Everything about Industry News, eh?

Saloon Media ready to unleash more Evil

From a media release:

Building on the record-breaking success of series one, UK independent production company Arrow Media and Canada’s Saloon Media have been commissioned for a second series of See No Evil (13×60’) by Investigation Discovery US and Bell Media’s French language broadcaster Canal D, in Canada .

The production companies have continued the innovation of using real closed-circuit television (CCTV) to reveal more shocking murder mysteries – one frame at a time. Fingerprints and DNA were once the smoking gun, but now video proves to be the most useful to authorities in helping to solve crime. What will it capture: a victim’s walk to their doom or a murderer hiding all-important evidence? Using actual CCTV footage, first person interviews with family, friends and investigators, along with in-the-moment style recreations, the ground-breaking series takes viewers on an emotional rollercoaster ride through a timeline of a crime.

At the time of its debut in 2015, the first season of See No Evil was Investigation Discovery’s #1 series. Series two will premiere with the story of Amy Lord from Boston, who disappeared after failing to show up for a meeting at work. Viewers will witness Lord’s abduction, captured by CCTV and follow the investigation team as they piece together exactly how her murder was committed.

The Executive Producer for Arrow Media is Thomas Viner. Michael Kot is Executive Producer for Saloon Media. For Investigation Discovery US, the Executive Producer is Tim Baney, the SVP of Production is Sara Kozak, the General Manager is Kevin Bennett, and the Group President of Investigation Discovery, Destination America, and American Heroes Channel is Henry Schleiff. See No Evil is distributed internationally by eOne.

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Discovery orders full season of How Hard Can It Be

Discovery announced today it has ordered a complete 10-episode season of ANDREW YOUNGHUSBAND’S HOW HARD CAN IT BE (working title) from Canadian independent producer Proper Television. Already in pre-production on Season 12 of CANADA’S WORST DRIVER for Discovery, Younghusband is the star of this new documentary series that sees him tackling the hardest, weirdest, and most dangerous activities he can find in an attempt to beat the experts at their own respective games.

The second Discovery original Canadian series to be shot in ultra-vivid 4K UHD, each 30-minute episode of ANDREW YOUNGHUSBAND’S HOW HARD CAN IT BE finds the star bringing his unique comedic take to wildly different experiences as he puts himself in harm’s way to attempt tough jobs, weird pastimes, and bizarre passions. Whether it’s a roller derby dust-up or trying to keep up with his marathon-running mom, competitive professional eatering or demolition derby driving, Younghusband pushes himself to the limits of his physical and mental abilities.

Recently nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for Best Photography in a Lifestyle or Reality /Competition Program or Series, casting for Season 12 of CANADA’S WORST DRIVER is still open! On the heels of an incredible Season 11, ranked in the Top 5 most-watched program on entertainment specialty television in Canada this past fall with an average audience of 625,000 viewers, fans can go online at http://www.canadasworstdriver.com and nominate a friend or family member.

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Global greenlights new original drama Mary Kills People

From a media release:

Global announced today a brand new Canadian original drama series Mary Kills People,set to premiere on the network in January 2017. Partnering with independent studio Entertainment One (eOne), Mary Kills People is executive produced by Canadian Screen Award winner Tassie Cameron (Rookie Blue), under her new production company, Cameron Pictures Inc., and created and written by talented newcomer Tara Armstrong, a winner of the 2015 Shaw Media Writer’s Apprentice Program. Set in the morally grey world of assisted suicide, Mary Kills People is a thought-provoking, intense, and controversial drama. The provocative six-episode series is set to begin production in Toronto this summer. 

Mary Kills People follows Dr. Mary Harris, a single mother and ER doctor by day, who also moonlights as an underground angel of death — helping terminally ill patients who want to slip away on their own terms. So far Mary has managed to stay under the radar; but death is hot, business is booming, and her double life is getting complicated.  When the police start to close in, Mary realizes she’s going to have to fight dirty if she’s going to stay in the killing game.

Mary Kills People is produced by eOne and Cameron Pictures Inc., in association with Shaw Media, and with the financial participation of the Canada Media Fund, the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit. eOne handles international distribution for the series.

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Link: CHCH-TV owner to address CRTC

From Steve Buist of the Hamilton Spectator:

CHCH-TV owner to address CRTC
The timing is both impeccable and highly ironic.

Channel Zero Inc., owner of Hamilton’s CHCH-TV, will be making a presentation Monday on the opening day of hearings being held by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

The topic of discussion? A policy review of local and community television programming in Canada. Continue reading.

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19-2 and Schitt’s Creek lead 2016 Canadian Screen Award TV nominations

Bravo’s gritty cop drama 19-2 and CBC’s high-profile comedy Schitt’s Creek topline the nominations for the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards. Announced Tuesday morning in Toronto at TIFF Bell Lightbox by Lyriq Bent (The Book of Negroes) and Aislinn Paul (Degrassi), 19-2 captured 12 nominations, including Best Dramatic Series and Best Performance nods for supporting cast and leads Jared Keeso and Adrian Holmes; Keeso and Holmes recorded a video to mark the occasion (check it out below).

Meanwhile, Schitt’s Creek does battle in the comedic categories, with co-stars Eugene and Dan Levy facing off for Best Performance and the Tuesday night comedy fighting off fellow CBC series Mr. D, Mohawk Girls, Young Drunk Punk and Tiny Plastic Men for Best Comedy Series.

Space’s Orphan Black did well too, snagging 13 nominations including performance acknowledgements for Ari Millen and Tatiana Maslany, though it was shut out of the Dramatic Series list. Global’s final season of Rookie Blue was recognized by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, as Missy Peregrym and Ben Bass received nominations.

The nominees in the key television categories are listed below. Who do you think deserves to win? The two-hour Canadian Screen Awards gala airs Sunday, March 13, at 8 p.m. on CBC.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role

  • Gerry Dee, Mr. D
  • Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek
  • Daniel Levy, Schitt’s Creek
  • Dave Foley, Spun Out

Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role

  • Adrian Holmes, 19-2
  • Jared Keeso, 19-2
  • Ari Millen, Orphan Black
  • Ben Bass, Rookie Blue
  • Aaron Poole, Strange Empire

Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role

  • Brittany LeBorgne, Mohawk Girls
  • Annie Murphy, Schitt’s Creek
  • Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek
  • Belinda Cornish, Tiny Plastic Men

Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role

  • Kristin Lehman, Motive
  • Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
  • Megan Follows, Reign
  • Missy Peregrym, Rookie Blue
  • Jennie Raymond, Sex & Violence

Best Dramatic Series

  • 19-2
  • Blackstone
  • Motive
  • Saving Hope
  • X Company

Best Comedy Series

  • Mr. D
  • Mohawk Girls
  • Schitt’s Creek
  • Tiny Plastic Men
  • Young Drunk Punk

Best Reality/Competition Program or Series

  • The Amazing Race Canada
  • Big Brother Canada
  • Dragons’ Den
  • Game of Homes
  • MasterChef Canada

Best Animated Program or Series

  • Endangered Species
  • Numb Chucks
  • Rocket Monkeys
  • Slugterra

Best Children’s or Youth Fiction Program or Series

  • Annedroids
  • Degrassi
  • Full Out
  • Max & Shred

Best Factual Program or Series

  • Emergency
  • Ice Pilots NWT
  • Jade Fever
  • Million Dollar Critic
  • Still Standing

Best International Drama

  • Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
  • Vikings

Best Lifestyle Program or Series

  • Buy It, Fix It, Sell It
  • Carnival Eats
  • Income Property
  • Masters of Flip
  • Survivorman Bigfoot

Best TV Movie or Limited Series

  • The Book of Negroes
  • First Response
  • Forget and Forgive
  • Kept Woman
  • Studio Black!

The rest of the television categories can be seen here.

As previously announced, comedian Norm Macdonald will host the 2016 event. Wendy Crewson—currently starring on CTV’s Saving Hope—will receive the Earle Grey Award for acting and Martin Short will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Canadian Screen Awards air Sunday, March 13, at 8 p.m. on CBC.

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