Random news sourced from (sigh) Twitter:
From Bill Brioux of the Canadian Press:
Just announced:
Vancouver writer Daegan Fryklind will moderate TV, eh?’s TV Writing Seminar with Larry Kaplow (House, Body of Proof) on Sunday, May 6.
Daegan has written for The Listener, Being Erica, The Guard, jPod (Leo Award winner in Dramatic Writing for the episode “The Final Shot”), Robson Arms (nominated for a WGC Award for the episode “Misery Inc”), Falcon Beach, and Cold Squad as well as the animated series Yvon of the Yukon, Something Else, and What About Mimi? She was co-writer on the feature Edison and Leo. Daegan is currently in development on two dramatic series, one with CBC/Lark and one with Space/CTV/No Equal.
Participants will learn practical information on breaking in, pitching, story structure, the writing room, dealing with notes, writing for production, as well as developing their own work. The registration fee of $250 includes a networking lunch and coffee breaks.
Larry Kaplow is an Emmy-nominated television writer/producer from Los Angeles, winner of the 2005 Writers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Television Script, Episodic Drama, for the House episode “Autopsy.” He attended the University of Rochester for English and New York University’s Graduate Program in Creative Writing, Fiction, and began his television career as an assistant on Clueless and Chicago Hope before writing for Family Law, Hack, K-Ville and Body of Proof, in addition to six seasons with House. Kaplow has lectured at USC, NYU, Duke University, Johns Hopkins, and the National Association of Broadcasters, among others.
For more information and to register for the seminar, visit the event registration page.
From a media release:
Season 3 In Development; Season 2 Being Nominated; Season 1 Encore Presentation On Showcase
Since Blackstone first hit the airwaves in November 2009, it has consistently ranked as one of APTN’s top-rated and most popular programs. It has earned the rightful reputation as the kind of show that provokes discussion about issues, engages conversation about social change, and – above all else – entertains.
With two successful seasons already broadcast, and the third season in development, the series will continue to make viewers think and feel. Stories for this hard-hitting drama are now being written, and will continue to explore and expose the tumultuous lives on the fictional Blackstone First Nation.
10 AFTA NOMINATIONS FOR SEASON 2
The Alberta Film & Television Awards recently announced nominees for their 38th annual event, which celebrates excellence and outstanding achievement in Albertan film, television and new media. The second season of Blackstone was honoured with a total of 10 nominations, in the following categories:
The Alberta Film & Television Awards will be handed out at a gala dinner and awards evening in Calgary on Saturday, May 12th.
ENCORE PRESENTATION OF SEASON 1
The complete first season of Blackstone will receive an encore presentation on Showcase. Beginning on April 30, the series will be reintroduced to Showcase audiences.
ABOUT BLACKSTONE
Blackstone is a Gemini Award-winning series produced by Edmonton’s Prairie Dog Film + Television, with Ron E. Scott as executive producer, writer and director, Jesse Szymanski as producer, Damon Vignale as producer and writer, and Gil Cardinal and Penny Gummerson as writers. Blackstone currently broadcasts in Canada and New Zealand. The series is distributed internationally by PPI Releasing.
The first season of Blackstone won two Gemini Awards, and garnered two wins at the 2011 Leo Awards and three wins at the 2011 Alberta Film and Television Awards.
Blackstone was produced in association with Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund, with the assistance of the Government of Alberta, Alberta Multimedia Development Fund, with the participation of Rogers Cable Network Fund, and with the assistance of the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit.
From a media release:
COMING UP NEXT WEEK ON CANADA’S GOT TALENT: SIX NEW SEMIFINALISTS COMPETE IN LIVE, PRESSURE-PACKED PERFORMANCE SHOW, APRIL 29 ON CITYTV
With only a few spots left on the roster of acts competing in the final round, the stakes continue to get higher on Canada’s Got Talent this week. The next six semifinalists will battle it out for viewers’ votes and to win the judges’ favour in the live, action-packed performance show for Week 5 of the semifinals on Sunday, April 29 at 8 p.m. local time on Citytv. The live results show airs on Monday, April 30 at 9 p.m. local time.
The next group of Canada’s Got Talent semifinalists performing on Sunday, April 29 are:
As revealed Monday night on Canada’s Got Talent, the highest vote-getter from Week 4, country singer Ivan Daigle (Petitcodiac, N.B) and judges’ pick, rapper Mathew “The Emsee†Cathcart (Hamilton, ON) join previously announced finalists – dancer Shale Wagman (Toronto), opera singer Emilio Fina (Petersburg, ON), rock band Angry Candy (Moncton, NB), beatboxer Scott Jackson (Toronto), hip hop dance group Freshh (Vancouver) and opera singer Julie Lafontaine (Montreal) – in the Canada’s Got Talent finals on May 13.
Each week, up to seven semifinalists take the Canada’s Got Talent stage to show the judges, the live studio audience, and viewers across Canada if they have what it takes to reach the finals and be crowned the nation’s most talented performer. In the weekly results show, two semifinalists will advance – one who collects the most viewers’ votes and one selected by judges Martin Short, Measha Brueggergosman and Stephan Moccio from the acts who placed second and third amongst voters.
Canadians act as the ‘fourth judge’ on Canada’s Got Talent, with the chance to vote for their favourite acts immediately following each live performance show. For more information on how to vote and a list of FAQs, visit CanadasGotTalent.com. Public voting will remain open from 9 p.m. ET to 2 a.m. ET.
