From a media release:

Farpoint Films and Peace Point Entertainment announce
start of production on ESCAPE OR DIE! with DEAN GUNNARSON
in partnership with OLN

Farpoint Films and Peace Point Entertainment announced today the start of production on new original series, Escape Or Die!, for OLN. The 12-episode, half-hour, OLN original series documents the world’s greatest escape artist Dean Gunnarson and will premiere on OLN in the spring of 2015. Production begins today. Peace Point Rights will handle international distribution of the series.

Each episode will lift the curtain and show Dean Gunnarson, the modern day Harry Houdini, preparing with his trusted team for a real escape that he will perform at the end of each show in a major metropolitan center across the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, Asia, and more.

“I have spent my life travelling around the world, attempting hundreds of death defying escapes for international audiences and loving every second of it. Now I have the chance to give a behind-the-scenes peek at how I prepare, and the reality of the dangers of the escape,” said Dean Gunnarson.

“We are very happy to partner with Peace Point Entertainment and OLN to show the world the man behind the upside-down-straitjacket-hanging-from-a-burning-rope escape artist,” said Kyle Bornais of Farpoint Films.

“Dean’s world of massive-scale events makes for an epic documentary series and we couldn’t be happier to be working with our friends at OLN and Farpoint to bring this series to television markets the world over,” said Les Tomlin, President & Executive Producer of Peace Point Entertainment.

“Dean is a world-class escape artist with a relatable and dynamic personality that perfectly fits the “outrageous characters – real life” mandate of OLN,” said Nataline Rodrigues, Director of Original Programming, Rogers. “We are thrilled to be following Dean on his epic adventures and bringing his death defying escapes to OLN audiences across the country.”

The Escape or Die! creative team includes Showrunner Sharon Lewis (Buying and Selling), Senior Story Editors Chris Charney (The Illegal Eater) of Farpoint Films and Vallery Hyduk (Superbodies) of Peace Point Entertainment, Director John Barnard (The Sheepdogs Have At It) of Farpoint Films, Producers Scott R. Leary (The Illegal Eater) of Farpoint Films and Julie Chang (Sanctuary) of Peace Point Entertainment, and Executive Producers Kyle Bornais (The Illegal Eater) of Farpoint Films and Les Tomlin President and Executive Producer Peace Point Entertainment. Marni Goldman is Production Executive for Original Programming, Rogers Media.

ABOUT DEAN GUNNARSON
Dean Gunnarson has achieved new heights as an escape artist. Whether he is dangling by his toes from a trapeze bar 726 feet over Hoover Dam in Las Vegas or opening for legendary bands like Aerosmith; Dean is always setting new records. He has successfully conquered many challenges and obstacles by taking his daring escapes to incredible limits. When Dean was honoured as the first recipient of the Houdini Award on the Magic Stars television show in Tokyo, Japan, it officially recognized what the world has known for many years, Dean is the “World’s Greatest Escape Artist!”

From a media release:

– 25 communities from across Canada set to receive hockey-themed festivities and outdoor viewing parties, beginning with London, ON, October 11 & 12 –

– Live Sunday broadcasts from Sportsnet Mobile Studio to feature local NHL player profiles and grassroots stories each week, hosted by MacLean –

– Sunday night broadcasts culminate with NHL national game each week on City –

This hockey season, Canadians across the country will get to experience the game they love with the ones they love, along with one of Canada’s favourites – Ron MacLean – as Rogers today unveiled the 25 communities that will be part of the inaugural Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour presented by Scotiabank and Dodge.

Each week during the 2014/15 NHL season, the Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour will roll into a different community across the country with a weekend of free outdoor hockey festivities for all ages, culminating in an outdoor viewing party of an NHL game broadcast every Sunday, with MacLean hosting live onsite from the Sportsnet Mobile Studio.

“The passion for hockey in this country is unrivaled. Every Canadian has a connection to the game – it is part of our DNA, it is part of our communities,” said MacLean. “We’re excited to share in this season-long celebration of Canada’s favourite pastime, help grow the game and bring to life those great hockey stories every Sunday.”

Each Weekend of the Tour:
Kicking off in London, ON on October 11 and 12, the Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour will bring together a community with deep hockey roots and deliver a jam-packed weekend of interactive games, activities and entertainment for the whole family, celebrating all things hockey in the heart of each town.

Rogers Hometown Hockey – Sunday Night Broadcast

• Each Sunday– the newest national night for hockey – City will air a half-hour pre-game show hosted by Ron MacLean live from the Sportsnet Mobile Studio, leading into an NHL game broadcast. MacLean, along with other Sportsnet personalities, will also make appearances during the intermission and post-game show
• The broadcast will include interviews with celebrities, NHL alumni,  and special guests with connections to the community, including features on local NHL players and grassroots stories
• The first Rogers Hometown Hockeybroadcast will feature the Toronto Maple Leafs vs. N.Y. Rangers on Sunday, Oct. 12 at 6:30 p.m. ET/ 3:30 p.m. PT on City

From a media release:

Continuing the expansion of its primetime scripted development slate, award-winning content creator marblemedia (The Dating Guy) has announced a deal with production company OutEast Entertainment (Rogue, The Cover) to develop a scripted drama series based on the premium brand Ashley Madison.

The development deal will see both companies create a character-driven drama loosely based on the online dating site. The series is to be executive produced by Matt Hornburg, Mark Bishop,Steven Marrs, Alex Hertzberg and Noel Biderman, the CEO and Founder of Ashley Madison.

marblemedia and OutEast Entertainment are currently in pursuit of both Canadian and American writers for the project and will take the series to the marketplace as a script-to-series deal.

“Ashley Madison is a brand that offers a built-in and non-traditional audience that attracts international intrigue,” said Matt Hornburg, Co-CEO and Executive Producer, marblemedia. “Tapping into new audiences and discovering unique, complex worlds such as Ashley Madison allows us the opportunity to challenge audiences about taboo topics such as infidelity in a sophisticated and thought-provoking way.”

“Just the name Ashley Madison conjures up thrilling images and a fascinating dialogue that we know will make for an incredible dramatic series,” said Steven Marrs, President & Managing Partner of OutEast Entertainment. “We’re truly ecstatic about the opportunity to work with marblemedia as we bring Ashley Madison to life in many unexpected ways.”

“This new series is a great opportunity to challenge the traditional idea of monogamy, with the insights we’ve gained from analyzing the interactions between our more than 29 million members from around the world,” says Noel Biderman, CEO and Founder, Ashley Madison. ”We’ve become a cultural touchstone, routinely featured on major network news and referenced on hit TV shows, so having a TV series based on our business is a natural next step for us. We’re excited about this opportunity and I, personally, am looking forward to seeing our story told in this way.”

Launched in 2001 and currently hosting more than 29 million members in 41 countries, Ashley Madison has become one of the most recognized brands in the online dating space through its originating of the married dating vertical, targeting both men and women looking to have discreet affairs.

From John Doyle of the Globe and Mail:

The Trailer Park Boys are back – sublimely irreverent, honourably original TV
“There’s good news and bad news from Sunnyvale. That’s where the Trailer Park Boys live. Drinking, smoking dope, thieving and annoying Mr. Lahey. The good news is that they are back.” Continue reading.