uncover the secret world of adult online entertainment
Premiering on Showcase, Friday, April 6 @ 10:00 P.M. (ET/PT)
WEBDREAMS is back, and more revealing than ever. The Gemini-nominated documentary series tackles new territory in
its second season, delving deeper into the high-stakes, high-profit world of the online adult entertainment industry, exposing the reality behind the glamour and the grit beneath the glitz. The half-hour Showcase Original series produced by Galafilm premieres Friday, April 6 at 10:00 PM ET/PT.
“The cast of this season is a little more rock n’ roll, a little more hardcore, and living on the edge,” says WEBDREAMS Series Director Joshua Dorsey. “The success of Season One helped us get even more access to the industry, and even deeper into the lives of our characters.”
“The first season of WEBDREAMS has consistently appealed to Showcase audiences,” says Tara Ellis, Vice-President of Content for Showcase. “Now Showcase.ca is offering viewers the opportunity to catch up with their favourite characters as we stream the first season in advance of the highly-anticipated launch of Season Two.”
Tightly edited from over 800 hours of footage, the WEBDREAMS cameras follow seven new characters – young men and women drawn to the adult entertainment sector in a quest to find fame and fortune; dreamers who are navigating the quick changes of an industry in flux.
There’s the sultry web pioneer Angelique; Diesel, the hunky, model-turned-entrepreneur now exploring the transsexual niche; Uncle D, otherwise known as “The Canadian Assman”; Lance and Alexandra, the hardest working couple in the industry; Violet, goddess of Goth style; and Vid Vicious, an outrageous content provider working one of the most competitive ends of the industry.
Season Two of WEBDREAMS is filmed in HD and broadcast in HD where available. Filmed in a vast number of locales including Amsterdam, Paris, Miami, New York City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Panama City, and clear across Canada, WEBDREAMS uncovers the booming online scene at a turning point. At this stage in the game, it’s the highly specialized niche sites that rule the web. It’s an environment where anything goes, and fortunes can be built or lost in an instant.
The series director of WEBDREAMS is Joshua Dorsey (The Point, Here Am I, One Day). The series is directed by Dorsey and Paul Kell (5 Sides of a Coin). Creative producer is Gregory Fine. Producer and creator for the series is Michael Kronish. Executive producer is Arnie Gelbart.
Global Television, along with Global National’s Kevin Newman, are pleased to present another season of the critically acclaimed “Global Currents” documentary series.
Launching March 10 th at 7 p.m. ET/PT on Global Television, each weekly, one-hour, independently-produced documentary showcases the talents of Canada’s best socio-political, environmental, humanist and scientific documentary filmmakers.
“Global Currents” reflects a new journalism: character-driven stories about socially relevant issues important to all Canadians. Documentaries in this strand were selected for their original content and unique context while providing a distinctly Canadian point of view.
“Global Currents” Season Two Premieres and Encore Presentation Schedule:
March 10 – Homefront
March 17 – Thin Ice
March 24 – Polygamy’s Lost Boys (encore)
March 31 – Shattered Dreams
April 7 – Corporations in the Classroom
April 21 – Homefront (encore)
April 28 – Damage Done: The Drug War Odyssey (encore)
Nielsen hosting medical show “Nielsen’s trademark silliness is on full display in “Doctorology,” a new 13-episode series on the Discovery Channel airing Friday night at 8:30 p.m. ET. Discovery is showing the first five half-hour episodes back-to-back.”
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From Bill Brioux of the Canadian Press:
7 p.m.
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