Tag Archives: Blue Ant Media

Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Preview: T+E’s Paranormal Night Shift tells tales of job site bumps in the night

I can always count on the fine folks at Blue Ant Media to come through with spooky new Halloween programming. Following on the heels of Hotel Paranormal, Scariest Night of My Life and Paranormal Survivor is a brand-new Canadian original.

Paranormal Night Shift, bowing Saturday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on T+E, tracks down tales of folks working late at night when they have otherworldly experiences. Produced by Bristow Global Media, the first of 13 upcoming instalments introduces viewers to Tim, a late-night radio DJ and producer working in the American Midwest. It was only his first night when Tim experiences weird things like giggles, thumps on the studio door, footsteps above him and visions of a child in the shadows. Then things get really scary.

Then it’s Heather’s turn. Heather, who was the former owner of The Looking Glass in Toronto, had heard the rumours the property was haunted but dismissed them. Heather picked up on a strange vibe almost right away and was in the building just after 2 a.m. when the heating and cooling system started knocking. Footsteps followed and Heather investigated. What greeted her drove Heather out of the business.

Featuring first-hand accounts, paranormal expert interviews and dramatic recreations, my only complaint isn’t the shaky camera work, fake security camera footage or jump-scare audio cuts on Paranormal Night Shift. Those are part of the haunted documentary genre, so I expect them. No, it’s the narrator’s faux whisper. Every time he spoke, I was pulled out of the story. It’s a shame the producers didn’t just have him speak normally because it really is distracting.

Paranormal Night Shift airs as part of T+E’s Creep Week lineup, that includes fellow new series My Paranormal Nightmare: Be Very Afraid and Paranormal Captured, along with marathons of Paranormal Caught on Camera, Haunted Hospitals and Hotel Paranormal.

Paranormal Night Shift airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on T+E.

Image courtesy of Blue Ant Media.

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Canada's Drag Race

Canada’s Drag Race premieres Thursday, July 2, only on Crave

From a media release:

As Canada prepares to honour one of the world’s most iconic queens on Victoria Day, Crave announces the cast of its majestic inaugural season of CANADA’S DRAG RACE. Season 1 of the Crave Original Series promises to have viewers clutching their royal pearls as 12 of the fiercest queens in the land showcase their Canadian Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent to compete to become Canada’s First Drag Superstar, and win the $100,000 grand prize.

Crave also announced today that in celebration of Canada Day, the herstorical first season premieres Thursday, July 2 only on Crave. New episodes roll out weekly, Thursday nights on Crave’s TV channel, Crave.ca, and the Crave app.

With Snatch Game, Rumail, the reading challenge, puppets, makeovers, and gag-worthy untucked sessions, CANADA’S DRAG RACE serves up fan-favourites from RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE, but with a dash of maple-flavoured Canadian realness. Each episode tests the queens’ talents, and challenges them to master singing, dancing, acting, impersonation, costume making, and improvisation. One competitor sashays away at the end of each episode, until the last queen standing is announced the inaugural winner. Throughout this journey, the queens share their personal struggles and successes, highlighting their individuality.

As previously announced, presiding over each of the 10 episodes is a panel of expert judges – Brooke Lynn Hytes, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, and Stacey McKenzie – while ETALK Senior Correspondent Traci Melchor is Canada’s very first Squirrel Friend, making appearances throughout the season and adding her trademark fabulousness to the werkroom, challenges, and the main stage. Weekly celebrity guest hosts also join the panel, and will be announced in the coming weeks.

As previously announced, Crave and OUTtv formed an unprecedented partnership that extends the reach of international television phenomenon, RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE in Canada. This partnership includes the new Crave Original Series, CANADA’S DRAG RACE, the first-ever Canadian adaptation of the show, and all past seasons of RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE, currently available on Crave.

In association with Crave, CANADA’S DRAG RACE is produced by Blue Ant Studios. Executive producers for World of Wonder are Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, and Tom Campbell. RuPaul serves as Executive Producer. Executive producers for Blue Ant Studios are Michael Kot, Laura Michalchyshyn, Mike Bickerton, and Betty Orr.

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Preview: Dan Aykroyd hosts spooky goings-on in Hotel Paranormal

Dan Aykroyd is no stranger to the paranormal. In addition to hosting PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal—tales inspired by the paranormal investigations of the Office of Scientific Investigation and Research—for 88 episodes, Aykroyd’s great-grandfather was a spiritualist who held séances and his father published a book called A History of Ghosts.

So it’s not a shock, really, that Aykroyd was tagged to narrate T+E’s latest peek into the paranormal. Debuting Friday, May 15, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on T+E, Hotel Paranormal retraces the terrifying, true stories of those who have come face-to-face with otherworldly hotel guests.

“Millions check into hotels each year,” Aykroyd states in the opening credits. “Some check into another dimension.” In Friday’s debut instalment—the first of 10 episodes—we’re introduced to “Paranormal Predator,” three stories of scares from around the world.

Paranormal experts complement the stories told by witnesses, offering suggestions and clues as to what—and why—spookiness is going on. Many believe the fact hotel rooms, which see thousands of guests, are the perfect places to house spirits. I’m not sure I believe in the supernatural, but I do have my own odd tale. Years ago, I spent several nights in a B&B outside Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Built in 1812, the property had served as a field hospital during the Battle of Gettysburg. From the moment I entered the room I was staying in, I felt out of sorts and two nights of sleeplessness followed. Nothing grabbed at me or moved stuff around, but something was going on in that room.

But back to Hotel Paranormal.

In 2017, travelling repo man Frank spent the night in a low-budget Texas motel boasting five decades of service. But instead of respite, Room 38 oozed unease from the get-go. What began as the phone receiver hopping out of its cradle and a plastic cup sliding across a bedside table was enough to send Frank scrambling for the door. Luckily for us, Frank recorded what happened in Room 38 with his cell phone and it’s shown. Sadly, much of the evidence could be dismissed as Frank moving those items himself.

Also included in Friday’s debut is the 2014 account of American high school students unleashing ancient evil in an Italian guest house, and something unseen attacking news reporter Patricia Stark in a New England B&B in 2014.

If you’re a fan of this type of programming, as I am, you’re going to love Hotel Paranormal, particularly thanks to the stories told, accented by Arkroyd’s deep baritone.

Hotel Paranormal airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on T+E.

Images courtesy of Blue Ant Media.

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

T+E’s haunting new original series Hotel Paranormal debuts May 15

From a media release:

T+E’s new original 10-part documentary series Hotel Paranormal (10×60’), produced by Toronto-based Saloon Media, a Blue Ant Studios company, follows the terrifying, true stories of those who have come face-to-face with otherworldly hotel guests. Narrated by Canadian icon, Dan Aykroyd, who is no stranger to the unexplained, each episode features spine-tingling stories of paranormal encounters told from stays at grand hotels, highway motels and short-term rentals around the world. From hotel workers and guests witnessing objects flying across the room to uncovering trapped ancient spirits and experiencing demonic possession, Hotel Paranormal brings to life terrifying encounters with dramatic recreations and paranormal expert insights. The world broadcast premiere of Hotel Paranormal airs Friday, May 15 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, exclusively on T+E.

Hotel Paranormal reminds audiences they are never truly alone when staying in a hotel. Every year, millions of people spend the night in an unfamiliar space and most are unaware that hotels could hold dark secrets connected to a tragic past. Get shivers as guests and staff alike recall their bone-chilling revelations as they detail their unexplained encounters with the paranormal.

Hotel Paranormal airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/PT, starting May 15, 2020, exclusively on T+E. The channel recently extended its nationwide free preview on Rogers running now until June 1st.

The first two episodes include:

  • Episode 1 – Paranormal Predator
    May 15 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

The series opener gives viewers a terrifying taste of what is in store when they check into Hotel Paranormal. A demonic spirit takes possession of a travelling businessman in a Texas motel, a dark force is unleashed by high school students in an Italian guest house and an evil entity attacks a news reporter in a New England B&B.

  • Episode 2 -  A Dark History
    May 22 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

In this episode, poltergeist activity plagues the staff and guests in a historic Minnesota hotel. We then travel to Alabama where a young chef endures the violent assaults of a former guest seeking vengeance. Across the pond in the UK, a little boy falls ill after a predatory phantom pays an unwanted visit during a family vacation.

Hotel Paranormal is an original Canadian series produced by Saloon Media, a Blue Ant Studios company. Sarah Zammit is the Series Producer. Michael Kot and Betty Orr serve as Executive Producers. Dave Tebby and Mick Grogan are Directors and Josh Pelham is the Co-Director.

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Hope For Wildlife warms hearts and homes with its 10th season on Cottage Life

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From a media release:

The highly-anticipated 10th season of Hope for Wildlife (10×60’) offers Canadians the perfect indoor distraction during self-isolation, with heart-warming stories, tears and plenty of happy endings. Cottage Life’s fan-favourite program follows nature advocate Hope Swinimer and her team as they rescue animals at her Halifax-based wildlife refuge and release them back into the wild. The world broadcast premiere of Hope For Wildlife airs Friday, April 24 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Cottage Life, during the channel’s nationwide free preview event running until May 3 across 10 million Canadian households.

When wildlife collides with the human world, Hope and her team spring into action to restore the natural order. In this brand new season, there are more animals than ever – seals, beavers, foxes, fawns, eagles and owls. Hope battles government red tape to save a black bear and a Category 2 hurricane slams straight into Hope For Wildlife, putting hundreds of wild lives in danger.

The first two episodes include:

  • Episode 1 – Frozen Hope
    April 24 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
    The rehab is flooded with orphaned seals and surrounded by solid ice following a brutal bone-chilling winter, providing an additional challenge to the team. Then, a Mountie saves a beaver, with Hope’s help, in what could be the most Canadian wildlife rescue ever. 

  • Episode 2 – Lila The Bear
    May 1 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
    When an orphaned black bear cub needs help, Hope puts everything on the line to save it and two bobcats are ready for release, but they don’t leave easily.

Hope For Wildlife is a Cottage Life original series, produced by Arcadia Entertainment. Overseeing the series for Cottage Life is Sam Linton, Head of Original Content for Blue Ant Media. Blue Ant International oversees international licensing for Hope For Wildlife.

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