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Industry News

Award-winning writer/producer Bruce Smith to lead story room for 2019 Bell Media Prime Time TV Program

From a media release:

The Canadian Film Centre (CFC) and Bell Media are pleased to welcome one of Canada’s top drama showrunners Bruce Smith as the Executive Producer in Residence of the 2019 Bell Media Prime Time TV Program. From September to December 2019, Smith will lead the story room as well as the six television writers selected to participate in this year’s program as they work together to develop Smith’s original series.

Bruce Smith was most recently creator and showrunner of Street Legal on CBC. Previously, he was the showrunner of CTV’s award-winning drama 19-2 and of Cracked (CBC). Over its four-season run, 19-2 earned more than 30 Canadian Screen Awards nominations, including the win for Best Dramatic Series in 2016, when it was also nominated for an International Emmy in the same category. Additionally, Smith has worked as a writer/producer on numerous dramas, including Durham County (HBO CANADA), and has penned multiple award-winning MOWs and miniseries, including The Sleep Room (CBC), Prairie Giant: The Tommy Douglas Story (CBC), The Investigation (CTV), and John A: Birth of a Country (CBC), for which he won a 2013 Canadian Screen Award. Smith has received three WGC Screenwriting Awards, including the WGC Showrunner Award in 2015 and the McGrath Service Award in 2019.

The 2019 Bell Media Prime Time TV Program participants are:

  • Henry Campbell (BC)
  • Imogen Grace (ON)
  • Amy Halloran (QC)
  • Rose Napoli (ON)
  • Lori-Ann Russell (ON)
  • Ian Steaman (ON)

This year’s program begins on September 23, 2019. The Bell Media Prime Time TV Program, now in its 20th year, delivers a real-world story room experience and an intense professional and project development process for six TV writers a year. The program has attracted some of Canada’s most prolific and successful showrunners to lead the story room as Executive Producer in Residence, including Michael MacLennan, Karen Walton, Brad Wright, Dennis Heaton and Alexandra Zarowny. The program has played a vital role in developing numerous hit series through its story room, including Travelers and the Emmy Award-winning series Orphan Black. Learn more about the program here.

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Industry News

Channel your fears: T+E conjures up five spooky new shows and resurrects two fan-favourite series this October

From a media release:

Starting Thurs., Oct. 3, T+E offers all treats and no tricks with a spooky “Creep Month” line-up that features five new series and two returning favourites, all in time to embrace the spine-tingling spirit of Halloween. Highlights include the highly-anticipated North American premiere of BBC’s re-telling of The War of the Worlds (Oct. 6 at 10 p.m. ET/PT) starring Rafe Spall, Eleanor Tomlinson, Robert Carlyle and Rupert Graves; the sinister new Canadian series Witches of Salem (Oct. 6 at 8 p.m. ET/PT) that exposes the mass hysteria that hit a sleepy New England village in 1692; and Sky Vision’s hit high-octane dystopian series Curfew (Oct. 3 at 10 p.m. ET/PT) which follows Adam Brody, Sean Bean and Billy Zane on the deadliest ride of their lives.  T+E’s “Creep Month” airs from Thurs., Oct. 3 to Thurs., Oct. 31.

Five new series are set to cast a spell over viewers this October. In addition to the previously mentioned series The War of the Worlds (North American premiere), Witches of Salem (Canadian premiere), and Curfew (Canadian premiere), two new series join the Creep Month line-up. Paranormal: Caught on Camera (Canadian premiere) follows the world’s most terrifying apparitions caught on tape and an all-new season of A Haunting (Canadian premiere) follows bone-chilling true stories of possession, exorcism,  and paranormal encounters. (Full descriptions below).

Resurrected returning favourites include Help! My House is Haunted (12×60’) and Haunted Hospitals (13×60’), both of which promise to take viewers on a spine-tingling trip to the other side and back.

HALLOWEEN “CREEP MONTH” HIGHLIGHTS

NEW SERIES & SEASONS

Curfew (Canadian premiere, season one)
Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT, starting October 3
When day becomes night, a strict curfew forces ordinary people to go pedal to the metal in a deadly race for freedom in this action-packed British dystopian drama. Along for the ride in this near-future zombie apocalypse is Adam Brody, Billy Zane and Sean Bean.

Witches of Salem (Canadian premiere, season one)
Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT, starting October 6
Witches of Salem tells the tale of history’s most terrifying real-life witch hunt. Drawing on extensive historical documents and court transcripts, the four-part series explores the widespread “satanic panic” that cast a spell over the sleepy village of Salem, Massacuttes and asks what lessons history can teach us about modern day witch hunts and mass hysteria. Produced in Canada by Saloon Media, a Blue Ant company, and in association with Talos Films.

The War of the Worlds (North American premiere, season one)
Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT, starting October 6
This long-awaited three-part drama has been generating massive buzz since the BBC first announced its commission. Based on H.G. Wells’ seminal tale and set in Edwardian England, the story follows a terrifying alien invasion where people must fight for their lives against an enemy beyond their comprehension. Directed by the award-winning Craig Viveiros, the series stars Rafe Spall, Eleanor Tomlinson, Rupert Graves and Robert Carlyle.

Paranormal: Caught on Camera (Canadian premiere, season one)
Fridays at 8 p.m. ET/PT, starting October 11
Watch as eyewitness’ capture amazing, eye-opening and downright scary paranormal videos from around the world while a panel of experts break down the footage and analyze what was captured.

A Haunting (Canadian premiere, season ten)
Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT, starting October 15
Through terrifying first-person accounts and dramatic recreations, A Haunting delves into the true and horrific events that plague innocent people when spirits determined to have a final say invade their lives to inflict unimaginable horrors.

RESURRECTED SERIES AIRING ALL MONTH LONG

Haunted Hospitals
Fridays at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Explores chilling tales of otherworldly activity inside medical institutions. In each episode, doctors, nurses, and patients give first-hand accounts of deceased patients and medical staff who come back from the grave and stalk the corridors to warn of impending danger.

Help! My House is Haunted
Saturdays at 8 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. PT
Created by Ghost Adventures’ Zak Bagans, Help! My House is Haunted is a ghost-hunting series that leaves no stone unturned when it comes to searching for paranormal entities.

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Industry News

New look. New feel. New season. #1 Canadian lifestyle program The Social returns Sept. 9 on CTV

From a media release:

CTV’s most buzzworthy daily lifestyle program THE SOCIAL returns for a seventh season this September with a new show opening and logo, brand-new set design, and another season of timely and unfiltered discussions on current events, lifestyle, and entertainment topics. Premiering live on Monday, Sept. 9 at 1 p.m. ET on CTV, THE SOCIAL co-hosts Melissa Grelo, Marci Ien, Cynthia Loyst, Lainey Lui, and correspondent Jess Allen are back with lifestyle experts, beauty regimens, red carpet recaps, fashion tips, and a wide array of eclectic guests. This season also sees the return of the popular All Talk episodes, now taking place twice monthly, where the hosts and special guests have an hour-long lively roundtable debate on the hottest trends and news topics of the day.

The multiple-Canadian Screen Award-nominated series is the most-watched Canadian lifestyle program among all key demos, garnering an average weekly reach of 3 million viewers on CTV, CTV Two, and E!, and continuing to grow in the key A18-34 demo.

THE SOCIAL is also set to unveil its new daily podcast Sept. 9, featuring top moments from each episode and extended interviews. The podcast will be available daily, following the live broadcast, on the iHeartRadio app, and everywhere podcasts are available.

Also announced today is a continued partnership with leading home furnishing retailer IKEA, with a new ad spot running now on all Bell Media broadcast and digital platforms. IKEA’s new catalogue is incorporated through an in-show integrated commercial spot featuring all of the hosts.

THE SOCIAL airs live weekdays at 1 p.m. (2 p.m. AT) on CTV. THE SOCIAL is also available on-demand across CTV’s digital platforms including CTV.ca, TheSocial.ca, and the CTV app.

THE SOCIAL is produced by Bell Media Studios, and Michelle Crespi and Laura Scarfo are Executive Producers.

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Children's Programming, Industry News

marblemedia adapts international award-winning show All-Round Champion

From a media release:

marblemedia, an award-winning global media company, is pleased to announce the greenlight of its latest premium, unscripted kids and family series, All-Round Champion for TVO and Knowledge Network in Canada, and BYUtv in the US. The talent-packed series is set to air in early 2020.

All-Round Champion is an 11-episode, 60-minute series that features ten of North America’s most decorated young athletes who compete in the ultimate competition in sports like wakeboarding, gymnastics and skateboarding. The catch? They won’t be competing in their own sports; they’ll be competing in each others. Scored on skill, sportsmanship and improvement at the end of the series, one athlete will be crowned the All-Round Champion. Originally created by Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, “Best i mest” saw huge success in Norway, winning an International Emmy Kids Award for Non-Scripted Entertainment, as well as a Prix Jeunesse. marblemedia was granted format rights to create a North American version from Beta Film.

Hosted by Olympian and World Champion Hurdler, Perdita Felicien, this innovative non-elimination serialized format also features a new ‘Sports Star’ in each episode including Laura Wilkinson, known for being one of the most resilient divers in history, Alicia Sacramone Quin, the second-most decorated American gymnast in World Championship history and Darin Shapiro is the first ever to land a Double-flip on a wakeboard. Each of the 10 Sports Stars will coach and encourage the participants to overcome challenges and conquer each of their fears attributed to the sport. They accomplish this through teaching the young athletes not only techniques but also tips based on their experiences throughout their career.

Producers for the series include Matt Hornburg, Mark Bishop and Steve Sloan of marblemedia, alongside Michael Dunn, Andra Johnson Duke, and Jim Bell from BYUtv, and Marney Malabar from TVO.

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Industry News

CBC announces first-ever podcast to TV development slate

From a media release:

CBC, Canada’s public broadcaster, today announced its first-ever development slate of podcast-to-television series that will see five popular, original CBC Podcasts adapted for the screen. These initial projects include: David Ridgen’s SOMEONE KNOWS SOMETHING (First Generation Films, scripted); UNCOVER: THE VILLAGE (Noble Entertainment, documentary); PERSONAL BEST (3Arts Entertainment, unscripted); TAI ASKS WHY (Irwin Entertainment, unscripted); and, ALONE: A LOVE STORY (Sienna Films, scripted). The announcement was made at Podcast Movement 2019 in Orlando, Florida, the largest podcast gathering in the world.

CBC’s first foray into the adaptation of podcasts for television includes five acclaimed podcast titles with wide ranging subject matter, from drama and true crime, to humour and life’s greatest questions:

SOMEONE KNOWS SOMETHING

● In development for a scripted series with First Generation Films. CBC’s most-downloaded original title, SOMEONE KNOWS SOMETHING with host David Ridgen examines unsolved cases of missing or murdered individuals, in hopes of uncovering new information, while also exploring how the cases have affected the families and communities involved.

UNCOVER: THE VILLAGE

● In development for an unscripted, documentary series with Noble Television. The true crime podcast, the third in the Uncover series, explores two waves of unsolved murders in Toronto’s Gay Village, 40 years apart, following the arrest of Bruce McArthur in January 2018.

PERSONAL BEST

● In development with 3Arts Entertainment for an unscripted series. The humorous, internationally acclaimed podcast helps ordinary people work through the little things they’d never bring to a life coach and celebrates small ambitions, half-wins, and getting less bad at things. From kicking a snooze button addiction to being less awkward around cashiers, Personal Best aims to be a self-improvement sidekick.

TAI ASKS WHY

● In development with Irwin Entertainment for an unscripted series. The award-winning podcast looks for answers to life’s biggest questions from the perspective of an exceptional 12-year-old through conversations with everyone from NASA experts to his own little brother in order to expand the minds of the audience and touch their hearts.

ALONE: A LOVE STORY

● In development with Sienna Films for a scripted series. This acclaimed podcast is a memoir about love, marriage and life after betrayal, telling raw truths about life post-divorce, dating and the maddening uncertainties of life and love.

CBC is Canada’s Public Podcaster, reaching more Canadians than any other podcast publisher. With more than 20 series in genres including investigative reporting and true crime, comedy, human interest and audio fiction, CBC podcasts are downloaded millions of times per month.

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