TV/FILM/VIDEO:
Bell Media has rebranded The Movie Network (TMN), HBO Canada and CraveTV into one streaming service, simply known as Crave. The new Crave is available through television service providers and direct to consumers at Crave.ca, iOS, and Android. The service will become available on additional platforms in the coming weeks, including the ability to subscribe directly via the Crave app on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Xbox One, Samsung Smart TVs, and Amazon Fire TV. Home to SHOWTIME and VICE programming, as well as a collection of TV series, movies and kids’ content from WOW! Unlimited Media, Bell is making the service available in two subscription tiers: Crave ($9.99/month plus applicable taxes) and Crave + Movies + HBO ($19.98/month plus tax). Read more here.
Thunderbird Entertainment Group commenced trading on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol “TBRD” at the open Friday morning (Nov. 2). The animation, factual and scripted content company has gone public following a business combination arrangement that saw B.C.-based mineral exploration company Golden Secret Ventures consolidate its issued and outstanding common shares, change its name to “Thunderbird Entertainment Group Inc.” and acquire 100 per cent of the issued and outstanding shares of Thunderbird. Founded in 2003 by entertainment entrepreneur Tim Gamble, Thunderbird has grown both organically and through acquisitions to become a multi-platform media production, distribution and rights management company. It boasts a staff of over 600 between offices in Vancouver, Toronto, Los Angeles, London and most recently, Ottawa. Atomic Cartoons, Great Pacific Television, Thunderbird Productions and Thunderbird Releasing Limited are among the company’s divisions with recent projects including animated Netflix original series Beat Bugs; Blade Runner 2049; Discovery Channel’s Highway Thru Hell series; and CBC sitcom Kim’s Convenience. Read more here.
L’Atelier Animation Inc., Luckyhammers Entertainment Inc., Eye-In Inc. and Tonic DNA will receive a total of $900,000 in repayable contributions from Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED). With the financial assistance, L’Atelier Animation, specializing in the creation of computer‑generated imagery, special effects and 3D animation, will be able to expand its studio and purchase specialized software and state-of-the-art equipment. Luckyhammers, which has undergone a shift to video games and virtual reality experiences, has set up the first virtual reality room using StarVR technology in Canada. Information technology and marketing firm Eye-In Media will roll out its marketing platform geared towards the future of retailing and expand marketing activities outside of Quebec. Tonic DNA, which provides premium 2D, 3D and stop-motion animation services, aims to develop and break into international markets by purchasing computer equipment and marketing. CED says their respective projects will generate a total investment of over $4.1 million and result in the creation of nearly 160 new jobs in Greater Montréal.
Telefilm Canada has named the winners of its annual Guichet d’or and Golden Box Office awards recognizing the Canadian directors and screenwriters behind the feature films with the highest domestic box office in the previous year in their respective language markets. Director and co-writer Émile Gaudreault and co-writers Sébastien Ravary and Eric K. Boulianne are winners of the 2017 Guichet d’or for their film De père en flic 2. Produced by Cinémaginaire, the film earned close to $7 million at the Canadian box office. In the English category, Ballerina co-directors Éric Warin and Éric Summer (also co-writer) claimed the Golden Box Office award. Produced by Caramel Films, Ballerina earned $3.6 million. Each award comes with a $40,000 cash prize, shared equally by the director(s) and screenwriter(s). Telefilm says the awards are currently being reviewed with changes to be announced soon.
Tantoo Cardinal has won this year’s Technicolor Clyde Gilmour Award from the Toronto Film Critics Association. It’s the first time in the award’s history that the annual honour, recognizing “a Canadian industry figure who has made a substantial and outstanding contribution to the advancement and/or history of Canadian cinema” has gone to an actor. Cardinal will receive $50,000 in services to give to a filmmaker of her choice. Cardinal has appeared in more than 100 film and TV projects, including long-running TV series North of 60, and feature films Legends of the Fall and Dances With Wolves.
CBC has announced its winter 2019 broadcast and streaming premiere dates, set to kick off Sunday, Jan. 6. The public broadcaster’s winter television offerings are highlighted by Season 12 of family drama Heartland; new female-driven procedural drama Coroner, starring Serinda Swan; and a Tuesday night comedy lineup featuring new seasons of Kim’s Convenience, Schitt’s Creek and Workin’ Moms. Other new series include drama Unspeakable, focused on Canada’s tainted blood scandal, starring Sarah Wayne Callies and Shawn Doyle; and new comedy Cavendish, from the creators of Picnicface. Premiering in March, the reboot of Street Legal with Cynthia Dale; new Halifax legal aid drama Diggstown, starring Vinessa Antoine and Natasha Henstridge; and new Arlene Dickinson reality vehicle Under New Management, which matches budding entrepreneurs with the businesses of their dreams. Find the full CBC winter 2019 primetime schedule here.
OMNI Television premieres new series Mangoes: A Slice of Life on Nov. 11, based on the popular web series Mangoes. The half hour show follows the adventures of three millennials with South Asian backgrounds as they explore the true potential of life in Canada. The series stars real-life brothers Adeel and Khurram Suhrwardy, who also serve as co-creators and producers. Episodes will be available in English, Urdu, Punjabi, and Hindi. Audiences will have access to full episodes on OMNITV.ca next day, post-broadcast, as well as on Rogers on Demand.
Global News will air Remembrance Day news special No Stone Left Alone at 10 a.m. PT/MT/CT/ET, and at 12:30 p.m. AT. The 30-minute presentation will include stories woven together from No Stone Left Alone events across Canada, and feature students sharing their reflections on fallen soldiers’ stories. The special will also air across the Global News Radio network with audio commentary by host Charles Adler. Following the special, Global National anchor Dawna Friesen hosts Canada Remembers – a live, commercial-free, network news special at 10:30 a.m. ET/CT. Friesen will be joined in Ottawa by special guest Dean Oliver, military historian and director of research at the Canadian Museum of History, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War. Friesen will anchor Global National from Ottawa, with Chief Political Correspondent David Akin and Ottawa Bureau Chief Mercedes Stephenson, live from the National War Memorial, while correspondent Mike Armstrong reports from Belgium. Also on Nov. 11, fellow Corus Entertainment network HISTORY dedicates its schedule to a Day of Remembrance with the two-part premiere of 100 Days to Victory, a gripping account of Canada’s pivotal contribution to the last 100 days of the First World War at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET/PT.
CTV will air The Original Santa Claus Parade across the network on Nov. 18 for a ninth straight year. CTV has inked a new three-year broadcasting deal with the event which will be highlighted this year with performances from Johnny Orlando, Serena Ryder, Tyler Shaw and The Tenors. Returning for the second year in a row to anchor the 90-minute show are broadcasting duo Melissa Grelo and Marci Ien from CTV’s The Social. CTV Your Morning meteorologist and host Kelsey McEwen returns as the parade’s roving reporter.
CTV will premiere original special Thank You Canada on Sunday, Dec. 2. Filmed at the Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa, ON, the two-hour special features some of the biggest household names in the history of figure skating, anchored by five-time Olympic Medallists Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, who also perform in the special. Also on board to perform are former Olympians Patrick Chan, Elvis Stojko, Kaetlyn Osmond, Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford; and Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje. The broadcast special also features CTV and TSN figure skating analysts Rod Black and Tracy Wilson. Bell Media is the official sponsor of The Thank You Canada Tour which wraps in St. John’s, NL on Nov. 24.
The 2018 People’s Choice Awards have added 13 new categories including Most Hypeworthy Canadian. Fans are able to vote for their favourite Canadian from among nominees Sandra Oh of Killing Eve; Olympic gold medal figure skating champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir; multi-platinum recording artists Shawn Mendes and Drake; and film star Ryan Reynolds. E! Will broadcast the awards live on Nov. 11.
Gusto’s newest original series DNA Dinners, airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET beginning Nov. 15. Hosted by ETALK reporter Tyrone Edwards, the 16-episode series explores how the meals reflect culture, food, and identity. In each episode, participants complete an AncestryDNA test to discover their ancestral origins, and with the help of expert chefs, are introduced to ingredients, iconic dishes, and cooking techniques from each individual’s background.
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