All posts by Greg David

Prior to becoming a television critic and owner of TV, Eh?, Greg David was a critic for TV Guide Canada, the country's most trusted source for TV news. He has interviewed television actors, actresses and behind-the-scenes folks from hundreds of television series from Canada, the U.S. and internationally. He is a podcaster, public speaker, weekly radio guest and educator, and past member of the Television Critics Association.
Awards

Link: B.C. film biz celebrates indie and service work a Leo Awards red carpet gala

From Sabrina Furminger of Westender:

Link: B.C. film biz celebrates indie and service work a Leo Awards red carpet gala
If you needed a reminder that the British Columbia film and television industry is both a top-tier service provider and rich with boundary-pushing independent filmmakers, you got it at the 2017 Leo Awards red carpet gala.

Now in its 19th year, the Leo Awards recognize achievements in the BC screen scene. 113 Leos were handed out this year over three ceremonies and two weekends, culminating on Sunday with the annual Red Carpet Gala, held in a cavernous ballroom in the Hyatt Regency Vancouver. Actor and comedian Peter Kelamis (Beyond) presided over the event, which saw trophies handed out to cast and crew from independent motion pictures, locally shot American and Canadian television series, and narrative short films. Continue reading. 

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Industry News

Rogers Media expands CityNews across Canada

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From a media release:

Building on its commitment to deliver more local news to even more Canadians, Rogers Media will expand its award-winning news program, CityNewsâ„¢, across Canada, beginning September 4. Currently seen in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, the expansion ofCityNews will now include local versions of CityNews produced locally and airing daily on City, in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Montreal.

The one-hour newscasts will broadcast seven days a week with CityNews at Six at 6 p.m., and CityNews Tonight at 11 p.m. local time. Newscasts in Edmonton and Winnipeg will debut Monday, Sept. 4 at 6 p.m. local time. CityNews will expand into the Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary markets in Winter 2018.

Debuting in Toronto in 1975, the multi-award winning CityNews has been globally recognized as a trailblazer for news innovation, earning accolades for its local coverage including the esteemed RTDNA National Bert Cannings Award for Best TV Newscast in a Large Market in 2016. Late last month, CityNews reporter Cynthia Mulligan won the national RTDNA Adrienne Clarkson Award for Diversity in Reporting for her in-depth series on Danica Rain – a transgender Ontario woman who underwent gender reassignment surgery at a clinic in Bangkok.

Adding regional and national perspectives, complementary stories from Rogers Media’s sister brands such as Maclean’s, Breakfast Television, and Sportsnet will also be featured in the broadcasts. Viewers will also see news content delivered across all platforms, with each CityNews team engaging with audiences through their respective local websites and social media channels.

Additional programming details and on-air news talent will be announced in the coming months.

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Industry News

Cameras roll on Carmilla the Movie based on groundbreaking digital series

From a media release:

Shaftesbury’s international runaway hit web series Carmilla has begun principal photography on feature-length film Carmilla The Movie (working title). Series stars Elise Bauman and 2017 Canadian Screen Awards Fan’s Choice Award-winner Natasha Negovanlis return for the supernatural spin-off film, and are joined by Dominique Provost-Chalkley (Wynonna Earp, Murdoch Mysteries), Grace Lynn Kung (Mary Kills People, The Strain), and Cara Gee (The Expanse, Inhuman Condition) as well as returning Carmilla cast Annie Briggs (Luvvie, Murdoch Mysteries), Kaitlyn Alexander (Couple-ish, Full Out), Nicole Stamp (The Handmaid’s Tale, First Round Down), and Matt O’Connor (Murdoch Mysteries, Ozion). Carmilla The Movie is currently filming on location in Toronto and is slated for a Fall 2017 release.

It has been five years since Laura (Bauman) and Carmilla (Negovanlis) vanquished the apocalypse and Carmilla became a bonafide mortal human. They have settled in to a cozy apartment in downtown Toronto; Laura continues to hone her journalism skills while Carmilla adjusts to a non-vampire lifestyle. Their domestic bliss is suddenly ruptured when Carmilla begins to show signs of “re-vamping” – from a fondness for bloody treats to accidental biting – while Laura has started having bizarre, ghostly dreams. The couple must now enlist their old friends from Silas University to uncover the unknown supernatural threat and save humanity – including Carmilla’s.

Produced by Shaftesbury’s digital studio Smokebomb Entertainment and its branded entertainment agency shift2, in partnership with executive producer U by Kotex®, the Carmilla digital series (108 x 5 minutes) is a scripted transmedia series that puts a modern spin on the cult classic gothic vampire novella by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. Meshing the vlog format aesthetic with scripted storytelling, Carmilla follows the adventures of university student Laura Hollis (Bauman) whose world is turned upside down after a vampire, Carmilla Karnstein (Negovanlis), moves into her dorm room. Carmilla has engaged and inspired fans around the world – the series has been viewed in 193 countries and translated in over 20 languages by fans. Available on YouTube channel KindaTV, the largest scripted YouTube channel for millennials in Canada, and subscription video service Fullscreen, the series has generated over 69 million views and 233 million minutes of watch time across all three seasons since its launch in 2014.Carmilla has been recognized with numerous national and international honours and awards including the Streamy Awards, the Webby Awards, the Shorty Awards, and the Canadian Screen Awards, including a 2017 Fan’s Choice Awards for Negovanlis.

Carmilla The Movie is produced by Shaftesbury with the financial participation of Telefilm Canada, the Canada Media Fund, Fullscreen, and Hollywood Suite. Carmilla The Movie is directed by Spencer Maybee (Carmilla, Letterkenny ORIDG DIDG); story by Alejandro Alcoba (Degrassi: The Next Generation, The Next Step), screenplay by Alcoba and Jordan Hall (Carmilla, Run Dry). The movie is based on Carmilla the digital series, written by Hall, and co-created by Hall, Jay Bennett, and Steph Ouaknine. Carmilla The Movie is executive produced by Christina Jennings and Scott Garvie, produced by Bennett, Ouaknine, and Melanie Windle.

Image courtesy of Amy Wilson.

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Industry News

Corus Entertainment bolsters its 2017/18 programming slate with new and returning Canadian original productions

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From a media release:

Corus Entertainment announced today its vast and versatile slate of new and returning Canadian content, showcasing exceptional storytelling, an amazing roster of homegrown talent, and original, high-quality productions. New season orders of outstanding established hits underscore Corus’ commitment to investing in Canadian content across its portfolio of brands, championing original series, and fostering Canadian talent, both in front of and behind the camera.

Additionally, with strategically curated programs featuring globally appealing themes and formats, Corus Entertainment’s Corus Studios and Nelvana have grown their slates of premium original content which are now available in more than 160 countries and territories around the world, supporting Corus’ goal of becoming Canada’s leading media and content company.

Global welcomes a new season of one of the most buzzed-about series on both sides of the border, its critically-acclaimed drama Mary Kills People – officially greenlit for six episodes with production beginning this summer in and around Toronto. Produced by Entertainment One (eOne) and Cameron Pictures, and starring Caroline Dhavernas as Dr. Mary Harris, an overworked single mother and ER doctor, the series follows Mary’s exploits as she balances the needs of her family and her day job with helping terminal patients end their lives on their terms – all while eluding the police, who are determined to bring her down. In summer 2018, Canada’s favourite detective duo Matt Shade (Jason Priestley) and Angie Everett(Cindy Sampson) return to the schedule with nine new episodes of Private Eyes. The dynamic duo have found their rhythm on and off the case, and the entire Everett Investigations team tackle new challenges while also facing old ones that have come back to test them. Then, original series Home to Win moves to Global, bringing the hit multiplatform series to a bigger platform and extending its reach to even more Canadians across the country. Produced by Architect Films, the roof-raising series returns for an epic, star-studded third season, featuring the best-known builders, designers, and real estate experts who transform an average house into a dream property for one lucky Canadian.

Showcase‘s original time-travelling series and #1 new fall Specialty series* Travelers returns for a second season this fall. Produced by Peacock Alley Entertainment, the sci-fi drama features an all-Canadian cast led by Eric McCormack and created by Brad Wright. Plus, new this season, Canadian gem Enrico Colantoni joins as Vincent, a mysterious individual who may or may not be a friend of the travelers. Currently shooting in Vancouver, Season 2 picks up on the group’s haunting realization that their missions may have altered the future in ways they did not predict.

The #1 Specialty Entertainment program** and Canadian Screen Award-winner Vikings returns for Season 5 later this year on HISTORY. Produced by Take 5 Productions, this riveting season features Golden Globe® winner Jonathan Rhys Meyers as a warrior bishop. Also debuting this fall are HISTORY’s two new original series: Screen Siren Pictures’ docu-series Bud Dynasty, which follows the lucrative pot industry in British Columbia, providing an all-access look into the legalized marijuana business, its big players, and the obstacles they face; and from Saloon Media, investigative series Hunting Nazi Treasure follows a team of experts around the world in search of objects and artwork worth billions stolen by the Nazis.

On W Network this fall, a handsome gent puts it all on the line for love in the hit franchise produced by Good Human Productions, The Bachelor Canada. W Network is also the home of enchanting scripted series including: Good Witch, featuring Noah Cappe (host of The Bachelor Canada) and returning with Season 4 this spring; family drama series Chesapeake Shores, filmed in British Columbia and starring Canadian Megan Ory; and new comedic series Date My Dad, shot in B.C. and starring Canadian Zenia Marshall.

Following the successful All-Stars edition, Canada’s most notable culinary competition Top Chef Canada returns in spring 2018 for a sixth season to Food Network Canada. Produced by Insight Productions, a new batch of the country’s most talented chefs compete in cutthroat culinary challenges and receive bold critiques from the esteemed judging panel. This fall, the network also serves up sweet new original dishes sure to satisfy audiences: from Alibi Entertainment, The Baker Sisters takes viewers on a guilt-free road trip to sample mouth-watering sweets from some of the best bakeries in North America; and from eOne, the one-hour special Bake It Possible! crowns the champion of Pillsbury and Betty Crocker’s epic baking contest. CSA-nominated celebrity chef Anna Olson showcases her baking mastery in new seasons of Bake with Anna Olson this fall and Inspired by Anna Olson in 2018, both produced by Peace Point Entertainment.

HGTV Canada welcomes two brand new Canadian original series and one Canadian co-production to its schedule this fall and spring, respectively: from Alibi Entertainment, Sarah Off the Grid follows notable interior designer Sarah Richardson as she builds a dream home for her family on a remote property; produced by Great Pacific Media, Worst to First features cutting-edge contractors Mickey Fabbiano and Sebastian Sevallo who transform drab dwellings in coveted neighbourhoods into magnificent sought-after homes; and in partnership with Scripps Networks Interactive, Buyers Bootcamp features Scott McGillivray as he offers real-life opportunities for aspiring real estate investors to partner with him. Fan-favourites Drew and Jonathan Scott of the Cineflix-produced series Property Brothers debut new episodes from Season 6 this fall, followed in early 2018 by a new season of CSA-nominated Masters of Flip from Rhino Content featuring dynamic super couple Dave and Kortney Wilson, and a brand new season of Bryan Inc. from Si Entertainment starring renovation expert Bryan Baeumler.

Since 2016, Corus Studios has been producing and distributing original lifestyle content globally. With multiple content deals completed worldwide this spring, breakout hit Masters of Flip is now available in 147 territories, Buying the View(HGTV Canada) in 65 territories, Home to Win in 44 territories, and Cheer Squad(ABC Spark) in eight territories. The Baker Sisters, $ave My Reno and Backyard Builds (both HGTV Canada) were also recently introduced to the international market at MIPTV 2017.

With offices in Toronto and Paris, Nelvana Enterprises, the global licensing and merchandising arm of Nelvana (Canada’s premier animation company and world-class producer and distributor of children’s content), continues to expand and strengthen its portfolio on an international scale, securing numerous global licensing deals including Nickelodeon (U.S.) for Mysticons, Disney Channel (U.S.) for Hotel Transylvania: The Series, Discovery Kids (Latin America) and Disney Channel (U.S.) deals for The ZhuZhus, and broadcast deals in France, Germany, Finland, and Australia for Ranger Rob.

The momentum across Corus’ Kids Networks is fuelled by the longstanding success, accomplished artists, and creative vision of Nelvana. With nearly 300talented artists and animators working in its Toronto studio, Nelvana has 14 series in full production and more than 20 shows in development for 2017/18. Nelvana’s stellar original animated content joining Corus’ leading kids’ networks this year include the genre-defining action series Mysticons. Slated for YTV this fall, the contemporary series follows four girls who transform into legendary warriors and undertake a quest to find a magic tome. Produced in association with Sony Pictures Animation, and based on the blockbuster film franchise, Hotel Transylvania: The Series focuses on the teenage years of Dracula’s daughter, Mavis, and her three closest friends who put her brilliant ideas of how to run the Hotel into motion, and is set to premiere on TELETOON this fall. Produced by Nelvana in association with Kids Can Press, the charming short film The Most Magnificent Thing joins preschool network Treehouse this fall. Based on Canadian author Ashley Spires’sbestselling picture book of the same name, the short film animates the tale of an unnamed girl, her furry best friend and their quest to make the most magnificent thing – even though creating it might not be that easy. Nelvana’s preschool adventure series Ranger Rob has been greenlit for a second season, and new episodes of the dynamic duo Max & Ruby return this fall on Treehouse.

The action continues as YTV also introduces new Canadian original series to its lineup, ReBoot: The Guardian Code. Reimagining the 1994 animated cult classic show ReBoot, the live-action/CG-animated hybrid series is set to debut in spring 2018. Produced by WOW! Unlimited Media’s Mainframe Studios, the series follows four teenagers selected to become the Next-Generation Guardians of cyberspace.

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Featured, Wynonna Earp

Wynonna Earp sounds off: A conversation with Melanie Scrofano

Anyone who has access to social media—and fans of Wynonna Earp do—knows the Season 2 return episode previews have been fantastic. Count us in on the praise-heaping. Showrunner Emily Andras and her writing team have advanced the plot—Super-creepy new monsters! A laboratory! New characters!—while keeping our core of favourites intact.

And while Friday’s first episode—”Steel Bars and Stone Walls,” airing at 10 p.m. ET on Space—is full of snark, fights and The Peacemaker, there are quiet moments too. When we catch up with Wynonna, Waverly (Dominique Provost-Chalkley), Haught (Katherine Barrell) and Doc (Tim Rozon), they’re plotting to save Dolls from the clutches of Agent Lucado (Kate Drummond). With the curse stronger than ever, Black Badge intrigue, gobs of goo still hanging around, and new evils to contend with, Season 2 is going to be jam-packed.

We spoke to Melanie Scrofano for some help sorting it all out.

I’m really loving the tone of Season 2 so far. Friday’s return, “Steel Bars and Stone Walls,” features plenty of slow-motion hair flipping and strutting.
Melanie Scrofano: Really?! Already? Oh, I do. I DO.

As an actress, forget about the lines written … is it hard to get the hair flip just right?
MS: No, because there is so much hair and none of it is mine. I’m just trying to, like, ‘Get off!’ I’m so used to doing that in real life. Sometimes I just do it, and other times in the script it will say, ‘Super, sexy, hair porn.’ Something like that, but better, because it’s Emily.

There is so much to address in Season 2. First is the goo that was absorbed into Waverly. Anything you can say about the goo at this point?
MS: The thing about goo is … [looks at network publicist] … it just goos up your life. You just never know how long it will be in your life.

I not going to spoil anything about Friday’s first episode, but we do get a little more background into Dolls and why Lucado [Kate Drummond] feels the way she does towards him. Can you comment?
MS: It’s safe to say Dolls has got a lot more complexity than any of us realize and it will also play to our strengths as a team. It definitely makes things harder and he has a lot to deal with on his own. Just like Wynonna kind of sucks at the beginning at her job, but the things that are a mess about her, like her instinct rather than being polished, is what gives the team its edge. I think we can say it’s the same with Dolls.

Where is Wynonna’s state of mind at the beginning of Season 2? Her attitude suggests she thinks she’s a pretty big deal.
MS: Given everything that happened at the end of Season 1 and the mountain she’s up against, she’s puffing out her chest and is going, ‘I don’t know if I can do this, but I have to.’ Part of the reason everything is so fast-paced is because she can’t slow down to think because she’ll have a meltdown if she thinks about what she’s done and what’s happened.

Wynonna doesn’t have time to choose. She’s like, ‘Boys are important and everything, but I have to save the world! So, sorry for your feelings, and I’m going to do my best but I’ve got a job to do.’

There’s a lot going on in the first episode back. The team is going after Dolls, so we’re introduced to a new setting in the lab and a couple of new characters and new monsters.
MS: Any monsters that we come across don’t just come and go. They are all tied together in some way.

There is also one heck of a fight between Wynonna and another character. How long does it take to choreograph and film a fight scene?
MS: They take all day, and you see them on the schedule and you want to go home. Usually, you don’t have a lot of time to prepare for them and they’re messy. It adds a nice energy to it because you’re phrenetic and you hope that you don’t actually connect and actually punch somebody. Those scenes are very intricate, there are so many pieces, and then you have to land your marks and sell the punches. The scene in Episode 1 probably took six to eight hours.

Who’s the stunt coordinator?
MS: Steve McMichael. He’s incredible. Don’t tell him this, but he could poison my oatmeal and we would have him back for Season 4 because he’s just so good!

One thing that was teased by Emily, and Tim Rozon told me for an upcoming podcast, is the dynamic of having characters in different pairs this season.
MS: Everybody is affected differently by the curse. Wynonna and Officer Haught didn’t work much together last season, so it was interesting to see how that relationship evolved and I found it really fun and touching. I really loved that one. It was interesting to see different perspectives on the curse.

I also get the sense there’s going to be more regarding the love/affection triangle between Wynonna, Dolls and Doc.
MS: Wynonna doesn’t have time to choose. She’s like, ‘Boys are important and everything, but I have to save the world! So, sorry for your feelings, and I’m going to do my best but I’ve got a job to do.’ I like that aspect of it. She doesn’t want to be harsh, but at the same time, the clock is ticking.

Wynonna Earp airs Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on Space.

Image courtesy of Space.

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