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Banff announces key speakers for its growing programming lineup

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From a media release:

The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) is pleased to announce a distinguished lineup of industry leaders set to headline the 45th edition of the Festival taking place June 9 – 12, 2024 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta, Canada.

Key sessions at the Festival will feature:

In Conversation With Amy Reisenbach, CBS Entertainment
CBS Entertainment President, Amy Reisenbach, will join BANFF for a special ‘in conversation with’ session as she speaks about the network’s 2024/25 programming strategy, the art of building procedural franchises and CBS’ important role in the evolving TV ecosystem.  Reisenbach has served as President since 2022, where she now leads all primetime, daytime and late-night creative departments at the CBS Television Network, and supervises all comedy and drama development, alternative, specials and current programming, scheduling and casting.

International Media Leaders
Charting the Course Forward: Join our esteemed international media leaders as they delve into the currents reshaping the media landscape. From technological convergence to the imperative of diversity and inclusion, they’ll navigate the challenges and opportunities of an ever-evolving industry, sharing innovative strategies driving success in the face of disruption.

Speakers:

  • Bing Chen, CEO & Co-Founder, Gold House
  • Sandra Dewey, COO, Media Res
  • Lisa Kramer, President, International TV Licensing, Paramount Global Content Distribution
  • Asif Sadiq, Chief Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Warner Bros. Discovery
  • Cori Wellins, Partner, William Morris Endeavor

Disrupt or Be Disrupted: The Media Industry in the Age of Enshittification
Adam Cunningham, Chief Strategy Officer, Allied Global Marketing

Enshittification, the gradual decline into irrelevance faced by media platforms that fail to evolve with their audience, is the sword hanging over every media owner’s head. This era, characterized by rapid tech growth, domination and control, threatens to diminish your value, compelling an urgent shift from legacy approaches to innovative engagement. In this gritty guide, we challenge you to overhaul your strategy, placing the audience’s preferences at the core. It’s a clear call: disrupt your own models or be side-lined by those who will. For those daring to adapt, the future is bright; for the rest, irrelevance awaits.

“We’re thrilled to welcome these outstanding global entertainment thought leaders to the BANFF stage,” said Jenn Kuzmyk, Executive Director (pictured above). “Now is not the time to be timid. The industry is at an inflection point. We’re programming a provocative lineup of speakers and this year’s Festival is poised to be a cornerstone event for media professionals navigating the complexities of our rapidly growing landscape.”

As previously announced, Channing Dungey, Warner Bros. Television Group Chairman and CEO and Rob Wade, CEO, FOX Entertainment are confirmed as Summit Series keynotes. The Festival will again include more than 1,200 facilitated networking opportunities, in addition to over 25,000 meetings connecting the global media industry to ignite new projects and support business growth.

This year, international financing and co-production will be a major focus.  BANFF will also debut new conference content focused on music on screen.   Technology, AI and entertainment content on social media and online platforms will also be a key focus.

Also returning to the BANFF stage in June is the Rockie Awards International Program Competition, one of the world’s most prestigious screen industry competitions, with participation from more than 45+ countries annually including an international jury of 150 industry professionals. Category winners, including the Grand Jury Prize, the Rogers Prize for Canadian Content, the Emerging Talent Prize, the Francophone Prize, and other special prizes, will be announced during the Festival on June 11th.

In addition, taking place on the evening of June 10th, the industry-favourite Rockies Gala will return to recognize the best content and most influential entertainment industry executives, talent and creators in the world.

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Featured, Industry News

Industry veterans Michelle Mama and Bill Taylor launch new production company Gay Agenda

From a media release:

Industry veterans and award-winning producers Michelle Mama and Bill Taylor today announced the launch of their boutique production company GAY AGENDA. With an aim to foster, mentor, and produce from a defiantly queer lens, and to discover and amplify the next generation of queer voices, the company is currently in various stages of development and production on a robust slate of feature films and scripted and factual TV and digital series. Production is currently underway throughout Canada and the U.S on the feature-length documentary AntiDiva: The Confessions of Carole Pope.

“Everything just clicked when I met Bill and I knew we could build something meaningful together. We share the same vision, work ethic, and commitment to giving back to the community,” said Michelle Mama. “We’re passionate about empowering talented queer creatives who have been misunderstood by the mainstream, and about depicting representations of queer people not in peril, grief, or living through tragedy – we’re in the business of creating and sharing queer joy.”

“Forming GAY AGENDA at a time when the world feels increasingly divisive, it’s important for us to tell our own stories that foster empathy, build bridges, and celebrate forgiveness and redemption,” said Bill Taylor.

Featuring interviews with music industry titans, making use of never-before-seen archival footage, and with exclusive access to Carole Pope today, AntiDiva: The Confessions of Carole Pope chronicles the fascinating career and current life of a queer maverick. Challenging mainstream notions about sex and sexuality with her band Rough Trade in a time when it was dangerous to be gay, the now 78-year-old icon is navigating a new chapter of her life – still gigging, working on a musical, and recording fresh new music with young artists in her thrall. Produced by Michelle Mama, Bill Taylor, and Allison Grace of Fall From Grace Productions, and written and directed by Michelle Mama, AntiDiva: The Confessions of Carole Pope is slated for release in 2025 on CBC Documentary Channel.

AntiDiva: The Confessions of Carole Pope was made possible with the support of the Canada Media Fund POV Program, the Ontario Creates Film Fund, the Hot Docs-Slaight Family Fund, and the Rogers Documentary Fund.

Additionally, GAY AGENDA is currently in various stages of development on the following projects:

  • That’s Just Super (8×30) – queer superhero series created by Julianna Notten (Erin’s Guide to Kissing Girls) and co-showrun by veteran writer Anthony Q. Farrell (The Office, Shelved)
  • Queer Elders (working title, 6×30) – documentary series directed by Maya Bastian (Farm Crime, Tigress)
  • Daygamers (8×30) – adult animated series created by Lester Trips (Content Farm)
  • My Fabulous Gay Orgasm (6×30) – comedic series created by Scott Jones
  • Change Your Life Forever in 60 Days (6×16) – comedy web series created and produced by Ink Cap Productions
  • 2 x formatted queer dating series – additional details to be released at a later date

MICHELLE MAMA is an award-winning, five-time Canadian Screen Award nominee who has been producing and directing in the factual and doc space for over two decades. Her most recent credits include executive producing doc feature Summer Qamp (TIFF ’23) Canada’s Drag Race Season 3 and “Canada vs. The World” (Crave), directing the trans makeover series Shine True (VICE), and show-running two seasons of the award-winning arts documentary series In The Making (CBC). Michelle most recently directed celebrated comic Mae Martin hosting of a special episode of The Nature of Things “Fluid: Beyond the Binary” (CBC) and had the pleasure of directing two 2024 Governor General Award films, produced by the National Film Board, honouring comedy icon Andrea Martin and puppeteering legend Ronnie Burkett.

BILL TAYLOR is an award-winning queer filmmaker who is committed to telling stories deeply rooted in the human condition. He began his career as a writer/director making several films that screened at festivals worldwide, including Silver Road (CBC, Iris Prize Nominee, MTV Logo), The Young Prime Minister (Bravo!), and Don’t Get Killed In Alaska. After directing, producing and writing his first feature, Bill turned his attention to television production, working on hundreds of hours of scripted and unscripted shows.

For more information, follow @we_are_gay_agenda and visit gay-agenda.ca.

Image courtesy of Lulu Wei.

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Industry News

Link: Michael MacMillan, The Canadian Television Chief Who Brought The ‘CSI’ Franchise To The World, On Doing It All Again With Blue Ant Media

From Jesse Whittock of Deadline:
Link: Michael MacMillan, The Canadian Television Chief Who Brought The ‘CSI’ Franchise To The World, On Doing It All Again With Blue Ant Media
Michael MacMillan retired from the world of television 17 years ago. Except, he didn’t. Continue reading.

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Featured, Industry News, Super Team Canada

From Will Arnett, Crave announces new original adult animated comedy series, Super Team Canada

From a media release:

Crave announced today a 10-episode order for the new, half-hour adult animated comedy, SUPER TEAM CANADA, its first commission of an animated series. The Crave Original series is produced in partnership with Thunderbird Entertainment’s Atomic Cartoons (Max’s YOUNG LOVE), and Will Arnett’s Electric Avenue (SNAKE OIL, TWISTED METAL), and is currently in production with a premiere set for 2025.

Created by Canadian Emmy®-winning writers, and brothers, Robert Cohen (HBO’s SOMEBODY, SOMEWHERE, THE BIG BANG THEORY) and Joel H. Cohen (THE SIMPSONS), the animated comedy focuses on the exploits of six, little-known Canadian superheroes trying to save the world from evil giant robots, an unemployed octopus, and needy hardware store clerks. The stakes are high for these stereotypically underdog Canadian super-unknowns, who are called in as Earth’s last resort when all the other superheroes have been destroyed.

SUPER TEAM CANADA is produced by Thunderbird Entertainment’s Atomic Cartoons, and Will Arnett’s Electric Avenue, in association with Bell Media’s Crave. Showrunner Robert Cohen serves as an executive producer along with Joel Cohen, Atomic/Thunderbird’s Jennifer Twiner McCarron, Matthew Berkowitz and Kristin Cummings, Electric Avenue’s Will Arnett and Marc Forman.

Thunderbird Distribution and Brands oversee global media and consumer products rights for the series.

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Featured, Industry News, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Blue Ant Media announces its latest slate of original Canadian programming

From a media release:

International production studio, rights business and channel operator, Blue Ant Media, kicked off day one of Prime Time by announcing new and returning Canadian series for the company’s specialty TV and international free streaming platforms in 2024.

The slate includes My Haunted Hometown, a new paranormal series filmed across North America; Wild Rose Vets, a spin-off of the original series Dr. Savannah: Wild Rose Vet; and Hope for Wildlife: The Next Generation (w/t), a new season of the hit franchise Hope for Wildlife. Further, Blue Ant Media has ordered two additional episodes of the previously-announced eight-part series Mysteries From Above, Season 3, following the ratings success of the franchise.

Blue Ant’s latest originals slate is overseen by Sam Linton, VP, Production and Development, Global Media and Julie Chang, EVP, Business Strategy & Co-Productions. Blue Ant Studios rights division will handle pre-sales and licensing opportunities worldwide for all the titles.

The latest original slate comes after the previously announced Holmes on Homes: Building a Legacy, which is currently casting GTA homeowners in need of a life-changing renovation via makeitright.ca/casting-call/.

Titles across the unscripted originals slate include:

Cottage Life/Love Pets

Wild Rose Vets (13 x 30; HD)
A Blue Ant Media and APTN Co-production
Producer: Wapanatahk Media in partnership with Great Pacific Media

Scheduled to air in spring 2025 on Cottage Life in Canada during the channel’s nationwide free preview, with a subsequent window on the free streaming channel Love Pets in multiple territories worldwide

A heartwarming and culturally-unique docuseries following the behind-the-scenes adventures of three Indigenous veterinarians in the prairies as they rescue and rehabilitate a wide range of household pets and exotic wildlife. The daily experiences of these young vets in very different clinics could not be more varied but they are each driven and connected by their love of animals. Blue Ant Studios rights division handles pre-sales and licensing opportunities worldwide. The series will also broadcast and stream on APTN’s channels and platform in Canada (date TBC).  

Hope for Wildlife: The Next Generation (w/t) (8 x 60′; HD)
Producer: Arcadia Entertainment

World broadcast premiere scheduled to air on Cottage Life in early 2025, with a subsequent window on the free streaming channel Love Pets in multiple territories worldwide

The series takes audiences inside a world-class rehabilitation center in Nova Scotia. Led by the compassionate and trailblazing Hope Swinimer, the show follows her team’s efforts to rescue, treat and release injured and orphaned wildlife. As Hope grows the operation and prepares for her eventual passing of the torch, the series introduces us to a new generation of caregivers, trained to continue her lifelong mission of compassion toward animals. Witness dramatic rescues, miraculous recoveries, and emotional releases in this inspiring journey of hope and healing. Blue Ant Studios rights division handles pre-sales and licensing opportunities worldwide.

Cottage Life

Mysteries from Above, Season 3 (10 × 60’; HD)
Producer: Blue Ant Studios

World broadcast premiere is scheduled for spring 2024 on Cottage Life in Canada during the channel’s nationwide free preview

Previously renewed as an eight-part series, Blue Ant Media has ordered two more episodes of Mysteries from Above, Season 3. The popular series takes to the skies to unlock Earth’s greatest mysteries and dramatically change how we see the world. From the vantage points of drones, satellites and aerial photography, the series explores unique buildings and structures — both natural and man-made, curious creatures and lost ancient civilizations, revealing fascinating insights and never-before-seen footage to the viewers. Mysteries from Above, Season 1 and Season 2 both featured in the top 10 primetime series with total viewers, as well as Cottage Life’s core demographic of adults 25-54 and women 25-54. Blue Ant Studios rights division handles pre-sales and licensing opportunities worldwide.

T+E/HauntTV

My Haunted Hometown (8 x 60′)
Producer: Blue Ant Studios

World broadcast premiere scheduled in October 2024 on T+E during the channel’s nationwide free preview and its Creep Week programming event, with a subsequent window on the free streaming channel HauntTV in multiple territories worldwide

My Haunted Hometown follows the terrifying first-hand accounts of paranormal encounters in haunted small towns across North America. The documentary series reveals how many small towns are home to frightening supernatural activity; vengeful spirits torment residents. Each episode showcases true stories of individuals, families, and friends who built their lives in the community but now feel trapped, haunted and unable to escape. Blue Ant Studios rights division handles pre-sales and licensing opportunities worldwide.

Blue Ant Media is a privately held international production studio and rights business and channel operator. The company’s studio creates and distributes a premium slate of programming in all content genres for streaming and broadcasting platforms around the world.

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