Monthly Archives: November 2013

Battle of the Blades, Heartland

New Sunday: Heartland, Battle of the Blades, Meet The Family

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Heartland, CBC – “Best Man”
When an old friend turns to Ty for help, Ty is torn between his ties to the past and his loyalties to his family at Heartland.

Battle Of The Blades, CBC – “Final – Champion Revealed”

Meet The Family, City – “Dimwit Dad”
Justin and Stephanie are taking their relationship to the next level: meeting the family. What Justin doesn’t know is that Stephanie’s family is played by actors determined to give him a hard time. But it won’t be easy: Mom shows him a grisly crime scene, Dad’s a clinical moron who entertains himself by throwing sandwiches at the fan, and brother Jason has rabies. Worst of all, sister Hannah needs a new groom after being left at the altar – and Justin would be the perfect replacement.

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Uncategorized

Bell reveals development slate

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From a media release:

Five New Comedy Projects Join Bell Media’s Original Development Slate

  • New comedies in development include projects from Mark McKinney, Rob Sheridan, Jared Keeso, Paul Mather, and llana Frank
  • Bell Media working with several seasoned production companies including Breakthrough Entertainment, Lone Eagle Entertainment, Force Four Entertainment, Amaze Film + Television, New Metric Media, Six Eleven Media, Entertainment One, Vérité Films, Just For Laughs, Farpoint Films, Wild West Productions, Foundry Films, and Sphere Media
  • 71 new original Bell Media projects currently in development, including 20 comedies

 Bell Media announced today from the Canadian International Television Festival the addition of five new comedy projects to its original development slate, led by seasoned writers and producers Mark McKinney (LESS THAN KIND, KIDS IN THE HALL), Rob Sheridan (NEXT CALLER, 18 TO LIFE, LITTLE MOSQUE ON THE PRAIRIE), Jared Keeso (19-2), Paul Mather (CORNER GAS, DAN FOR MAYOR, THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW), and Ilana Frank (SAVING HOPE, ROOKIE BLUE). The new projects join a robust slate of at least 15 other original Bell Media comedies already in development for potential new pilots and/or series. Drama and Factual development projects will be announced at a later date.

The five new comedies are (working titles):

WE’RE ADULTS NOW
From comedic genius Mark McKinney, a half-hour scripted series about young 20-somethings.
Attached:
Mark McKinney
Breakthrough Entertainment (Ira Levy and Diane Boehme, LESS THAN KIND)

THE TEAM
A multi-cam sitcom about a rag tag group of friends.
Attached:
Rob Sheridan

LETTERKENNY
A comedy series based on the YouTube sensation LETTERKENNY PROBLEMS.
Attached:
Jared Keeso
New Metric Media (Mark Montefiore and Patrick O’Sullivan), Ben Nemtin (THE BURIED LIFE)

THE UNTITLED PAUL MATHER PROJECT
A scripted workplace comedy about lifelong frenemies.
Attached
Paul Mather

METHOD
A comedy series loosely based on a BravoFACT short of the same name.
Attached
ICF Films (Ilana Frank), Peter Mooney (ROOKIE BLUE), Gregory Smith (ROOKIE BLUE), and David Wellington, Peter Wellington, and Sonia Hosko (SAVING HOPE, ROOKIE BLUE)

The five new comedies join Bell Media’s current development slate featuring 15 other projects (working titles):

AGAINST THE LAW
An unscripted half-hour courtroom format.
Attached:
Jeremy Hotz
Lone Eagle Entertainment (Rachel Horvath, YOU GOTTA EAT HERE)

BESTIES
An ensemble comedy about family and friendship.
Attached:
Force Four Entertainment (Rob Hardy and John Ritchie, SEED)
James Phillips (LAST RIDE)
.
BREAKING
A workplace comedy set in the world of new media.
Attached:
Amaze Film + Television’s Michael Souther and Teza Lawrence (CALL ME FITZ)
Author Zoe Whittall (Bottle Rocket Hearts)

CHASING MANHOOD
A scripted ensemble comedy inspired by Darrin Rose’s stand-up material.
Attached:
Darrin Rose

DIVORCE PARTY
A scripted comedy about three women experiencing life after divorce.
Attached:
New Metric Media (Mark Montefiore and Patrick O’Sullivan)
Jessie Gabe (BEING ERICA, MR. D)
Linsey Stewart (BEING ERICA)

FRIDAY
An edgy, urban ensemble comedy.
Attached:
Six Eleven Media’s Charles Bishop
Carolyn Taylor (CORNER GAS)

GOOD BEHAVIOUR
A scripted half-hour comedy about parenthood.
Attached:
Entertainment One’s Mackenzie Lush and Rachel Fulford
Allana Harkin (The Atomic Fireballs)
Jennifer Whalen (INSECURITY)

THE LAINEY GOSSIP PROJECT
A half-hour dramedy inspired by LaineyGossip.com.
Attached:
Amaze Film + Television’s Michael Souther and Teza Lawrence (CALL ME FITZ)
Elaine Lui (THE SOCIAL, ETALK)

MATT & JEFF
A half-hour bromance comedy.
Attached:
Vérité Films’ Virginia Thompson (CORNER GAS)
Mike McPhaden (SEED, INSECURITY)

THE ANGELO SHOW
A multi-cam sitcom inspired by the comedy of Angelo Tsarouchas (SULLIVAN & SON, MAD MEN).
Attached:
Wild West Productions’ Vince Vaughn (SULLIVAN & SON), Howard Busgang, and Tom Nursall

UNGROWN UP
A scripted half-hour hybrid comedy about family.
Attached:
Just For Laughs’ Evi Regev (JUST FOR LAUGHS: ALL ACCESS)
Adam Brodie (FUNNY AS HELL, SCARE TACTICS)
David Derewlany (FREAK ENCOUNTERS, THE JON DORE TELEVISION SHOW)

THE UNTITLED VERA SANTAMARIA PROJECT
A blind pilot deal with acclaimed writer/producer Vera Santamaria (COMMUNITY).
Attached:
Vera Santamaria

THE VIRGIN CHRONICLES
A scripted, half-hour, “fish-out-of-water” comedy.
Attached:
Mark Sawers (ALIENATED)

WHO NEEDS ENEMIES
A scripted, half-hour relationship comedy.
Attached:
Farpoint Films’ Kyle Bornais (HOUSE PARTY)
Collin Friesen (THE BIG WHITE)

WITH OR WITHOUT YOU
A female-centric scripted comedy about friendship.
Attached:
Sphere Media’s Carolyn Newman(19-2)
Barbara Haynes (SPUN OUT)

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

New tonight: Marketplace, The Fifth Estate, Stephen Hawking’s Brave New World

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Marketplace, CBC – “Food Secrets”
We dig deep into the grocery store shelves and put the food you eat every day to the test…and reveal 4 food secrets that just may change the way you eat for good.

The Fifth Estate, CBC – “The Sextortion of Amanda Todd”
A year after her death, most people remember Amanda Todd from her YouTube video, holding up hand-written pages describing how one mistake in front of a webcam led to her torment by bullies at school and online. But beyond that viral video, the fifth estate reveals a more complex and disturbing story about what happened to the B.C. teenager driven to suicide in October 2012 – not just bullying, but the deliberate sexual extortion of a 15-year-old girl by online predators. Host Mark Kelley goes deep into Amanda’s world, with never-before-seen videos and web chats from two personal laptops that her family shared with the fifth estate. With in-depth interviews from her mother, father and friends, Kelley reveals the untold story of The Sextortion of Amanda Todd.

Stephen Hawking’s Brave New World, Discover World – “Inspired by Nature”
Hawking and his team investigate groundbreaking innovations in science inspired by nature. Aarathi Prasad road tests two of the most advanced all-terrain robots in the world designed to go where humans and vehicles can’t; Chris Eliasmith examines an extraordinary new fabric that mimics the adhesive ability of gecko feet and bonds to any surface; Daniel Kraft visits Vancouver-based Nuytco Research where underwater subs are used to simulate zero gravity to train astronauts for deep space exploration; Jim Al-Khalili examines how re-engineering a virus can prevent pandemics; and Carin Bondar discovers how Nikola Tesla’s remarkable dream of wireless power is finally being realized.

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Interview: Dr. Carin Bondar of Stephen Hawking’s Brave New World

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Dr. Carin Bondar in a Faraday cage at the Boston Museum of Science

She didn’t get to meet Stephen Hawking, but in the Discovery World series Stephen Hawking’s Brave New World, Dr. Carin Bondar did get to explore how Nikola Tesla’s dream of wireless power is being realized, how biomechatronic prosthetic limbs can create enhanced human beings, was embedded with a virtual SWAT team, and drove one of the fastest accelerating electric cars.

“This was a dream job for me, probably one of the coolest jobs I’ve ever had,” she said in a recent interview.

With the second season premiere “Inspired by Nature” airing tonight in Canada, viewers can oooh and ahhh along with the team of scientists who investigate breakthroughs in science, technology, medicine, engineering and robotics, and their implications for the future.

Tonight’s segments include an adhesive modeled after gecko skin and all-terrain robots. The investigative scientists are assigned story topics based on logistics more than their particular areas of expertise, lending them the same sense of wonder as their audience in discovering these cool new technologies.

Plus, “we’re doing jobs like this because we genuinely are blown away by stuff like this, and we want to learn more about it,” said Bondar, whose wireless power segment had her driving a wireless electric BMW (“I’m glad they didn’t tell me how much it was worth of I’d have been way too nervous to drive it”) and charging a phone and various electronics without those pesky cords.

An evolutionary biologist from Chilliwack, BC, Bondar is an online and TV host for Scientific American, PBS Digital Studios and Earth Touch Productions, as well as her own independent web series and various shows.

She gravitated toward video and short-form writing as working with her greatest strengths. Since promoting scientific literacy and wonder among the public is a goal, she balances the need to be accurate and the need to be understandable.

“Shows like The Big Bang Theory have made it ok to include a lot of that geekspeak, as long as you’re clear about it and your audience understands,” she explained.

Part of her work at Scientific American includes reviewing popular media for scientific accuracy, and she pointed to Rise of the Planet of the Apes as a particularly egregious example of the opposite. Yes, she realizes much of it was meant to be ridiculous, “but even the science was ridiculous and I felt they were mocking what scientists do.”

With Stephen Hawking’s Brave New World, she’s thrilled to be part of a show that celebrates rather than fears new technology.

“I’m a mom of four who lives in Chilliwack, so for me to be involved with an international show of this calibre, I’m just so happy.”

Stephen Hawking’s Brave New World is a six-part documentary series airing Fridays on Discovery World.

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Bitten, Sensitive Skin, Spun Out

Bell programming at the Canadian International Television Festival

From a media release:

Bell Media Announces Feature Programming at Inaugural Canadian International Television Festival, Nov. 16

  • Exclusive fan opportunities include world premieres of SPUN OUT and 19-2
  • Free tickets and more event information at www.CITF13.tv

Bell Media is pleased to be the presenting sponsor of Canada’s first and only public television festival, the Canadian International Television Festival (CITF), launching tomorrow from Toronto’s Bell TIFF Lightbox. With free screenings at the TIFF Bell Lightbox beginning Saturday, Nov. 16, the festival will showcase some of Canada’s best television series and talent.

Bell Media is proud to premiere two new Canadian original productions to fans on Saturday – CTV’s multi-cam workplace comedy SPUN OUT, starring Dave Foley (KIDS IN THE HALL, NEWSRADIO), and Bravo’s English adaption of the French-language smash hit 19-2, a richly nuanced human drama following the lives of patrol officers Ben Chartier (Jared Keeso) and Nick Barron (Adrian Holmes).

Free tickets (plus a small handling fee) for the screenings can be obtained at the Bell TIFF Lightbox box office or via the Festival website at CITV.tv.

Below is a complete list of Bell Media programs represented at the festival:

19-2 – World Premiere
Saturday, Nov. 16 at 10 a.m.
Bravo’s English adaptation of the hit Québec police drama will receive its World Premiere. MOVIE ENTERTAINMENT’s Teri Hart hosts a Q+A with Executive Producer Jocelyn Deschênes, writer Bruce Smith, and series co-star Adrian Holmes. The Festival will also screen the original French version (subtitled).

SPUN OUT – World Premiere
Saturday, Nov. 16 at 8 p.m.

CTV’s hilarious new half-hour scripted comedy series stars Dave Foley, Al Mukadam, Holly Deveaux, Rebecca Dalton, and Darcy Michael, all of whom are set to be on hand for the 8 p.m. premiere screenings and Q+A session hosted by ETALK’s Devon Soltendieck. Premiering in Winter 2014, SPUN OUT also stars Paul Campbell and J.P. Manoux.

Franchises and Formats
Saturday, Nov. 16 at 10 a.m.
Saturday also features a session with the producers and talent behind MTV’s DEGRASSI franchise, including actors Aislinn Paul, Munro Chambers, and Luke Bilyk, as well as Stefan Brogren (Director, Actor, Writer), Sarah Glinski (Executive Producer, Head Writer), and Matt Huether (Co-Executive Producer, Writer). The panel is led by AFTER DEGRASSI host, Lauren Toyota.

Additionally, INNERSPACE’s Teddy Wilson hosts a panel on successful factual formats featuring Supervising Producer Mark Lysakowski and racers Jet and Dave from CTV’s THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, as well as Executive Producer Guy O’Sullivan who talks about CTV’s upcoming MASTERCHEF CANADA.

SENSITIVE SKIN – Sneak Peek

Saturday, Nov. 16 at 4 p.m.

Co-stars Kim Cattrall and Don McKellar along with writer Bob Martin are on hand to discuss their new dramedy series for The Movie Network and Movie Central, MOVIE ENTERTAINMENT’S Teri Hart leads a discussion on the adaptation of the British series, followed by a sneak peek of the series.

THE BEST OF bravoFACT – Hosted by Richard Crouse
Saturday, Nov. 16 at 4 p.m.
CITF celebrates short-form content with a screening of some of the best bravoFACT-funded shorts including Winter Garden, an official selection at this year’s TIFF ‘Stage to Screen’ series, starring Enrico Colantoni, and Method, which has just been picked up for development into a series.

ORPHAN BLACK – Marathon

Saturday, Nov. 16 at 6 p.m.

The first five hours of Space’s critically acclaimed smash hit series ORPHAN BLACK, are presented back to back, following an introduction by co-creators Graeme Manson and John Fawcett.

BITTEN – Sneak Peek
Saturday, Nov. 16 at 10 p.m.
Cast members Greg Bryk, Greyston Holt, Joel Keller, Michael Xavier, Paulino Nunes, and Steve Lund, along with Executive Producers J.B. Sugar and Deagan Fryklind are on hand to chat up Space’s hotly anticipated new thriller. Hosted by INNERSPACE’s Ajay Fry and Morgan Hoffman, the panel also features a never-seen before sneak peek.

 

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