Everything about Industry News, eh?

Industry News

Just For Laughs’ Stand Up & Pitch ’20 launches

From a media release:

Submissions are now open for the largest and longest-running comedy pitch program, the 11thannual Just For Laughs’ Stand Up & Pitch in Montreal. Project 10 Productions and Tubefilter return as presenters of this unique program, running from July 22-25, 2020 during ComedyPRO, Just For Laughs’ elite comedy industry conference.

With submissions being accepted from all over the world, Stand Up & Pitch: The Comedy Content Search will offer five finalists in each category the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pitch their digital, TV or OTT concept to a panel of seasoned development and production executives, in a room filled with over 100 comedy industry tastemakers and accredited industry professionals. One winner will be selected from each session format and will be invited back for the 2021 edition of Just For Laughs ComedyPRO. They will receive one (1) free trip to the Just For Laughs Festival, including flight, a hotel room for up to three (3) nights, and a festival pass.

Stand Up & Pitch showcases projects from across the comedy spectrum, from a diverse range of comedy creators. Projects have come from creators such as festival favourites Andy Kindler and Jay Oakerson, YouTube sensation Epic Lloyd Ahlquist (Epic Rapp Battles), notable Netflix performers Keisha Zollar and Dwayne Perkins, JFL New Face Leonard Chan, Award-winning producer Lauren Corber and First Nation Canadian star Darrell Dennis.

Open to comedians, writers, producers and creators, Stand Up & Pitch offers two (2) formats for submission:

From Set to Screen: TV, OTT, SVOD and More
Presented by Project 10 Productions, submissions are now being accepted for single or multi-camera scripted sitcoms, game shows, reality shows, variety, sketch or animated series. These pitches are intended for television programs running 30mins. This year’s prestigious panellists confirmed to date include Devin Griffin (Executive Vice President & General Manager of BET+), Kate Adler (Executive Vice President of Comedy Development, CBS Television Studios) and Chris Kelley (Production Executive, Original Programming, Comedy, Bell Media), moderated by Ben Murray (President of Project 10 Canada). Previous panellists for this program have included executives from other esteemed companies including Amazon, Comedy Central, FOX, HBO and more.

Beyond the Box: Playing It Short
Presented by Tubefilter, submissions are now being accepted for digital-first shows aimed for YouTube or other digital platforms, including scripted, animation, factual, variety and sketch. These pitches are intended for shows running 15mins or less. This year’s prestigious panellists include Deniese Davis (COO of ColorCreative), Ally Engelberg (Director of Development and Production at Above Average), Jennifer Danielson (Senior Vice President of Digital Content at Comedy Central) and Zadi Diaz (Founder of Major Digital Studios), moderated by Drew Baldwin (Founder and CEO of Tubefilter, Creator and Executive Producer of the Streamy Awards).

Deadline to submit projects for this year’s event is May 8, 2020 at 11:59pm PST.

For additional details, full submission guidelines, and to submit for the 11th annual Stand Up & Pitch program, visit the Just For Laughs ComedyPRO website at www.comedypro.hahaha.com/submissions.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail
Birder Murder Mysteries, Industry News

Shaftesbury and Company Pictures option Birder Murder Mysteries

From a media release:

Shaftesbury, the award-winning production company behind the global hit TV series Murdoch Mysteries, is partnering with the BAFTA-winning U.K. producer Company Pictures (Wolf Hall, Inspector George Gently, Shameless) to option Canadian author Steve Burrows’ book series Birder Murder Mysteries. The international partnership, which will bring together a roster of both Canadian and U.K. screenwriters, is the first joint venture for the two production companies.

The series’ protagonist is Domenic Jejeune, a Canadian detective and avid birdwatcher who has been transplanted to the town of Saltmarsh, in Norfolk, U.K. Domenic has become a poster boy for the U.K. police service, using clues from the world of birding to give him a unique perspective on the most complex crimes.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail
Industry News, The Wedding Planners

Citytv’s new original drama series, The Wedding Planners, premieres March 27

2 Comments

From a media release:

Cozy up with your love and say “I do” to an all-new original drama The Wedding Planners, available on Citytv and Citytv NOW. Produced by Brain Power Studio in association with Citytv, the romantic scripted series follows the Clarkson siblings as they plan dream weddings for new couples-to-be, but not without their own behind-the-scenes family drama, as they work through their own complicated relationships. Citytv ties the knot on Friday, March 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, followed by six one-hour weekly episodes.

In the two-hour premiere event, The Wedding Planners opens as the siblings face the loss of their mother and wedding-planner extraordinaire Marguerite (played by Michelle Nolden). They quickly pick up the pieces and discover that before passing away, Marguerite had planned for many years of weddings for her children to fulfill. For better or for worse, the siblings reconnect and commit themselves to the family business. With new hope and inspiration, they work to tackle one wedding at a time, no matter how challenging the couple or budget, with a goal to honour their mother’s legacy.

Featuring an all-Canadian ensemble cast, the romantic drama follows the ups-and-downs of the Clarkson siblings: Paige (Kimberly Sue-Murray), the young mom balancing work and family, pressured to be perfect under not-so-perfect circumstances; James (Michael Seater), the New York City fashion designer with a troubled past; and Hannah (Madeline Leon), the peacekeeper with a kind heart and adventurous spirit who is also looking for love.

The Wedding Planners is produced by Brain Power Studio in association with Citytv, a division of Rogers Sports & Media. From Brain Power Studio, Creator and Executive Producer is Beth Stevenson, followed by Executive Producer Nancy Yeaman, and Producer Myles Milne.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail
Industry News, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

HGTV Canada pays it forward with all-star cast in new Canadian original series Family Home Overhaul

From a media release:

HGTV Canada pays it forward with an all-star cast in the powerful, heartwarming new Corus Studios original series, Family Home Overhaul (8×60), premiering Sunday, April 26 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Viewers will get a first look at the series with a special sneak peek on April 19 during the season finale of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Hosted by ET Canada‘s Cheryl Hickey, the debut season will see 14 of the network’s top contractors and designers pair up in each episode to transform the homes of eight inspirational families nominated by their communities.

Whether it’s providing shelter to those in need, overcoming life-altering health issues, or donating all of their time and resources to support a cause close to their heart – these eight homeowners are always the first to give back to their communities, despite the personal hardships they encounter. With little time for the four walls around them, these families could use a major home renovation.

Together with Cheryl Hickey, HGTV Canada contractors and designers Kate Campbell, Sebastian Clovis, Dave Coleman, Joey Fletcher, Sarah Keenleyside, Dave Kenney, Brian McCourt, Scott McGillivray, Mia Parres, Tiffany Pratt, Samantha Pynn, Tommy Smythe, Kortney Wilson and Dave Wilson, work together to provide these selfless families with life-changing renovations.

Enlisting the help of friends and neighbours, each project is customized to perfectly reflect the unique needs of each family. While the renovation is underway, the family gets whisked away on a well-deserved one week vacation. Upon their return, the remarkable reveal of their newly renovated home is celebrated by the community and team that made it all happen.

Family Home Overhaul is produced by Proper Television in association with Corus Entertainment’s HGTV Canada.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail
Industry News, Lady Dicks

CBC and NBCUniversal International Studios partner on Cameron Pictures’ Lady Dicks

1 Comment

From a media release:

CBC and NBCUniversal International Studios, a division of NBCUniversal Content Studios, today announced new original drama series LADY DICKS (10×60, Cameron Pictures), starring Meredith MacNeill (Baroness von Sketch Show) and Adrienne C. Moore (Orange Is The New Black).

Co-created by Tassie Cameron (Mary Kills People, Ten Days in the Valley, Rookie Blue, The Robber Bride) and Sherry White (Little Dog, Frontier, Ten Days in the Valley, Rookie Blue), LADY DICKS is a fun and honest portrayal of two radically different female detectives in their early 40s. Critically-acclaimed director, Holly Dale (Batwoman, Mary Kills People) will direct the premiere episode. The series is currently in pre-production and will begin shooting in Ontario this spring.

The action-packed series follows Guns and Gangs detective, Samantha (MacNeill) and Narcotics detective, Kelly (Moore), who by day are true action heroes in their own particular way: skilled, tough, determined, and ruthless. But by night, they’re both grappling with loneliness, dysfunctional families, screwed-up love lives, and a sense that their professional ambitions may not be totally in line with their personal needs. Their friendship could help to balance each other out, if only they didn’t drive one another utterly insane.

A CBC Original Series, LADY DICKS is produced by Cameron Pictures in association with CBC and NBCUniversal International Studios. The series is created by Sherry White and Tassie Cameron, who also serve as Co-Showrunners. Sherry White, Tassie Cameron, Amy Cameron and Alex Patrick are Executive Producers.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail