Everything about Awards, eh?

The Directors Guild of Canada Honours the Best in the Business at the 14th Annual DGC Awards

From a media release:

The Directors Guild of Canada handed out 19 awards tonight honouring the best work created by Members this past year in a star-studded, elegant event. Three special career acknowledgments were also handed out during the evening, including the 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award to filmmaker David Cronenberg.

Arisa Cox and Sean Cullen co-hosted the Awards Gala which was held at The Carlu in Toronto.  Presenters included this country’s hardest working filmmakers and actors; Megan Follows, Jerry Ciccoritti, Jason Priestley, Catherine O’Hara, Helen Shaver, Dan Levy to name just a few.

Below is a full list of the awards presented at the 2015 DGC Awards Gala:

DGC LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Presented by Shaftesbury
David Cronenberg

DON HALDANE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Mark Reid

DGC HONOURARY LIFE MEMBER AWARD
Presented by BellMedia
Peter Leitch

BEST DIRECTION – FEATURE FILM
Presented by Deluxe
Charles Binamé – Elephant Song 

BEST DIRECTION – TELEVISION MOVIE/MINI-SERIES
Presented by Panavision
Clement Virgo – The Book of Negroes 

BEST DIRECTION – TELEVISION SERIES
Presented by William F. White International
Kari Skogland – Vikings, Blood Eagle 

BEST FEATURE FILM
Presented by Technicolor
Mommy

BEST TELEVISION MOVIE/MINI-SERIES
Presented by Vanguarde Artists Management
The Book of Negroes

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
Presented by PS Production Services Ltd. and SIM Digital
Orphan Black, By Means Which Have Never Yet Been Tried

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – FAMILY
Open Heart, Last Things First 

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY
Schitt’s Creek, Our Cup Runneth Over 

ALLAN KING AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN DOCUMENTARY
Presented by Rogers Group of Funds
Super Duper Alice Cooper

BEST SHORT FILM
Made in Bali

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN – FEATURE FILM
Presented by Pinewood Toronto Studios
Carol Spier – Maps to the Stars

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN – TELEVISION MOVIE/MINI-SERIES
Jason Clarke – The Book of Negroes, Episode 5 

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN – TELEVISION SERIES
Brendan Smith – Schitt’s Creek, Our Cup Runneth Over

BEST PICTURE EDITING – FEATURE FILM
Michele Conroy – Pompeii

BEST PICTURE EDITING – TELEVISION MOVIE/MINI-SERIES
Susan Shipton – The Book of Negroes, Episode 6

BEST PICTURE EDITING – TELEVISION SERIES
Don Cassidy – Vikings, The Lord’s Prayer

BEST SOUND EDITING – FEATURE FILM
Pompeii - Kevin Banks, Stephen Barden, Fred Brennan, Alex Bullick, J.R Fountain, Rose Gregoris, Kevin Howard, Jill Purdy, Tyler Whitham

BEST SOUND EDITING – TELEVISION MOVIE/MINI-SERIES
The Book of Negroes, Episode 1 – Andrea Cyr, Claire Dobson, Martin Gwynn Jones, Joe Mancuso, David McCallum, Brennan Mercer, Brent Pickett, David Rose

BEST SOUND EDITING – TELEVISION SERIES
Vikings, The Choice - Andrew Jablonski, David McCallum, Steve Medeiros, Brennan Mercer, Dale Sheldrake, Jane Tattersall, Rob Warchol

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Comments and queries for the week of October 9

Academy announces host for Canadian Screen Awards

It’s interesting that many think that Andrea Martin is Canadian and Norm Macdonald is not. The reason: she works in Canada and can be seen doing Canadian talk shows, etc. Norm certainly doesn’t celebrate his nationality and only came back to work in Canada (a voice that could have been recorded from his sofa in L.A.) when his career dried up in the U.S. It seems all these Canadian-born people only come back to their home and native land when they can’t get work in their adopted country. Andrea Martin is more “Canadian” than many of these Canadian-born people. —Denis C.


Murdoch Mysteries frees Crabtree

The premiere episode was skillfully written with all the attention to detail that we have come to expect from this amazing show. The writers continue to keep us guessing as the plot unwinds. The characters continue to enthrall us and keep us so involved in their lives both on and off screen. Tonight’s episode kept us on the edge of our seats, smiling at the witty remarks and outright laughing at the “stupidity” as Giles put it of some of the criminals and sighing with contentment with Jilliam’s loving relationship. All in all, it was wonderful!! —Karen


Stellar Keeping Canada Alive brings depth and breadth to medical reality genre

In addition to a close-up look at our health care system, I thought it was a great show with a beautiful snapshot of humanity dealing with adversity. That being said, I found it almost too much at times and if that baby had died, I would have been out of there, fast!

I expected, but did not see, any analysis of what things cost or if we were meeting goals of wait times, etc. Did all that therapy, surgery and out patient stuff shown on the program cost the users anything? I’d like to know. I know there are big issues about the cost of medicine. For some people, drug costs can be a choice between life with poverty, or death.

Technical note: the “slide show” device, clicking between locations with the picture sliding out was annoying and over done. Whenever they did it, I heard myself say to the TV, “please stop that.”

Overall, though, it was an excellent program and I’ll tune in again. —Gary


Continuum blasts into its final season

I have always loved sci-fi movies and series, and Continuum is one of those TV shows or might as well be on the big screen that when you first see it your jaw drops! The sets in the future were so well done, the future cities, the traveling on air vehicles, every single detail has been given proper attention. I just picked up the series on Netflix, not sure why I never heard of it until now, on the shows’ final season year but I am glad I did. I think the show should have been more promoted; after all it’s rated five stars on Netflix. —Yodi

 

Got a question or comment about Canadian TV? Sound off greg@tv-eh.com or @tv_eh.

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Academy Announces Host for Canadian Screen Awards

From a media release:

Comedian Norm Macdonald will host the Academy’s 2016 Canadian Screen Awards, live on CBC prime time on Sunday March 13, 2016, it was announced today by Helga Stephenson, CEO, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.

“Comedian Norm Macdonald has done brilliant stand-up comedy everywhere and on every show from Saturday Night Live to Just for Laughs, so we know how lucky we are to have him host our 2016 Canadian Screen Awards,” says Stephenson.

Norm Macdonald is perhaps best known for his five seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live (SNL). For three years Macdonald anchored Weekend Update, SNL’s longest running recurring sketch. Macdonald also wrote for the popular ABC sitcom Roseanne and starred in The Norm Show.

For the first time, the Canadian Screen Awards will be broadcast LIVE on CBC in the Eastern Time Zone, and live-to-tape across the country. The 2016 CSAs will return to the prestigious Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto, Ontario.

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He Said/She Said: How about those Emmy nominations?

Join Greg and Diane every Monday as we debate what’s on our minds. This week, we dissect the Emmy nominations.

She Said:

OrphanOne of the biggest snubs of last year’s Emmys has been rectified this year: Tatiana Maslany got her first nomination as outstanding actress for her multitude of roles on Orphan Black. I hope they give her 7 statues if she wins. Long-running Degrassi — recently revived by Netflix and Family Channel after its cancellation by TeenNick and Bell — was nominated as outstanding children’s program.

That’s some great recognition for Canadian-made shows, when most years we have to be satisfied celebrating individuals who left the Canadian industry for the bright lights of Hollywood … not that there’s anything wrong with that. Go Michael J. Fox (The Good Wife), Semi Chellas (Mad Men), Jeremy Podeswa (Game of Thrones) and Jeff and Mychael Danna (Tyrant) for their nominations, too.

Besides the Canadian invasion, the most interesting trend in this year’s Emmys is how streaming services are threatening to become dominant in the same way cable started talking over broadcast series years ago. Netflix earned 34 nominations, including for Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Orange is the New Black, Bloodlines, House of Cards, Grace and Frankie, and Derek. Amazon snagged 12, mostly for Transparent, and even Yahoo was nominated for Community, the show they saved from an NBC cancellation.

In fact I feel unprepared to get excited about who was snubbed or what the surprises are in the nominations because after cutting the cable, the Netflix shows and The Good Wife are among the only non-Canadian shows I’m current with in my viewing. I’d love to see Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt win for comedy but I haven’t seen the current seasons of its competitors yet. Same with Orange is the New Black in the drama category. I was disappointed enough in this season of The Good Wife not to think it was snubbed, I think House of Cards is cheese wrapped in a prestigious package, but I haven’t seen the nominated seasons of the other series, even those that are must-watch shows for me. I’m waiting for them to appear on Netflix or I likely won’t bother.

Which makes a nice segue to a topic that’s been on my mind lately: the Canadian industry might want to figure out what to do about streaming services sooner rather than later. It’s possible broadband-delivered content isn’t just a fad.

He Said: 

As Diane has already said, a hearty “Woohoo!” to all of the Canadian nominees. Despite what some might think about the Canadian Screen Awards, it warms my heart to know we handed out hardware to Orphan Black and Tatiana Maslany before the U.S. has acknowledged the show’s greatness.

Property_BrosAnd a special shout-out to Jonathan and Drew Scott, who I left off my initial post announcing the Canadian Emmy nominees last week. They nabbed a nod in Outstanding Structured Reality Program for their long-running Property Brothers series.

As Diane has already pointed out, streaming services being nominated in the major categories has quickly gone from outrageous to commonplace, a reflection of how quickly everyone has adjusted to online broadcasters and the fact fantastic stuff comes out of those outlets.

I’m still on cable, so can attest that Mad Men and Better Call Saul deserve kudos for Outstanding Drama Series, though I felt Downton Abbey and Homeland have been on the downslope for the last couple of years. I’d have liked to have seen Justified added to the category because FX’s U.S. marshal series has gotten better with every passing year, including its final one. Likewise, I’m happy Louie and Modern Family received nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series. The Big Bang Theory was left off the list, opening the door for Silicon Valley, Parks and Recreation and the excellent Transparent to get some serious consideration.

I’m a big fan of veteran series and talent being rotated out of categories so that newer projects and people get the chance to shine, and there is a nice mix in the 2015 nominees. Take a look at the full list of nominees, put your Emmy pool together and prepare to cheer for the Canadians when the Primetime Emmy Awards air Sunday, Sept. 20, at 8 p.m. ET on CTV.

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Emily Hampshire, Meaghan Rath among Golden Maple Award winners

From a media release:

The Academy of Canadians in Sports and Entertainment – Los Angeles (ACISE-LA) just held the inaugural 2015 Golden Maple Awards at the SLS Hotel in Los Angeles on Canada Day, July 1, 2015.

The event was hosted by Erin Karpluk from the upcoming Riftworld Chronicles who stepped in for Lauren Ash due to a sickness.

During the event former NBA basketball player and Canadian actor Rick Fox, was honored with the 2015 Maple of Excellence for Outstanding Athlete/Actor Crossover award and Canadian CrossFit champion Lucas Parker with the 2015 Maple of Excellence for Outstanding Athlete award.

Members of ACISE-LA had the opportunity to vote until June 23, 2015 for the winners in the following categories:

Best Actor in a TV series broadcasted in the US

Best Actress in a TV series broadcasted in the US

Newcomer of the year in a TV series broadcasted in the US.

The winner is: Brandon Jay McLaren - Graceland, US Network: USA for BEST ACTOR IN A TV SERIES BROADCASTED IN THE US
Other nominees were:
Adam Copeland - Haven, US Network: Syfy
Alexander Ludwig - Vikings, US Network: History Channel
Greyston Holt - Bitten, US Network: Syfy
Jonathan Keltz - Reign, US Network: CW
Lyriq Bent - The Book of Negroes, US Network: BET
Torrance Coombs - Reign, US Network: CW

The winner is: Amanda Crew - Silicon Valley, US Network: HBO for BEST ACTRESS IN A TV SERIES BROADCASTED IN THE US
Other nominees were:
Anna Silk - Lost Girl, US Network: Syfy
Caroline Dhavernas - Hannibal, US Network: NBC
Jessalyn Gilsig - Vikings, US Network: History Channel
Katheryn Winnick - Vikings, US Network: History Channel
Kathleen Robertson - Murder in the First, US Network: TNT
Missy Peregrym - Rookie Blue, US Network: ABC

The winners are: Emily Hampshire - 12 Monkeys and Schitt’s Creek, US Network: Syfy and Pop TV And Meaghan Rath - New Girl, US Network: FOX for NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR IN A TV SERIES BROADCASTED IN THE US:
Other nominees were:
Brooke Wexler - Richie Rich, US Network: Netflix
Italia Ricci - Chasing Life, US Network: ABC Family
Shailyn Pierre Dixon - The Book of Negroes, US Network: BET

Image credit: Faye Sadou

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