Tag Archives: Anthony Q. Farrell

Shhh Happens: New CTV original comedy Shelved premieres March 6 on CTV

From a media release:

Stacks of laughs are ahead as new CTV Original comedy SHELVED joins the network’s midseason schedule, airing Mondays at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app beginning March 6. Created and executive produced by Playback magazine’s 2021 Showrunner of the Year recipient Anthony Q. Farrell (THE OFFICE), SHELVED follows the eclectic staff and eccentric patrons in the underfunded Jameson branch of the Metropolitan Public Library. Filmed in Toronto, the first season of the single-camera comedy consists of eight half-hour episodes.

In SHELVED, Jameson Library has seen better days. While it’s often overlooked by head office, Wendy Yarmouth (Lyndie Greenwood, THE EXPANSE), the Branch Head, is constantly aiming to provide services for the community despite bureaucracy, underfunding, and a lack of resources. Alongside her unconventional staff, including Junior Librarian Jacqueline “Jaq” Bedard (Dakota Ray Hebert, Run Woman Run), Librarian Howard Tutt (Chris Sandiford, WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS), and Senior Librarian and Assistant Branch Head Bryce deLaurel (Paul Braunstein, BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW) – who all have differing opinions on how to run the library – Wendy finds a way to give back to her community and create a “found family.”

Joining the cast in supporting roles are Robin Duke (SCHITT’S CREEK) as Wendy “Unhoused Wendy” Brown, a regular library patron and self-described “wackadoo”; Taylor Love (MOST DANGEROUS GAME) as Sheila Boyd, a caring community leader and law student working part time at the Settlement Desk; and Varun Saranga (WYNNONA EARP) as Alvin Canada, an entrepreneur and freelance business consultant, who uses the library study room as his office, much to the irritation of the other patrons.

On the series premiere of SHELVED, titled “Jane Eyre FICTION BRO” (Monday, March 6 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app), replacement computers arrive for the Jameson Library, but Branch Head Wendy Yarmouth (Lyndie Greenwood) is upset that they got old hand-me-downs. She launches a plan to get her library the computers it deserves. Meanwhile, Howard Tutt (Chris Sandiford) arrives at Jameson and is shaken to find it falls far below his expectations – including the staff, consisting of Assistant Branch Head Bryce (Paul Braunstein) and Junior Librarian Jaq (Dakota Ray Hebert). When Howard gives Wendy an important piece of information, he inadvertently seals his fate at Jameson.

Exclusive videos are available throughout the season on @CTV’s social channels and on CTV.ca and the CTV app, providing viewers with an extension of the series with bonus digital content.

Alongside Anthony Q. Farrell, SHELVED is executive produced by Dan Bennett, Shane Corkery, and Anton Leo of Counterfeit Pictures. Jay Vaidya serves as co-executive producer, Sadiya Durrani as co-producer, and Colin Brunton produces. Aleysa Young (THE KIDS IN THE HALL, RUN THE BURBS) serves as executive producer and pilot director. Additional directors for SHELVED’s first season include Cory Bowles, Joyce Wong, Cazhhmere Downey, and Samantha MacAdam.

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New CTV original comedy Shelved announces Lyndie Greenwood, Chris Sandiford, Dakota Ray Hebert and Paul Braunstein as series leads

From a media release:

CTV, together with award-winning independent production company Counterfeit Pictures, announced today the cast joining the new original comedy series, SHELVED. Created by Playback Magazine’s 2021 Showrunner of the Year recipient Anthony Q. Farrell (THE OFFICE), Lyndie Greenwood (THE EXPANSE), Chris Sandiford (WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS), Dakota Ray Hebert (Run Woman Run), and Paul Braunstein (BARONESS VON SKETCH) are confirmed to lead the cast of the eight-episode, half-hour series. With production currently underway in Toronto, Taylor Love (MOST DANGEROUS GAME), Varun Saranga (WYNNONA EARP), and Robin Duke (SCHITT’S CREEK) round out the ensemble cast.

Executive produced by Farrell, SHELVED is a single-camera workplace comedy centred around the lives of the employees and patrons at the Jameson Public Library in Parkdale as they go about their lives in this unassuming yet extraordinary place. Greenwood stars in SHELVED as Wendy, Head of the Jameson Branch. Wendy is an energetic dreamer who always sees the best in people and cares passionately about her library and the community of Parkdale. The staff at Jameson Public Library also includes the fastidious and judgmental Howard (Sandiford), who begrudgingly joins the team after getting transferred from the prestigious Midtown branch; social rights activist Jaq (Hebert), who is obsessed with dystopian Young Adult novels and calling out micro-aggressions; and Assistant Branch Head, Bryce (Braunstein), a conservative devoted to conspiracy theories and following the letter of library law.

Lyndie Greenwood
Lyndie Greenwood has appeared in several regular and reoccurring roles for television including THE EXPANSE, S.W.A.T., STAR, SLEEPY HOLLOW, and NIKITA. Greenwood’s feature film roles include The World Without You, Cut To The Chase, and This Movie Is Broken. Greenwood is repped by Management 360.

Chris Sandiford
Chris Sandiford is an actor and comedian whose television credits include multiple seasons of Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi’s WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS for FX, GHOSTS, CAVENDISH, TALLBOYZ, and the recent Netflix series GOD’S FAVORITE IDIOT. Sandiford was also recently seen in the feature Moonfall. He is repped by A3 Artists Agency and Play Management.

Dakota Ray Hebert
Dakota Ray Hebert is an actress and comic who recently starred in the award-winning feature film Run Woman Run, for which she won the Best Actress Award at last years’ American Indian Film Festival and the Vancouver Film Festival. Her first televised stand-up set will be on the upcoming COMEDY NIGHT WITH RICK MERCER. She is repped by Oscar, Abrams, Zimel, & Associates.

Paul Braunstein
Paul Braunstein is a familiar face from Canadian film and television whose TV credits include BARONESS VON SKETCH, BURDEN OF TRUTH, MURDOCH MYSTERIES, and OCTOBER FACTION. He is repped by The Characters.

Alongside Farrell, SHELVED is executive produced by Dan Bennett, Shane Corkery, and Anton Leo of Counterfeit Pictures. Jay Vaidya serves as co-executive producer, Sadiya Durrani as co-producer, and Colin Brunton produces. Aleysa Young (THE KIDS IN THE HALL, RUN THE BURBS) serves as executive producer and pilot director. Additional directors for SHELVED’s first season include Cory Bowles, Joyce Wong, Cazhhmere, and Samantha MacAdam.

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WGC Screenwriting Awards 2022 winners announced

From a media release:

In a funny, lively virtual ceremony held this evening, host Nile Séguin announced the winners of the 26th annual Writers Guild of Canada Screenwriting Awards.

Some winners of 2022’s top prizes include Bilal Baig & Fab Filippo (Sort Of), Michael McGowan (All My Puny Sorrows), Tassie Cameron & Sherry White (Pretty Hard Cases), and Amanda Joy (The Parker Andersons I Amelia Parker).

Special awards were also presented to Carolyn Saunders, winner of the Sondra Kelly Award, and Matt Huether, who was awarded the Alex Barris Mentorship Award. Anthony Q. Farrell, creator and showrunner of Overlord and the Underwoods and The Parker Andersons I Amelia Parker, received the night’s final prize, the Showrunner Award. The Denis McGrath Award for Service to the WGC was also presented to Michael Amo, who has served the Guild for the past 12 years as a member of Council, representing the Atlantic region.

Please see below for the complete list of winning scripts and screenwriters.

The 27th Annual WGC Screenwriting Awards are now being planned and hopefully, we will be celebrating live once again. In the meantime, 2022’s presentation will be posted to the WGC YouTube Channel.

A digital program, listing all nominations, nominees and special awards winners, is also available here for download.

2022 WGC SCREENWRITING AWARDS WINNERS

CHILDREN’S
Odd Squad Mobile Unit, “H2 Oh No” I Written by Lakna Edilima

COMEDY SERIES
Sort Of, “Sort of Gone” I Written by Bilal Baig & Fab Filippo

DRAMA SERIES
Pretty Hard Cases, “Bananas” I Written by Tassie Cameron & Sherry White

FEATURE FILM
All My Puny Sorrows I Written by Michael McGowan

MOW & MINISERIES
As Gouda As It Gets I Written by James Phillips

PRESCHOOL
Elinor Wonders Why, “Olive’s Tree” I Written by Michael Foulke

SHORTS & WEBSERIES
My Pride: The Series “Fire” I Written by Maddi Patton

TWEENS & TEENS
The Parker Andersons I Amelia Parker, “Joy” I Written by Amanda Joy

SONDRA KELLY AWARD
Carolyn Saunders

ALEX BARRIS MENTORSHIP AWARD
Matt Huether

DENIS MCGRATH AWARD FOR SERVICE TO THE WGC
Michael Amo

SHOWRUNNER AWARD
Anthony Q. Farrell

ABOUT THE WGC
The Writers Guild of Canada represents more than 2,500 professional English-language screenwriters across Canada, the creators of Canadian entertainment enjoyed on all screens. WGC.ca @WGCtweet

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Exclusive first look at the new trailer for CBC Gem’s Overlord and the Underwoods

Premiering on October 29th on CBC Gem, Overlord and the Underwoods is going to be the next big hit in family television. It has a stellar comedic tone, features a diverse and wickedly talented cast, and is truly unlike anything else on the TV right now.

We’re thrilled to be the very first to exclusively share the new trailer – take a look!

The show follows the Underwoods, a North American family, whose life is turned upside down when their distant cousin, Overlord, the second most-wanted villain in the universe, seeks refuge in their home after being forced into intergalactic witness protection. After snitching out his boss, the evil Colossatrotus, Overlord is sent to live with his incredibly nice, only known family on Planet Earth.

Over the course of the series, the evil Overlord and the very sweet Underwoods discover a thing or two about each other as they learn to treasure the value of family and the importance of true friendship, diversity, and compassion.

The show stars Patrice Goodman, Darryl Hinds, Ari Resnick, Kamaia Fairburn, Jayne Eastwood, introducing Troy Feldman, and award-winning Canadian icon Jann Arden as the voice of “RO-FL”.

The first 10 episodes drop on CBC Gem next Friday, October 29. The remaining episodes will premiere in early 2022.

Produced by marblemedia and CloudCo Entertainment, this original live-action comedy comes from award-winning Canadian writer/director/showrunner and co-creator Anthony Q. Farrell (NBC’s The Office) and co-creator Ryan Wiesbrock (Buddy Thunderstruck, Holly Hobbie).

Academy Award™ winner FX specialist Roger Christian, who brought you some of your favourite FX masterpieces from “Alien” and “Star Wars”, created the character design for this series.

Can’t wait for this one!

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New family comedy Overlord and the Underwoods to premiere Halloween weekend on CBC Gem

From a media release:

OVERLORD AND THE UNDERWOODS (20×30), an original live action, single-camera family comedy from award-winning Canadian writer Anthony Q. Farrell (NBC’s The Office, CBBC’s Secret Life of Boys) and co-creator Ryan Wiesbrock (Buddy Thunderstruck, Holly Hobbie), will land on CBC Gem on Halloween weekend. The series will premiere in two parts on CBC Gem, with the first 10 episodes all available to stream beginning Friday, October 29, and the remaining episodes in Winter 2022.

Produced by marblemedia and Cloudco Entertainment and filmed in Southern Ontario, the series features an ensemble cast including Patrice Goodman (Slasher, Sunnyside), Darryl Hinds (Second City, Little Mosque on the Prairie), Ari Resnick (Odd Squad, Clearwater Kids), Kamaia Fairburn (Endlings, Starfalls), Jayne Eastwood (Hey Lady!), Troy Feldman (Lord of the Rings musical) as “Overlord” and award-winning Canadian icon Jann Arden as the voice of “R0-FL” — a droid that has spent most of her life by Overlord’s side.

OVERLORD AND THE UNDERWOODS follows the Underwoods, a North American family, whose life is turned upside down when their distant cousin, Overlord, the second most-wanted villain in the universe, seeks refuge in their home after being forced into intergalactic witness protection. After snitching out his boss, the evil Colossatrotus, Overlord is sent to live with his incredibly nice, only known family on Planet Earth. Over the course of the series, the evil Overlord and the very sweet Underwoods discover a thing or two about each other as they learn to treasure the value of family and the importance of true friendship, diversity, and compassion.

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