From John Doyle of The Globe and Mail:
Link: Why the fuss about funding We Are Canada? It’s just tedious TV
I’m aware of the series called We Are Canada, but had declined to draw your attention to it because, well, it is that most fatiguing of things to write about – a worthy, well-meaning Canadian effort. There isn’t much to say. But now that it has drawn attention, I will say this – it is very, very tedious TV. Continue reading.
From Chris Hannay of The Globe and Mail:
Link: Officials pushed Joly to approve funding for Canada 150 TV series on CBC
Canadian bureaucrats urged Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly to change her mind about an earlier rejection and approve funding for a Canada 150 television show by touting how “important†the project was to the CBC, which receives more than $1-billion a year from taxpayers.
We Are Canada was ultimately approved for $500,000 from the federal Canada 150 Fund, after Ms. Joly turned down an earlier request from the department to give it $1-million. Continue reading.Â
From Jeff DeDekker of the Regina-Leader Post:
Link: It turns out television is a funny world for Gerry Dee
“You start out optimistic but once you get it you realize how long seven seasons are for any show, let alone a comedy. I feel thankful. I realize how fortunate we are to be into seven seasons.†Continue reading.Â
Writers for Wynonna Earp, Letterkenny, X Company and Degrassi: Next Class were among the winners at the 21st Annual Writers Guild of Canada Screenwriting Awards in Toronto on Monday night.
The event, held at the Telus Centre for Performance and Learning’s Koerner Hall, celebrated the country’s screenwriting talent in television and film. Wynonna Earp writer Alexandra Zarowny (pictured above) won Best Script from a Rookie Series for her Season 1 script “Bury Me With My Guns On,” and thanked her fellow writers and fans for their support.
“There is an entire writing room behind this award,” she said. “This goes to James Hurst, Brendan Yorke, Caitlyn D. Fryers and Emily Andras. I love you, Em, and as the last five years have shown, I’ll follow you anywhere. And to all our social media fans, Wynonna Earp is the little engine that could and I’m so proud of this little demon-hunting show and the LGBTQ community was a huge, fierce, loud and proud part of that. They got a second season made.”
Letterkenny‘s Jared Keeso and Jacob Tierney won the TV Comedy for their Season 1 script, “Super Soft Birthday,” while X Company‘s Stephanie Morgenstern and Mark Ellis took home a trophy for the Season 2 episode, “August 19th.”
Comedian and writer Laurie Elliott hosted, getting the night off on the right foot. “To all the writers in the room, look at us in our outside clothes!” she began. “This is a fancy party to celebrate writers.”
Andrew Wreggitt was the recipient of The Denis McGrath Award for his service to the Writers Guild of Canada, Aaron Martin was given the Showrunner Award, Diana Frances the Sondra Kelly Award and Daniel Whidden the Jim Burt Screenwriting Prize.
The television category winners are:
Children’s
Odd Squad, Season 2 “Drop Gadget Repeat,” written by Tim McKeon
Movie of the Week & Miniseries
Bruno & Boots: Go Jump in the Pool, written by Adam Barken
Best Script from a Rookie Series
Wynonna Earp, Season 1 “Bury Me With My Guns On,” written by Alexandra Zarowny
TV Comedy
Letterkenny, Season 1 “Super Soft Birthday,” written by Jared Keeso and Jacob Tierney
TV Drama
X Company, Season 2 “August 19th,” written by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern
Tweens & Teens
Degrassi: Next Class, Season 1 “#TeamFollowBack,” written by Ian MacIntyre
Images courtesy of Christina Gapic.
From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:
Link: Wynonna Earp: What we learned about Season 2 at C2E2
The cold Calgary weather where the show shoots is still very much a character in its own right in Season 2. While Rozon joked that he “thought it wasn’t that cold,†his costar Anderson was quick to disagree. “It was very cold. I’m still defrosting,†he joked. While it makes shooting rough, Andras thinks it’s worth it in the end. “It looks beautiful though. That’s one thing I kind of like because you don’t’ see a lot of winter on television. It gives that added danger,†she said. Continue reading.Â
