The Making of Blackstone, APTN
Get a behind the scenes perspective from those who create Blackstone. This one-off documentary is an intimate showcase of the writer, director, and executive producer Ron E. Scott, along with the cast and crew. From the writing, to visual style, to characters and unique on set Aboriginal culture, experience the authenticity of the people that make this award-winning series happen.
Still Life, CBC
CBC Television presents an engaging two-hour crime mystery of murder in a small town with the all-new made for television movie STILL LIFE: A THREE PINES MYSTERY, airing Sunday, September 15 at 8 p.m. ET (8:30 NT). Based on Canadian author Louise Penny’s international best-selling novel, STILL LIFE focuses on a picturesque small town that becomes unraveled after a beloved community member is found dead and the investigation into her death reveals layers of deceit, rage and long-simmering resentment.
Nestled in Quebec’s beautiful Eastern Townships, the village of Three Pines basks in the tranquil glory of its autumn colours, sitting as a quiet refuge from fast-paced city life. But the blazing woods conceal a dark secret, as the lifeless body of much-loved school teacher Jane Neal is discovered, with an arrow shot straight through her heart, leaving the community to wonder – was this a tragic hunting accident or a devious murder? STILL LIFE stars Nathaniel Parker as “Chief Inspector Armand Gamacheâ€, Anthony Lemke as “Inspector Jean-Guy Beauvoirâ€, Kate Hewlett as “Clara Morrow†and Gabriel Hogan as “Peter Morrowâ€.
From a media release:
Cody Simpson Announced as Special Guest Performer at YTV’s The Next Star Season 6 Finale
During tonight’s episode of YTV’s The Next Star, it was revealed that Australian pop singing sensation Cody Simpson will be performing during the season finale broadcast live from Canada’s Wonderland on Sunday, September 22 at 7 p.m. ET/PT. Additional guest performers will be announced closer to the finale date. Tickets are currently on sale at http://nextstar.ytv.com/
An inaugural Pre-show will air prior to the finale at 6:30 p.m. ET/PT, hosted by web host Mark “Suki” Suknanan. The half-hour show will feature interviews with the Top 6 finalists, Kat, Dante, Alicia, Jaden, Paige and Alex, as well as special guest performance by The Next Star Season 5 winner Brooklyn Roebuck. Season 4 winner “Charlie” (Some Assembly Required) will act as roving reporter on the ground getting up close and personal with performers and fans.
Directly after the pre-show, “Suki” will be jumping back into his role as Next Star Nation web host, hosting live hits in each commercial break offering fans behind the scenes access on their second screen devices and online.
Each of the six singing hopefuls will record an original song – which will be available on iTunes on September 16 – and also star in their very own music video. The finalist who wins the title of “The Next Star” will also receive a $5000 Sears Shopping Spree, a 1 Song Recording Deal distributed through Sony Music Canada, and an Epiphone Masterbilt Guitar.
The Next Star’s judges, Keshia Chanté, Mark Spicoluk and Tara Oram will participate in the live finale festivities, which will be presided over by Season 6 host Carlos Bustamante.
Produced by leading Toronto distributor and producer Tricon Films and Television in association with YTV, The Next Star airs Mondays at 7 p.m. ET/PT.
From a media release:
COMEDY LEGEND AND AWARD-WINNING ACTRESS ANDREA MARTIN HEADLINES THE CAST OF GLOBAL’S NEW CANADIAN ORIGINAL SERIES WORKING THE ENGELS
Shaw Media and Halfire-CORE Entertainment announced today that award-winning comedy legend Andrea Martin (Pippin, SCTV, My Big Fat Greek Wedding) will star in Global Television’s new half-hour original comedy series Working the Engels. Commissioned by Shaw Media’s original content team, produced by Halfire-CORE Entertainment and written by Katie Ford (Miss Congeniality, Desperate Housewives) and Jane Ford (Listen Missy, Material World), the 12-episode series begins production in Toronto this fall.
Andrea Martin portrays Ceil (short for Celia) Engel, the overly confident matriarch of the Engel clan, who mixes both momma bear motherly love and myopic self-involvement. Direct and blunt, Ceil has an unquenchable need for attention, often accompanied by a flair for the dramatic. She’s all about her family – except when she’s all about herself.
“I am so looking forward to shooting another TV series in Canada and working with Katie and Jane Ford – I have been an admirer of theirs for years,†said Andrea Martin. “And to get to stay in Toronto for an extended period is icing on the cake. I couldn’t feel luckier or more excited. It’s going to be a great show and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.â€
A veteran of television, stage and film, Andrea Martin most recently won Tony®, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Awards for her remarkable performance in the current Broadway revival of Pippin. Her theatre credits include My Favorite Year at the Lincoln Center (Tony, Drama Desk and Theatre World Awards), Fiddler on the Roof, Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein and the legendary Toronto production of Godspell in which she co-starred with Gilda Radner and future collaborators and SCTV alumni Martin Short, Eugene Levy and Dave Thomas. On SCTV, Martin not only earned two Emmys® for her writing, but also created some of television’s most indelible sketch comedy characters including the hilarious leopard-skin clad Edith Prickley. Martin has done extensive voice work in television and film (The Simpsons, Anastasia, The Rugrats Movie) and made memorable guest appearances on hit shows such as 30 Rock and Nurse Jackie. Her film appearances include The Producers, Wag the Dog, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
“With a comedic force like Andrea Martin on board for the series, we are well on our way to establishing another hit for Global,†said Barb Williams, Senior Vice President, Content, Shaw Media. “We are ecstatic that she has signed on and have no doubt she will flawlessly bring Kate and Jane’s outrageously clever script to life.â€
“Andrea is a living legend, a consummate pro and, of course, a brilliant comedian,†said Noreen Halpern, President, Halfire-CORE Entertainment. “We’re completely thrilled to pair her extraordinary talent with this wonderful world that Katie and Jane have created. Casting Andrea is a huge coup for us which only adds to the international appeal of this series.â€
In this laugh-out-loud comedy, a family of ne’er-do-wells must band together to keep their heads above water when their father and breadwinner passes away, leaving them a mountain of debt. They all go to work running Dad’s storefront law firm, with one minor problem – daughter Jenna Engel is the only one who is actually a lawyer and qualified to practice. It’s not pretty, but it’s family.
The series is produced by Halfire-CORE Entertainment with Katie Ford, Jane Ford, Howard Busgang, Tom Nursall, and Noreen Halpern serving as Executive Producers.
From a media release:
PDM ENTERTAINMENT BEGINS PRODUCTION ON UPCOMING CBC-TV SERIES, THE BEST LAID PLANS
PDM Entertainment in association with CBC-TV is pleased to announce production of the six-part limited series THE BEST LAID PLANS, shooting in various locations in Ottawa, ON. From award-winning producers Phyllis Platt, Brian Dennis and Peter Moss the series is based on the critically acclaimed political satire novel of the same name by Terry Fallis (Stephen Leacock Prize for Humour 2008, CBC Radio Canada Reads 2011). THE BEST LAID PLANS launches in winter 2014 on CBC-TV.
The ensemble cast stars Jonas Chernick (My Awkward Sexual Adventure, The Border), Kenneth Welsh (The Day After Tomorrow), Jodi Balfour (Bomb Girls), Sarah Allen (Being Human), Mark McKinney (The Kids in the Hall: Death Comes to Town), Peter Keleghan (Murdoch Mysteries), Eric Peterson (Corner Gas), Leah Pinsent (Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town), Sonja Smits (Cybergeddon, Traders), and Barbara Gordon (Little Mosque on the Prairie).
“We are honoured and privileged to be filming in Canada’s capital. Our goal is to tell Terry Fallis’ brilliant comedic story while presenting the extraordinary architecture and environs of Canada’s capital city in a whole new light,” says PDM partner Phyllis Platt.
“It’s a thrill to see what started as words on a page, come to life on the screen,†says novelist Terry Fallis. “These fine actors have taken the characters that only existed in my mind and made them real. It’s surreal and wonderful.”
Parliament is a secret and esoteric world with its own culture, customs and language. THE BEST LAID PLANS is a rollicking journey into this cosseted world. Our guide is the earnest, hopeful, English PhD, Daniel Addison (Jonas Chernick), head speech writer for the Leader of the Opposition. When Daniel catches his girlfriend and her boss in flagrante delicto he decides to return to academia as assistant professor of English at the University of Ottawa. But you don’t just walk away from the Opposition Party — freedom has a price and in this case it’s finding a candidate in a riding 50 kilometers away and managing the campaign in the next election, scheduled in approximately eight weeks. The catch: the riding in question has voted solidly for the Government Party since Confederation and the incumbent is Eric Cameron (Peter Keleghan), the extremely popular finance minister whose plurality in the last election was over 90%.
THE BEST LAID PLANS series is written by veteran screenwriters Susan Coyne (Slings and Arrows) and Jason Sherman (The Listener) and directed by Peter Moss (Booky and the Secret Santa) and Jim Allodi (Call Me Fitz).
