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TV,eh? What's up in Canadian television
Industry News

Creators of Hit Epic Meal Time Make the Jump to CBC

From a media release:

The Canadian Film Centre (CFC) is pleased to announce that Elebrity, a series by Montreal-based production company NextTime Productions and creators behind thesmash hit YouTube series Epic Meal Time, has been picked up for a development deal with the CBC. This deal was made possible through the inaugural Jumping Screens Comedy Workshop, Canada’s first-ever enhanced pre-development lab for online creators who want to migrate their talents to television and other screens. NextTime Productions will co-develop the series with Toronto-based independent content production company Aircraft Pictures, the official production partner of the program.

Elebrity explores the notion of becoming a celebrity overnight. It follows Herschel Bock, an eternal slacker, as he attempts to navigate his newfound celebrity status in the digital influencer world or risk losing it all to return to his regular life.

Brothers Darren and Harley Morenstein co-founded NextTime Productions in 2011. Since then, the production company has created and produced several web series, three YouTube channels and two cookbooks, and has amassed more than 7 million subscribers. Their flagship show, Epic Meal Time, has grown to be the number one online cooking show in the world.

NextTime Productions was selected for a TVseries deal out of three YouTubers/YouTube teams who participated in the inaugural Jumping Screens Comedy Workshop, including singer/songwriter and comedian Mikey Bustos, and the award-winning web series Convos With My 2-Year-Old, from creator and star Matthew Clarke and fellow star David Milchard. Mikey Bustos and the team behind Convos With My 2-Year-Old are currently pursuing various opportunities to develop their respective TVseries concepts developed through the Workshop with Aircraft Pictures.

The Jumping Screens Comedy Workshop was a five-month part-time program created by CFC Media Lab, in collaboration with the CBC and Aircraft Pictures, which experimented with a novel approach to series creation. From June to November 2015, the Workshop offered the three aforementioned digital creative teams the opportunity to refine their writing, story structure and characterization skills, and gain valuable experience navigating the Canadian entertainment ecosystem under the mentorship of CBC creative executives, the CFC Media Lab and its mentors, and the experts at Aircraft Pictures. The three YouTube teams debuted their individual series concepts at a VIP screening and reception in late November 2015.

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Uncategorized

Link: Is TV Becoming A Drag?

From Jim Bawden:

Is TV Becoming A Drag?
Is it just me or has TV become a drag? No, I’m perfectly serious about this after sampling the new series Delmer & Marta.

I mean every week I’m watching Mrs. Brown’s Boys (starring Brendan O’Connor) on BBC Canada. And there’s Dame Edna from times back who keeps making farewell tours.

And now it’s APTN’s Delmer & Marta which premieres Wednesday night at 10 p.m. Continue reading. 

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Link: I, Pedophile dares to empathize

From Martin Knelman of the Toronto Star:

I, Pedophile dares to empathize
Matthew Campea knew it wouldn’t be easy to persuade viewers to welcome pedophiles into their living rooms. Yet I, Pedophile is so riveting and enlightening, you can’t stop watching it. It premieres Thursday at 9 p.m. on CBC’s doc series Firsthand.

Camp’s goal, bound to be controversial, was to bring empathy to troubled men who rarely get any. Continue reading. 

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Uncategorized

Link: ‘SCTV’ 40th Anniversary Special May Happen, Says Eugene Levy

From Michael Malone of Broadcasting & Cable:

‘SCTV’ 40th Anniversary Special May Happen, Says Eugene Levy
With its 40th anniversary approaching, legendary sketch comedy show SCTV may be getting the reunion treatment, as Saturday Night Live did a year ago. Eugene Levy, an original cast member, says he’s been in talks with other SCTV principals about marking the milestone in style. Continue reading.

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Featured, Schitt's Creek

Review: Schitt’s Creek – “Ronnie’s Party” – Game on!

“Those two are not as simple minded as we thought.” This was Moira to Johnny after Roland and Jocelyn brought them “table scraps” from the party they hosted to raise support and funding for Jocelyn’s campaign.

Moira will not be outdone by the likes of them. She asks Ronnie if she will support her, saying, “I want you to put your weight behind me – your political weight…(awkward pause)…I now realize ‘clout’ was the word I was looking for.” It might not seem funny when you read it, but watching Moira is very funny. It’s all in the delivery. There are great lines in this show, but the delivery is what makes it.

Ronnie agrees to host a party and tells Moira she has a chance to get a key demographic on her side. For most of the evening Moira assumed the demographic was “women without husbands.” She finds out just before giving her campaign speech that the demographic is entrepreneurs. Watching her replace the word “lesbian” with “business” from her speech is entertaining.

Meanwhile, David gets stuck babysitting his boss’ stepdaughter. We see him outside the motel walking towards the office to talk to Stevie about it. He’s wearing black pants with big pink flowers. Not something you see every day. In the last episode he was wearing white gloves at work, much like someone working with priceless art would wear. It’s attention to details like these that paint a picture of the character. Subtle and brilliant.

Alexis has also joined the working force. Her start at the vet clinic was a bit rocky, but in the end she did manage to contribute. It seems that all of the Roses are stepping out and taking part in their new community.

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