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Pacific Screenwriting Program announces a Toronto Screenwriting Conference Fellowship for Five BC Writers

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From a media release:

The Pacific Screenwriting Program (PSP) launches a fellowship with the Toronto Screenwriting Conference, giving five BC writers the opportunity to forge new relationships and showcase their talent on a national scale.

“The mission of the PSP is to provide professional development to BC screenwriters across the full range of seniority and experience.”, said PSP Board Chair, Brian Hamilton. “We are excited to partner with the Toronto Screenwriting Conference on this opportunity, which is ideally suited to mid-level BC writers looking to network with and learn from top screenwriters from across North America who come together to focus on their craft.”

The May 4-5 event is a celebration of form and inspiration. “Unlike other screenwriting events, the attendees at this conference are working professionals looking to elevate their storytelling craft,” says Raila Gutman, PSP Program Director, “the PSP strongly believes in the value this will bring to our five writers.”

Professional screenwriters are invited to apply for one of five fellowships. Applicants must be able to show proof of BC residency. Successful applicants will receive full conference registration to the 2019 Toronto Screenwriting Conference, including flights, and three nights’ accommodation.

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Industry News

Bell Media and CBC express condolences on the passing of Canadian TV icon Sandra Faire

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From a media release:

Bell Media extends condolences to Ivan Fecan, along with family, friends, and colleagues, on the passing of award-winning television producer and well-known philanthropist Sandra Faire.

“Passionate, creative, and generous, Sandra Faire was fiercely supportive of Canadian talent in arts and entertainment,” said Randy Lennox, President, Bell Media. “She was a trailblazer for women in film and television whose commitment to excellence helped set the standard for production in this country. She was a true partner to Ivan and will be greatly missed.”

Sandra Faire was the executive producer for a number of award-winning and successful programs for CTV and The Comedy Network, including SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA, COMEDY INC., COMEDY NOW!, and a long list of comedy and music specials.

From a media release:

CBC was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Sandra Faire.

Faire produced a number of award-winning shows for CBC including Rita and Friends, Anne Murray’s Family Christmas, and many variety specials celebrating Canadian artists and culture. She made a lasting impact in her time with CBC and throughout her career through her work and generous contributions to Canadian culture and society as a whole.

“On behalf of the CBC family, we extend our deepest sympathies to Ivan, Sandra’s life partner, and to her family and all those she touched through her exceptional work and philanthropic efforts,” said Catherine Tait, President and CEO, CBC/Radio-Canada. “Sandra stands out as a beacon of our industry, a formidable force in the creation of some of Canada’s finest productions. She will be missed.”

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Industry News

Thunderbird Entertainment announces collaboration with Cherie Dimaline and Jennica Harper to develop The Marrow Thieves series for TV

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From a media release:

Thunderbird Entertainment Group Inc. (TSXV:TBRD) (“Thunderbird” or the “Company”), a global multiplatform entertainment company, is thrilled to confirm that author Cherie Dimaline will work with TV writer and producer Jennica Harper to adapt Dimaline’s  award-winning novel, The Marrow Thieves, for television. The series will be produced by the Company’s scripted division with Dimaline and Harper set to executive produce alongside Alexandra Raffé and Ivan Fecan, who is Thunderbird Entertainment’s Executive Chair of the Board.

The Marrow Thieves is set in a dystopian future where Earth has been ravaged by climate change. Wanted for their bone marrow, which contains the lost ability to dream, North American Indigenous people are being hunted by government recruiters and used as unwilling donors. The story centers on Frenchie, a highly resourceful Indigenous teenager, and his companions, who together embark on a journey to the old lands in the hopes of surviving and reuniting with loved ones.

Dimaline is a Métis author and editor whose fiction has been anthologized internationally. Renowned for many accomplishments, her most recent novel, The Marrow Thieves, won the Governor General’s Award for English-language children’s literature and the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers in 2017, the same year it was named a Native American Library Association Honor Book. Last year, The Marrow Thieves won the Sunburst Award, the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Amy Mathers Teen Book Award, and the Burt Award for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Literature. The Marrow Thieves has also been a finalist for the Trillium Book Award and the Ontario Library Association’s White Pine Award. Singer Jully Black represented the book on CBC’s 2018 Canada Reads, and it was later recognized as the bestselling Canadian book by CBC Books that same year. The Marrow Thieves has been a Canadian bestseller for over a year and continues to hold a spot on the Globe and Mail Canadian fiction list, nearly two years after publication.

Harper is a Vancouver-based TV writer and producer, whose background includes work on the current hit crime drama Cardinal, ABC summer thriller Somewhere Between, and popular crime drama Motive, among others. Most recently, she served as the co-creator, writer and showrunner on the comedy Jann, a fictitious take on the life of Jann Arden, which will premiere later this year.  She has been nominated for a Canadian Screen Award and is the recipient of both a WGC Award for Screenwriting and a Leo Award.

In addition to being a Canadian bestseller, The Marrow Thieves is set to be published in the United Kingdom and Australia, as well as translated into German and French. It will also be a spotlight book at the 2020 Frankfurt Bookfair.

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Industry News, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Island of Bryan premieres April 7 on HGTV Canada

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From a media release:

Starting Sunday, April 7 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, HGTV Canada gives viewers an in depth, personal look at the Baeumler’s struggle to transform their beachfront resort in the new Canadian original series Island of Bryan (13×60). Taking on their biggest challenge yet, Bryan and Sarah Baeumler move to the Bahamas with their four children to overhaul a run-down resort into a booming business. Despite the stunning backdrop of Bahamas’ white beaches and crystal blue water, they quickly discover that this is no vacation. Faced with daily hurdles and unforeseen challenges from construction delays and design limitations, Bryan and Sarah must work together to turn their embattled piece of paradise into the stunning dream of the Caerula Mar Club.

After a successful second season of Bryan Inc. – the #1 program on HGTV Canada last spring* – fans will experience the Baeumler’s bold and risky adventure first hand, seeing the step-by-step progress of the resort as it is transformed – from the hotel block and the private villas, to the poolside and the main club house. The final result is a beautiful boutique hotel that marries Sarah’s distinctive style with modern Caribbean design concepts and Bryan’s high level construction standards.

Island of Bryan is produced by Si Entertainment in association with Corus Entertainment’s HGTV Canada. New episodes will be available On Demand and at HGTV.ca each week after broadcast. Viewers can travel behind-the-scenes with exclusive Island of Bryan content at HGTV.ca, including tours of the Baeumler’s favourite rooms and spots around the island, fun videos of their four active kids (a.k.athe “B Team”), Q&A with Bryan and Sarah, and more.

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