New tonight: Marketplace and The Fifth Estate

Marketplace, CBC – “When The Repairman Knocks”
You’ve got a problem with something in your home, and you need it fixed—fast! But who do you call? And who can you trust? In a special one-hour edition of MARKETPLACE, Tom Harrington tests the skills and ethics of home repair services. Among Canadians’ top complaints: over-charging, suggesting or performing unnecessary work and shoddy quality. We put home service trades-people to the test, in a house wired up with hidden cameras. We watch them while they work on what should be a fairly simple repair job—only to get charged for unnecessary work. And you won’t believe what happens when we call them on it.

The Fifth Estate, CBC – “Fast Break”
the fifth estate’s Bob McKeown reveals the mysterious machinery that feeds pro basketball’s star-making system: shady “prep schools” where aspiring ball players—who pay big bucks to be there—attempt to make the grade for university without setting foot in the classroom. We’ll meet two young Canadians whose parents have put everything on the line—one of them going so far as to sell the house—to help their children chase the dream. And we tell the story of a Toronto man who has become a legend in finding the next young recruits.

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Writers Guild of Canada award nominations announced

From a media release:

The 2012 WGC Screenwriting Awards Finalists Celebrating Canada’s Screenwriters

It’s time once again for Canada’s top screenwriters to come from behind the scenes and take their place in the spotlight. The Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) today announced the finalists for the 16th annual WGC Screenwriting Awards. Honouring excellence in screenwriting, the WGC Screenwriting Awards will celebrate the winning words of Canada’s screenwriters on April 23 in Toronto.

This year, more than 175 scripts were nominated for awards. First-round judging put forward 28 finalist scripts across the Awards’ seven categories. In all, 34 screenwriters are up for awards. Several special awards, including the WGC Showrunner Award, will also be handed out at the event.

Among this year’s finalists are the screenwriters behind such TV favourites as Flashpoint, Murdoch Mysteries, Dan for Mayor and more. Scripts for shows new to the Awards include Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays, Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, Sanctuary, and the youth series My Babysitter’s a Vampire. Bruce Smith received a nod for the CBC movie John A: Birth of a Country, and previous WGC Screenwriting Award-winner Sarah Polley returns as a finalist for Take This Waltz. A complete list of finalists follows.

The winners will be announced at the 2012 WGC Screenwriting Awards on Monday, April 23, 2012, at Maro in Liberty Village, Toronto.

Hosting the WGC Screenwriting Awards this year is award-winning comedian and co-creator of Almost Heroes, Ryan Belleville. The Awards will be written by Bob Kerr (22 Minutes) in collaboration with Mr. Belleville.

Continue reading Writers Guild of Canada award nominations announced

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NBC picks up CTV’s Saving Hope

From a media release:

NBC To Become U.S. Broadcaster For New CTV Drama Series SAVING HOPE

  • Series is from award-winning producers Ilana Frank and David Wellington
  • Principal photography set to begin March 12 in Toronto
  • Series set for summer debut on CTV and NBC

image001Leading independent studio Entertainment One (eOne) and Canada’s #1 television network CTV are proud to jointly announce that NBC has come on board as the U. S. broadcaster of Ilana C Frank Films’ new one-hour original drama series, SAVING HOPE. In November, CTV announced it had ordered 12 one-hour episodes of the series, joining a pilot shot last summer. Premiering this summer on CTV and NBC, principal photography is set to begin March 12 in Toronto.

In addition to acting as the deficit financier, eOne will also handle the international television distribution of the series in all media including all television, DVD/Blu-ray, VOD and digital exploitation.

Starring Erica Durance (SMALLVILLE), Michael Shanks (STARGATE ATLANTIS), (Daniel Gillies, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES), Huse Madhavji (COMBAT HOSPITAL, STAR! DAILY), Julia Taylor-Ross (ROOKIE BLUE), and Kristopher Turner (ROOKIE BLUE, THE LISTENER), the series is from acclaimed Gemini award-winning producers Ilana Frank and David Wellington (THE ELEVENTH HOUR, WOULD BE KINGS, ROOKIE BLUE).

In SAVING HOPE, when charismatic Chief of Surgery Charlie Harris (Shanks) at Toronto’s Hope-Zion Hospital ends up in a coma, he leaves the hospital in chaos – and his fiancée and fellow surgeon, Alex Reid (Durance), in a state of shock. Along with newly-arrived star surgeon, Joel Goran (Daniel Gillies, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES), Alex races to save Harris’ life. As the action unfolds, comatose Dr. Harris explores the hospital halls in “spirit” form, not sure if he’s a ghost or a figment of his own imagination. Reid, along with her fellow doctors, press on to save his life and those of their other patients, as they deal with the complicated and courageous decisions that are made in their daily struggle to keep hope alive.

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New tonight: Undercover Boss on W Network

boss

Toronto headquartered Cineplex theatres plays host to 70 million guests annually. CEO Ellis Jacob has had wild success in the theatre business, but the digital revolution has left audiences with a myriad of viewing options. As such, Cineplex is well aware they had better take nothing for granted. Ellis goes undercover in theatres serving popcorn and selling tickets in hopes to improve efficiency and innovation in order keep the good times rolling. But how will this media mogul perform on the ground floor away from his spreadsheets and head office corner suite?

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