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Children's Programming

Family Channel’s The Next Step begins principal photography on Season 4

From a media release:

Temple Street Productions and DHX Television’s Family Channel are pleased to announce production has commenced on the fourth season of the multi-award winning hit tween series, The Next Step. Created by Frank van Keeken (Lost & Found Music Studios, Wingin’ It) the reality-style drama follows the lives of an elite group of dancers as they continue to compete at the highest levels of competition.

In season four, after competing at Internationals in Miami, A-Troupe has made a name for themselves in the dance world putting The Next Step Dance Studio on the map. But their return to Regionals could mean the departure of beloved favourites which would force the team to start from scratch. An influx of brand-new dancers would mean new dynamics and challenges for the studio, and the team must fight harder than ever to make it back on top. Some will succeed, some will stumble, and they will struggle with the question: Is what is best for the team, best for me?

Season four of The Next Step welcomes a new group of talented young dancers including Guiseppe Bausilio as Alfie; Alexandra Chaves as Piper; Erika Prevost as Sloane; Akiel Julien as LaTroy; Isaiah Peck as Henry; Shelby Bain as Amy; and Allie Goodbun as Cassie. Returning fan-favourites include Victoria Baldesarra as Michelle; Brittany Raymond as Riley; Logan Fabbro as Amanda; Myles Erlick as Noah; Trevor Tordjman as James; Lamar Johnson as West; Isaac Lupien as Eldon; Jordan Clark as Giselle; Briar Nolet as Richelle and Skylar Alexis Healey as Skylar. The new season will also feature guest appearances from the musicians of Lost & Found Music Studios.

The Next Step is produced by Temple Street Productions in association with Family Channel and is executive produced by Frank van Keeken (Lost & Found Music Studios, Wingin’ It, Kids in the Hall), Ivan Schneeberg and David Fortier (Orphan Black, Being Erica, Wingin’ It) and Laura Harbin (Lost & Found Music Studios, Wingin’ It). BBC Worldwide handles the international rights to the series.

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Children's Programming

Hi Opie! takes Toronto by storm

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It’s one thing to be told Opie is a smash with kids, but it’s entirely another to see it up close and personal.

That was the case Sunday at Toronto’s Word on the Street Festival celebrating literacy and the printed word. TVOKids’ superstar Opie was on hand alongside Gisele to encourage imagination through storytelling—Opie starred in his own bedtime story as Opie-naut, where he encountered aliens called Purple Lurples—and the kids in attendance ate it up. While some preschool aged kids bopped, bounced and bellowed, others stood in rapt attention as Opie, sporting a helmet constructed of aluminum pie plates, told of his otherworldly adventures.

Those adventures extend to Season 2 of Hi Opie! Currently airing on TVO, City Saskatchewan and The Knowledge Network (see airtimes below), Hi Opie! continues to educate and entertain as he helps children transition from home to school. A creation of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, the orange-skinned kindergartner is voiced and operated by Jordan Lockhart. It’s quite a kick to hear Opie’s voice come out of the mouth of the lanky, sunglass-wearing Lockhart; he says it took time for him to figure out how Opie would sound and act.

“There was a lot of sweat, blood and tears put into finding the voice and the character,” Lockhart admits. “I think we started shooting [Season 1] before we really landed on what it is now. I’m really happy with the way the character has developed over these last two years and I’m excited to see where he goes from here.” Lockhart landed the plum gig after meeting with legendary puppeteer Rob Mills at an event. Mills told Lockhart to introduce himself to longtime Henson show producer Lawrence Mirkin; the two connected and struck up a relationship. A year later, Mirkin contacted Lockhart to send in an audition tape, followed by reading a script and then a callback for his latest production: Hi Opie!

Lockhart is constantly amazed not only by the quality of scripts he encounters on the set—the series expands to multiple classrooms this year—but by the child actors he interacts with on-set. Unlike most actors, he’s quite happy crouched down and out of a camera’s line of site and takes pride in an odd circumstance unique to puppeteers.

“It’s incredible to see these little people but into the illusion and it’s enormously gratifying to me,” Lockhart explains. “They are completely unaware of my presence and are locked into Opie. You have to really be present and listen to these people, and what you end up seeing is a complete abandonment of reality.”

Hi Opie! airs weekdays at 6:15 a.m. ET, 10:30 a.m. ET and 1:50 p.m. ET on TVO, weekdays at 9 a.m. CST and 11 a.m. CST on City Saskatchewan and weekdays at 11:50 a.m. PT on The Knowledge Network.

 

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Children's Programming, Industry News

Family Channel gets Savvy with DHX Television

From a media release:

Family Channel has announced production will begin on Savvy, an empowering new pop culture series offering tweens a refreshing spin on the world around them. This sometimes cheeky and always stylish magazine-style show cleverly intertwines entertaining and aspirational segments from the worlds of music, fashion, DIY, and beyond. A new original series from B-Minors, Savvy showcases peer profiles, how-to videos, and feature segments, packaged into 20 x 30-minute episodes. Savvy begins shooting in Toronto in early October, and will debut on Family in Spring 2016.

Savvy is born when three very different girls, who feel like they’re drowning in a tidal wave of tutus, tiaras, and princess dresses, decide to take creative control of their situation. Despite their radically different backgrounds, music tastes and celebrity crushes, the girls put their fashion differences behind them and combine forces to create an online destination that reflects and celebrates their lives in an authentic way.

Savvy introduces three young newcomers as hosts of the series: Tehya Silbermann, whose perfect mix of intelligence and kindness will have fans wanting her as a best friend; Sarah Webber, a musically-inclined, skateboarding, “techy,” who is only comfortable when she stands out; and Spencer Barbosa, the up-for-anything, wide-eyed optimist, who brings a quirky small town perspective to the show. Together, they’ll deliver stories that cater to their cyber-sophisticated audience, and will inspire them to have active and fulfilling lives offline as well.

Commissioned by DHX Television, and with international distribution handled by DHX Media, Savvy is executive produced by Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen for Banger Films’ kids division, B-Minors (Gaming Show (In My Parents’ Garage), Big Ticket Summer Concert) and is led by series producers Jeni Besworth (Grizzly Cup, Big Ticket) and Adrienne Reid (Fashion Television). Banger Films is an award-winning film and television production company based in Toronto. In its first 10 years, Banger has produced feature documentaries, TV series, live concerts and kids’ programs, which have been broadcast worldwide.

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Children's Programming, Industry News

Family Jr. sets a Playdate for Oct. 3

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From a media release:

Make-believe comes to life on Family Jr. when the network’s newest show Playdate debuts on Saturday, October 3. A mix of live-action and skilled puppeteering, the new Canadian Original series features the unexpected adventures four stuffed animals encounter when their owners leave them unattended. With exciting escapades waiting at every turn, Family Jr. will premiere six new episodes over the course of the weekend – four on Saturday, October 3 and two on Sunday, October 4. Beginning at 9:55 a.m. ET on Saturday, Playdate will air before and after the brand-new special Thomas & Friends: Sodor’s Legend of the Lost Treasure, as well as surrounding new episodes ofThe Save-Ums!, Topsy & Tim, Julius Jr. and leading into the network premiere of the animated film Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey. 

Playdate beautifully captures the magical idea that children believe their toys come to life when they’re not around. Meet Mac, Sammy, Priscilla and Buckie – the beloved stuffed animals of Jacob and his friends who venture out on their own playtime adventures when the children are away. They do their best to complete the kids’ playtime adventures but usually end up causing some kind of mess or chaos along the way. Since the kids can never know their toys come to life, Mac, Sammy, Priscilla and Buckie have to finish their escapades before the kids come back and make sure they’re exactly where they started off. Luckily, Norman, the family dog, makes the perfect fall guy for any of their hijinks.

Playdate stars newcomer Aidan Wojtak-Hissong as Jacob; Millie Davis (Odd Squad, Orphan Black) as Molly; Scarlett Dovey (This is Scarlett and Isaiah) as Gwen; and Nirvaan Kwan as Enzo. Naomi Snieckus (Mr. D) plays Jacob’s Mom; Second City alum Jayne Eastwood plays Grandma and Colin Mochrie (Whose Line Is It Anyways?) plays the role of Grandpa.

Commissioned by DHX Television, Playdate was created by Dina and Frank Meschkuleit. Frank is one of Canada’s premier puppeteers with a wealth of knowledge having worked on popular kids programs including Fraggle Rock, Toopy and Binoo and The Mighty Jungle. The series was developed by J.J. Johnson and Christin Simms and is produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment.

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Children's Programming

APTN’s Guardians Evolution returns for Season 2

From a media release:

Season two of Guardians Evolution, a stop-motion animated half-hour action adventure series for kids, will premiere on Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) on Saturday, September 12th as the first of seven exciting new action-packed episodes take you further inside the lush Guardians Evolution worldscape. Guardians airs on APTN at 10am EST/MST/CST and on APTN HD at 10AM EST.

A cautionary tale, Guardians Evolution depicts the adventures of a group of idealistic teens, as they strive to rebuild civilization 41 million years in the future. The show features sharp, witty characters and a fresh take on the post-apocalyptic genre, with themes of humanism and environmentalism. Join Arimus, Erin, Kaultor, Chema, Valta and their new friend Rajiak as they find their way through a new Earth filled with exotic and often dangerous creatures on a quest to save humanity and the planet itself from their nemesis Ambrona’s greedy plans. The second season offers even more high-octane action and never before seen creatures and environments.

Guardians Evolution is the latest stop-motion animated TV series from the award winning creators of the ground-breaking Gemini Award winning TV series Wapos Bay which ran for five celebrated seasons and a made for TV movie, winning numerous national and international awards. The series is produced by five-time Gemini Award winner Anand Ramayya (Wapos Bay, Who Killed Gandhi?) principal of Karma Film Inc., and Doug Cuthand (Bionic Bannock Boys, Oskayak Down Under, Big Bear, Mywayawin) of Blue Hill Productions.

Guardians Evolution was produced with financial participation from the Canadian Media Fund, APTN, Shaw Rocket Fund, COGECO Program Development Fund, Creative Saskatchewan Screen-Based Media Production Grant Program, Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit, Ontario Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit. Guardians Evolution is distributed by Picture Box Distribution Inc.

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