Exciting new kids formats headline Distribution360 slate at MIPCOM

From a media release:

As it heads into MIPJunior and MIPCOM, Distribution360 is putting new kids formats in the spotlight with the introduction of several exciting new format series including The School Run and Snapshots among its kids & family slate.

Among the format-friendly series that Distribution360 will be introducing to buyers at MIPCOM/MIPJunior is The School Run, following a freshly inked deal with UK producer Silver Bullet Entertainment and Snapshots, produced by Forte Entertainment for CBC Kids.

Produced for BBC Radio 1, The School Run (6 x 10 minutes) surprises a group of unsuspecting friends with a favourite musical celebrity waiting at the school gates to drive them home. With the help of host BBC Radio 1 DJ and former X Factor judge Nick Grimshaw, the celebrity is grilled by the teens with hard-hitting and humorous questions that every fan is desperate to ask. Celebrities featured: Olly Murs, Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, Little Mix, The 1975 and The Vamps.

Snapshots (6 x 30 minutes) is an unscripted live-action photography competition series where kids compete to take the best photo ever! In each episode three kids go head-to-head, armed with a passion for photography and an eye for the perfect shot, as they use all their skills and creativity to complete the challenges.

Distribution360 will also unveil an additional 4 brand new kids and family series at the market, including:

Driving Me Crazy (20 x 30 minutes) produced by marblemedia in consultation with IWC Media Limited and Proper Television for YTV, is a fast-paced, fun-fuelled reality series that puts first-time teen drivers behind the wheel with their parents. In a series of challenges on a larger-than-life course with the help of a professional race car driver the teens try to become the ultimate drivers. Based on a original format by IWC Media Limited, global rights to the series are shared by Distribution360 (North America, Latin America, and Australia) and Zodiak Kids (ROW).

In mathXplosion (50 x 3 minutes, Live Action), magician Eric Leclerc turns “mathemagican” in this entertaining new short series that shares secrets from the not-so-hidden world of math, proving math really is everywhere! Each episode illuminates the big ideas in primary math that children are already learning to do in a fun, funny and very approachable way. Produced by GAPC Entertainment for TVOKids.

The Mystery Files (13 x 30 minutes, Live Action) – The adventure never stops for Kyla, E.B, and their Aunt Tilly after they inherit a mysterious set of boxes containing ancient objects from their great aunt Hermione. Now it’s up to the team to figure out where these items came from, and how they connect to the present day! Produced by Apartment 11 for TVOKids.

Opie’s Home (39 x 7 minutes) – Opie’s Home explores the fun of family life from a preschool point of view, following 4-year-old Opie as he plays, explores and discovers new things in and around his home. Episodes feature Opie’s day-to-day interactions at home, reading and playing with his family and neighbours, as well as his family routine before and after school. Produced by marblemedia, in association with TVO, The Jim Henson Company, City Saskatchewan and Knowledge Network. Global rights to the series are shared by Distribution360 (Canada, Australia and France) and The Jim Henson Company (ROW).

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Link: CraveTV ’continues to grow:’ Bell CEO

From Steve Lambert of The Canadian Press:

Link: CraveTV ’continues to grow’: Bell CEO
The president and CEO of Bell Canada is expressing confidence in his company’s streaming video service even as a competitor in the Netflix-dominated field prepares to shut down.

“There’s no change in the status of CraveTV,” George Cope said in an interview Tuesday with The Canadian Press. Continue reading.

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Wild Archaeology: Innuvialuit—A Race Against Climate Change

This week on Wild Archaeology, Jenifer and Jacob are off on their own to experience salvage archaeology, without the supervision of Dr. Rudy. On this adventure, we are travelling to the far north where climate change is creating a desperate situation for archaeologists. Shorelines are facing accelerated erosion due to rising seas and rising temperatures resulting in a loss of artifacts to the sea.

Our duo travels to the Kuukpak dig site on Richards Island, north of Inuvik, on the Beaufort Sea where the Innuvialuit people would traditionally summer while hunting for beluga whale and store the meat, returning throughout the year. We learn the island was at one time covered in a series of camps and was a thriving summer community centuries ago.

The Innuvialuit people had no written history, and this is truly an example of traditional knowledge being rooted to the land. The land, because of climate change, has been forced to reveal the knowledge it held for centuries. If archaeologists fail in their mission to gather all of the artifacts, that knowledge will be lost forever.

In the initial site tour by Dr. Max Friesen, archaeologist at the University of Toronto, Jenifer spotted an ancient snow knife exposed by erosion. Continuing along the shore, ancient beluga bones were seen exposed and came across an old dog sled runner fashioned from bone and a number of ulu blades. Dr. Friesen estimates many of these finds are up to 500 years old.

I spoke briefly with Jacob on Tuesday, and he had this to share about his experiences on the show:

“I really loved the opportunity to work on this show and I learned a great deal throughout our travels. I have a new understanding of our natural history and discovered how scientists are in fact starting to tell stories that are parallel to those First Nation and Inuit people have been telling for a long time. The show is educational, but it was also an amazing adventure that I hope we can continue in the future.”

Jacob, I really hope your adventure does continue. This show is an absolute delight and I am so happy I decided to cover it.

Artifact tally tonight? Jacob: a rare, intact Innuvialuit arrowhead and a dog sled runner made from bone. Jenifer: a bi-face end scraper. Seems like Jacob is now in the lead.

Wild Archaeology airs Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. ET on APTN.

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Cackles, crying and crafts on The Bachelorette Canada

The sun was shining and the abs were on display in Week 2 at the Sandals resort served as the backdrop for this week’s Bachelorette Canada episode. Of the 13 men remaining, David was the only one who didn’t go on some sort of date with Jasmine last week.

“Dateless Dave” continued his streak off the top as Scott the carpenter was selected for a group date alongside Mike, Drew, Thomas, Benoit and JP. Drew kept up his douchebaggery by mocking Dave and asking if he wanted to go in Drew’s place. I think Dave got off easy, as Jasmine and the chosen few headed off to dance. Kudos to the show’s producers for throwing two tests at the boys that challenged not only their skills (singing last week, dancing this week) but how willing they were to be outside their comfort zone. Conray and Andrew of Shady Squad demanded a lot of the fellows, encouraging them to instil confidence in their dance routines. Scott, who has had almost zero airtime, grabbed a lot on Tuesday as he admitted to having no signature moves. Infuriatingly, moments after Drew told producers he tells girls exactly what they want to hear, he was doing it with Jasmine, leading her to believe that had a pure connection. Was it careful editing, or is Drew really a bad guy who’s playing Jasmine?

The boys hit the street to perform, where Scott did an arm spasm, Mike ate an imaginary banana, Thomas whipped his hair around, JP did pushups, Benoit shook his butt and Drew did Drew things. At dinner, JP piped up to the rest of the guys that he didn’t trust Drew. That’s two guys who don’t think he’s there for Jasmine. In an interesting twist, Drew let his guard down and revealed he’d been engaged, showing a side no one had seen. The most awkward conversation of the night went to Scott, whose social skills mirrored that of the dance floor. Drew got the ever-important rose and the expression on JP’s face was classic.

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Next up was Kevin W. and a one-on-one with Jasmine. After connecting with her on a personal level last week, I wasn’t really surprised. Kevin is a modern-day superhero, a former soldier, firefighter and all-around good guy. The pair headed aloft in a helicopter where hand-holding gave way to a make-out session before feasting on jerk chicken and caving before having dinner in a grotto. (Hope no bat guano fell into their Two Oceans wine.) But after flying high, Jasmine was brought down to earth when he admitted to being a serial first dater. Now, it may just be he hasn’t fallen in love with anyone and is very particular, but it was a red flag for her nonetheless. An awful story about his brother being stabbed later, and Kevin was given a rose and several smooches.

David didn’t go 0-for-6 as he joined Mikhel, Kyle, Andrew, Kevin P. on an art-related group date. Each guy was tasked with creating a piece of art for someone special—Jasmine, obviously—with help from students. But where guys like Kyle, Kevin P. and Andrew had fun with the kids, Mikhel struggled and admitted he was intimidated. Kevin P. was awarded precious one-on-one time with Jasmine and a rose.

At the rose ceremony, Mikhel landed a massive kiss on Jasmine and presented her with a coral necklace; Chris talked kids’ charity; and Kevin W. interrupted Scott, frustrating the other guys. Sticking around for another week with the Kevins and Drew were Andrew, Mike, Kyle, Mikhel, Chris, Thomas, David and Benoit. I was shocked JP was shown the door, though perhaps Jasmine wasn’t a fan of him being a butler-in-the-buff. As for Scott, well, he was too awkward and shy to make a real connection.

Are you hoping one of the guys tells Jasmine that Drew is there for the wrong reasons? Comment below or via Twitter @tv_eh.

The Bachelorette Canada airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on W Network.

Images courtesy of Corus.

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Mohawk Ironworkers: Training for Steel

How does someone become an ironworker? It is not like it was decades ago; nowadays you need considerable formal training.

Episode 4 of Mohawk Ironworkers gives us the inside scoop on how to become an ironworker. Elder and retired ironworker Paul Deer—and my personal favourite in this series—shares how things were done in the past. There was nowhere to go to learn, so the skills were shared through family. Fathers taught sons and uncles taught nephews … it was in the blood. Today, you need 1,000 hours of training along with thousands of hours more as an apprentice before you can become a certified Journeyman Ironworker.

We visit a couple of schools that provide this training in Quebec. One such program is offered jointly by Kahnawa:ke and the Local 711 Ironworkers Union. The nine-month in-class program covers the schooling and gives students an opportunity to learn their craft safely in a controlled environment. Upon completion, candidates must find their own apprenticeship positions in order to gain enough hours to finally be tested and certified.

Another program is offered in Akwesasne, offering both apprentice and probationary training for ironworkers. This allows students to receive supervised on the job training in preparation for unionization.

Some of the students are showcased, with many of them coming from long lines of ironworkers. I found it interesting that physical fitness was a part of the training program. It makes absolute sense that you be physically able to manoeuvre at the heights that these men and women do but I was surprised this was a part of the actual training.

Mohawk Ironworkers airs Tuesdays at 7 p.m. ET on APTN.

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