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The Canadian Academy partners with Netflix on The Apprenticeship for Women Directors Program

From a media release:

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (the Canadian Academy) today announced the return of its Apprenticeship for Women Directors program. This year, the program expands to include French language participants. The Canadian Academy also announced the addition of its new Principal Partner, Netflix, and the continued support of the RBC Emerging Artists Project and Canada Media Fund. The application process to the coveted program opens tomorrow, and those interested in applying can do so online at no cost. The application period is Friday, May 18 to Friday, June 15, 2018.

The Apprenticeship for Women Directors is aimed at providing emerging* female directors from across the country the opportunity to further develop and enhance their careers across all platforms. The intensive six-month program will run from September, 2018 to March, 2019, and match each apprentice with an established director currently working on a project.

Female directors accepted into the program will receive one-on-one professional development and on-the-job training, access to virtual discussions with industry and filmmaker guests, two-day summit meeting with industry executives during TIFF, as well as a conference pass to the festival, and a one-year membership to the Canadian Academy. This year, up to eight applicants will be chosen, and with Netflix’s sponsorship, two participants will be Francophone.

Last year’s inaugural program was met with great success. Six women, including Anna Cooley, JJ Neepin, Reem Morsi, Aisling Theresa Chin-Yee, Leah Johnston, and Jen Walden were welcomed at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Whistler Film Festival and attended Canadian Screen Week, as well as had mentoring opportunities with the award-winning The Handmaid’s Tale; Mary Kills People; Designated Survivor; Patricia Rozema’s new feature, Mouthpiece; Marie Clements’ Red Snow; and a new, narrative interactive VR project with Secret Location. Participants were also given the opportunity to have virtual discussions with industry professionals such as showrunners Stephanie Morgenstern and Mark Ellis, storyboard artist Sam Hudecki, director of photography Luc Montpellier, first assistant director Michael Lerman, and many more.

Applications will be reviewed by a diverse and established group of directors, producers and executives, who will identify a short list of 12 by August 6, 2018. Those shortlisted will participate in interviews with the selection committee, with the chosen participants announced in late August, 2018.

For more information on the project and full details on applicant requirements, please visit www.academy.ca/women-directors.

*For the purposes of the program, an emerging director is defined as those who have been working in the industry and have a director or assistant director credit on one of the following: no more than one feature film, a minimum of two short films, a minimum of 15 minutes of digital content in any format, or one or more music videos.

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Super Channel acquires Chesapeake Shores from Daniel L Paulson Distribution

From a media release:

Super Channel is pleased to announce that it has acquired the exclusive Canadian broadcast rights to season three of the Hallmark original series, Chesapeake Shores, from Daniel L Paulson Distribution. The ten-episode third season, currently in production on Vancouver Island, and based on the bestselling novels of the same name by Sherryl Woods, will premiere in Summer 2018 on Super Channel Heart & Home and will also be available to subscribers on Super Channel On Demand.

Chesapeake Shores will join When Calls the Heart (seasons 1-5) as one of the pillar series for Super Channel Heart & Home (currently SC 2), slated to launch on June 4th.

Chesapeake Shores stars Canadian Meghan Ory (Once Upon a Time), Jesse Metcalfe (Dallas, Desperate Housewives), Golden Globe® nominee Treat Williams (Everwood, Hair), Academy Award® nominee Diane Ladd (Wild at Heart), Barbara Niven (Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove), Laci J. Mailey (Falling Skies), Emilie Ullerup (Sanctuary), Brendan Penny (Motive) and Andrew Francis (Final Destination 3). Dan Paulson and Sherryl Woods are the Executive Producers of the series and Matt Drake is the Producer.

The multi-generational family drama follows Abby O’Brien (Ory), a high-powered career woman, divorcee and mother to two daughters, as she adjusts to life back in her hometown of Chesapeake Shores. Abby now balances a budding relationship with her former high school sweetheart, Trace (Metcalfe), working for a firm that does business with her uncompromising father Mick (Williams) and raising two young daughters. Returning to her hometown means engaging in the lives of her siblings: Jess (Mailey) a free-spirit trying to succeed as a bed and breakfast owner; Bree (Ullerup), a playwright who buys a bookstore in Chesapeake Shores after moving back home from Chicago; Kevin (Penny), a soldier adjusting to civilian life and new romance; and Connor (Francis), a new lawyer establishing his professional career. Having returned to Chesapeake Shores shortly after Abby, the O’Brien’s once-estranged mother Megan (Niven) strives to reestablish relationships with Abby and her siblings, though the O’Brien clan primarily looks to its wise grandmother Nell (Ladd) for guidance.

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Degrassi: Next Class’ Sarah Glinski to head up TSC’s Writing Room Intensive

From a media release:

Ever wondered what it might be like to work in the room with a leading Canadian Showrunner? This might be the opportunity for you!

First developed in 2015, the WGC Writing Room Intensive, puts emerging to mid-career writing professionals in a mock-writing room with a leading Canadian Showrunner. We have worked with Bruce Smith (19-2), Emily Andras (WYNONNA EARP), and Kevin White and Ins Choi (KIM’S CONVENIENCE).

Through this intensive participants learn more about the inner workings of the writing room including how a Showrunner fosters creativity, breaks story, works with notes, manages conflict (where necessary), and eventually gets the script to screen.

You must be registered to attend the Toronto Screenwriting Conference, and a member of the WGC in good standing in order to apply for the program.

Call for applications are now open to registered delegates of 2018 Toronto Screenwriting Conference. Applicants will have the opportunity to apply to join Sarah Glinski, Executive Producer/Showrunner (HOLLY HOBBIE, DEGRASSI: NEXT CLASS), in a Mock Writers Room Intensive on Friday, June 22, from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Get more details and find out how you can apply here.

Sarah Glinski is an Emmy-nominated TV writer/producer currently serving as Executive Producer and Showrunner on the Hulu/DHX/Universal Kids series HOLLY HOBBIE. Previously, she ran DEGRASSI for Netflix/DHX.  Over the last decade, Sarah’s produced over 200 episodes of television and 2 MOWs. She has also staffed on LITTLE MOSQUE ON THE PRAIRIE, and BILLABLE HOURS.

Sarah’s been nominated for three Emmys, won three Canadian Screen Awards and was named one of Hollywood Reporter’s Next Generation. When Sarah’s not brainstorming ways to get characters in trouble, she’s keeping her two young daughters out of it.

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CTV partners with Netflix to premiere milestone SCTV reunion event special to Canadians

From a media release:

CTV announced today it is joining Netflix to become the exclusive Canadian broadcast partner of the upcoming, yet untitled, SCTV comedy special, which explores the enduring legacy of the iconic, EMMY® award-winning Canadian series SECOND CITY TELEVISION (SCTV). As previously announced, Academy Award®-winner Martin Scorsese directs and pays homage to the iconic Canadian sketch series that reunites past SCTV members Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Andrea Martin, Martin Short, Dave Thomas and, confirmed today, Rick Moranis.

The reunion special is set to make its debut in 2019. Under the partnership, Netflix will premiere the title globally in all territories, with the exception of Canada, where it will premiere exclusively on CTV. Following CTV’s airing, the SCTV comedy special will be available exclusively on Netflix in Canada and worldwide.

This Sunday, May 13, the original SCTV cast members will gather in front of a live audience at Toronto’s iconic Elgin Theatre. Dubbed “An Afternoon With SCTV”, the taping features Jimmy Kimmel moderating a panel conversation, as the comedic actors recount their various experiences about the making of the influential and legendary series.

Dubbed by Entertainment Weekly as one of the “100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time,” SCTV aired for six seasons between 1976 to 1984, becoming a pop culture touchstone. With 13 EMMY AWARD® nominations, SCTV was one of the first television series to consistently skewer television itself and chronicled the characters – both in front of and behind the camera – of a critically underfunded television station in Melonville.

The SCTV reunion special is produced by longtime SCTV Producer Andrew Alexander of Second City Entertainment, Emma Tillinger Koskoff of Sikelia Productions and in partnership with John Brunton and Lindsay Cox of Insight Productions (THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, THE LAUNCH), and is directed by Martin Scorsese for Netflix and CTV.

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Link: Is Super Channel up to its old tricks again?

From Barri Cohen of POV Magazine:

Link: Is Super Channel up to its old tricks again?
Super Channel not only wants a 5-year licence; they want to buy less Canadian content, not pay for any drama development and stick to the same business practice of not paying up front for any of it. All interveners are fighting that and demanding not a five-year but a three-year licence, with strict oversight on business practices (usually something the CRTC is loath to do, though the Broadcasting Act does give them power to do it). Continue reading.

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