TV & Film News – CTV’s W5 relaunched as dedicated investigative unit

CTV News is re-launching W5, the network’s long-running investigative program cancelled earlier this year, as the dedicated investigative unit of CTV National News. The one-hour news magazine aired its final episode in March after 58 seasons, falling to cuts announced by Bell Media parent BCE in February. At that time, the network indicated that the flagship investigative series would evolve from a standalone docuseries to a multi-part, multi-platform investigative reporting unit, with its content to be featured across CTV National News and CTV News platforms. The new W5 Investigative Unit will be led by Managing Editor and Senior Correspondent Avery Haines, Investigative Correspondent Jon Woodward, and TSN Senior Correspondent Rick Westhead. The unit’s first investigation, Narco Jungle: The Death Train, which began airing this week, is a five-part series focused on the migrant crisis. The network will also launch a series of one-hour documentaries featuring Haines’ reporting. Read more here.

Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC) has unveiled Inside Centre Block—The Restoration, a two-part documentary series that takes viewers behind-the-scenes of Canada’s largest and most complex heritage rehabilitation project. Narrated by Canadian actor Colm Feore, Inside Centre Block-The Restoration explores Centre Block’s renewal, showcasing the progress since its doors closed in 2019. The first episode airs Oct. 6, with the second episode to follow Oct. 13. Both episodes will air again Monday, Oct. 14 and be available to stream at cpac.ca.

TVO Original documentary All Too Clear: Beneath the Surface of the Great Lakes will be available to stream across Canada, starting Friday, Oct. 25 on TVO.org, TVO Docs YouTube channel, and Smart TV apps. The three-part series will also be aired on TVO’s broadcast channel in Ontario the following evening and air weekly Saturday evenings through Nov. 9. Directed by husband-and-wife filmmaking team, Zach Melnick and Yvonne Drebert, the immersive film uses cutting-edge underwater drones to explore how quadrillions of tiny invasive mussels, known as quaggas, are re-engineering the ecosystem of the Great Lakes at a scale not seen since the glaciers. To capture this epic change, the pair spent more than 150 days filming underwater, making it the most ambitious underwater film ever made about the Great Lakes.

Attraction has announced a first-look development deal with writer, director, and producer Ryan McMahon. The prodco says the partnership aims to develop a slate of original, thought-provoking, and impactful content across multiple mediums including film and television, with the deal signifying its first major step into talent-led unscripted content and a broader strategy of expanded English-language content offerings. McMahon most recently won two Canadian Screen Awards for Crave documentary series Thunder Bay, an adaptation of the Canadaland podcast of the same name.

Schitt’s Creek Executive Producer Andrew Barnsley has announced his company Project 10 Productions has partnered with by coastal, the Sylvia Beirnes-run production and marketing agency based in Toronto, for a first-look development deal. Both companies will work together to develop scripted, unscripted and reality television projects leveraging by coastal talent. The first co-production will be Madison Tevlin podcast, 21 Questions, expected later this year. 21 Questions is a spinoff of Tevlin’s award-nominated TV series Who Do You Think I Am? produced by Beirnes and Jeni Besworth. Tevlin and her guests will take turns asking each other questions to peel back the layers of themselves not typically seen in an interview. The final question (Question 21) is a nod to the duplicated 21st chromosome which is present in people with Down syndrome. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts will be the official hotel partner of 21 Questions with episodes being filmed at select Fairmont locations. Confirmed guests include Nelly Furtado, Woody Harrelson and Emma Roberts.

The National Directors Division (NDD) of the Directors Guild of Canada has launched its new National Director Mentor Program, one of three NDD initiatives that aim to build a pathway for DGC Directors upwards through the industry and to help advance careers. The new program pairs DGC Director members with directors who are one or two steps further in their career. The NDD Executive Committee will select up to 10 participants, each to be paired with a DGC Director Mentor for a term of nine months – during which time they will have monthly one-on-one meetings as well as a meeting with the entire cohort.

CBC, APTN, and the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) have announced the selected applicants for the CBC-APTN Early Stage Scripted Development Program for Indigenous Creators in association with the ISO. The program is designed to give emerging creators with projects still in the pre-development stage, access to CBC and APTN executives and to provide tailored support to help move their projects into the next stage of development, and ultimately into production. The 2024-2025 selected projects are: Winnipeg-based creator Darcy Waite’s Gimli Golf and Country (Comedy) and Port Coquitlam, BC filmmaker Mike Gosselin’s Burnt Wood (Drama). The program runs from September to the end of March and will provide creators with custom-tailored training and support, including creating a series bible, deepening character and story arcs, creating broadcaster relationships, building a team, pitching the project, and preparing a budget.

Global’s The Morning Show (TMS) has undertaken a brand refresh featuring a new logo and animations, a reimagined colour palette, and a new mid-century, 1970s- inspired set courtesy of Wayfair. The online retailer’s first partnership with a Canadian TV outlet/show, the new set was designed by Shia DeLuca, in partnership with Wayfair. The partnership will include verbal call outs, sponsored billboards, custom in-show segments led by TMS designer DeLuca, social extensions, a consumer contest for a chance to win Wayfair products, and branded content articles online that drive to Wayfair products for purchase.