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Production begins on Season 2 of APTN’s Red River Gold

From a media release:

Saxon de Cocq, Hannah Hermanson and Ell McEachern of 3 Story Pictures are pleased to announce that filming has started on Season 2 of the 13x 30 min documentary series, Red River Gold. 
 
Production commenced on September 10, 2024, and will continue through to the end of October. The series will air on APTN (in English), APTN Languages (in Michif) and be available on APTN lumi in both English and Michif at a later date.
 
In 1870, a trove of gold coins worth $1,000,000 disappeared without a trace. The coins were on their way to fund a British military force marching across Canada to stop Louis Riel and the Métis during the Red River Resistance. The gold has never been recovered and the Royal Mint of England still considers it lost or stolen. And now, a group of Métis treasure seekers want to find it!
 
After returning from the bog, the team waits for the ice to thaw and mosquitos to reappear before heading to the very start of the Dawson Road, at the edge of the Northwest Angle. Here, they discover the evidence of an old Métis village, that was used as a trading and transportation hub. With rumors of the gold being hidden by an old building, this has the team excited to start digging, knowing full well there are other historical treasures to find.  
 
Red River Gold is directed by Saxon de Cocq (Treaty Road Season 1 & 2, Red River Gold Season 1, The Other Side), Berkley Brady (Dark Nature, The Secret History of: The Wild West), Sam Karney (Going Native, Nation Untamed) and Lisa Unrau (Staying Wild Seasons 1,2,3, Landing: Stories from the Cultural Divide), written by Saxon de Cocq, and is produced by Hannah Hermanson (Treaty Road Season 1 & 2, Red River Gold Season 1, Staying Wild Season 1,2 & 3, Zarqa Season 2), Ell McEachern (Treaty Road Season 1 & 2, Red River Gold Season 1, Staying Wild Season 1,2 & 3, Zarqa Season 2), Saxon de Cocq and Sam Karney. The series will be executive produced by Doug Cuthand (Guardians: Evolution, Van Life, Searchers, Big Bear).
  
Red River Gold will be filmed in rural Manitoba for the searching (Ste Anne, Richer, Falcon Lake, Northwest Angle, Lake of the Woods), as well as the Mint in Whales and at the Tower of London. Cinematography by Sam Karney and editing by Kolby Kostyniuk (Staying Wild, Treaty Road, Dirt Farmers). 
 
Red River Gold was commissioned by APTN and produced with additional financial support from Canada Media Fund and Creative Saskatchewan.  

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Mike Holmes joins Cottage Life with New original series, Holmes on Homes: Building a Legacy

From a media release:

Cottage Life’s highly-anticipated new original series, Holmes on Homes: Building a Legacy, a reboot of the hit Holmes on Homes program, sees construction pioneer Mike Holmes reflect on his iconic, lifelong career helping homeowners and advocating for the trade industry. In the new six-part series, audiences will witness Mike’s determination to instill his values in his children, Michael and Sherry, as they continue his legacy. The show delves deeper into the Holmes family dynamic, following Mike as he returns to his “make it right” roots and mentors his children in the family business. Cameras follow the trio as they work side-by-side to create life-changing renovations for deserving homeowners, while also capturing heartfelt behind-the-scenes family moments with Mike, his kids and grandchildren. Holmes on Homes: Building a Legacy premieres Tuesday, November 12 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, exclusively on Cottage Life.

With more than two decades on TV under his toolbelt, Mike Holmes has established himself as a household name throughout North America, renowned for his integrity in the construction industry and for helping hundreds of homeowners throughout his career. In the new series, each hour-long episode introduces viewers to desperate families who have been misled by dishonest contractors or who have compelling personal stories, seeking home upgrades tailored to their specific needs. Joined by Michael and Sherry—both seasoned contractors who made their debuts on Holmes on Homes —Mike tackles these challenges head-on, turning their properties into beautiful and safe havens for the future.

Mike Holmes: “After 23 years on TV, we’ve received countless messages from fans to bring back Holmes on Homes. So, we listened—and we’ve taken it to the next level. In Building a Legacy, you’ll get a closer look at our family dynamic and see firsthand how my life’s work to ‘make it right’ has become a shared ambition among my kids.”

Michael Holmes Jr.: “Sherry and I have brought out a different side of our Dad that viewers will get to see in Building a Legacy. In Holmes on Homes, Dad would enter a house with a stern look, point out the flaws, then tear it all down and fix it. Now, you see a lighter, more playful version.

Sherry Holmes: “I’m excited for Cottage Life viewers to see how much the show has evolved since Holmes on Homes. This new series not only has a strong family message, but an educational aspect too; we’re exploring new home technologies you can install to make your home smarter and healthier.”

Holmes on Homes: Building a Legacy is produced by The Holmes Group. Sam Linton, VP of Production and Development, Global Media at Blue Ant Media oversees commissioning for the series. 

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New CTV original comedy Mark McKinney Needs a Hobby premieres October 2

From a media release:

Good laughs and great adventures are in store, as the previously announced inaugural season of CTV Original comedy docuseries MARK MCKINNEY NEEDS A HOBBY airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT, beginning Oct. 2 on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app. Filmed across Canada and the United States, Season 1 consists of 10, half-hour, episodes.

The series follows actor, comedian, and writer Mark McKinney (SUPERSTORE, THE KIDS IN THE HALL) as he embarks on an epic quest to answer one of the most pressing questions of the 2020’s – who are we when we are not working? MARK MCKINNEY NEEDS A HOBBY is produced by Sphere Media in association with CTV, and created by Kim Bondi, Mark McKinney, Rob Sheridan (2 BROKE GIRLS, CORNER GAS), and directed by Nick McKinney (INSOMNIAC, THE DAILY SHOW).

This season, McKinney travels throughout North America meeting the most impassioned everyday hobbyists and the communities of like-minded obsessives who nurture them, all in a quest to find the one true hobby he can claim for himself. The inaugural season also features special guests, including comedians Margaret Cho and Deb DiGiovanni, Canadian singing legend Billy Newton-Davis, SUPERSTORE’s Ben Feldman, Maria Vacratsis of the My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Mama Mia! franchises, CANADA’S DRAG RACE regular and choreographer Hollywood Jade, noted columnist and food critic James Chatto, and professional Muppet puppeteer Trish Leeper (FRAGGLE ROCK, SESAME STREET).

On the series premiere of MARK MCKINNEY NEEDS A HOBBY, “Birding” (Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app), McKinney travels to the Canadian shores of Lake Erie to learn everything there is to know about birding and birdwatching. Over the course of his visit, he embarks on a journey to the Long Point Nature Preserve, tags and releases birds at a Birds Canada outpost, and accompanies his host to a tattoo parlor where birding memories aren’t just made, but painfully memorialized.

Each episode of MARK MCKINNEY NEEDS A HOBBY is also available to stream on Crave every Thursday, beginning Oct. 3. This season, viewers follow McKinney as he explores hobbies such as historical re-enactment, barbershop quartet singing, puppetry, watersports, robots, collecting memorabilia, fly fishing, dancing, and cooking.

About Mark McKinney
Mark McKinney has performed in, written, and produced some of the most beloved comedy television in North America. As co-creator, writer, and ensemble cast member of THE KIDS IN THE HALL, he was nominated for three Emmy® Awards and multiple Gemini Awards, including Best Writing and Best Performance. McKinney followed the success of his series with three seasons as both a principal cast member and staff writer on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, and, most recently, starred, and directed on the hit sitcom, SUPERSTORE.

MARK MCKINNEY NEEDS A HOBBY is produced by Sphere Media in association with CTV. Mark McKinney, Bruno Dubé, Marlo Miazga, Kim Bondi, Rob Sheridan, and Corinna Lehr are Executive Producers. Kim Creelman is Series Producer, and Nick McKinney is Creative Producer.

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Todd Talbot debuts new series, Todd Talbot Builds: The Passive House Project, premiering October 8 exclusively on Cottage Life

From a media release:

Love It or List It Vancouver real estate expert and TV star, Todd Talbot joins Cottage Life with the debut of his new documentary series, Todd Talbot Builds: The Passive House Project (8×30’). The eight-part series provides an intimate look into the highs and lows of Talbot’s construction journey as he and his wife, actor Rabecca Talbot, set out to build a net-zero, passive house A-frame on British Columbia’s picturesque Okanagan Lake just outside Kelowna. The Canadian broadcast premiere of Todd Talbot Builds: The Passive House Project airs Tuesday, October 8 at 8p.m. ET/PT, exclusively on Cottage Life.

In the series, Talbot takes off his Love It or List It realtor hat and reveals to viewers his in-depth knowledge of the construction industry. Talbot takes on the roles of project manager, financier, associate designer, estimator and head of the construction team building this cabin. Architects, engineers and environmental experts join Talbot to build his future home. The series showcases cutting-edge, sustainable building techniques and the science behind constructing homes with a minimal ecological footprint.

Talbot’s passive house made international headlines in the summer of 2023, B.C.’s worst wildfire season on record. The fires forced Todd, Rabecca and their kids to evacuate and halt production of the series. Nearly all the passive house elements were completed, with the exception of the stone wool insulation and non combustible cladding on the underbelly of the structure. When Todd and Rabecca were allowed back to the site a month later to survey the damage, the pile of insulation was the only thing that was not destroyed. From its inspiring inception to its tragic conclusion, the series documents Talbot’s ambitious home project, including how he discovered via CNN that his family’s passive house was lost to the blaze.

“My wife Rabecca and I spent over four years documenting the construction of our family’s A-frame passive house, sharing our insights on sustainable and resilient building practices,” says Todd Talbot. “Our project’s devastating ending inspired us to keep filming so we could emphasize the powerful impact of B.C.’s wildfires. We’re now finally ready to share the ups and downs of our journey with Cottage Life viewers.”

Passive house buildings are widely hailed as the future of home construction, celebrated for their health benefits and energy efficiency. Yet, a lesser-known advantage is their heightened resilience to wildfires. Todd Talbot’s passive house project underscores the urgent need to build sustainable, resilient homes to combat the devastating effects of the climate crisis.

Todd Talbot Builds: The Passive House Project is produced by Infinity Films. Shel Piercy and Todd Talbot serve as Producers, with Piercy directing. Theresa Piercy is the Series Producer, with a team of cinematographers documenting the incredible build over its three-year filming process. Judd Bakken and Robert Lawrenson are the Editors, with original music by Jeff Griffiths and Chris King.

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Métis/Cree filmmaker Barbara Todd Hager to adapt award-winning book “On Savage Shores” by UK author Caroline Dodds Pennock

From a media release:

Indigenous-owned production company Acimow Media has optioned the award-winning book On Savage Shores (Knopf) by the UK author and historian Caroline Dodds Pennock (pictured above right).

In On Savage Shores, Pennock brings to light the stories of countless Indigenous people from the Americas—Aztec, Maya, Totonacs, Inuit, Iroquois, and others—who were taken to Europe against their will as slaves, household servants, performers, translators, and religious converts following the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492 and continuing until the early 20th century. Many of the abducted Indigenous people died in Europe, while some survived but were permanently removed from their families, communities, and cultural traditions. In some rare cases, Indigenous abductees would marry in Europe and become powerful members of their new communities.

Acimow Media is developing Pennock’s book into a three-part docu-drama series called On Distant Shores, which will focus on the stories of three explorers and the Indigenous people they abducted: Christopher Columbus and Diego; Jacque Cartier and Taignoagny and Domagaya; and Sir Walter Raleigh and Wanchese and Manteo. Each episode of the series will focus on the histories that took place in these European countries—Spain, France, and England.

“I am thrilled to be working with Barbara Hager to bring these important and often overlooked Indigenous histories to a wider audience,” said Pennock. “The lives of Native travellers—diplomats, explorers, ‘curiosities’, enslaved people and many others—so rarely form part of the popular imagination. Acimow Media, an Indigenous-owned and focused production company, is the perfect partner to change that, and to communicate how and why these histories matter.”

In addition to her writing career, Pennock is also a senior lecturer in international history at the University of Sheffield. She has appeared on history series for the BBC, Netflix, and the Science Channel, and has written for BBC History Magazine, History Today, and Scientific American.

“When I first read Caroline Dodds Pennock’s book that recounts dozens of real-life stories of Indigenous people who were taken to Europe after 1492, I knew I wanted to make a documentary series about this important post-contact history,” said Hager (pictured above left). “Dr. Pennock’s brilliant book brings to life the harrowing and heartbreaking experiences of Indigenous people from every part of the Americas who were taken from their families and communities, against their will, by such celebrated explorers as Christopher Columbus, Walter Raliegh, Jacques Cartier, and others.”

Métis/Cree producer Barbara Todd Hager is a Canadian filmmaker who has directed four documentary series and five one-off documentaries to her credit, including the award-winning docu-drama series, 1491: The Untold Story of the Americas Before Columbus (APTN, ZDFE) based on the best-selling book 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann.

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