TORONTO – After facing a number of protesting Canadian actors outside of Massey Hall who complained about the number of hours of American programming, CanWest Global led its fall programming announcements with the number of original hours of programming it plans for the next TV season.
Across prime time on Global Television and the all-new E! network (which is to be CH’s new brand), "CanWest has positioned over 100 debut hours of scripted content, over 80 hours of showcased documentaries and nearly 200 hours of entertainment news," says the company’s press release.
"Building on what industry and press have tagged as a ‘turnaround’ year for CanWest’s Original Productions, the focus remains on expanding the commitment to developing and producing the best of Canadian drama, comedy, documentary and more – and integrating these into the nation’s most critically acclaimed primetime schedules," says the release.
"Our promise to build on quality, diversity and the country’s leading edge creative alliances remains strong, and is at the core of all of our 2007-2008 original product. We’re looking forward to a fantastic new season," said Barbara Williams, CanWest MediaWorks senior vice president of programming and production, in the press release.
Premiere strategic production partners include Movie Central, The Movie Network, The NFB, APTN, The BBC, Lifetime, USA Sci-Fi Network, and ABC Family.
New titles debuting on Global Television for the 2007-2008 season include: West coast action-drama, SEARCH AND RESCUE: From Halifax Film Company and Brightlight Pictures with Exec Producers Ray Storey, Michael Donovan, Charles Bishop (Bowling for Columbine)…Neighbourhood comedy ‘DA KINK IN MY HAIR: From Barna Alper Productions, Exec Producer Laszlo Barna, Damian Nurse, Ngozi Paul and trey anthony – based on anthony’s multi-award winning play of the same name…Coming-of-age college comedy, ABOUT A GIRL: From Brightlight Pictures and Exec Producer Steve Hegyes, starring Chiara Zanni, Jesse Hutch…Oil industry thriller, BURN UP: From Producers Tom Cox and Jordy Randall – a BBC co-production from Kudos Film and TV (UK) and Seven 24 Films Inc., (Alberta)…Psychological thriller, DURHAM COUNTY: From Exec Producers Janis Lundman, Adrienne Mitchell, Michael Prupas. Co-Developed and Commissioned by CanWest, DURHAM COUNTY is now set for its conventional network premiere.
In addition, all-new original documentaries arrive on the Global Television slate for 2007-2008, as GLOBAL CURRENTS with Host Kevin Newman marks its third season. A weekly, original strand that explores social issues and perspectives relevant to Canadians, GLOBAL CURRENTS is a showcase for independent producers from every corner of the country.
Docs on the former CH channels will be produced "in true E! style" it says. And, an all-new showcase, "ON E!", featuring a variety of entertainment-focused documentary series including: Musical-moms-on-a-mission, SHAYE: From Breakthrough Film & TV and Exec Producer Ira Levy, featuring Kim Stockwood, Damhnait Doyle and Tara MacLean…On set in Hollywood North with adrenaline junkies, STUNT STARS: From Montreal’s CMJ Productions and Exec Producer John Kuyk…Never call them "cover bands", TRIBUTE – THE NEXT BEST THING: From Fall From Grace Prod’s and Exec Producers Michelle Metivier and Allison Grace…And the dangerous world of celebrity diets, break-ups and breakdowns, INSIDE HOLLYWOOD: From Producer Larry Day at Pyramid Productions.
Also this Fall, E! network original debuts include…A look at homegrown legends on E! TRUE HOLLYWOOD STORY: CANADIAN EDITION… An unconventional, in-depth take on celebrity news, trends and lifestyles, E! LIVE…And over 20 homegrown MOWs, E! MOVIES WE LOVE: From CanWest, with Lifetime Network and a wide range of Canadian Producing Partners including Shaftesbury Films, ThunderBird Films, Insight Film Studios and Muse Entertainment.
Synopses of selected titles are below:
SEARCH AND RESCUE
(13 x 1 hour; drama)
This exciting drama follows the lives of four Canadian Coast Guards, trained to expect the unexpected in their work, but never ready for it in their personal lives. Viewers can follow the adventures of these offbeat heroes whose greatest search will be for meaning in their own lives. A co-production from Halifax Film Company (Michael Donavan and Charles Bishop) and Brightlight Pictures (Steve Hegyes); created by Michael Donavan and Ray Storey.
‘DA KINK IN MY HAIR
Sundays – 7:30pm
(13 x 30 min; comedy)
The highly anticipated comedy based on trey anthony’s multi-award-winning play of the same name. Letty’s, a bustling hair salon in Toronto’s Caribbean community, serves as a platform for a group of women to share their trials, tribulations and deep dark secrets. Viewers can watch as these strong, black women let their hair down – in more ways than one. Series created by trey anthony and Ngozi Paul; Executive Produced by Damion Nurse, Laszlo Barna, trey anthony, Ngozi Paul and Shelly Scarrow.
CAST: Ordena Stephens-Thompson, Ngozi Paul, trey anthony, Conroy
Stewart, Richard Fagon
ABOUT A GIRL
(13 x 30 min; comedy)
College student Amy Ryan never thought she would find herself living in an off-campus house along with four male roommates. She’s now got a direct line to the male species and what makes them tick – and the guys now have a chick to take out the garbage. What they will learn from each other is more than any classroom could ever teach. From Producer Steve Hegyes (White Noise).
CAST: Chiara Zanni, Jesse Hutch (Smallville)
BURN UP
(2 x 2 hour; mini-drama)
This two-part, high-stakes conspiracy thriller is set against the backdrop of the world’s corrupt and violent oil industry. This drama focuses on the desperate attempts of those trying to save the planet from global warming while uncovering the truth of oil reserves in Alberta, the southern United States and the Middle East. A co-production of Seven 24 Films Inc. (Alberta) and Kudos Film and TV (UK).
KILLER WAVE
(2 x 2 hour; drama)
An action-disaster mini-series about a conspiracy theory come true. A large corporation conspires to devastate North American cities on the east coast with tidal waves so that it can win a multi-billion dollar contract from the government to build a seawall along the eastern seaboard. Directed by Bruce McDonald; from Muse Entertainment, Montreal.
CAST: Angus MacFadyen, Karine Vanasse, Stephen McHattie
DURHAM COUNTY
(6 x 1 hour; drama)
An emotionally powerful series revolving around Detective Mike Sweeney, his family and a potential serial killer who lives across the street. As Sweeny hunts down his murderous neighbour, the differences between the cop and the killer become blurry. With a shared history that goes all the way back to high school, Sweeney learns you can’t always leave your past behind. Produced by Muse Entertainment in Montreal.
CAST: Helene Joy, Sonya Salomaa, Laurence Leboeuf, Greyston Holt, Hugh
Dillon, Justin Louis
THE LODGE
(4 x 1 hour; documentary)
Autumn Productions – Producer, David Hansen, Regina, SK. Sassy, touching, funny and true – this series profiles the history of Canadian entertainment – all under one roof – at The Performing Artists Lodge, a home for mature entertainers who still live to perform.
TRUE PULP MURDER
(13 x 30 min; documentary)
Make Believe Media. Exec Producer Lynne Booth, Vancouver, BC. With each
episode focusing on a different, true-life crime, this 13-part
documentary series uses graphic novel re-enactments, interviews with
original police investigators, and the writings of Canadian crime
authors to draw parallels between true, deadly events and fictional
writing.
GLOBAL CURRENTS -SEASON 3 DOCUMENTARIES INCLUDE:
STOLEN SISTER
(1 hour; documentary)
Fahrenheit Films – Exec Producer, Tony Hrynchuk, Regina, SK. Stolen
Sister highlights the frequent and concerning disappearance of
Aboriginal women in western Canada. Issues of gender and race arise as a
lack of media attention is paid to this group of women who are
disappearing at an alarming rate.
TIME BOMBS
(1 hour; documentary)
Productions de la ruelle Inc. Exec Producer, Guylaine Maroist, Montreal,
PQ. This hour-long documentary focuses on Canadian soldiers and their
fight for government compensation after discovering their deliberate –
and deadly – exposure to the radiation from the Nevada desert nuclear
experiments of the 1950s.
SABRINA’S LAW
(1 hour; documentary)
Sabrina’s Law Productions, Winnipeg, MB. This one hour documentary is
about a young, energetic and ambitious girl named Sabrina Shannon whose
tragic death from anaphylactic shock inspired a law to protect other
children. Sabrina’s mother, Sara, promised her daughter that she would
help make a difference and does so by sharing Sabrina’s story with the
rest of the world.
DEATH IN THE FOREST
(1 hour; documentary)
Dilemma Productions – Exec Producer, Dan Schlanger, Vancouver, BC.
Profiling the dangers of the logging industry in British Columbia, this
documentary will explore how one of Canada’s most lucrative industries
is also one of the most deadly. This documentary calls attention to the
consequences of the building pressure put upon individual loggers by
forestry companies.
THE BULLY’S MARK
(1 hour; documentary)
Bountiful Films, Vancouver, BC. The Bully’s Mark explores the long-term
psychological effects of school-age bullying and follows Erin Thomson on
an odyssey back into the darkness of her grade eight year. Her journey
home to face her bullies, and the friends who deserted her, parallels
the equally-intimate contemporary bullying stories – some of which make
Erin’s harassment pale in comparison. With the advent of technology and
online communications, these tools become a bully’s weapon, further
aggravating a problem that many anti-bullying programs have been unable
to solve.
FATHERHOOD DREAMS
(1 hour; documentary)
Interfilms Productions, Vancouver, BC. With the legalization of same-sex
marriage comes the official recognition of gay couples as families. Some
Canadians are uncomfortable with the concept of gay male couples as
parents raising children. Many think these children may be ‘different’
or in the very least, disadvantaged. This one-hour documentary opens up
the discussion and explores the divide between skeptics and supporters.
GLOBAL ORIGINALS – RETURNING SERIES
LOVE YOU TO DEATH Season 2
(6 x 30min; comedy/drama)
Inspired by true cases, each episode spotlights a married couple whose
once wedded bliss ends in murder. The inimitable John Waters – The
‘Groom Reaper’ – guides viewers through the most bizarre connubial
circumstances as each marriage turns macabre and, ultimately, each
murder unfolds. These are tales of love – gone wrong. From Blueprint
Entertainment.
PRETTY DANGEROUS Season 2
(5 x 30min; factual)
True life femme fatales, this is a continuation of the stylish and
irreverent series that documents the harrowing, true stories of "bad
girls". This is a story about women who scam, swindle and kill for money
and the seemingly endless parade of male fools they encounter along the
way. From Creator Barbara Shearer, Summerhill Productions.
PAINKILLER JANE Season 2
Saturdays – 9pm
(11 x 1 hour; drama)
The series follows the adventures of Jane Vasco (Kristanna Loken), a
young DEA agent who is recruited by a covert government organization to
capture and contain "Neuros" – genetically enhanced individuals who
possess superhuman powers of the mind. After discovering she too
possesses extraordinary abilities that render her impervious to injury
but not pain – Jane tries to uncover what, if any, connection she shares
with the people she is pursuing. From Insight Studio Films.
CAST: Kristanna Loken (Terminator 3, BloodRayne), Alaina Huffman, Rob
Stewart, Noah Danby, Stephen Lobo, Melanie Papalia, Sean Owen Robert,
Nathaniel Debeaux
RENEGADEPRESS Season 4
(13 x 30min; drama)
An Aboriginal teenager and hip-hop artist sets up an ad hoc internet
newspaper with his best friend, entitled renegadepress.com. Fitted with
an outlet, renegade reporters deliver the goods on what’s really going
on inside the lives of teenagers and what matters within their world.
From Virginia Thompson, Verite Films Inc., Regina, SK; and
Writer/Producer Jordon Wheeler.
VERY BAD MEN Season 2
(6 x 1 hour; factual)
Predators. Swindlers. Masters of fraud. These men prey on friends and
complete strangers alike. This is the second instalment of a true crime
series that exposes some of the most notorious cons on record. From
producer Lynne Booth, Make Believe Studios, Vancouver, BC.
E! ORIGINAL PREMIERES (Select Broadcast Dates & Times TBC)
For More www.canwesttvmedia.com
Username: canwest
Password: press
ON E! (BLOCK)
DOCUMENTARY ORIGINALS:
Saturdays – 8pm
SHAYE
(4 x 1 hour; documentary)
This funny, touching behind the scenes four-part documentary provides a
candid and not always glamorous look at a trio of singing moms who want
to make it big but only if it’s on their own terms. Between career and
family, Shaye doesn’t have a lot of time left over for promoting their
second album – Lake of Fire. And if this second album doesn’t sell,
there won’t be a third. Shaye consists of: Kim Stockwood, Damhnait
Doyle, Tara MacLean. From Breakthrough Entertainment and Exec Producer
Ira Levy.
STUNT STARS
(10 x 1 hour; documentary)
Discover the brave men and women who put their lives on the line, and
enter into the extraordinary world of feature films where precision
driving, fire stunts, and high falls rule. Exec Producer John Kuyk.
TRIBUTE: THE NEXT BEST THING
(4 x 1 hour; documentary)
A hilariously entertaining four-part documentary series exploring a
world that lies somewhere between fame and obscurity: the often bizarre
and crazy world of tribute bands. Exploring the intense competition
among these ‘mock stars’, each episode focuses on one original artist
and three tribute bands from around the world. Executive Producers
Michelle Metivier, Allison Grace.
INSIDE HOLLYWOOD
(6 x 1 hour; documentary)
A six-part series going inside the world of celebrity diets, celebrity
break-ups, celebrity psychiatry and much more.
E! LIVE
Saturdays – 7pm
(1 hour)
E! breaks all the rules with an original entertainment show that will
take you inside celebrities’ jet set lifestyles; track the latest
entertainment news and deliver it all in the most unexpected, fun
format. More on E! LIVE, coming soon.
E! TRUE HOLLYWOOD STORY: CANADIAN EDITION
(10 x 1 hour; documentary)
‘THS: CANADIAN EDITION’ will uncover the never-before-heard histories of
Canada’s biggest stars and legends. These documentaries will offer the
real story and an uncensored look at the lives of Canadian celebrities.
FINAL 24 Season 2
Saturdays – 9pm
(8 x 1 hour; factual) ALL NEW EPISODES ON E!
A compelling documentary series unlocking the hidden secrets,
psychological flaws and events resulting in the tragic deaths of various
global icons. Each episode maps out the final 24 hours of a celebrity’s
life to uncover the last days leading to the dramatic investigations and
deaths that hold the key to amazing lives. From Cineflix Productions,
Montreal, PQ.
E! MOVIES WE LOVE
Thursdays – 9pm
Continuing its creative partnership with Lifetime, CanWest continues to
present homegrown and US MOWs in this featured primetime slot. Titles
TBC.
