TV, eh?

From the Canadian Television Fund – a newsletter with feature articles on Moose TV, Sanctuary, Cat City documentary:

• interactivity7

From a media release:

APTN Launches New Fall Season

New entertainment programming for the fall season will include the much anticipated launch of Moose TV, starring Adam Beach, in a series that profiles what happens in a small town when a television studio is brought back to life. APTN’s best-loved comedies return with new seasons this fall, including Mixed Blessings and the animated comedy with attitude, By the Rapids, which takes a satirical look at an urban teenager trying to integrate into a small Aboriginal community. Kids will enjoy great new commercial-free programming this fall on APTN with new seasons of Inuk, Tiga Talk, Bizou, and the Gemini-award-winning Wapos Bay.

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From a media release:

Away from Her, Saving Luna, Designer Guys, Durham County, and others pick up top awards

Canada’s Oscar darling is also an “Indie” darling. Away from Her picked up an Indie Award for Best Feature Film at the first annual Indie Awards from the Canadian Film and Television Producers, Association.

The first annual celebration of Canadian independent producers in film, television, and new media recognized outstanding Canadian producer achievement in ten categories of the film, television and new media industry.

In a special ceremony in Ottawa in front of more than 600 industry
leaders and guests, the following winners were announced:

• Best Children’s and Youth Programme or Series, Generation XXL, by 2151 Film & Television
• Best Comedy Programme or Series, Moose TV, Rezolution Pictures
• Best Convergent New Media, www.oddjobjack.com, by Smiley Guy Studios
• Best Documentary Programme or Series, Saving Luna, by Mountainside Films Ltd.
• Best Feature Film, Away From Her, Pulling Focus Pictures/Foundry Film
• Best Lifestyle or Reality Programme or Series, Designer Guys, WestWind Pictures Ltd.
• Best Mini-Series, October 1970, Barna-Alper Productions Inc.
• Best Prime Time Drama Series, Durham County, Back Alley Film Productions Ltd.
• Best TV Movie, In God’s Country, Shaftesbury Films Inc.
• Jury’s Choice Award, Radiant City, Burns Film Ltd.

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From Brendan Kelly of Variety:

• ‘Away’ wins Canadian Indie award: ‘Moose TV’ surprises in TV comedy category
  “Much more surprising was the win for little indie sitcom “Moose TV” in the comedy series category, besting ratings leaders “Corner Gas” and “Little Mosque on the Prairie.” “Moose TV,” which stars Adam Beach as a native Canadian who returns to his hometown and starts up a pirate TV station, is produced by Montreal production house Rezolution Pictures and aired on the pay TV channel Showcase.” Read more.

From a media release (so please don’t ask me what makes these Canadian TV shows independent):

Association announces CFTPA Indie Awards nominees

The Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA) is extremely pleased to announce the nominees of the CFTPA Indie Awards.

The awards were created by the CFTPA in order to recognize and honour the outstanding achievements of Canadian independent producers. The Awards will be presented at a special reception and ceremony in Ottawa on February 20th, 2008.

“There is an incredible number of talented independent producers across Canada, and this is a reality that is not celebrated nearly as often as it ought to be,” said Guy Mayson, President and CEO, CFTPA “On behalf of the members of the CFTPA and the Board of Directors, we are proud to showcase such excellence and we congratulate all the nominees.”

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Rob Salem of the Toronto Star gives the lineup of new and returning shows this fall, with blurbs from Jim Bawden about Canadian content relegated to its own little listing ghetto within:

• Fall TV preview: Day-by-day
  “Rob Salem takes a day-by-day look at the U.S. television season.” Read more.

From Bill Harris of Sun Media:

• Role model and proud of it
  “Are there any similarities between the Law & Order: SVU set and the Moose TV set? ‘Oh, man,’ Beach said with a laugh. ‘Moose TV is very independent, low budget. Law & Order: SVU is like a big massive movie production. One’s a comedy, one’s a drama, but what I like about both of them is that they’re shattering the image of Hollywood Indians.’”

A profile of the actress, who also appeared in Degrassi: The Next Generation, from the National Post:

• My Toronto: Jennifer Podemski

From Alex Strachan of CanWest News Service:

• ‘Moose TV’ is a joy to watch
  “At first glance, this new, homegrown comedy series looks like an aboriginal version of SCTV — Trailer Park Boys meets North of 60, on an SCTV budget.”

Vinay Menon of the Toronto Star isn’t impressed with the new Showcase show:

• Moose served with cheese
  “Look, maybe it’s just me. Maybe I don’t get something I should be getting. Maybe you’ll love Moose TV. But this is the truth: I didn’t laugh once during this comedy. Part of the reason I’m so confused by my own confusion has to do with the talent behind the project.”

Bill Harris of Sun Media interviews the Moose TV star:

• Jennifer Podemski loving ‘Moose TV’
  “Podemski, an award-winning Native Canadian/Jewish actress who was raised in Toronto, plays the extroverted Alice. In tonight’s episode, Alice hitchhikes north to hook up with her serious-minded younger sister, who happens to be the station manager at Moose TV. When George and Alice get a look at each other, it’s clear they have a somewhat sordid history. “

Moose TV
Premieres Thursday July 5th at 9:30pm ET/PM

Moose TV follows irrepressibly ambitious George Keeshig (Adam Beach) as he decides to return home to the remote Northern Quebec community of Moose and take the reigns at the local TV station after spending the last decade in Toronto. Moose TV is on-air, and life in the sleepy little town of Moose will never be quite the same again.

• Official show site

Rob Salem of the Toronto Star lists five shows to watch for this summer, including Moose TV:

• Hot bets for the summer
  “Adam Beach, Gary Farmer and Jennifer Podemski co-star in an eight-episode offering that sounds like a combination of Corner Gas, The Rez, Paradise Falls and SCTV, with Beach as the prodigal son who returns to the tiny Northern Quebec community of Moose to re-open the dormant local TV station (by picking the lock) and broadcasting such locally generated shows as Me and My Beaver and Ernie Makes a Drum. Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. starting July 5.”