Everything about Call Me Fitz, eh?

Kim Cattrall comedy among The Movie Network/Movie Central new productions

From a media release:

The Movie Network and Movie Central Announce 2013 Production Slate

Astral’s The Movie Network (Eastern Canada) and Corus Entertainment’s Movie Central (Western Canada) are pleased to announce the original series, comedy specials and documentaries that have been greenlit for production in 2013. The line-up includes the new half-hour comedy series, Sensitive Skin, slated to begin shooting in Toronto in October; returning stand-up series Funny as Hell; and documentaries Fanarchists: The Fan Film Phenomenon; Filthy Gorgeous: The Bob Guccione Story; Hip Hop Evolution and The DNA of GSP.

The new and returning series and documentaries greenlit for 2013 join previously announced projects slated to air this fall, including the fourth season of the popular and acclaimed half-hour comedy Call Me Fitz and the inaugural season of six-part documentary series Reelside.

In addition to these original series, specials and documentaries, The Movie Network and Movie Central continue to support the best in Canadian film. Notable up-coming films include Jeff Barnaby’s Rhymes from Young Ghouls, The F Word from Mike Dowse, Atom Egoyan’s Queen of the Night, Jason Priestley’s Cas and Dylan, Enemy from Denis Villeneuve and Escape from Tehran from Larry Weinstein and Drew Taylor.

New Canadian original productions from The Movie Network and Movie Central for 2013:

Sensitive Skin (6 x 30 min; comedy)
Kim Cattrall returns to television in this half-hour comedy that revolves around a woman going through a mid-life crisis. Based on the acclaimed UK series, Sensitive Skin also stars Don McKellar, who will also direct. The series will be written by Bob Martin and produced by Rhombus Media. Series slated to begin shooting in Toronto in October and will air in 2014.

Funny As Hell – Season 4 (10 x 30 min; comedy)
Produced by Just for Laughs Television, Funny As Hell is back for a hell of a fourth season. The half-hour comedy series mixes daring stand-up featuring some of the funniest rising stars in comedy, with musical comedy and digital shorts. Hosted by Jon Dore, Season 4 will be filmed during the 2013 Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal and will air in 2014.

Fanarchists: The Fan Film Phenomenon (1 x 90 min; documentary)
Directed by Donna Davies and produced by Ruby Tree Films (Nightmare Factory), Fanarchists delves in to the world of amateur-made films that play in the shadows of Hollywoods’ greatest creations. Armed with the latest technology, rogue films fans take media into their own hands, jeopardizing Hollywood’s place as the driving force in popular culture. Production scheduled to begin in summer of 2013.

Filthy Gorgeous: The Bob Guccione Story (1 x 90 min; documentary)
From director/producer Barry Avrich comes the extraordinary story of the larger than legendary Bob Guccione. Visionary, public-relations master, recluse and self-destructive optimist, Avrich tracks Guccione from the pinnacle of power and wealth as publisher of Penthouse to his spectacular fall into personal debt in the tens of millions of dollars. Production is complete, with a broadcast tentatively slated for fall 2013.

Hip Hop Evolution (2 x 90 min; documentary)
Produced by the renowned team at Banger Films (Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage; Metal Evolution), Hip Hop Evolution follows critically acclaimed MC and hip-hop scholar Shad as he realizes every hip-hop fan’s dream: a global journey through hip hop’s superstar artists, producers and moguls to unravel the music’s complex DNA. Production slated to begin in summer 2013.

The DNA of GSP (1 x 90 min; documentary)
The action-packed life story of Canadian Georges St-Pierre (GSP), UFC World Welterweight Champion and one of the most high-profile athletes in the world. Currently in production, The DNA of GSP is directed by Peter Svatek and Kristian Manchester and produced as a co-venture between Triplex Films, Upside Up Media Group and Jimmy Lee.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail

Jonathan Torrens marks 25 years in Canadian TV

JonTorres-gallery-thumb-638xauto-253637

From Brad Oswald of the Winnipeg Free Press:

Quarter-century comic: Jonathan Torrens has been making a living for the past 25 years being a funny guy… in Canada
Twenty-five years is a long time to be doing anything. But working in show business? Steadily and successfully? In Canada? That’s the equivalent of several lifetimes all rolled into one. Jonathan Torrens, whose career path has taken him from Street Cents to Jonovision to Trailer Park Boys to TV with TV’s Jonathan Torrens to Wipeout Canada to Mr. D and Call Me Fitz, fully understands the magnitude of the accomplishment. Read more.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail

Call Me Fitz’s Joanna Cassidy at the Canadian Screen Awards

JoannaCassidy

Joanna Cassidy (Call Me Fitz, BLADERUNNER!!) On Making TV in Canada and The Writers of Call Me Fitz

(Photo by Derek Langer)

I asked Joanna what making TV in Canada means to her:

“It means so much to me, I can’t even tell you. I mean here I am an American and we’ve seen a lot of the work go to Canada. I’ve always been in sort of an envious position of American actors going to Canada and working.  I did do a film with John Gorman here years ago, Where The Heart Is, and I’ve done many productions in Vancouver when they used to do a lot of movies of the week.

 I think Canada is a really edgy interesting place now, and I’m thrilled to be working here. I love Canada, I just love it. It’s a wonderful opportunity for me to taste the country and the people and work with some fabulous people like Sheri Elwood and Teza Lawrence. I love working with women that are thoughtful and great and have no hold backs, they just let it all loose. I haven’t had a character like this since Six Feet Under where I get to be wild and crazy.”

On the writers of Call Me Fitz:

“I show up and nothing is ever predictable. I’m constantly amazed by the scripts they put out!  This last season when the characters are stuck together at the house, we are just horrible, and wonderful together – I can’t tell you anything about it, but we go through all these different passages. Wait till you see what we get up to!”

(And then, Zhora from Bladerunner complimented me on my skin and I died of happiness. SciFi nerd’s heaven.)

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail

Call Me Fitz Creator Sheri Elwood Lands Two “Screenies”

SheriElwood

Sheri Elwood (Call Me Fitz) On The Writing Room and Gucci

(Photo by Derek Langer)

I asked Sheri to talk about the writers on Call Me Fitz.

“I combed the country and I begged the best possible writers that I know to come work on my show, and it’s my main concern that I had the best possible writers to work on this show. It’s the only thing that matters to me, that the writing is excellent.”

“It’s my dream come true show.”

Then I had to ask about her dress.

“This is Gucci, fall 2012. I figure if I amortize it out through about 14 000 events it will make it worth it!”

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail

Flashpoint, Mercer, Less Than Kind among early Screenies winners

From the Canadian Press:

Canadian Screen Awards: Flashpoint, Fitz take home trophies
“Flashpoint,” “Call Me Fitz” and “John A: Birth of a Country” head into Sunday’s inaugural Canadian Screen Awards with a leading four trophies apiece after an industry gala Thursday night handed out most of the prizes celebrating homegrown TV. Read more.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail