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Industry News

Makeful adds a bouquet of new programming to spring lineup

From a media release:

Makeful, Blue Ant Media’s lifestyle specialty channel, is debuting two highly anticipated new original series during its four-week free preview, which begins on February 29. Dedicated to showcasing the beauty and value of creating handmade goods, Makeful’s March lineup includes two brand new series that take special occasions to the next level with creative flair and one-of-a-kind touches. Post My Party (13 x 30), a series featuring vivacious DIY event planner Lynzie Kent and Taste of the Country (13 x 30), which follows the journey of Danielle French who hosts beautiful, rustic weddings and parties at her country estate, premiere back-to-back on Sunday, March 13, at 8 p.m. ET/PT and 8:30 p.m. ET/PT respectively.

Dovetailing with the channel’s spring lineup, Makeful will treat its audiences to a stream of originally produced and inspiring short-form videos for viewing online and on Makeful TV. In all, Makeful is creating more than 100 digital shorts that will roll out in 2016, featuring DIY projects, helpful tips and profiles of Makeful TV hosts as well as talented makers from Makeful’s growing online community.

Makeful’s free preview will also give viewers the opportunity to watch new episodes of Endless Yard Sale Showdown, Holiday Makeover and Portrait Artist of the Year.

Makeful March Premieres
Post My Party (New Original Series, World Premiere) launching Sunday, March 13 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, follows event expert and DIY maven Lynzie Kent as she helps each host bring the handmade party of their dreams to life through a series of DIY projects to create memorable experiences. From a Barcelona-inspired housewarming to a Hollywood-glam engagement party, Lynzie never disappoints as she takes her clients in search of a truly unique and personalized occasion.

Taste of the Country (New Original Series, World Premiere), airing Sunday, March 13 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT,introduces viewers to Danielle French, a former real-estate professional, who followed her dream to leave the big city with her four daughters for a life in the country. Turning her passion for rural living into an event business operating right out of her farmhouse, Danielle shows viewers how she uses her home to host weddings, private parties, outdoor cookouts and unique workshops. The series will also bring audiences farm-fresh food and rustically beautiful décor, custom-created for each event by Danielle and her passionate team.

New Series and Episodes:
Holiday Makeover (New Episodes, Original Series, World Premiere) is a special six-part series celebrating special occasions throughout the year, in which one lucky person gets the help of the series’ three talented hosts, Alison, Denise and Adjoa, to create a fairytale celebration. Holiday Makeover’s Mother’s Day instalment will follow the hosts as they lend their collective expertise in crafting, baking and decorating to create special inspirational features for a Mother’s Day gathering. The episode premieres on April 17 at 7 p.m. ET/PT and repeats on Mother’s Day, May 8 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. New Holiday Makeover episodes will roll out over Father’s Day, July long weekend, Halloween and Christmas.

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Featured, Schitt's Creek

Review: Schitt’s Creek – “Milk Money”

This week, after Johnny drinks Bob’s milk he finds out it was raw milk and the cost to replace it is a lot more than pasteurized milk. He starts thinking he might get some of his own and sell it. The only problem is it’s illegal to sell raw milk in Canada and many US states.

Some of the interactions that follow over the raw milk are farcical – Johnny could easily be trying to sell drugs instead of milk. In fact, it might be easier for him to sell drugs. As Alexis points out, “it’s fast easy money and no one would suspect you.”

The issue of selling raw milk in Canada is very much on a level of selling drugs. That’s what makes this work. People in other parts of the world where raw milk is legal wouldn’t find this funny. It would seem too ridiculous; and raw milk in Canada has bordered on the ridiculous.

Meanwhile, Moira is busy campaigning for the upcoming election. When she finds out David has helped her competition (Jocelyn) pick out a new outfit, she’s not happy.

The scene where she confronts David is typical of the interaction between these two drama queens sparring. Her comment that Jocelyn’s outfit looked like it belonged on an aging airline stewardess strikes a nerve with David who says, “I told her not to wear the jacket with the skirt.”

He goes on to say that he felt very conflicted, but Moira isn’t buying it. In her droll melodramatic voice she says, “Now will you be a doll and fetch mommy a knife – you’ll find one lodged in my back.” This round goes to Moira.

I’ve come to expect great acting and great writing from this show. I wasn’t disappointed.

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Featured, The Nature of Things

The Nature of Things hunts for the elusive wolverine

Back in 2010, Andrew Manske saw something strange. The wildlife cinematographer was using motion capture equipment to photograph wolves, moose and other elusive animals in western Alberta. But what he took pictures of surprised and intrigued him: wolverines.

That discovery lead Manske on a five-year search to see a wolverine with his own eyes and study the beast, documented in Thursday’s episode of The Nature of Things, “Wolverine: Ghost of the Northern Forest.” I’ve always enjoyed The Nature of Things‘ focus on wildlife, and this is no exception. Manske’s dedication is filmed as he spends weeks hidden in a blind in winter, fingers crossed the nervous beasts will scamper in his direction. Countless bottles of urine later—he stayed put so as not to scare off the wolverines—Manske is rewarded by sighting a trio of the scavengers.

So little is known about wolverines that their population status is “unknown” in Alberta. That’s changing thanks to people like Dr. Mark Boyce and Matt Scrafford at the University of Alberta, who use live traps and GPS tagging to not only learn more about wolverine habits, but dispel some myths along the way. Far from being the loners long assumed, wolverines are a social lot. They’re also lithe and agile climbers; Manske’s stunning footage captures the shaggy animals moving gracefully in the snow, stopping to sniff the air or to rear up on hind legs to look around, their fur boasting subtle stripes and stubby tails.

Manske’s ultimate goal is to find a wolverine den and film a mother interacting with her kids. Stay tuned until the end of “Wolverine: Ghost of the Northern Forest” for that amazing scene.

The Nature of Things airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on CBC.

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Featured, Podcast

TV Eh B Cs podcast 41: Tales from the Dark Guide

Anthony quizzes Greg about his long-lost days at TV Guide Canada and TV Guide.ca, asking about the coldest and hottest places he’s done interviews, which TV series set has the best food, the challenges of writing for magazines and the web and Greg reveals the oddest interview he’s ever done.

Listen or download below, or subscribe via iTunes or any other podcast catcher with the TV, eh? podcast feed.

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Link: Wolverine Documentary: A CBC-TV First

1 Comment

From Jim Bawden:

Wolverine Documentary: A CBC-TV First
I freely admit I knew next to nothing about wolverines.

And then I watched the preview tape of CBC-TV’s Nature Of Things documentary: Wolverine: Ghosts Of The Northern Forest. For the very first time anywhere wolverines are shown in their native habitat and these are not the quick, blurred  shots usually glimpsed in other documentaries. Continue reading. 

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