From Katherine Monk of Canwest News Service:
From a media release:
Start of Production on CBC Television Comedy Series MEN WITH BROOMS
Cameras are rolling and curling rocks are sliding on the set of Men With Brooms, the CBC Television original comedy series produced by Serendipity Point Films, E1 Entertainment and Frantic Films.
Inspired by the popular Canadian movie, Men With Brooms celebrates Canadiana in a modern way. It’s a fresh and funny half-hour comedy that will hit airwaves as part of CBC Television’s fall line-up beginning Monday, September 20, 2010.
ABOUT THE SERIES:
Men With Brooms is about a group of friends in ‘small town Canada’ who find lots to laugh about on and off the ice at the curling rink that brings them all together. It features an ensemble cast that includes: Brendan Gall as Gary, the charismatic yet hapless skip; William Vaughan as Matt, the dim-witted best friend; Joel Keller as Bill, the curling club manager; and Anand Rajaram as Pramesh, eccentric novice curler and local donut shop owner.
Rounding out the cast is Aliyah O’Brien as Tannis, the bartender at the curling lounge; Glenda Braganza as Rani, wife of Pramesh and co-owner of the donut shop; and Siobhan Murphy as April, who works as an accountant at the local furniture factory where Gary and Matt are also employed. Paul Gross narrates each episode and makes guest appearances as local curling legend Chris Cutter.
ABOUT PRODUCTION:
Men With Brooms is being shot in Winnipeg this summer, from June 21 to August 27. Winnipeg’s Fort Rouge Curling Club will set the stage for nine days of curling rink action within the production schedule. The rest of the shooting will take place in-studio, along with some exterior Winnipeg locations.
Men With Brooms is a Serendipity Point Films, E1 Entertainment and Frantic Films production. The series was created by Paul Mather, who is also executive producer along with Laszlo Barna, Ari Lantos, Mark Musselman, Paul Gross and Jamie Brown. Paula Devonshire is line producer, and Shawn Watson is co-producer. Directors are Jeff Beesley, Brian Roberts and Kelly Makin. Men With Brooms is being produced in association with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and the participation of the Canadian Media Fund, Manitoba Film and Music, the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit, and The Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit Program.
Welcome to TV, eh? Podcast: The Next Generation
Listen here or subscribe via iTunes or with any other program via the TV, Eh? feed
In this episode, co-host Anthony Marco and I, Diane Wild, re-launch the podcast with an hour-long discussion on Global’s new Canadian lineup, including Rookie Blue, Haven and Shattered; their new reality channel, what I learned from the Banff TV Festival, and ramblings on what we’re watching these days.
In future weeks, look for feature interviews with actors, writers, and producers, as well as discussion on the other networks’ upcoming lineups.
What would you like to hear more of? Let us know in the comments!
Show notes – Episode 1
Your hosts
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From a media release:
The Quon Dynasty: Canada’s favourite restaurateur family returns
The Quon Dynasty, a new television series for Rogers Broadcasting Ltd, begins production this week in Edmonton. The 13 half-hour episodes will follow the colourful exploits of the Quon family, proprietors of Edmonton’s legendary Lingnan restaurant.
Canada first fell in love with the Quons on Anaïd Production’s award-winning series The Family Restaurant. Now, with a new title and a new broadcaster, executive producer Margaret Mardirossian looks forward to expanding the view of this amazing family. “The restaurant obviously dominates much of their lives,†she explains, “but we’re no longer tied to food as an ever-present theme. We’re excited to see where their story takes us this year!â€Â
Production officially kicks off on Saturday, July 10 at 2:00 p.m., with a traditional Chinese Big Luck Ceremony at the Lingnan (10582 – 104 St). The Quon Dynasty airs on Citytv, OMNI, and The Biography Channel beginning Spring 2011.
From a media release:
HALIFAX FILM Begins production of THAT’S SO WEIRD! Season II
Halifax Film is pleased to announce Season II of That’s So Weird! a live-action sketch comedy series for tweens co-produced with YTV. Production begins in various locations in Halifax, NS immediately. Featuring an ensemble cast of seven young, talented sketch players the series (13 x ½ hour episodes) will provide a weekly slice of the outrageous and bizarre programs generated by the teen operated network So Weird TV, where the programming is even weirder than the name.
When Alana lands a summer job as the manager of a third rate television network, So Weird TV, she does what any rational person would do – she fires the employees and hires all of her friends! This sketch comedy series showcases the comedic talents of a young Canadian ensemble cast – Alana Johnston (Canadian Comedy Award nominee, Best Female Performance, Televison), Adam “AJ†Vaage, Alex Spencer, Hannah Hogan, James Hartnett, Joey Lucius and Kayla Lorette – as they perform live-action skits, commercial parodies and bizarre game shows that are guaranteed to provide weekly doses of peculiar hilarity. That’s So Weird! will have the entire family in stitches.
