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Newfoundland period drama series A Tippling Adventure to debut this December at Bell Canada’s Streaming Channel Fibe TV1

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From a media release:

Benjamin Noah directs this ensemble “Eastern Western” starring Andrew Ravindran (Midnight Dreamers), Rhiannon Morgan (New Woman), Paul Ewan Wilson (Frontier), Lawrence Barry (Son of a Critch), Stephen Lush (Cast No Shadow), & Kevin Hanchard (Orphan Black) as “The Drifter”. Mr. Hanchard is also reunited with Hudson & Rex star John Reardon (Bloodhounds) for this mystery yarn that includes Terry Ryan (Shoresy). Featuring a special appearance by Order of Newfoundland recipient Andy Jones (Don’t Give Up On Me Dad).

This four chapter mini-series was shot in March 2024 during an infamous record breaking snowstorm. From Benjamin Noah’s company Ark Film LTD. in association with PictureNL and in collaboration with executive producers Sarah Maher and Phong Tran. Peter Blackie & Rob Blackie (Frontier) along with Ontario based Kalkaden Productions (Kaleb Laidman and Sabrina Laidman) also serve as EP’s. The series was written by Barry Germansky (Riff Raff) & Benjamin Noah (New Woman).

This adventure series follows the exploits of a young man named Baji (Andrew Ravindran) who is shipwrecked on the shores of Newfoundland during the early 19th century.

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Featured, Industry News

Writers Guild of Canada releases latest report on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Canadian television

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From a media release:

The Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) has released a new Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Report with the latest 2023 data. For the first time since the Guild began publishing this report, the data show a decline in the number of episodes across every TV format. In addition, the series covered in this year’s report hired fewer writers than ever before. Compared with 2016, the number of WGC members working on Canadian TV decreased by 11 per cent. This decline jeopardizes the hard-fought progress made by the WGC to establish a growing pool of diverse working writers within the industry.

The report is based on data from 76 series (53 live-action and 23 animation) that were in production in 2023, in addition to the 372 series covered in the period from 2019 to 2022. It includes WGC membership and production data.

The report highlights gains made across different EDI measures:

  • The percentage of WGC diverse writers working on Canadian TV has increased steadily from 26 per cent in 2019 to 40 per cent in 2023. The increase is largely due to the higher participation of writers of colour and LGBTQ2S writers, as well as writers with disabilities and Indigenous writers, which is especially true in live-action series.
  • While 7.9 per cent of writers working on TV in 2023 have intersectional identities, 9.8 per cent of writing jobs went to this group in the same year. Racialized writers who also identify as LGBTQ2S make up 6.1 per cent of all working writers and received 7.5 per cent of writing jobs.
  • Writers with disabilities and Indigenous writers saw gains in their participation in writers rooms and writing credits. Indigenous writers increased their participation in writers rooms to 5.5 per cent and earned 5.1 per cent of writing credits. The participation of writers with disabilities increased slightly to 4 per cent in 2023. They also earned 9.3 per cent of writing credits in 2023 compared with 3.3 per cent in 2022.

New this year, the WGC is releasing a Best Practices Guide for Producers Working with Diverse Screenwriters as a companion document to the report. The guide is intended as a tool for producers seeking to hire diverse screenwriters, build strong creative partnerships, and foster working environments that are conducive to authentic storytelling.

Other report findings based on the 2023 data include:

  • Significant discrepancies continue between the volume of work and earnings for diverse writers in animation. While the percentage of writers working in live-action increased from 42.6 per cent in 2022 to 45.3 per cent in 2023, the share of writers working in animation has not seen any movement since 2021 and remains at 29.8 per cent. While 29.8 per cent of earning writers’ work in animation, they represent only 14.3 per cent of writers’ earnings.
  • The percentage of Indigenous writers joining the Guild is growing, at eight per cent in 2023 compared with one per cent in 2018. However, the percentage of Indigenous working writers remains low at 3.7 per cent, and only 3.5 per cent of writers’ earnings. While 5.5 per cent of live-action writing credits were assigned to Indigenous writers, only 0.4 per cent of animation writing credits were assigned to the same group.
  • The participation of writers from different ethnicities continues to show mixed results. For example, East Asian writers working on Canadian TV decreased from 4.1 per cent in 2022 to 2.9 per cent in 2023, while South Asian writers increased to 7.6 per cent in 2023 from 4.8 per cent in 2022. Both numbers are low when compared to the general population and urban population centres.

The report continues to be an important initiative undertaken by the WGC and its Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee to work towards addressing issues of historic underrepresentation in Canadian television. (Diversity groups are defined by the WGC as Indigenous, Black, LGBTQ2S, People of Colour, People with Disabilities.)

The current report and best practices guide are now available on the WGC’s website HERE.

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Featured, Industry News

Spindle Films Foundation publishes inaugural research findings on the state of gender diverse experiences in the Canadian film industry

From a media release:

Spindle Films Foundation today announced the results of their inaugural research report, highlighting the current state of the trans, non-binary, and gender diverse experiences in the Canadian film industry. Rooted in an annual mentorship program supporting emerging filmmakers, the Foundation is working to make the film and television industry more equitable and diverse by giving voice to underrepresented voices. The full report is available at spindlefilms.ca/research.

With recent data showing a decline in the representation of and support for the queer and gender diverse community in Canada, as well as legislation rolling out across the country targeting their rights under the guise of protecting parental rights, Spindle Films Foundation is gravely concerned that the safety, support, and celebration of trans and non-binary folks in the Canadian film industry are more at risk now than they were even a year ago.

The report found that 63% of respondents have taken actions to delay or conceal their gender identity due to the risk of adverse experiences at work in the film industry. Supporting this, 53% of respondents reported having adverse experiences during their last on-set experience. Of those with adverse experiences, 53% indicated that those adverse experiences happened every day they were on set and 78% rated those experiences as a 5 or higher on a 10-point distress scale.

Conducted from mid-2023 through to 2024, the research survey was developed by Javelin Laurence, Director of Research, Education, and Accessibility at Spindle Films Foundation, with input from the founding members of the Foundation, and support from Skipping Stone in Calgary, Alta. Having surveyed members of the transgender, non-binary, and gender diverse community working in the Canadian film industry, the report shows a need and desire for more inclusion, openness, collaboration, and acceptance for not just the gender-diverse community but for all types of diversity in Canada.

“While efforts have been made by some to make sets a safer environment, these results make it clear that it’s not enough. We need systematic and sweeping change so that everyone can feel valued and safe at work,” said J Stevens, Founder, Spindle Films Foundation. “The Foundation is actively working with decision-makers in the industry to shift mandates and protocols and we will continue to support and uplift the filmmakers whose voices are so needed in the Canadian film and TV industry through our annual mentorship programs.”

From the writer’s room through to the editing suite, gender diverse filmmakers are navigating an industry that claims to be diversifying but is in fact demonstrating that it is not a priority, with 42% of respondents indicating that they feel they had lost a job opportunity due to their gender identity, either implicitly or explicitly. 

Safety, inclusivity, and community were all themes determining whether gender diverse filmmakers felt comfortable taking a job, with 28% of respondents indicating that working with other gender diverse filmmakers was a protective factor on their last set. When asked about what they specifically needed to feel supported, respondents highlighted representation in decision-making positions, translating into more opportunities across departments for trans and gender diverse humans, and mandated education for all members of production.

Based on the survey findings, Spindle Films Foundation is recommending the following best practices: quality health insurance covering gender-affirming care in Canadian film unions, gender equity in hiring that acknowledges identities outside the binary, a pronoun policy for all cast and crew on call sheets, gender diversity education for all production members, paperwork care when dealing with chosen vs. legal names, gender neutral bathrooms, and a policy for addressing harm.

While there is still work to be done, Spindle Films Foundation is uniquely positioned and committed to pushing change forward through their programming and research initiatives. Following a successful and inspiring first year that resulted in nine emerging filmmakers receiving mentorship and education from industry leaders such as Bilal Baig, Luis De Filippis, Tácháy Redvers, and Sasha Leigh Henry, the Foundation has also established supportive partnerships with organizations such as the Directors Guild of Canada and Skipping Stone, allowing them to better serve the community of gender-diverse filmmakers that they are committed to uplifting. 

For more information and updates on upcoming programming, visit spindlefilms.ca/about-foundation and follow @spindlefilmsfoundation.

About Spindle Films Foundation 
Founded in 2023, Spindle Films Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports transgender, non-binary, two-spirit and gender-diverse Canadian filmmakers. The organization works to make the TV and film industry more equitable and diverse by dismantling systemic barriers, and supports emerging filmmakers through an annual mentorship program. 

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Industry News

Paramount+ in Canada and The Shine Network Institute announce the Indigenous Producers Budgeting Intensive

From a media release:

Today, Paramount+ in Canada and The Shine Network Institute (TSNI) announce the Indigenous Producers Budgeting Intensive, an online course and new resource to support the professional development and mentorship of Indigenous women in film, television and media. This first virtual course will be geared toward budgeting for film. It will be accessible on TSNI’s @Learnatshine platform and will launch on National Indigenous Peoples Day – Friday, June 21, 2024.

Geared toward emerging and mid-level Indigenous female producers, this first intensive course of 10 x one-hour modules offer students hands-on learning accompanied by Indigenous-framed tutorials designed to empower students as they prepare to produce their first feature film. The course will also include candid conversations with Indigenous female producers to inspire and motivate students by giving them access to industry veterans who can dispel myths and misconceptions about producing.

“Working with The Shine Network Institute on this course is truly the first step in our partnership,” said Doug Smith, SVP Streaming & Content Licensing Paramount Global, Canada. “After listening and consulting with Jennifer Podemski and her team over the past few months we are proud to collaborate on this online course which will provide tangible skills to those interested in line producing, one of the most important jobs on any set. It is also a project we can build on in the months and years to come to support even more of TSNI’s membership and the next generation of Indigenous producers.”

“I am thrilled to be partnering with Paramount + Canada for this course,” said Jennifer Podemski, President & CEO, The Shine Network Institute. “Partnerships like this allow TSNI to offer the highest level of training and mentorship while building capacity for Indigenous people within the screen sector. Although our mission at TSNI is to foster the careers of Indigenous women who are the least represented across the sector and experience the most disproportionate outcomes, this course, which will be offered on our @Learnatshine platform, is open to all Indigenous professionals working within Canada’s film, television and digital media space.”

This initiative is the third partnership Paramount+ in Canada has announced that reinforces its long-standing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Earlier this fall, the company announced a collaboration with the Black Screen Office for the Black Creators Festival Initiative; a joint venture with BIPOC TV & Film, and the National Screen Institute Partner for the new ELEVATE program; and now TSNI’s Budget Online Intensive.

These programs are intricately connected to the mission of Paramount Global’s Content for Change initiative, which seeks to counteract narratives that enable bias, stereotypes and hate using the power of our content, the creative supply chain that powers it, and the culture that underpins everything we do.

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Featured, Industry News

Writers Guild of Canada releases new report on equity, diversity and inclusion in Canadian television

From a media release:

The Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) has released a new Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Report with 2022 data. The initiative is part of the WGC and its Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee’s efforts to work towards addressing issues of historic underrepresentation in Canadian television. (Diversity groups are defined by the WGC as Indigenous, Black, LGBTQ2S, People of Colour, People with Disabilities.)

The new report provides membership data from 2017 to 2022 and includes contract data from 58 live-action and 29 animated series that started production in 2022.

For the first time, this report includes earnings data and also features interviews with members who have participated in training and networking opportunities for diverse writers.

The data shows some marked increases in 2022, including:

  • The percentage of Indigenous writers and writers with disabilities joining the Guild grew to 7% each, from 5% and 4% in 2021 respectively. The percentage of diverse members joining with intersectional identities has also grown from 12% in 2021 to 17% in 2022.
  • The percentage of WGC diverse writers who are working has increased steadily from 21% in 2018 to 38% in 2022. The increase is largely explained by a higher participation of writers of colour and Black writers.
  • Writing credits for People of Colour have increased consistently from 7% to 17% between 2018 and 2022. Similarly, the share of writing credits for Black writers increased from 3% to 9.4% during the same period. In the case of LGBTQ2S screenwriters, writing credits recovered from a steady decrease and now sit at 17%.

Other observations on the 2022 data include:

  • Across every diversity category, the share of writers earning more than $200,000 is well below the 7.9% of “white, cisgender, heterosexual and non-disabled” (non-diverse) writers in that category.
  • In animation, there is a significant gap between the compensation of non-diverse and diverse writers. While non-diverse animation writers represent 22.9% of working writers and account for 15.4% of total earnings, diverse animation writers represent 8.6% of working writers but only account for 2.2% of total earnings.
  • The share of Indigenous writers and writers with disabilities working on TV remains low when compared to population numbers. The percentage of Indigenous writers increased by half a percentage only to 2.5% in 2022. Similarly, the share of writers with disabilities continues to be markedly low (3%).

The full report is now available on the WGC’s website HERE.

The Writers Guild of Canada represents 2,500 professional English-language screenwriters across Canada—the creators of Canadian entertainment enjoyed o

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