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Featured, Industry News, Letterkenny, Shoresy

New Metric Media partners with Encore to develop bilingual rom-com heist series

From a media release:

Award-winning comedy entertainment studio New Metric Media has partnered with Quebec’s premiere production company Encore to co-produce the untitled, rom-com mini-series involving a Quebecois family and an Anglo-Ontarian family reluctantly coming together despite their differences for an unforgettable wedding weekend. The project is based on a concept created by Mark Montefiore, Founder and CEO, New Metric Media.

“We’re excited to collaborate with the insanely talented producteurs d’Encore on this hilarious nouvelle serie that will transcend barriers de la langue and playfully bridge the gap between Québécois and English cultures, all while laughing at it at the same time,” commented Montefiore (above left). “This project is a celebration of inclusivity, laughter and the unique charm that defines le coeur du Canada.”

“As comedy is part of Encore’s DNA, nous sommes très heureux to work with New Metric Media. With Mark, his incredibly talented team, and a project that made us rire at the first words, it was only natural for us to join forces. We dated for a while and finally said OUI to each other!”, say Julie Provençal (above right), President of Encore.

The untitled rom-com is My Big Fat Greek Wedding meets Bon Cop Bad Cop in a culture clash heist about a young couple from two different provinces whose wedding threatens to divide them rather than unite after the gift box of cash money goes missing from their already fractious ceremony. The Québécois blame the Anglos and the Anglos blame the Québécois sending the whodunnit mystery into all-out civil (union) war and threatens to drag their holy matrimony along with it.

About New Metric Media
Based in Toronto, New Metric Media is an award-winning independent entertainment studio specializing in building comedy brands across tv production, live entertainment, distribution, merchandising and licensing. Recipient of Playback’s 2022 Production Company of the Year award and the Banff World Media Festival’s 2018 Innovative Producer Award, the company’s slate of programming includes the hit Crave/Hulu original comedy Letterkenny, the Crave/Hulu Letterkenny spinoff series Shoresy, the CTV/CW/Roku half-hour comedy series Children Ruin Everything, as well as the new half-hour Crave comedy series Bria Mack Gets A Life.

New Metric Media is recognized as a leader in 360 degree brand marketing and its success with Letterkenny off-screen extensions, including beer, collectible merchandise and Letterkenny LIVE!, a sold-out North American theatre tour featuring the stars of the series.

About Groupe Encore
Created in Montreal in 2000, Encore is an integrated entertainment group, one of the most prolific production companies in scripted series (comedy and drama), live comedy specials, live plays, and artist management in French Canada.

With nearly 700 hours produced, Encore Television multiplies the production of millionaire and award-winning TV series praised both on the local and global markets.  Licensed in more than 100 countries as originals or adaptations, hit series like Les beaux malaises, Bête noire (Dark Soul), Fugueuse (Runaway), Pour Sarah (For Sarah), Léo, Boomerang, La candidate (The Candidate), Lâcher prise (Freefall) are amongst the highest-rated series in Québec.

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Featured, Letterkenny

Crave and New Metric Media ink exclusive overall content deal with Jared Keeso for all new series and to expand the world of Letterkenny

From a media release:

Following the record-breaking success of LETTERKENNY and SHORESY, Crave, and award-winning producer New Metric Media, announced today a new, multi-year creative partnership that expands the world of LETTERKENNY. The deal encompasses 49 new episodes for Crave, including LETTERKENNY spin-offs, and the development of all-new series with multi-hyphenate talent, Jared Keeso.  In addition to the content commitment, the companies continue to collaborate on existing and new ancillary brand extensions, including merchandise and live productions.

“We are thrilled to extend the legacy of Jared Keeso through this creative pact with our partners at New Metric Media,” said Justin Stockman, Vice President, Content Development & Programming, Bell Media. “LETTERKENNY and SHORESY are consistently among the most-watched series on Crave, which is a testament to Jared’s creative vision, and keen ability to create groundbreaking, culturally relevant content. This deal marks a starting point of what’s sure to be another defining era in comedy.”

“We are excited to break new comedic ground on this landmark pact with creative powerhouse Jared Keeso and our content partners at Crave,” commented Mark Montefiore, Founder and CEO, New Metric Media. “This deal exponentially builds our 360-degree comedy ecosystem strategy for many years to come.”

As Crave’s first-ever original series, LETTERKENNY premiered in 2016 as a breakout hit, and quickly solidified a loyal fanbase. Since then, it has delivered 81 episodes and eight specials, amassed 12 Canadian Screen Awards, international critical acclaim, and an exclusive first window U.S. streaming partnership with Hulu for both LETTERKENNY and its official spinoff SHORESY, which was recently renewed for a third season for a total of 18 episodes.

Beyond the small screen, the Canadian phenomenon has expanded its reach with highly sought-after merchandise including Funko POPs, Letterkennyopoly, the popular Puppers Golden Lager, as well as live productions including the sold-out Letterkenny Live! North American tour, and the recent live standup comedy shows, Letterkenny Presents. The series is based on the internet sensation Letterkenny Problems, a five-part series of shorts, which to date has garnered more than 21 million views.

New Metric Media handles the international distribution for LETTERKENNY and SHORESY and has licensed it in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Germany, and Scandinavia. For any new projects to come out of this comprehensive pact, Bell Media is the distributor, while New Metric Media is the exclusive sales agent.

The deal was negotiated by: Bell Media’s Carlyn Klebuc, Dianne Vernon, and Justin Stockman; New Metric Media’s Mark Montefiore and Jayme Alter (Dentons LLC); and Jared Keeso’s representatives Trina Allen (Play Management), Gordon Gilbertson (Gilbertson Entertainment), and Jeffrey Hynick (Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer).

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Featured, Letterkenny

Letterkenny returns for a twelfth and final season, December 25 on Crave

From a media release:

After 75 episodes and eight specials, and amassing 12 Canadian Screen Awards, international critical acclaim, a U.S. streaming deal with Hulu, high-profile brand extensions, some beauty celebrity fans, and an official spinoff, Crave’s award-winning original series LETTERKENNY drops its twelfth and final season, on Monday, December 25. The iconic Canadian series is created by, and stars, Jared Keeso, and is produced by New Metric Media in association with Play Fun Games and Crave.

As Crave’s first-ever original series, LETTERKENNY premiered in 2016 as a breakout hit and quickly solidified a loyal fanbase. The series continues to be a top-performer on Crave, and, overall, is the most-streamed Canadian show on the platform for the past several years. The series is based on the internet sensation Letterkenny Problems, a five-part series of shorts, which to date has garnered more than 21 million views.

In Season 12, the small town contends with a comedy night at Modean’s, a country music hit, the Degens’ bad influence, a new nightclub, and an encore at the Ag Hall. And that’s just for starters.

LETTERKENNY is produced by New Metric Media, in association with Play Fun Games and Bell Media, with the participation of Canadian Media Fund, the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation and the Bell Fund, with the assistance of the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit and Ontario Creates. The series is distributed by New Metric Media. Jared Keeso is executive producer, co-writer, star, and creator. Jacob Tierney is executive producer, director, and co-writer. Mark Montefiore is executive producer and Kara Haflidson is producer for New Metric Media.

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Letterkenny, Shoresy

Links: Shoresy, Season 1

From Rick Marshall of Digital Trends:

Link: How Shoresy does right by its Indigenous characters
It didn’t take long for Hulu’s Shoresy series to establish itself as more than a spinoff of Letterkenny, the long-running Canadian comedy show that introduced the titular, trash-talking hockey player played by series creator and writer Jared Keeso. Continue reading.

From Sam Stone of CBR:

Link: Shoresy’s Cast & Crew Promise a Different Kind of Comedy for Letterkenny Fans
“Jared wanted to do a hockey show, so we knew this show was going to be focused on hockey. The surprise to me when I was reading the scripts was that it had a real storyline to it. It does feel more like a movie than Letterkenny does because we’re watching a story unfold before us.” Continue reading.

From Spencer Legacy of Coming Soon:

Link: Interview: Shoresy’s Jacob Tierney, Kaniehtiio Horn, & Harlan Blayne Kytwayhat
“Coming onto Shoresy as consulting producer was really cool because I started realizing that all of this experience that I had as an actress for almost 20 years, I was exercising these other muscles now and still getting to be creative and still getting to see all of the casting, getting to help design some of the characters’ wardrobe.” Continue reading.

From Kelly Boutsalis of the Toronto Star:

Link: ‘Shoresy’ puts Indigenous characters at centre ice
“Shoresy,” the much-anticipated “Letterkenny” spinoff, is first and foremost a love letter to scrappy minor league hockey teams and it is also rich with Indigenous representation. Continue reading.

From Sean Fitz-Gerald of The Athletic:

Link: What ‘Letterkenny’ and its new spinoff ‘Shoresy’ have to say about hockey: ‘It’s observational’
Over a six-episode arc, the new show spotlights a minor supporting character from the original, a foul-mouthed, stick-swinging, trash-talking hockey player known as Shoresy. His cameo appearances in the first series were generally limited to searing verbal attacks on teammates and opponents who entered his orbit. Continue reading.

From Mia Jensen of The Sudbury Star:

Link: ‘Letterkenny spinoff ‘Shoresy’ makes Sudbury one of its characters
But Sudburians who have never seen or even heard of “Letterkenny” or its new sibling will likely recognize something else — the logo of their most popular local hockey team, the Sudbury Wolves, at centre ice beneath the players’ skates. Continue reading.

From Lyndsay Aelick of CTV Northern Ontario:

Link: Letterkenny spinoff Shoresy embraces everything about Sudbury
From Sudbury Arena to the Colson, from the Laughing Buddha to Peppi Panini, a new TV series debuting this week has a lot of Sudbury. Shoresy was not only filmed in the Nickel City, the series embraces all things about Sudbury. Continue reading.

From Sean Loughran of the Daily Hive:

Link: There’s a hockey show in town: Tasya Teles talks Letterkenny spinoff Shoresy
“I was really nervous for a bit because it’s such a different tone to what I’m used to. Jared [Keeso] and Jacob [Tierney] are so good at what they do, and they have such a well-oiled machine. With all their experience from Letterkenny, they made it really easy for us. I saw a few episodes, and they are awesome. It’s great to be in comedy.” Continue reading.

From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:

Link: Tasya Teles’ Nat is ready to go head to head with Shoresy
“I was already definitely a big fan. I had been watching Letterkenny since the beginning. When I heard about Shoresy I went back and rewatched everything and revisited it. I rediscovered the brilliance of the comedy and it amped me up even more than I already was.” Continue reading.

From Melissa Hank of Postmedia:

Link: Stars of Letterkenny spinoff Shoresy open up
“I love the challenge of trying to wrap your mind and mouth around all of that dialogue. And Jared sets up all these great verbal things, like alliteration and where you get to hit Ts and pop Ps.” Continue reading.

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Industry News, Letterkenny

Game faces on. Production underway on Letterkenny spin-off series Shoresy

From a media release:

Crave, in association with New Metric Media, WildBrain, and Play Fun Games, announced today that production is underway in Sudbury on the all-new original series, SHORESY. The first official spin-off of international sensation, LETTERKENNY, the six-episode, half-hour hockey comedy sees the foul-mouthed, chirp-serving, mother-loving, fan favourite character, Shoresy, join a senior AAA hockey team in Sudbury on a quest to never, ever lose again. The puck drops on Season 1 of SHORESY Spring 2022, streaming exclusively on Crave.

With bench boss Keeso in the titular role, Crave also confirmed today the SHORESY cast features a lineup of certified beauticians and absolute legends – from sci-fi stars to real life big hitters. Tasya Teles (THE 100) stars as Nat, with Harlan Blayne Kytwayhat (Tribal) as Sanguinet, Blair Lamora (Paranormal Nightshift) as Ziigwan, and Keilani Rose (FLIMSY) tapped as Miigwan. From, Blainville, QC, rapper Jonathan-Ismael Diaby stars as Dolo, with former Montréal Canadien, author, and actor Terry Ryan as Hitch. Ryan McDonell (THE CROSSING) stars as Michaels, with Max Bouffard (LETTERKENNY) as JJ Frankie JJ, and former Kahnawake Condor and MMA fighter Andrew “The Canon” Antsanen joining the cast as Goody. Legendary all-time tough guy Jon “Nasty” Mirasty, former ‘Canes centre Brandon Nolan, and three time Stanley Cup winner, Jordan Nolan star as Jim, Jim, and Jim, respectively, with Listowel’s Keegan Long as Liam, and North Bay’s Bourke Cazabon as Cory.

The debut season of SHORESY also features guest stars Laurence Leboeuf (TRANSPLANT), Scott Thompson (KIDS IN THE HALL), Jonathan Torrens (TRAILER PARK BOYS), Jacob Tierney (LETTERKENNY), Camille Sullivan (TRIGGER ME), Eliana Jones (NORTHERN RESCUE), Kim Cloutier (LETTERKENNY), Michala Brasseur (GRAND ARMY) as well as social media star and podcaster Lysandre Nadeau.

As previously announced, an all-new season of LETTERKENNY is set to stream Christmas Day, exclusively on Crave.

SHORESY is produced by New Metric Media, in partnership with WildBrain and Playfun Games in association with Bell Media, with the participation of Canadian Media Fund, OMDC Tax Credits, and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, and is distributed by WildBrain. Jared Keeso is executive producer, writer, star, and creator. Jacob Tierney is executive producer and director. Kaniehtiio Horn is consulting producer. Mark Montefiore is executive producer and Kara Haflidson is producer for New Metric Media.

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