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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Season four of the award-winning series Employable Me premieres June 9 on AMI-tv

From a media release:

Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) announced today that Season four of the award-winning series Employable Me will premiere Wednesday, June 9, at 8 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv.

Employable Me is a moving six-part documentary series featuring job seekers who are determined to show that having a physical disability or neurological condition shouldn’t make them unemployable. Seasons one, two and three of Employable Me captured Rockie Awards for Best Lifestyle Program at the Banff World Media Festival. Additionally, Season three of Employable Me won a Diversify TV Excellence Award at MIPCOM in the Representation of Disability, Non-Scripted category in 2020 and 2016.

Produced by Thomas Howe Associates Inc. (THA), Season four of Employable Me provides an honest and emotional look at the challenges Canadians of varying abilities face in the job market. Each one-hour instalment features two job seekers who are blind, partially sighted or have a neurological condition such as cerebral palsy or Autism Spectrum Disorder as they change employers’ perceptions and possibly land a coveted job.

THA followed all safety protocols as stipulated by regional and provincial health authorities during the production of Season four.

“We are excited to introduce 12 new Canadian job seekers to the Employable Me fanbase,” says John Melville, Vice-President, Content Development and Programming, AMI-tv/AMI-audio. “We challenge employers to learn from and utilize the information presented to make their workplaces truly inclusive and diverse.”

“We thank the job seekers and their families for allowing us to tell their stories,” says Thomas Howe, President and Executive Producer at THA. “It was a challenge to film during the pandemic, and we are proud of what everyone has accomplished.”

Employable Me focuses on the strengths and talents of potential employees, with help from experts in the medical and hiring fields. Season four experts and community partners include world-renowned autism specialist Dr. Wendy Roberts, motivational speaker Tracy Schmitt and March of Dimes Canada.

Among the companies participating in Season four are Loblaws, Hamilton Conservatory of Music, Rick Hansen Foundation, The Bata Shoe Museum, My Access Masks and Heritage Toronto. Additionally, digital exclusives available at AMI.ca or via the AMI-tv App for Apple and Android devices revisit past job seekers to update viewers on where they are now in their careers and offer advice on job seeking.

In keeping with AMI’s mandate of making accessible media for all Canadians, Employable Me utilizes Integrated Described Video (IDV) to make them accessible to individuals who are blind or partially sighted.

Employable Me is produced by THA in partnership with AMI and TVO, and is licensed by all3media international.

Season four of Employable Me premieres on Wednesday, June 9, at 8 p.m. ET. Stream past episodes and seasons on AMI.ca or via the AMI-tv App for Apple and Android devices.

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Drew Hayden Taylor is Going Native on APTN

I first saw Drew Hayden Taylor in the CBC POV documentary “Searching for Winnetou.” Available on CBC Gem, the episode followed Taylor as he explored the German obsession with Indigenous North Americans. The curious and entertaining documentary stuck with me for awhile. So, I was pleased to learn he was back on TV, this time as the star of his own series.

Going Native—debuting with the first of 13 episodes on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on APTN—finds the celebrated Anishinaabe humorist and author exploring how Indigenous Peoples have changed the world, and are re-shaping their culture today. Each instalment represents at theme; Saturday’s “Going Horse” tracks the history of the relationship between Indigenous Peoples and equines, and includes interviews, stunning vistas and footage of Taylor scrambling to mount a horse.

“One of the problems I’ve personally had—as an Indigenous humorist—is a lot of the media coming both from the Indigenous community and about the Indigenous community, like novels, movies, etc., deal with a darker aspect of the First Nations communities dealing with the oppressed, depressed and suppressed nature of a lot of our stories and history,” Taylor says. “Having traveled to over 150 Indigenous communities across Canada and the United States, I’ve always been greeted with a laugh, a smile and a joke. It’s always been my firm belief that it’s been our sense of humour that has allowed us to survive some of those darker periods of our history.

“I know we have a sense of humour,” he continues. “We have a sense of whimsy, a sense of enjoyment of life that is not frequently witnessed by the dominant culture and that was one of the things I wanted incorporated into this series.”

That humour and enjoyment is shown in the sidelong glances between horse experts helping Taylor scramble onto a regal horse or the wonder in his face as he learns Indigenous Peoples were tracking their place in the galaxy for likely before Europeans were. Future episodes investigate architecture, music, food, fashion, business and pop culture, all delivered by Taylor, who has a twinkle in his eye and wonderment at the information he learns.

“The depth of knowledge that was available to our ancestors is truly stunning,” Taylor says. “I grew up in the Indigenous culture and I’m still learning so much about my own culture.”

Going Native airs Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. ET on APTN.

Images courtesy of Ice River Films.

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Industry News, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Bruce Cook showcases imaginative thinking about accessibility in By Hook or By Cook, debuting June 3 on AMI-tv

From a media release:

Bruce Cook is dialed in and ready to roll. Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) announced today they’re going all out for the exciting adventure series By Hook or By Cook, starring freestyle motocross rider Bruce Cook.

After becoming paralyzed while attempting a world’s first, freestyle motocross rider Bruce Cook is on a mission to help others realize their dreams the same way he did: with innovation, modifications and a lot of determination.

Debuting Thursday, June 3, at 10 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv, Bruce Cook and his friends, Ashley King and Christian Bagg, prove that creativity and innovation can turn an inaccessible world into a more inclusive and exciting place of adventure and discovery.

In the premiere episode of By Hook or By Cook on Thursday, June 3, at 10 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv, viewers meet Joanne. Having battled with the realities of multiple sclerosis for 46 years, Joanne craves independence and the feeling of freedom. To prove to herself and her family that she is capable, Joanne takes on her biggest fear: heights.

“By Hook or By Cook is a truly fun series,” says John Melville, Vice-President, Content Development and Programming, AMI-tv/AMI-audio. “We know it will promote imaginative thinking about accessibility and incite hope to broaden our ideas of what we think is possible.”

“I can’t wait for viewers to tune in to By Hook or By Cook,” says host Bruce Cook. “From the stunning west coast settings to the people we meet and the crazy inventions we come up with, they are in for a ride!”

A series of digital exclusives—which can be streamed on AMI.ca and the AMI-tv App for iOS and Android—give fans a behind-the-scenes look at production on Season one of By Hook or By Cook, including introductions by Bruce, Ashley and Christian, and an exploration into the inventions they’ve created. By Hook or By Cook is produced by Render Digital Media.

In keeping with AMI’s mandate of making accessible media for all Canadians, By Hook or By Cook features Integrated Described Video (IDV) making it accessible to individuals who are blind or partially sighted.

AMI and Render Digital Media are excited to announce that casting is now open for Season two of By Hook or By Cook.

Render Digital Media is looking for participants with all ranges of disability and dreams. No matter how big or small, they want to hear your story.

Filming will take place between May and October 2021. Interested applicants can apply now via the Render Digital Media website.

Host Bruce Cook
Bruce Cook began his professional motocross career in 2005, touring across Canada. In 2014, he joined Nitro Circus, which features world-class athletes and daredevils performing outrageous and risky stunts. His first show found him attempting the world’s first double front flip on a motorcycle and when the trick did not go as planned, Cook suffered a broken vertebra and a damaged spinal cord, resulting in paralysis. After regaining his strength and confidence, Cook was back on a modified bike and landed the world’s first backflip as a paraplegic, 10 months after his accident.

Bruce shares his experiences with friends, family and followers like an open book told in a stream of consciousness of hope, humour, and raw emotion. He cannot escape the enormity of daily life as it is faced by a paraplegic, but he is navigating his way through life with determination, enthusiasm and a lot of creativity.

Follow Bruce Cook on Instagram: @brucecookfmx

By Hook or By Cook debuts Thursday, June 3, at 10 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv. Stream episodes on AMI.ca and the AMI-tv App.

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Industry News, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

New series Yukon Harvest debuts May 8 on APTN

From a media release:

Rogue River Films Inc. announced today the premiere of their brand new series Yukon Harvest, which debuts on APTN in English on May 8, 2021 and in Northern Tutchone on May 20, 2021. The 13 episode documentary series chronicles the adventures of Indigenous hunters and guides as they navigate the wilds of the Yukon and beyond. Some are seasoned veterans; others are young newcomers who must reconnect with their roots and learn how to respectfully harvest an animal for the community.

Filmed across Canada, Yukon Harvest highlights the beauty of the country while capturing real life stories of families, communities, connection and tradition, following real people and their emotional journeys. Filming locations include the Mayo area of the Yukon, Vancouver Island, Kamloops, Yellowknife, Fort St. John, Whitehorse and Osler, Saskatchewan.

The series will also be released under the title Dän K’eht’e in Northern Tutchone, a language spoken in the Yukon communities of Mayo, Pelly Crossing, Stewart Crossing, Carmacks, and Beaver Creek. It was important to the team to create a lasting record of the language that is only spoken fluently by a limited number of people. The team worked remotely with the Elders and community in order to safely translate and record the series in Northern Tutchone during the pandemic.

Episodes of Yukon Harvest will begin airing on APTN on May 8, 2021 (English) and will continue weekly. The Northern Tutchone language version, Dän K’eht’e will air on May 20, 2021 and will continue weekly. Check your local listings for broadcast times in your area or visit aptn.ca/schedule.

Episodes will be available on APTN’s streaming service, APTN lumi, within 48 hours of the original broadcast. Visit watchaptnlumi.ca or subscribe to APTN lumi through the Apple TV Channel app at https://apple.co/aptn.

Yukon Harvest was produced, developed and written by Todd Forsbloom and Erik Virtanen and executive produced by Jim Shockey. Todd Forsbloom, Dan Minsky and Taylor Smith were directors on the series and select cast includes: Don Harris, Dallas Harris, Annette Carter-Harris, Ed Jensen, Brett Taylor, Derek and Tori Forsbloom, Geri-Lee Buyck and the Buyck Family, Evan Lafreniere-Clark, Josh Austen, Steve Buyck and Scott Unger. Yukon Harvest was made possible with the support of APTN and the CMF.

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Industry News, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Paranormal problems on Canada’s East Coast are investigated in AMI-tv’s new series Sight Seers

From a media release:

Ghostly apparitions, faulty electronics, shimmering orbs and odd noises at all hours. Those are just a hint of the alarming activities explored in eight episodes of Sight Seers, debuting Thursday, May 13, at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv.

Join Mark Joly, who is blind, and Laura Warren, who tackle mysteries and solve a series of fascinating paranormal problems on Canada’s East Coast. Each case calls for a slightly different approach and roster of experts, depending on the details of the story.

At the end of each episode, Mark and Laura either have a clear opinion or—using the results of the investigations—viewers can decide for themselves what scenario is most probable.

Nova Scotia locations Mark and Laura explore in Season one include the Queen’s County Museum in Liverpool, where wisps of smoke and unusual sounds occur at all hours; Lunenburg’s Boscawen Inn, site of ghosts haunting its halls; the prestigious Halifax Club, host of strange goings-on; and Randall House Historical Museum in Wolfville, where guests have been touched and pushed.

In keeping with AMI’s mandate of making accessible media for all Canadians, Season one of Sight Seers features Integrated Described Video (IDV) making it accessible to individuals who are blind or partially sighted.

Host Mark Joly
Mark was born blind, and from a young age he began seeing images in his mind when he touched other people’s hands. It wasn’t long before he understood that the images represented important events in people’s lives, kickstarting his career as a palm-reader. Over the years he has refined his gift and he now uses his “third eye” to provide many long-time clients with accurate information about their lives. As a modern-day oracle he is often sought after for his unique insight into matters of money, health and the heart.

Host Laura Warren
Laura is a natural medium who has been developing her mediumship and psychic abilities since she was a child. After years of education and training in health, wellness, energy therapy, and psychic development, Laura moved into the career of a psychic medium. Laura has over a decade of psychic mediumship experience and has developed an international following; she is in demand in the Maritimes and beyond. She is known for her ability to call forth spirit to deliver messages to their living friends and relatives. Laura’s skills include helping her new and long-time clients highlight and remove blocks and challenges in their lives, give hope and a sense of peace, and help provide closure. Laura also has been dedicated to helping lost souls move forward to the afterlife and thereby resolving hauntings.

Sight Seers debuts Thursday, May 13, at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv. Stream episodes on AMI.ca and the AMI-tv App.

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