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Industry News

Blue Ant International announces first crop of international sales for Look Mom! Productions’ scripted, adult animation series, Gary and His Demons

From a media release:

Blue Ant International, a transatlantic distributor of premium content and division of Blue Ant Media, announced at Content London today a raft of international sales for adult animation series, Gary and His Demons (Look Mom! Productions; 16×11’) from the division’s Scripted and Digital Studios offering. New licences include ABC Comedy (ABC) for Australia; CBC in Canada for its streaming service; and Comedy Central in the UK and Republic of Ireland for their prime time slot.

Gary and His Demons is an animated comedy about a cantankerous, aging demon slayer who has nothing left to lose. Burdened by his “chosen one” status and backed by a team of specialists he can’t relate to, Gary struggles to keep interest in the Earth-saving duty he never asked for and doesn’t want.

The series is created by Mark Little, known for his work on Picnicface, Mr. D. and the upcoming Cavendish, and has appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Little also serves as Head Writer, Co-Director and the voice of Gary. Gary and His Demons is Executive Produced by Josh Bowen (Executive Producer and Creative Director, Look Mom! Productions,); and Wendy Willis and Pia Chikiamco (Mondo Media). Lou Solis serves as Co-Director on the series, with Solis Animation providing animation production services.

Blue Ant International will showcase this content and more at Content London 2018.

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Departure, Industry News

Archie Panjabi and Christopher Plummer lead Global’s new original event series Departure now in production

From a media release:

Global announced today that it has commissioned a new Canadian original six-part event series, Departure. Produced by Shaftesbury and Greenpoint Productions Ltd., the thrilling drama is directed by Canadian Screen Award Winner T.J. Scott (Orphan Black, Star Trek: Discovery), with Malcolm MacRury (Saving Hope) joining as showrunner, and created by Vincent Shiao (Ransom, Aftermath). With principal photography now underway in Toronto, the Canada/UK co-production will also shoot in London, England. The project was developed by Shaftesbury in association with Corus Entertainment and Red Arrow Studios International.

Slated to join Global’s 2019 primetime schedule, the high-octane conspiracy series follows the mystery of a passenger plane that vanishes over the Atlantic Ocean. Featuring an all-star cast, the series stars Emmy® winner Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife) and Oscar® winner Christopher Plummer (All the Money In the World). The adrenaline-fueled serialized thrill ride also includes an impressive supporting cast with Kris Holden-Ried (Vikings), Claire Forlani (Hawaii Five-O), Rebecca Liddiard (Frankie Drake Mysteries), Shazad Latif (Star Trek: Discovery), Tamara Duarte (Longmire), Peter Mensah (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Kristian Bruun (Orphan Black), Allan Hawco (Caught), Dougray Scott (Snatch), Sasha Roiz (Grimm), Mark Rendall (30 Days of Night), Dmitry Chepovetsky(Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol), Paris Jefferson (Sunset Contract), and more.

Departure is a six-part event series that follows the shocking disappearance of Flight 716, a passenger plane that vanishes over the Atlantic Ocean. Kendra Malley (Panjabi), the recently widowed, brilliant aviation investigator, is called in by her former boss and mentor Howard Lawson (Plummer) to investigate the mysterious crash. With the whole world watching, Kendra and her team race to pinpoint the missing aircraft and locate possible survivors. They must battle through a host of suspects and motives – pilot suicide, terrorism, politically motivated murder, systems failure – to determine what really happened to Flight 716… and to stop it from happening again.

This newly greenlit series is the final original series commissioned by Global for the 2019 broadcast year joining Nurses, Ransom, Mary Kills People, Private Eyes, and Big Brother Canada.

Departure is a Canada/UK treaty co-production produced by Shaftesbury (Canada) and Greenpoint Productions Ltd. (UK) in association with Corus Entertainment.

Departure is executive produced by Christina Jennings, Scott Garvie, Malcolm MacRury, and T.J. Scott. Creator Vincent Shiao is co-executive producer; Patrick Cassavetti, Tina Grewal are producers, with Julie Laceyserving as Shaftesbury’s producer.

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Industry News

DHX Media to sell Halifax Animation Studio to focus and streamline its production operations

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From a media release:

DHX Media (or the “Company”) (TSX: DHX, NASDAQ: DHXM), a global children’s content and brands company, has signed a definitive agreement to sell its Halifax animation studio. The sale is part of the Company’s ongoing strategic shift to focus and streamline its production operations.

“The sale will generate operating efficiencies by consolidating animation production, and aligns with our objectives of rationalizing costs, simplifying our organization and focusing resources,” said Michael Donovan, CEO and Executive Chairman, DHX Media.

DHX Media is headquartered in Halifax. The sale does not include This Hour Has 22 Minutes, which continues to be owned by DHX Media and produced in Halifax.

The sale is expected to close on or about December 31, 2018, and is subject to customary closing conditions, applicable third party consents and the execution of certain ancillary agreements.

About DHX Media
DHX Media Ltd. (TSX: DHX, NASDAQ: DHXM) is a global children’s content and brands company, recognized for such high-profile properties as Peanuts, Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake, Caillou, Inspector Gadget, and the acclaimed Degrassi franchise. One of the world’s foremost producers of children’s shows, DHX Media owns the world’s largest independent library of children’s content, at 13,000 half-hours. It licenses its content to broadcasters and streaming services worldwide and generates royalties through its global consumer products program. Through its subsidiary, WildBrain, DHX Media operates one of the largest networks of children’s channels on YouTube. Headquartered in Canada, DHX Media has offices worldwide.

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Industry News

CBC’s Heather Conway announces her departure

From a media release:

Heather Conway, Executive Vice President of CBC, has announced her departure from the public broadcaster to pursue other opportunities. She will remain in her role until December 7, 2018.

“Heather has been instrumental in spearheading CBC’s digital transformation on all of our platforms and across all genres, helping us meet our goal of doubling our digital reach, two years ahead of schedule,” said Catherine Tait, President and CEO, CBC/Radio-Canada. “She has been passionate about reflecting Canadian diversity in our content, ensuring that it is more distinctly and identifiably Canadian.

“It has been a privilege to serve Canadians and Canadian creators and to lead the incredible public broadcasters who work at CBC.  The experience and the CBC will be with me always, as the CBC always has been and should always be for all of us,” said Heather Conway.

“I am thinking about next steps in terms of how I will go about filling this very important position. In the meantime I look forward to continuing to work with Heather and her team over the next month to ensure a smooth transition,” concluded Tait.

About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.

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Industry News

OMNI Television original Mangoes: A Slice of Life joins programming slate, premiering Nov. 11

From a media release:

Friendship is a bond that knows no borders. Based on the popular web series Mangoes, Mangoes: A Slice of Life tells a globally relevant story with a uniquely Canadian perspective. It follows the adventures of three millennials with South Asian backgrounds as they explore the true potential of life in Canada, premiering Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on OMNI Television (check local listings). Co-created, co-produced, and starring real-life brothers Adeel and Khurram Suhrwardy as Sami and Rakay, respectively, the six all-new 30-minute episodes are available in English, Urdu, Punjabi, and Hindi for OMNI’s multicultural audiences.

Mangoes: A Slice of Life follows the adventures, emotions and experiences of three unlikely friends, including Asha (Maha Warsi), a fiercely independent woman and psychology student from India; Sami (Adeel Suhrwardy), a sensitive, well-educated immigrant from Pakistan struggling to find a job in his field; and Rakay (Khurram Suhrwardy), a hopeless romantic – and often irresponsible – MBA student from Pakistan. Picking up two years after the web series dropped off, the new episodes see dramatic developments as Asha gets engaged to be married, Sami lands a job at a corporate firm, and Rakay settles down from his loose lifestyle. Through unrelated events, the trio connect in Toronto and navigate the unfamiliar challenges of being a young immigrant in a new country.

Based on one of the world’s most-watched Canadian web series, Mangoes: A Slice of Life is filmed in Toronto and with its diverse cast, the series will continue to bring light to the shifting makeup of Canada’s urban centres and growing class of multicultural audiences.

Audiences will have access to full episodes on OMNITV.ca next day post-broadcast, as well as on Rogers on Demand.

Mangoes: A Slice of Life is produced in association with OMNI Television, a division of Rogers Media. Co-created and co-produced by Adeel Suhrwardy and Khurram Suhrwardy.

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