® A PUBLICATION OF BRUNICO COMMUNICATIONS LTD. SPRING 2014

Getting a

STATE OF SYN MAKES THE LEAP GRIon transmediaP + NEW RIVALRIES AT THE CSAs

MUCH TURNS 30 | EXIT INTERVIEW: TOM PERLMUTTER | ACCT’S BIG BIRTHDAY PB.24462.CMPA.Ad.indd 1 2014-02-05 1:17 PM SPRING 2014 table of contents

Behind-the-scenes on-set of Global’s new drama series Remedy with Dillon Casey shooting on location in Hamilton, ON (Photo: Jan Thijs)

8 Upfront 26 Unconventional and on the rise 34 Cultivating cult Brilliant biz ideas, Fort McMoney, Blue Changing media trends drive new rivalries How superfans build buzz and drive Ant’s Vanessa Case, and an exit interview at the 2014 CSAs international appeal for TV series with the NFB’s Tom Perlmutter 28 Indie and Indigenous 36 (Still) intimate & interactive 20 Transmedia: Bloody good business? Aboriginal-created content’s big year at A look back at MuchMusic’s three Canadian producers and mediacos are the decades of innovation building business strategies around multi- platform entertainment 30 Best picture, better box offi ce? 40 The ACCT celebrates its legacy Do the new CSA fi lm guidelines affect A tribute to the Academy of Canadian 24 Synful business marketing impact? Cinema and Television and 65 years of Going inside Smokebomb’s new Canadian screen achievements transmedia property State of Syn 32 The awards effect From books to music to TV and fi lm, 46 The Back Page a look at what cultural awards Got an idea for a transmedia project? mean for the business bottom line Arcana’s Sean Patrick O’Reilly charts a course for success

Cover note: This issue’s cover features Smokebomb Entertainment’s State of Syn. Here, the fate of protagonist Annika Drake (actor Jewel Staite) hangs in the balance as she seeks to unravel a corporate conspiracy.

spring 2014 | 3

PB.TOC.spring14.indd 3 14-02-05 6:29 PM PUBLISHER Mary Maddever • [email protected] CONTENT DIRECTOR & EDITOR Katie Bailey • [email protected] EDITOR Julianna Cummins • [email protected] CONTRIBUTORS Mark Dillon, Nick Krewen, Michael Kolberg, Melita Kuburas, Val Maloney, Sean Patrick O’Reilly, Leaning Etan Vlessing

BRUNICO CREATIVE ART DIRECTOR back • Andrew Glowala [email protected] PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION SUPERVISOR I know that when some people see the word “transmedia” on the cover of this magazine, they will roll their eyes. Robert Lines • [email protected] Fancy words tend to have this effect. People stop listening as they dive inside their heads and try to fi gure out if a) you’re trying to be posh b) you’re clueless or c) if they should inform you that your word is now 15 months out ADVERTISING SALES of date and should never be used again. (416) 408-2300 Transmedia is especially adept at eliciting this reaction. It’s just cross-platform. It’s content. It’s a fancy word for FAX (416) 408-0870 franchising. It’s not new – Star Wars was – is! – transmedia, for $!*&’s sake! 1-888-278-6426 So, for the sake of this editor’s note, and the magazine, I will henceforth refer to transmedia as storytelling SALES SUPERVISOR across multiple platforms, and multi-platform as elements of a property existing on different media. Jessamyn Nunez • [email protected] On the factual side, the transmedia/multi-platform hybrid that is the second-screen experience is a thriving MARKETING CO-ORDINATOR industry, especially in , where the CMF and Bell New Media Fund help creators and producers extend Vakis Boutsalis • [email protected] their ideas into the digital realm. And these ideas are spreading. Shaftesbury is currently in conversations with U.S. network The CW to bring BRUNICO AUDIENCE SERVICES its transmedia Backpackers series to broadcast, while the CBC marked an international fi rst with its on-air MANAGER Facebook/Battle of the Blades integration. Christine McNalley • [email protected] But outside of native transmedia fare (like Backpackers), digital extensions have proven trickier on the scripted side. And I think it’s a problem inherent to the form. I don’t think I’m the only person who doesn’t like being ADMINISTRATION sucked out of their immersive dramatic experience – or, as it is often called, lean-back TV – to engage with PRESIDENT AND CEO a story on a different platform. When I’m gripped by Sarah Manning’s close clone calls, I don’t want to stop Russell Goldstein • [email protected] watching and vote on whether or not her stabbing victim will live or die (ahem, Walking Dead). VP AND CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER What I wouldn’t mind, however, is a exploring the life of a deceased clone. Or even voting on what Omri Tintpulver • [email protected] clone deserves their own webseries. Just don’t yank me out of my cozy, genetically modifi ed universe. VP AND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Which brings us to our cover story on Smokebomb Entertainment’s State of Syn. Five minutes in length and Mary Maddever • [email protected] airing on in the U.S., each episode is too short to really immerse your brain in. But fi re up that mobile app VP ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE while waiting for the subway, you’re instantly transported to 2043, helping the characters make life-and-death Linda Lovegrove • [email protected] decisions. That’s my kind of transmedia. And I think that’s really where transmedia’s sweet spot is, both creatively VP AND PUBLISHER, REALSCREEN and as a business venture. Claire Macdonald • [email protected] People’s attention spans are hard to gauge. They have all the time in the world to binge, but also a habit VP AND PUBLISHER, KIDSCREEN of fl ipping between screens. In complementing webseries with transmedia offshoots – and letting traditional Jocelyn Christie • [email protected] scripted do its thing – producers and creators are giving this new breed of audience options that go beyond “giving viewers what they want, when and where they want it” to truly complementing their engagement habits. Polls about blood splatter, on the other hand, should stay in the realm of reality TV. (Wait, what?) Needless to say, these are heady times in the content creation business, and as such, we’ve designed this year’s Playback Summit to help you navigate this new world. With a keynote from Group M Entertainment – a Playback is published by Brunico Communications Ltd., mediaco sprung from a global media agency, offering producers new ways to fi nance original programming – 366 Adelaide Street West, Suite 100, , , Canada M5V 1R9 and panels ranging from webseries business strategies to expanding your prodco outside Canada, we’re aiming (416) 408-2300; FAX: (416) 408-0870 to provide business intelligence to help you decide where to make your next move. Internet address: www.playbackonline.ca Editorial e-mail: [email protected], [email protected] But fi rst: awards. If Ontario manages to survive this crazy winter and not turn into The Colony, we look forward Sales e-mail: [email protected] to catching up with you all at the Canadian Screen Awards week in March. Let’s hope we don’t have to wear Sales FAX: (416) 408-0870 winter boots with our party clothes. © 2013 Brunico Communications Ltd. All rights reserved. Printed in Canada.

Katie Bailey Canadian Postmaster, send undeliverables and address changes to: Playback PO BOX 369 Beeton ON, L0G 1A0 Content Director & Editor, Playback U.S. Postmaster, send undeliverables and address changes to: Playback PO BOX 1103, Niagara Falls NY, 14304 [email protected] Canada Post Agreement No. 40050265. ISSN: 0836-2114 Printed in Canada.

4 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

PB.Editorial.spring14.indd 4 14-02-06 1:56 PM PB.24451.eOne.indd 1 14-02-05 12:51 PM One subscription. All the news. It’s a full glass. Online and This issue looks at the impact of transmedia – and all the digital iterations of content available – on Canada’s production in print. industry, and also explores the renewed interest and enthusiasm that’s been injected into the Screen Awards, adding some needed accelerant to Canada’s star system. Beyond the burgeoning digital award categories, the two areas have something else in common. Now more than ever, celebrity is global. And that goes double for transmedia. Playback magazines and Canada has spawned lots of talent – actors, comedians, musicians, directors – that more than hold their own on the world stage, and our animation, docs, fi lms and TV series have also sold around the world. But when it comes to channels, not so playbackonline.ca cover much – other than some Much/CHUM forays back in the day. the whole industry Canada has historically had trouble exporting branded platforms. And as the audience continues to fragment across time and space, and re-constitute at scale around borderless streaming communities of interest, that’s going to be key. Rather than from breaking news to focus on where the consumer is watching from the point of view of the type of screen, an important “where” is geographic – in-depth features. where does the content hail from? So as Much hits 30 and we take a look back at its legacy of innovation, it’s a good time to consider that as the audience moves towards streaming content, a digital opportunity presents itself. Canada has some shining examples of transmedia innovation – so why not double down on establishing Canadian digital channel brands that are category leaders. The Read both, all year, playing-fi eld economics of competing on that front, creating online destinations that attract a global audience, are certainly for less than $11 more level than on the broadcast front. In his Exit Interview on page 18 NFB’s outgoing chair Tom Perlmutter bluntly states that because networks wanted to hold a month*. on to their traditional revenue models, an opportunity to rival Netfl ix and Hulu for viewers was lost. And now, everyone from Amazon to Sony and is trying to compete in that space. But as evidenced by the success of Vice, or Mondo Media, there’s other ways to build a platform that attracts audiences. Register today to continue Attitude, breakout hits, and of course, celebrity collaboration, like Funny or Die. Canada has all those ingredients. And at some point, the value ascribed to digital viewership will match the audience trajectory online, and business models will adapt to the receiving our quarterly print new consumer reality. magazines and gain access They have to, because the under-valuing of digital audiences is killing everyone’s business model. The side effects include to our industry-leading network video players with the same spots playing endlessly on limited episode inventory, effectively driving a very fl uid audience elsewhere. Most remuneration models – like the media agencies that plan digital campaigns, which is more labour- online journal. intensive than dialling up a Super Bowl spot – also don’t adequately address the extra time spent. And the brands themselves, which are dialling down their traditional media spend while professing that the future is digital, will be in a pickle when they fi nally get serious about backing up that claim and investing at scale. The lack of infrastructure support on all fronts, broadcast and digital, isn’t allowing content producers and platforms to compete, leaking everyone’s audience off into the cloud. Still not But there’s still opportunity to staunch the fl ow, and nimbler, leaner companies can defi nitely leapfrog. Blue Ant is an example of a company with a foot in both broadcast and digital platforms, and was built with a strategy convinced? of taking advantage of both. And that’s the key: mindset. Rather than fearing the inevitable and focus on the glass being cracked, slug back the scalable opportunities in the digital realm. This issue chronicles the steps companies like Shaftesbury How about a and have taken to step up (see story pg. 20) and frankly breaks down the ROI of being in the game. Content models, platform-building and engaging the new audience are topics that we’re also tackling in April at the FREE 14 DAY Playback Summit, and with the CEO of Mondo Media and the CEO of Group M sharing their learning on what’s working and where it’s headed next, thought-provoking aspects of the new challenges – and opportunities – will be covered. Hope TRIAL RUN? to see you there.

Cheers,

Mary Maddever, Subscribe at playbackonline.ca/free or Publisher, Playback call 416.408.2448 for all the news on the Canadian fi lm & TV industry

6 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca *price based on yearly subscription

PB.Publisher.spring14.indd 6 14-02-05 6:35 PM

PB.24036.Strip.HAd.indd 1 2013-11-14 2:16 PM offers national and ample power and supporting infrastructure to accommodate international producers a modern, purpose built fi lm productions of all sizes and budgets. and television facility which is widely recognized as one of the leading studio facilities in North America. With continued investment in recent years the Studios has become one of the premier hubs for incoming International, Part of the Pinewood Studios Group, which is a and homegrown Canadian producers of creative content in leading provider of studio and related services to the North America. global fi lm and television industry, and synonymous with world class productions, Pinewood offers easy Pinewood is proud to support the Canadian TV and Film industry. access to the world’s most experienced crews and In 2013, the Studios opened three new 10,000 sqft soundstages, the best quality sound stages, production resources specifi cally to facilitate feature fi lm and TV. Canadian Film and and post production facilities. TV productions shot at the Studios in 2013, included ’s The Captive, and , fi lmed in front of a live The Studios offer 250,000 sq ft of production audience on Pinewood’s Stage 8 and airing on CTV in March space on a 20 acre site, including ample back lot, 2014. ABC’s Lucky 7 Season 1 was shot on stages 7 & 9 in 2013. based minutes from Downtown Toronto. All of its stages, including North America’s largest purpose In 2014, Pinewood hosted Season 5 of The Listener on Stages 10 built soundstage – the 46,000 sq ft Mega Stage, and 11 and Guillermo Del Toro’s exciting new project The Strain are soundproofed, clear-span and equipped with in Pinewood’s Studio 54.

For more information on Pinewood Toronto Studio facilities and recently hosted Canadian productions: visit www.pinewoodtorontostudios.com

PB.24442.Pinewood.indd 1 14-02-05 12:52 PM FESTIVAL WRAP: SUNDANCE A critical barometer for the state of indie fi lm, the Sundance Film Festival this year ran Jan. 22 to Feb. 1, with the renegade Slamdance festival preceeding it. Here, guest Playback blogger Alan Bacchus, programs manager The Harold Greenberg Fund/, runs down the big deals and trending topics.

My Prairie Home

CANADIAN PREMIERE

SEASON UNFOLDS Trending: Queer/LGBT themes in the indie world seem to be Mid-season is primetime for original Canadian programming, with expectations – but captured more ’ attention strong. From Canada’s My Prairie Home to Love as broadcasters shove aside middling imported fare and make when the premiere encored on CTV the next night at 10 is Strange, Queer cinema was everywhere, from room for homegrown creations. This January saw a number of p.m., netting 870,000 viewers. The broadcaster also debuted documentary to drama, niche to commercial. new Canadian series debut, from the usual doctors and police its new sci-fi series on Space in early January, giving its offi cers to the more unexpected lone lady werewolf. werewolf drama Bitten the same timeslot premiere as had Big deal: CTV’s returning medical drama split its second previously served so well. The series debuted It was the lack of major deals that stood out this season into two parts, with the fi rst premiering last summer on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 9 p.m. with 265,000 viewers. Finally, Sundance. There were no large fi gure pick-ups and the second premiering after the holidays. Looks like the Discovery Canada’s coproduction miniseries Klondike did such as The Way Way Back ($9M) from last year; major promo campaign for the series worked: Saving Hope’s very well on its Thursday Jan. 20 debut at 9 p.m., luring in Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions’ pickup of The “Season 2B” return on Thursday, Jan. 2 at 9 p.m. netted 1.7 645,000 viewers for its gold-digging tale. Skeleton Twins at $3.5 mllion was the biggest sale million (Total 2+ AMA, both episodes). The network also saw ’s specialty also had a heady January, with of the festival. success with its splashy new MasterChef Canada competition Chopped Canada debuting on Food Network Canada as the Canadians in the spotlight: cook-off: 1.4 million viewers tuned into the debut episode on highest-rated series premiere in the channel’s history. Its Three major Canadian prize winners emerged from Thurs. Jan. 2 at 10 p.m. premiere earned 393,000 viewers. Monday, Jan. 20 at 8 p.m. and a further 1.6 million took in Park City: Geneviève Dulude-De Celles’s La Coupe the series’ third episode, which aired in the much-coveted And Timber Kings on HGTV did equally as well, fi nding (Sundance Short Film Jury Award for International post-Super Bowl slot on Feb. 2. 370,000 viewers . Fiction); Mark Raso’s Copenhagen (Slamdance’s On Bell Media specialty, the English adaptation of French- Premieres will continue to roll out in February, including new Audience Award for Narrative Feature) and Matthew language police drama 19-2 kicked off Wednesday, Jan. 29 Global drama Remedy and CBC’s Recipe to Riches. Bauckman and Jaret Belliveau’s Elliott (Slamdance’s at 9 p.m. on Bravo to 140,000 viewers – seemingly on par All fi gures overnight, 2+ except Saving Hope Jury Award for Documentary Feature). PACKAGE DEAL, HAVEN RENEWED Package Deal Alongside mid-season premieres are always new-season orders, and this January saw a number of Canadian series and coproductions get the greenlight for another round. Rogers Media will add the Canadian edge to its comedy lineup with the okay for a second season of its Thunderbird Films’ Package Deal . Rogers Media has also greenlit a second season of Frantic Films’ Meet the Family reality series. Shaw Media in January announced the order of a fourth season of Lone MILESTONE Eagle Entertainment’s You Gotta Eat Here! for Food Network Canada and, On Thursday, Jan. 22, 2014, , one of Canada’s thanks to sustained interest from U.S. broadcaster , eOne/Big Motion most popular comedies, turned 10. A look back at the Pictures’ Haven will return for a fi fth season on Showcase. ratings reveals that despite the less-cluttered media And Bell Media’s The Movie Network and Corus’ are going in landscape, its average ratings were on par with popular for a 12-episode second season of Transporter: The Series, a coproduction Canadian programming today - over 107 episodes, Corner based on the fi lms of the same name. Gas averaged 1.4 million viewers.

8 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

PB.FOB_p8_p9.spring14.indd 8 14-02-05 6:36 PM BOX OFFICE

The Nut Job The $42 million (estimated) animated feature, a Canada-Korea-U.S. coproduction, debuted to big buzz on its opening weekend, netting $19 million at the North American box offi ce (across 224 screens) and taking the number three slot for the weekend. In Canada, it won the weekend with $1.4 million and kept the pole position in week two, dropping only 18%. The Nut Job even managed to knock Disney’s Frozen out of its perch atop the family fi lm throne in the U.S., which it had held for two months. The fi lm was so successful, its three producers – U.S.-based Gulfstream Pictures, Korea’s Redrover Co. and Canada’s ToonBox Entertainment – launched a joint-venture animation lab to incubate new fi lm and TV projects. “It is crystal clear that Canada can make world class animated features that stand proudly with their Hollywood brethren,” says Mark Slone, SVP, acquisitions, eOne, the fi lm’s Canadian distributor.

2013 Box Offi ce Hollywood Percentage of screen time for Canadian vs. Hollywood fi lms, according to box offi ce Iron Man 3 - $36.4M tracker Zoom Services (FINALLY) LANDS 93% The Hunger Games: Catching Fire - $35.7 STUDIO SPACE Man of Steel - $26M After nearly a decade of planning, Calgary is finally getting a dedicated . Plans for the $22.8 million complex call for two purpose-built sound stages, 20,000 sq-ft and 30,000 sq-ft respectively, with Canada the ability to subdivide the larger space. Also planned is 18,000 sq-ft of warehouse 2% space, with up to 15,000 sq-ft for other Mortal Instruments: City of Bones - $5.1M production needs. The studio’s projected opening date is summer 2015. Louis Cyr - $4.2M - Etan Vlessing

Photo: Zade Rosenthal Photo: Astérix et Obélix: Au service de sa Majesté - $1.4M

spring 2014 | 9

PB.FOB_p8_p9.spring14.indd 9 14-02-05 6:36 PM FORT MCMONEY COMES TO LIFE The NFB’s docu-game As highly engaging subject matter goes, the Canadian oil In a December blog, the game’s creator David Dufrense sands are a pretty safe bet for an evolving storyline. described the almost-chilling nature in which fi ction and bridges real and virtual worlds, At least so decided the NFB, which selected the town of reality started to merge: “All week long, the news – the Fort McMurray, Alta., the heart of the oil sands industry, as real news – about Fort McMurray was catching up with the lending an extra dimension to the inspiration for its immersive docu-game, Fort McMoney. increasingly less virtual news about Fort McMoney. All week Launched last November by the NFB in partnership with long, the accounts of our protagonists took on a peculiar tone, transmedia storytelling mediaco TOXA and Franco-German TV network somewhere between urgency and seriousness. More than ARTE, Fort McMoney provides an intriguing template for ever, Fort McMoney had become a serious game.” BY JULIANNA CUMMINS large-scale immersive games. Fringe as it may sound, the game has proven adept at The project budget was $872,000, of which $471,000 engaging Canadians. came from TOXA via the Canada Media Fund, $270,000 from Between Nov. 25 and Dec. 22, 309,000 unique visitors the NFB and ARTE the remainder. and populated Fort McMoney – more than triple the actual Radio-Canada are on board as media partners. population of Fort McMurray – making over 350,000 Fort McMoney is a tri-lingual virtual world in which players site visits. In addition, 1,869 players engaged in the four are asked to make decisions that affect the fate of the debates featured in the game and presented more than economy and the environment as they relate to the oil sands. 5,300 arguments. As far as the true defi nition of transmedia goes – storytelling Dufrense and Globe and Mail writers Eric Reguly and across mediums in which participants can affect the outcome Margaret Wente also blogged alongside (Dufrense on The of the storyline – the game is true-blue. Each “episode” Huffi ngton Post Canada) and coverage of gameplay was or round of gameplay engages participants in debate and included in the Globe and Mail’s print and online editions. discussion and culminates in a game-changing referendum. And finally, Fort McMoney also made its mark on Additionally, always-evolving events in the real world social media, with nearly 5,000 tweets mentioning infl uence players’ decisions. Case in point: in the third week #FortMcMoney or @FortMcMoney posted throughout the of the game’s last round, the federal government approved first round of the game. an expansion of Shell’s oil fi eld operations in , igniting The second round of Fort McMoney launched Jan. 27 and furious conversation amongst players. culminates Feb. 23, 2014.

10 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

10 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

PB.FOB_p10.spring14.indd 10 14-02-06 1:57 PM PB.24469.Iatse.indd 1 14-02-05 12:53 PM CRAZY/BRILLIANT Five big video-based ideas and trends from the media world

Volkswagen makes “Phablets” Amplify HGTV woos dudes a movie about itself Smaller than laptop, larger than rises and shines With a strategy more “cut”-throat seeks storm sponsors As everyone bets big on branded a phone, “phablets” are the tech Twitter Amplify activations fi nally than the Game of Thrones, HGTV It seems The Weather Network content, Volkswagen Canada was toy of the moment, according to hit the market this winter, with chased a previously untapped male knew something the rest of us refreshingly simple in its approach Deloitte. With screens of up to Shaw Media promoting the demographic with a manly new didn’t and launched a new storm- with Once More: The Story of VIN almost seven inches, phablets are People’s Choice Awards with factual series, Timber Kings. But coverage sponsorship program 903847, a half-hour doc that aired better suited for video viewing, 60-second highlight clips running it didn’t abandon its biggest demo this winter. A great idea but one ad-free on Bravo and Discovery a fact which helped propel the in real time on the social media completely, promoting the series that could have benefi tted from Canada in January. Directed by category to a 100% sales increase site in tandem with the broadcast. with commericals targeting each an increased variety of ads. When Hubert Davis, the doc explored in 2013. In 2014, phablets are TSN also used the program to gender. It seemed to work: Timber the fi rst execution launched, with the history of one 1955 Beetle, its expected to account for 25% of all promote the 2014 IIHF World Kings premiered to 370,000 Troy-Bilt lawn products as lead drivers and their adventures. smartphone sales. Junior hockey tournament. The viewers and won the night for sponsor, the same ad repeated at Brilliant-er: Viacom in the U.S. Win: Is your show’s demo over campaign earned 6.64 million entertainment specialty. every break. And everyone’s lawn is launching an entire division 65? Deloitte notes that phablets impressions with over 200,000 Secret weapon: Put that in your was covered in ice. dedicated to original branded are likely to be a hit with seniors, engagements. pocket the next time the network We wish... Dairy Queen took the content for its portfolio of channels. who dig the big screens. Lightbulb: Ideal for fi lm trailers, no? says your show “isn’t in their demo.” sponsorship for the Blizzard.

- Val Maloney and Michael Kolberg,

spring 2014 | 11 ORIGINAL CONTENT FOR ALL SCREENS

spring 2014 | 11

PB.FOB_p11.spring14.indd 11 14-02-06 1:58 PM PB.24430.Shaftsbury.indd 1 14-02-05 2:12 PM BY THE NUMBERS

This January, the Canadian Media Production Association released its Profi le 2013: Economic Report on the Screen- based Production Industry in Canada. Here’s a snapshot of its overview of convergent media production in 2013.

$43.4M Soulpepper Theatre Company’s Albert Schultz Total production volume of convergent digital media (CDM) projects in 2012/2013 A look at new business 324 deals, strategies and opportunities Number of CDM projects completed in 2012/2013 NEW IN in the Canadian entertainment industry INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION: 1,010 Soulpepper, Thunderbird Films pact The number of full-time jobs created by CDM projects in 2012/2013 -based Thunderbird Films has inked a deal with Toronto’s Soulpepper Theatre Company to develop fi lm, TV and digital content with the indie producer. The partners will jointly develop media content for a world market, starting with a movie and TV series based on resident artist Ins Choi’s play Kim’s Convenience, now in development. “This is a win-win. $134K [Artistic director Albert Schultz] is a visionary, Soulpepper is a hothouse for talent and Thunderbird intends to be a major Average budget for CDM projects in 2012/2013 force in original ,” said Ivan Fecan, executive chairman, Thunderbird Films. – with fi les from Etan Vlessing

16% DISTRIBUTION: The drop in average budget for CDM projects from goes global 2011/2012 ($159K) to 2012/2013 ($134K) Michael MacMillan’s Blue Ant Media is to launch an international distribution arm with Solange Attwood overseeing the rollout as SVP, international. Attwood will be responsible for developing and launching the new sales division, $73.4M a task she has experience in having recently done so at Si Entertainment, where she launched that company’s GDP generated by CDM production in 2012/2013 distribution arm. Blue Ant Media runs eight specialty channels, including Cottage Life, Travel+Escape, and Smithsonian Channel. 38% – Etan Vlessing Percentage of English Canadians who FremantleMedia opens Toronto offi ce watched TV online in 2012 Global distribution giant FremantleMedia International has hired former MGM exec Susan Hummel to launch a Toronto sales office. FremantleMedia product is already present in Canadian primetime, with past series like Canadian Idol and The X Factor, but they’ll 8% now have someone on the ground, focused on licensing product in both the English- and Percentage of Francophone Canadians who French-language markets. watch video on cell phones Susan Hummel – Etan Vlessing

$300M BROADCASTING: Invested by the Canada Media Fund The Weather Network expands to U.K. in CDM in 2012/2013 Oakville, Ontario-based Pelmorex Media is going global with the expansion of its brand into the U.K. market. The media company, which operates The Weather Network in English Canada and MétéoMédia in Francophone Canada, Source note: Estimates for convergent media information has already established a U.K. headquarters, led by SVP Taylor Emerson, and will expand its presence to include news are based on data from the Bell Fund, Canada Media Fund, services, content, sales and marketing. “We believe there is an opportunity for a focused company with deep weather Ontario Media Development Corporation, Shaw Rocket Fund expertise to establish a strong presence in the U.K.,” said Ron Close, president and CEO, Pelmorex Media. According to and a survey of CMPA and AQPM. Pelmorex, 20 million Canadians visit the company’s TV, web and mobile platforms every month. – Staff

12 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

12 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

PB.FOB_p12.spring14.indd 12 14-02-05 6:40 PM PB.24397.Bell.indd 1 14-02-05 12:54 PM One pass. Two Keynotes. Two conversations on what you need to know about branded content.

con b expo THE NEW BRAND CONTENT UPFRONTS arcadian court + loft tmarch @)th #!@% CLOSING KEYNOTE: The Vice Guide To Partnership The reason the industry is so interested in the Vice model is OPENING KEYNOTE: its brand content innovation and Branded Content is King - its fanbase-building success The Future of Entertainment with online video. Vice’s chief The question is not whether branded strategist Spencer Baim joins content is the future of advertising, Free Agency’s Chris Unwin to but whether it’s the future of media discuss how the company’s and entertainment consumption. Immersionist journalism culture In conversation with Suite, The Livelab Company founder has infl uenced the way brands and CEO Barry Krause, Electus’ president of content and media can work together, marketing Laura Caraccioli offers her insights into how next shedding light on the future of generation studios are leveraging brands, entertainment content and the blurring roles of and pop culture ... and bravely makes a few predictions on agency, producer and platform. the future of formats and content.

For registration & special rates contact Joel Pinto • [email protected] • 416-408-2300 ext 650 For sponsorship opportunities contact Jessamyn Nunez • [email protected] • 416-408-2300 ext 335

PRESENTED BY &

BCON. STRATEGYONLINE. CA

PB.24477.BCON_HA.indd 1 14-02-05 1:00 PM MEET THE PROGRAMMER GREENLIGHTS WITH BLUE ANT VANESSA CASE, BLUE ANT’S EVP OF PROGRAMMING AND PRODUCTION, TELLS PLAYBACK WHAT THE INDIE BROADCASTER IS LOOKING FOR AS IT EXPANDS ITS ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING SLATE BY NICK KREWEN

Vanessa Case joined Blue Ant Media in March 2012, overseeing programming and marketing for its What are the common elements to a successful Blue Ant show? eight specialty channels, which include Travel+Escape, Cottage Life, Smithsonian, Oasis, Bite, radX, HIFI The secret ingredient that makes for a great show is the independent producer relationship. and Aux. Prior to joining Blue Ant, Case held exec programming roles for specialty television at Shaw We are absolutely committed to investing in Canadian production, and have more than Media and . Here, she discusses opportunities for indie producers, winning ideas and why doubled our independent production slate from last year to this year. I would love to say travelogues aren’t a fi t for Travel+Escape. we’re paying top licence fees [but] we’re simply not at a place where we can be very competitive with the vertically integrated companies. We have independent producers who Can you tell us what makes Blue Ant’s programming strategy unique? are incredibly sensitive to that. They’re coming to the table with great ideas, and together we’re going at the ideas with ‘how do we afford it; how do we not kill ourselves fi nancially The way Blue Ant approaches content is that we look for it in every single direction. We are and creatively doing it?’ Creativity, that’s gone into creating some of our top shows from a true multi-media, multi-platform company. [A show] doesn’t necessarily have to premiere Boundless to Illegal Eater to Rebel Without a Kitchen. We’re looking for really outside-the- on broadcast: it can start online and grow from there. It’s in fi nding the next stars of our box ideas. I think a creative approach to fi nancing is the key to it. We have examples of industry, be it lifestyle, or even potentially dramatic production. For our YouTube initiatives, it’s shows that are costing $60,000 an episode to $300,000 or $400,000 an episode, and fi nding new streams of content that will really resonate with viewers so we can have a direct those are possible because of creative solutions to tackling and producing content. And touchpoint with them – and then create content in support of that. we’re incredibly keen to be brought into the loop on international coproductions. What are some of Blue Ant’s most successful programs right now? Our big focus right now is lifestyle and documentary – specifi cally, on Cottage Life and Which channels have the most opportunity for new original shows? Travel+Escape and Cottage Life. Travel+Escape is one of the bigger services and Travel+Escape. On Cottage Life we’re fi nding that people are enjoying touring peoples’ we are truly committed to fi nding hits for this channel and are still willing homes, seeing beautiful locations across Canada and visiting resorts and to experiment. Cottage Life is a new service, and one we started from cottages, [etc]. That’s seen in My Retreat and Epic – these are shows that scratch. We’re living up to the longstanding identity of a magazine we both made and purchased for the channel, which are doing incredibly that’s well established and we are aggressively producing well. And then on Travel+Escape, we see success in all sorts of forms. content to fi ll that schedule. A lot with our [acquisition] paranormal programming and in some of our more adventure-based programming… like Scam City and Boundless, where we’re really pushing the limits on what What don’t you want to be pitched? people think of traditional travel. When we’re talking specifically about Travel+Escape: travelogue programs. When people Tell us about your digital strategy and think of travel, what do they go online for? They how it augments your broadcast strategy? go online to find reviews from various airlines, resorts, you name it. That is not what we’re We’re working hand-in-hand with digital to try and fi nd going to deliver on TV. They’re going to TV for synergies that can launch new ideas, new talent, and new an entertaining experience. platforms. Aux and Bite are two channels that have taken total advantage of that – Bite in particular. We’d love to say that we can produce the next big What are the elements of a Canadian scripted comedy series; realistically, we don’t great pitch to Blue Ant Media? have that available budget. [But] we’ve been able to be I think it’s coming in with a clear sense [of] incredibly strategic in working with producers, our digital timing and where it’s going to go – that it’s got department and [through] the Bell Fund and CMF, accessing legs beyond one season. We are defi nitely looking funding to create scripted content that will launch online fi rst for series versus one-offs at this point. and then follow on a different format on air.

14 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

PB.FOB_p14.spring14.indd 14 14-02-05 12:51 PM You engage. We fund.

Creating great content is about fostering successful partnerships. The Canada Media Fund is dedicated to funding exceptional Canadian content, providing vital industry research, and promoting what is uniquely ours, here, and abroad. Together, we can engage the world. Discover how we can work together at cmf-fmc.ca

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PB.24068.CMF.Ad.indd 1 2013-11-14 2:15 PM Clockwise from top left: Pompeii previz animatic; original photography from set; 3D layout of the scene; fi nished version of the shot (Artwork courtesy Mr. X) SHORTHAND FOR SUCCESS It’s Mr. X’s biggest-ever job since its inception in 2001, was spent in Canada on VFX services, a 67% increase An established track and likely among the most ambitious any Canadian FX over 2009. The majority of that growth occurred in B.C., shop has tackled. The Toronto-based company helped which recorded 52% of VFX expenditures among Canadian record with Don re-create ancient Italy and the AD 79 explosion of Mount production centres in 2011, followed by Ontario and Vesuvius for the Canada-Germany copro Pompeii, which with 24% each. shot last year in Toronto. More recently, Canadians and Canadian VFX shops were Carmody and Constantin The 3D action flick – with an estimated budget of nominated for work on 10 projects at the 12th Annual Visual $90 million – tells the story of Milo (Kit Harrington), a Effects Society Awards, including The Borgias, Game of Films helped VFX shop gladiator-slave who battles in the Pompeii amphitheater Thrones, Gravity, The Croods, Elysium and Iron Man 3. when the nearby volcano explodes, sending the city’s For Pompeii, which opens on Feb. 21 in Canada Mr. X keep Pompeii on inhabitants scurrying. through eOne, Mr. X contributed to 475 shots, working It is produced by Don Carmody along with Robert Kulzer for 14 months. It animated an opening montage of of Munich-based Constantin Film and directed by Paul W.S. the plaster casts of victims buried in the volcano’s budget while blowing Anderson, the force behind the Resident Evil franchise. pyroclastic flow as well as every shot of Vesuvius, Dennis Berardi, president, Mr. X, has served as visual- including its climactic eruption. Mt. Vesuvius sky-high. effects supervisor on the Evil fi lms and fi lls the same role on “The top third of the mountain blew off, creating this Pompeii, helped by a crew of 190 digital artists, technicians, huge amount of energy and matter that rolled down the BY MARK DILLON programmers and coordinators. mountain,” Berardi explains. “The volumetric complexity Carmody and Kulzer found a formula for effi ciently and rendering of those shots – some of which are 20 to incorporating big-time effects working with Mr. X on the 30 seconds long – is the equivalent of 50 shots of average Resident Evil movies, Silent Hill and The Mortal Instruments: complexity. And [for 3D] we’re rendering for the left eye and City of Bones. According to Carmody, 20% of Pompeii’s budget the right eye, so that doubles the frame times.” went to the VFX work, which is higher than usual for his fi lms Mr. X digitally re-created the complete ancient city. The because of the numerous digital backgrounds and substantial production constructed an amphitheatre set that could water work. “We’ve been making movies with amazing accommodate 500 extras for medium shots and close- production values for good dollars,” he tells Playback. “[Mr. X] ups, but for wider views, Mr. X digitally extended the set did a spectacular job – world class as usual.” and doubled the extras. The shop enlisted Vancouver’s And Mr. X isn’t the only shop buzzing. A 2013 Nordicity Scanline VFX to help with water work, including a tidal wave report shows the Canadian VFX industry on the rise over the sequence. Toronto’s Soho VFX assisted with amphitheatre past fi ve years. According to the report, in 2011 $435 million shots, while Spin VFX contributed several shots overall.

16 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

PB.FOB_p16.spring14.indd 16 14-02-05 6:32 PM You question. We inform.

We’re proud to provide the right industry intelligence to support producers in their goal to succeed and to reach global markets. The Canada Media Fund is dedicated to funding exceptional Canadian content, providing vital industry research, and promoting what is uniquely ours, here, and abroad. Together, we can inform the world. Learn from our Trendscape blog and other useful research at cmf-fmc.ca

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PB.24069.CMF.Ad.indd 1 2013-11-14 2:22 PM THE EXIT INTERVIEW TOM PERLMUTTER In December, NFB chair and Government Film Commissioner Tom Perlmutter announced his decision to step down to pursue analysis on issues affecting Canada’s arts and cultural organizations. Perlmutter joined the NFB in 2001, became head of the organization in 2007 and has been credited with leading its digital renaissance, which has earned it trailblazing status and international acclaim.

BY NICK KREWEN

How does it feel to be winding down your time at the NFB? I feel proud of the accomplishments. I feel it’s in good shape. It’s a little sad, there’s a kind of bittersweetness about it. But I believe there are larger issues that affect the NFB and other institutions and I feel that I need to start turning my attention to that.

What are some of those issues? The Film Board has done remarkably well over the last number of years. Everybody has acknowledged [our] rebirth but we’re still in decline. And we’re in decline because there’s ongoing fi nancial pressure, and I’m going to be really, really clear on this: this is not a question of the Conservative government. The worst cuts that the Film Board got were with the Liberals under [Jean] Chretien. It’s a long-term process and it has to do with how the country views and thinks about its public institutions.

What are the most pressing issues for Canada’s screen industries? It’s clearly the ongoing digital disruption. I remember when I fi rst started as the head of the NFB and I was invited to a small group meeting that the CRTC had to talk about new media. Everyone was talking about the [TV] business model, and I said your business model in terms of traditional broadcasting is greatly at risk. Because all of these things in which you What do you feel have been your greatest achievements at the NFB? base the economic model, all of that can be bypassed. And everyone said, ‘Oh Tom, you The supreme one, I think, is connecting the NFB back to our audiences. I’ve always been don’t know what you’re talking about. Forget it. There, there. Go away.’ Well, that’s what’s driven by the fact that the Film Board is there to serve Canadians and connect with Canadians. happened [laughs]. And to be able to say, here it is: this is your Film Board. Take it. Use it. Play with all of this These services [Hulu, Netfl ix, etc.] are going to eat away at our traditional ways of producing. amazing work that the Film Board has produced over the past 75 years. They will impact how Canadians are watching and how production then gets fi nanced if the We did this with no new money. We did this at the time of fi nancial constraint and put in squeeze is put on traditional sources. In Canada, our industries have been slow to respond. place a kind of a whole new thinking about how you restructure an organization, how you They’ve had opportunities to put in play these kinds of services, but because there was no can embed new thinking about fi nancial administration, economy, different thinking about the immediate or self-evident business model, why do it if we can protect our traditional revenue workfl ows and how you make things different. It’s such an integral part of this story, but it’s sources? Let’s not bother. And now everyone’s trying to play catch-up. the hidden story as it were, and I think we could not have done all this without that profound organizational transformation. Under your tenure, the NFB has become a world leader in transmedia storytelling. Do you feel that it is as viable for private enterprise as it is Any regrets? for an arts-focused institution like the NFB? There are always regrets, yes. One enormous regret I have, frankly, is that I don’t think we I think it will become so. The various ways in which the business models and the production opened enough to all the really diverse cultural voices in this country. As cultural agencies we models [are changing] will fi nd its feet as consumption patterns change. Listen, we literally have a lot more work to make sure that … there’s a much broader palate of people who come just started all of this – so you get things like the Oculus Rift, Google Glass – but where will in. Not simply being patriarchal and saying, ‘We need to hear your voice. There you are.’ It’s all these technologies take us? The moment they go places that become interesting creatively about ensuring that the decision makers are the ones who are coming out of that incredibly then audiences are [going to] develop ways to come along. vital dynamic creative community.

18 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

PB.FOB_p18.spring14.indd 18 14-02-06 1:58 PM You entertain. We promote.

We’re better together. We help Canadian creators and producers reach the world. The Canada Media Fund is dedicated to funding exceptional Canadian content, providing vital industry research, and promoting what is uniquely ours, here, and abroad. Together, we can entertain the world. cmf-fmc.ca Visit canadaonscreen.ca to view great Canadian productions.

Join the conversation on Canadian content #eyeoncanada

PB.24070.CMF.Ad.indd 1 2013-11-14 2:24 PM 20 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

PB.TransmediaFeature_spring2014.indd 20 14-02-05 2:33 PM TRANSMEDIA: BLOODY GOOD BUSINESS? As transmedia and multi-platform content becomes entrenched in entertainment, the question lingers: just how exactly is everyone turning this new opportunity into bank?

BY JEFF SANFORD

There was a time when making a TV show or fi lm only meant one thing: making a TV show or fi lm. Then came convergence, cross-platform, transmedia and now multi-platform, all of which to varying degrees encapsulate storytelling across mediums. These trends are not that old. But they have profoundly affected the way content creators do business. When YouTube launched and platforms expanded, it looked like cross-platform storytelling would be the new and golden future of the industry. Global markets would be tapped, multiple revenue streams accessed. A new digital era would dawn. Many years in, it’s time to ask: has transmedia so far fulfi lled its early promise? For Canadian production companies large and small, transmedia and multi-platform content creation has opened doors to new fi nancing opportunities, new markets, different audiences, broadened skill sets, new ways to self-market projects and, most importantly, more stuff to sell. What it has largely not meant, currently, is heaps of new money. But is that fair criticism of an industry that is essentially still in startup mode? Much of the perceived value of transmedia currently lies in targeting niche, under-served audiences, fan groups, and digital savvy young people – “cord-nevers” who discover content through digital sources and may (or may not) end up at broadcast. Quite clearly, this is a demo requiring a whole new approach to engagement. In 2005, Toronto-based prodco Shaftesbury created a new digital-only subsidiary, Smokebomb Entertainment, to capture business in the burgeoning transmedia space. Almost 10 years later, the division is poised to be profi table in 2014, with revenue growing more than tenfold since the company was founded, says Shaftesbury CEO Christina Jennings. Transmedia has not been an easy space to do business in, she notes. The market is smaller than traditional broadcast and the restrictions of technology mean that digital elements may not fi t the platform a foreign media company has in place. And licence fees and production budgets are smaller, making it diffi cult to achieve the broadcast quality audiences have come to expect. Despite this, Jennings says it’s a place Shaftesbury felt – and feels – it has to be. “Thirty-fi ve percent of Canadians say they would rather give up their TV than their smartphone, so we believe that audience and advertiser demand for transmedia content is growing,” says Jennings. “The work we are doing now will help position us to lead in this space.” Smokebomb is “hyper-focused” on two groups, tweens (ages 8 to 12), and under-30s. “Those are our two sweet spots,” says Jennings. “TV is still the main space. But when I look at the habits of those audiences, this is where we need to be,” she adds. A Canadian multi-platform pioneer – Shaftesbury gained awards and international attention in the mid-Oughts for its ReGenesis augmented reality extension – the company is continuing to push transmedia boundaries. It is currently working with the CFC’s Mind Pirate/IdeaBOOST lab to launch a Google Glass transmedia app for its State of Syn web series (see pages 24- Mosaic Entertainment’s Truckstop Bloodsuckers 25) this spring and is in talks with U.S. network The CW to extend its transmedia-oriented Backpackers series – a web series Photo credit: Hailey Nordstrom with an app extension that allows viewers to choose different paths for the series’ characters – into the broadcast realm.

spring 2014 | 21

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Edmonton-based Mosaic Entertainment isn’t looking to reinvent the wheel with its transmedia/cross-platform-based strategies, but it has put them front and centre, says Eric Rebalkin, executive producer, Mosaic. “For us, transmedia has become core to the business,” he says. “Television is now a minor piece of the puzzle, rather than the major piece.” The company, which has over 30 scripted feature fi lms, TV series and web series to its credit, is currently in-market with Tiny Plastic Men, a half-hour comedy on Super Channel. The $1.8 million production, licensed for $300,000, is accompanied by transmedia extensions such as a web series and character-authored Twitter account, and is planning to extend the franchise further with a line of collectibles. The Tiny Plastic Men world also has a revenue-generating mobile app, Kitten Assassin, built on a freemium model in which players can upgrade options for .99. Above: Kristopher Turner as Gavin Murphy, Michael Shanks as Charlie Harris in Last Call These extensions also function as marketing tools for Tiny the EST box and debates about revenue share are emerging, Right: CTV invited viewers into the world of undercover cops Plastic Men, says Rebalkin, specifi cally because of its home says Bell Fund director Andra Sheffer. with the transmedia extension for its Played drama on pay TV. Webisodes offer an entry point for fans who don’t “This stuff is sorting itself out right now. It’s a messy subscribe to Super Channel, but may get into the series situation,” she admits. through later windows, such as an SVOD service like Netfl ix. Given that ROI on traditional made-for-broadcast dramas in is impossible, said James Milward, founder and executive In Canada, he notes, where government and third-party Canada isn’t huge – on average 5% – she says, expectations producer, Secret Location. Intangible effects like audience funding drives transmedia/multi-platform production, the for revenue generation in the emerging transmedia space dedication are diffi cult to quantify. What’s clear is stakeholders addition of digital creates a more revenue-friendly picture. should be modest. increasingly want to know what they are getting out of it. Whereas a typical will boast a fi nancing Even for digital media producers who specialize in the “It is make or break in industry right now,” he says of ratio of approximately two parts subsidy to one part private space, the defi nition of ROI is currently quite broad. transmedia’s place in the broadcast ecosystem. “Increasingly funds, the variety of funding programs for digital media “They are developing a skill base, new talent, and building you have to demonstrate how transmedia can relate to profi ts. production mean a ratio of up to 7:1, subsidy to licence fee, their companies,” Sheffer says. “They have track records to Everyone is trying to fi gure out value of digital platform and which means the broadcaster spends less and the production demo their material to international clients. They can make how that relates to revenue. Producers and broadcasters are budget is higher money on digital content if they are hired to version online trying to turn this user behaviour into an investment return.” “The broadcaster gets the best of both worlds – content on platforms for international markets. They create underlying Carrie Cutforth-Young, transmedia producer and executive two or more platforms with a reduced licence fee, but a bigger engines and technology that can be licensed to other director of the TO WebFest, says the issue of real return has budget than what TV could do alone,” explains Rebalkin. producers and for use on future projects.” given transmedia a bum rap in recent years. As an example of production effi ciencies that can be This is a viewpoint currently being embodied by Toronto- “There has been a tendency in the past toward a ‘throw gained with a little transmedia creativity, Rebalkin cites based Secret Location, one of the leading digital media money at it’ approach, and that is where transmedia has Mosaic’s latest production, the $150,000 comedy-horror shops in the country. It has produced digital extensions and gotten somewhat of a negative connotation,” she notes. Truckstop Bloodsuckers. A “prequel” storyline debuted on standalone projects for Shaw Media, Bell Media, NBC, IFC, “Transmedia will never be a one-size-fi ts-all business Blue Ant Media’s Bite channel, followed by a web series the NFB and more. In 2013, it produced the digital and online model... at its core, it is essentially franchising,” she on Bite.ca and fi nally, an indie fi lm, all developed out of infrastructure for , which aired on Shaw continues. “What does not work is trying to make it live on principal photography. Media channel Slice. every platform. Understanding your target audience, how they Had the company shot only the TV segment for Bite, the One element, the “Power Play” social prediction behave and where, and what kinds of ancillary products they budget would have only been $50,000, Rebalkin notes, but online game, allowed fans to earn and spend points for consume should form the basis of any business strategy.” “working on the online delivery fi rst and then developing the interactivity. Secret Location developed and managed a At Canada’s biggest conventional broadcasters, which have feature out of that, we tripled our budget,” he explains. customized content management system to keep the project been as guilty as anyone of a “see what sticks” approach “We didn’t have to shoot extra material to make the feature; running smoothly. in the past, transmedia extensions – including web series essentially we just connected all the webisodes together. The The project generated record numbers for Slice.ca, with an offshoots for dramas or games – are seen as potential real winner for us is that we got the feature made with no average of 2.5 million page views a week. But perhaps more audience builder. equity. This is almost unheard of in Canada, and we have the importantly for Secret Location, which, as digital producer, “The broadcasters realize this is about creating and keeping rights to exploit it to the rest of the world. This is a model that holds the digital IP rights to the execution, was the opportunity audiences,” says Sheffer. “The young audience is always we pioneered and plan to continue expanding.” to develop new skills and proprietary tools for future use. online now. This keeps the community together and loyal Ownership and exploitation are thorny issues in the Creation of proprietary or custom platforms streamlines between seasons. It has to be there.” space. Expanded digital platforms have meant production work on future projects, increasing margin on fees. Taking the CTV has recently released web series extensions for original companies like Shaftesbury and Mosaic are fi nding new revenue opportunity further is ownership. Secret Location’s dramas Played (Interference) and Saving Hope (Last Call). homes for their content all the time. But the challenges Great Martian War app for example, a digital extension Both were created to attract new and different audiences to of selling transmedia internationally – and with Canadian of History Channel’s original fi lm of the same name was the property, Chris Skinner, executive producer, CTV.ca, says. broadcasters holding digital rights – producers are often developed and owned by Secret Location and fi nanced in part “Last Call or any other digital series that is an extension of limited to one-off paydays. by the Bell Fund and series license fee. The app is built on a one of our broadcast series... allows us to appeal to new and For Bell New Media Fund-funded properties, electronic freemium model with in-game currency packs ranging from different viewers as well as fans of the broadcast series, but sell-though (read: iTunes, etc) revenues must be shared with $.99 to $49.99. they’re not viewed primarily as a marketing tool,” he says. production companies. But SVOD services like Netfl ix (in Because of the complexity of transmedia’s place in the The network won’t release metrics for its online series – its which users don’t download, only stream) don’t fi t neatly into television ecosystem, simply saying it is or isn’t profi table offi cial position is that “unlike linear TV audience data, there

22 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

PB.TransmediaFeature_spring2014.indd 22 14-02-05 2:33 PM TRANSMEDIA

acquired and original,” he confi rms. One criticism often levelled at the big broadcast world is how transmedia, or multi-platform, projects, are integrated into the development and production process. Specifi cally, that digital is an after-thought and to be done properly, has to be supported from the seed of an idea. “This stuff needs to be built in and thought out right from the beginning. The budgeting has to be done from the start, with one person overseeing the entire creative process,” says J. Joly, founder and CEO CineCoup/dimeRocker, which has helmed digital projects including the Heartland Ranch social game and Kraft Hockeyville social app. “There is too much friction. I have to go around and get too many cheques.” “If the goal is cash money [for producers], it is still early days,” he adds. “We haven’t seen that yet in Canada. It is baby steps. It’s like the web strategy in the 1990s and early 2000s. If you want to address the underlying issues, stop paying lip service, do it right from the very beginning.” is no industry standard for reporting digital audiences, leaving McConnell, VP, digital sales, Bell Media. While frustrations abound and the waters remain murky, the no context for the numbers.” “Rather than try to align two different user experiences, one point no one disagrees on is the place multi-platform has However, Skinner says CTV sees revenue potential for measurements and metrics, we’re fi nding that many of our in the content-creation ecosystem. As Mosaic’s Rebalkin says, webseries through advertiser support – including display clients see value in testing and measuring the impact on their transmedia represents the new normal. ads, pre-roll and sponsorship. Given the current inability to brands by mixing the mediums,” she says. “We’re trying to fi nd that sustainable business model. That’s measure broadcast audience apples-to-apples against online And as online programming options grow, the network our next step. But we’re optimistic. There are no boundaries, impressions, web properties and digital ads offer new ways expects viewership to increase, says Skinner. no borders online. We’re here to stay. It’s not something that for CTV’s clients to mix up their media buys, says Nancy “We’ll be ramping up our digital series offerings – both can be ignored. This is how you have to reach viewers today.”

spring 2014 | 23

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PB.TransmediaFeature_spring2014.indd 23 14-02-05 2:33 PM PB.24458.ForceFour.Ad.indd 1 2014-02-05 1:22PB.24424.Humber.indd PM 1 14-02-05 12:54 PM TRANSMEDIA SYNFUL BUSINESS

Short, sweet and completely original, Smokebomb Entertainment’s State of Syn is unlike anything else on TV. And that’s probably How Smokebomb because it exists entirely outside of it. Created by Daniel Dales and Jarrett Sherman, State of Syn is set in the year 2043 in a time of growing class confl ict. The Entertainment’s edgy series’ protagonist Annika Drake (played by Jewel Staite) fi nds herself unravelling a corporate conspiracy revealed after the violent death of her father, whose company was marketing an addictive new sensory drug called Vibe. new transmedia Both narrative webseries and interactive mobile game, Syn is a “living-motion comic,” veering between animation, live action and still-frame photography. It took about six weeks to produce each fi ve-minute episode, with a total budget of just over $1 million, fi nanced by the Canada Media Fund (CMF) and Smokebomb parent co Shaftesbury, which contributed 35% of the budget, property State of Syn including marketing and communications support. In addition to its non-exclusive distribution through Hulu, where it debuted in January, and iTunes as a free game and $4.99 is redefi ning “in your premium bundle app, the fi rst three episodes can also be watched on YouTube. At press time, the series had 200,000 total video views since the initial pre-launch in October. Half of those views were from the fi rst 10 days it streamed on Hulu. face” entertainment. The mobile app game serves as an interactive prologue to the series, in which the player – acting as “Tester 63” – conquers the back story of Annika and her father. The game is built on a freemium model, in which players can purchase in-game BY MELITA KUBURAS upgrades for .99 to $2.99. And this spring, a Google Glass app will extend the State of Syn story once again, a project Smokebomb initiated through the ’s ideaBOOST/Mind Pirate Production Lab boot camp for wearable technology projects. In addition to development support and access to California-based Mind Pirate’s wearable technology game platform, Smokebomb also accessed $10,000 in funding through the boot camp. Incubating audiences that move from platform to platform, and who discuss and interact with the content, has been a valuable experience, says Jay Bennett, VP digital and creative director, Smokebomb Entertainment. “We are measuring success on what we are learning from our fans and how to interact with a dedicated ‘fandom,’” he says. The long-term goal for the series is to continue to expand the story on additional platforms, increase international sales and put out a second season, he adds. While labour-intensive, the innovative graphic-novel-meets-live-action style of the series helped creators score a major casting coup in stars like Staite, David Hewlett and Rainbow Francks – all of whom are alumni. “Just how different it was presented a unique acting challenge,” Bennett says. Shooting the series over three days, the cast was asked to record audio in a voice booth, then act out each line in front of a green screen at Toronto’s Wallace Film Studios. Following completion of principal photography in spring 2012, Smokebomb had amassed about 4,000 photos, a mandate to edit and deliver eight episodes, and no recipe on how to proceed. “This is a system we had to invent,” Bennett says. Forced to choose between the three pillars of good, fast and cheap, “we decided on good and cheap,” he adds. Smokebomb also encountered new challenges in establishing a fan base for the series, without a traditional broadcaster to pump marketing dollars into a media plan. The prodco started reaching out to potential viewers – a sizeable-enough fi eld thanks to established fan followings for the series’ talent – with a social media puzzle that included the seeding of secret codes and exclusive video content, including

24 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

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Anything” last January. State of Syn also earned mention in USA Today the week before its weekend Hulu debut, and the streaming site featured it on its homepage for the entire launch weekend. And the prodco isn’t done pushing the transmedia boundaries of State of Syn yet. For instance in January, with just a bit of the budget left over, the Smokebomb team was still “chipping away” at turning all of the episodes into stereoscopic 3D. And the Google Glass app is set to debut in March, one of the fi rst 200 to launch, a critical win for reaching early adopters. The Glass game is a short “dip-in, dip-out micro- engagement experience” that takes into account Glass’ short battery length (estimates range from 5 hours to one day) and how consumers behave in wearable tech, Bennett says. “It’s not something you would play walking down the street or crossing the crosswalk,” he notes. interviews with the show’s stars. Part marketing, part probably reached out to 200 and of that we booked 10 The game combines video and cinematic sound design, and transmedia storytelling, the execution won an award from (mentions),” Bennett recalls. asks the player to reclaim the identities of active operatives the U.S. International Academy of Web Television for best About 5% of the total State of Syn budget has been used compromised in a cyber attack. It’s all about strategy, where interactive experience. for PR, marketing and promotional costs, including the social the player becomes immersed in a new world for a short But although the sci-fi genre comes with an audience media and grassroots fan event initiatives. period of time, and is made to feel like their actions are that’s eager to connect, that’s not to say it’s easy to get them Having the stars engage with fans online helped connect affecting other characters and plot points. hooked into a totally new world. with audiences and bolster the PR efforts as well – Hewlett As an analogy, the Google Glass applies to the entire State “Just before Christmas, the goal was for everyone to reach accompanied Smokebomb to New York ComicCon in the fall, of Syn mandate. out to 10 bloggers, trying to get traction and coverage. We and he took part in a Reddit forum titled “Ask David Hewlett “A new behaviour is about to be invented here,” Bennett says.

spring 2014 | 25

RED CARPET

Congratulations to our Alberta productions and talent nominated for the 2014 Canadian Screen Awards.

Blackstone Prairie Dog Film & Television, Damon Vignale, Ron E. Scott, Borealis Seven24 Films, Andrew Wreggitt, Louise Middleton, Paul Healy Cas & Dylan Filmed in Alberta Copper - The Hudson River School Nomadic Pictures, John Blackie Engraved on a Nation Aquila Productions ’s Wild Wild West Seven24 Films Global News Calgary Filmed in Alberta Hail Mary - Open Tryout Cincinnati Anaid Productions, Allan Leader I Think I Do Rocky Mountain Picture Company Mr. Young - Mr. Time Brendan Meyer My Prairie Home Filmed in Alberta The Beaver Whisperers Filmed in Alberta The Horses of McBride Filmed in Alberta The Right Kind of Wrong Nomadic Pictures Tiny Plastic Men Mosaic Entertainment Vanishing Point Julia Szucs, Stephen Smith, David Christensen We Were Children David Christensen

to the Academy Congratulations on your 65th anniversary. . BLUE SKIES .

spring 2014 | 25 www.albertafilm.ca ALBERTA FILM, A PART OF ALBERTA CULTURE, IS A PROUD SUPPORTER OF ALBERTA’S SCREEN-BASED PRODUCTION INDUSTRY.

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UNCONVENTIONAL AND The social media outrage directed at the Emmys last summer from the Screenies this year when accounting for audience, Industry trends are for snubbing Orphan Black offered a telltale signpost as to with CTV’s Flashpoint netting eight noms, including where TV audiences are found these days. best drama, Global Television’s with seven driving new rivalries Fortunately for the growing legions of fans of specialty fare, nominations, and CTV’s blockbuster summer show Amazing the Canadian Screen Awards (CSAs) recognized the Space Race Canada snagging only two noms, for writing and clone drama with a fi eld-leading 14 nominations. photography in a reality show. at the 2014 Canadian That followed the Academy of Canadian Cinema and For Bell Media’s Henderson, the omission of Amazing Race Television introducing a number of key changes at the Canada from the reality competition category amounts to, in Screen Awards CSAs to reduce the number of categories and better align sports terms, an own goal (or scoring into your own net) for jury selection with the popular tastes of Canadians, pitting the industry awards show. BY ETAN VLESSING specialty against conventional - like in the real world. “There is clearly some additional work to be done by the “With some changes to the jury process and a signifi cant Academy. That one of the most successful Canadian TV re-alignment of categories, the Academy has made great programs ever produced and the most-watched television progress in positioning the Canadian Screen Awards as program in the country in 2013 is not recognized in this representative of the Canadian television landscape,” says category is very disconcerting,” Henderson says. Scott Henderson, VP of communications at Bell Media, which All of which leaves specialty channels like Bravo, Showcase goes into the annual awards with a commanding 157 CSA and History Canada as likely big winners at the upcoming nominations for its shows. Canadian fi lm, TV and digital media awards. The result is a competition that spotlights the growing appeal of Here contenders include Bravo’s The Borgias with seven homegrown specialty and pay TV series in Canadian primetime. nominations, History Canada’s Vikings with six, and APTN’s That striking evolution is evidenced by pay TV shows like Blackstone with another fi ve noms, pointing the way to a new HBO Canada’s grabbing 12 nominations and for Canadian TV. taking another eight, including for best comedy, “It’s a very competitive category and everyone should be Bell Media’s The Movie Network netted 25 CSA nominations really proud,” Ron E. Scott, creator, writer and director of in all, and ’s Movie Central pulled in 24 Blackstone, says of a best TV drama category at the CSAs noms – the same amount as Rogers Media managed for that blurs the line between conventional and specialty. shows on all of its conventional and specialty channels. In the best drama category, the CTV crime dramas Motive Sure, CTV, Global and CBC series still get bigger and Flashpoint and Global’s Bomb Girls will compete with audiences on the dial. But they grabbed fewer nominations APTN’s Blackstone and Orphan Black, which is also a

26 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

PB.CSA_p26_p27_spring2014.indd 26 14-02-05 4:55 PM Far left: Jason Priestly’s Fitz on the campaign trail (Photo: courtesy of The Movie Network) Top right: Katheryn Winnick plays the fi erce female lead of Irish- Canadian coproduction Vikings Bottom right: Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan in The F Word

comedies this year refl ects a shift in Canadian content spending after the CRTC in 2011 gave Bell Media, Corus Entertainment and Shaw Media fl exibility to shift money between conventional and niche services to meet spending requirements The net impact has seen Global and CTV shift part of their required Canadian content spending to big budget format shows and specialty channels acquired in recent years by parent companies as part of an industry consolidation. Many of those specialty channels in turn have proved highly profi table owing to subscriber fees, while conventional networks continue to fi ght back as audiences and ad dollars continue to shift to niche channels and the internet. The CRTC’s regulatory move to a ground-based licensing regime, underpinned by minimum expenditures, followed criticism that private broadcasters were spending too much on Hollywood programming and too little on homegrown shows. Conway adds the reduced number of CSA categories means broadcasters have to be more selective in which shows they place into possible competition. “The Academy has done a lot of work with the industry to get the number of categories down to a meaningful level. And that’s encouraged the industry to be more rigorous in how it goes about putting things forward for nominations.” On the fi lm side, the CSAs promises to be yet another promotional opportunity in Toronto for Quebec fi lmmakers. ON THE RISE , who is eyeing a long career in Hollywood, saw Enemy pull in 10 nominations, including best picture, breakout hit on BBC America stateside. programming at Rogers Media. best director and best actor for Jake Gyllenhaal. As so often happens in business, with the decline of one On the broadcast front, Shaw Media and Bell Media ’s Tom á la ferme () followed sector and the rise of another, specialty’s strong showing dominate the fi eld for the Screenies this year because their with eight noms, ’s Gabrielle snagged six illustrates increased Canadian-content expenditures by vast stable of specialty channels offset an increasingly nods, including best actress for Gabrielle Marion-Rivard, and private broadcasters. challenging position for Canadian conventionals. Michel Poulette’s Maïna, will compete in six categories. “It’s great to see Orphan Black and Blackstone getting Bell Media, which bulked up after the recent acquisition There’s nothing new in Quebec directors dominating some profi le and some nominations and that’s terrifi c for the of , raked in a fi eld-leading 157 nominations, Canada’s fi lm awards. industry,” CBC English services head Heather Conway says including 12 nominations for CTV News. That those same auteurs like Villeneuve, Philippe of what she sees as a maturing Canadian business where a “Our nominations are a testament to the talent that Falardeau, Ken Scott and Jean-Marc Vallée are becoming rising tide lifts all boats. currently exists in Canadian television and, for the most part, hot properties in Hollywood signals a likely generational To be sure, the Academy of Canadian Cinema and refl ective of industry trends,” Bell Media’s Henderson argues. change at the CSAs this year. Television ring-fencing glossy, epic shows like The Borgias Rival Shaw Media, which has also greatly expanded with Already, the acting categories at the CSAs are heavily and Vikings in the best international drama category after the consolidation of Canada’s private sector broadcasters by infl uenced by foreign talent, as Jake Gyllenhaal competes in complaints other Canadian series were at a disadvantage major telecom players, also emerges as a major force at the the best actor competition with Enemy against The F Word’s will limit the ascendancy coproductions once enjoyed at the CSAs this year. Daniel Radcliffe, ’s Brendan Gleeson, former Geminis. “We’re extremely proud of Shaw Media’s 92 nominations, Rajesh Tailang of Siddharth and for Le But the continued showing for elaborately produced shows which refl ect the outstanding Canadian programming and démantèlement (The Dismantlement), the lone Canadian actor like Shaw Media’s World Without End, which netted fi ve talent across our channels,” Barbara Williams, SVP of content in the competition. nominations, and Museum Secrets with its four noms, show at Shaw Media, tells Playback. Canadians do better in the best actress and best supporting Canadian specialty series made with foreign partners can still Shaw Media’s CSA haul was just behind the CBC, which actress categories this year, with Maslany contending for best muscle their way into the CSA’s limelight. received 95 nominations, down from years past when the fi lm actress for her star turn in Cas & Dylan, against Empire of It’s the same story in the comedy category, which pits public broadcaster routinely dominated the Geminis owing Dirt’s and Gabrielle Marion-Rivard of Gabrielle. conventional and pay TV shows against one another. to its sizeable lineup of Canadian shows, compared to And , Canadian fi lm’s latest “It” girl, will Here City’s Seed with eight noms and the CBC’s Mr. D and private broadcasters. challenge in the best supporting actress competition for Gavin Crawford’s Wild West go up against pay TV series Call “That’s less and less true, as the regulations have her dramatic role in Enemy, challenging Me Fitz on TMN and Movie Central and Super Channel’s encouraged more Cancon creation and there’s a great of Empire of Dirt, Tom at the Farm’s and Tiny Plastic Men. appetite among audiences. That’s a positive and wonderful Mackenzie Davis from The F Word. “Eight nominations [for Seed] is fantastic. It’s kind of the development,” the CBC’s Conway says. The rivalries may be fi erce, but the breadth of talent in sleeper show,” says Nataline Rodrigues, director of original The strong showing for specialty and pay TV dramas and these categories suggests a win for the industry overall.

spring 2014 | 27

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APTN’s Blackstone, shot in , Empire of Dirt follows the lives of is one of the channel’s most popular shows three women

INDIE & INDIGENOUS BY ETAN VLESSING “I didn’t want to make a sob story. I didn’t want to make pity A raft of 2014 CSA nominations for aboriginal-created porn or poverty porn,” Barnaby tells Playback about Rhymes content points to a cultural industry on the rise. for Young Ghouls. Barnaby’s work on Rhymes has found resonance with critics and festival programmers alike, earning praise and Judging by this year’s nominations for Canadian Screen First Nations reserve, will contend in fi ve CSA categories, recognition from the Vancouver Film Critics Association, Awards, 2014 will be a vintage year for aboriginal fi lm and including best TV drama. the Toronto Film Critics Association, TIFF (through its Top TV shows. “It’s very humbling to see Blackstone, which has been 10 Canadian fi lms list and festival programming) and the “After having been to 15 or 20 award shows over the last a long time in the making and has gone through different Vancouver International Film Festival. 20 years, this is the most well-represented year for aboriginal challenges, to be mentioned with the top shows in Canada,” The residential school subject matter is similarly explored in people, across the board. I’m pretty surprised,” said Jennifer said Ron E. Scott, Blackstone creator, writer and director. Blackstone’s upcoming fourth season, which includes a major Podemski, producer of Peter Stebbings’ Empire of Dirt, APTN does not release ratings for Blackstone – the network arc about Canada’s prison system and its disproportionally nominated for best picture. says it does not believe BBM Canada’s sample accurately high population of Aboriginal Peoples. “It’s an echo of the It has taken many years for aboriginal fi lmmakers to refl ects its primarily aboriginal viewership – but a study residential schools,” Scott insists. become an overnight success, says Podemski, but signs conducted by the channel amongst Aboriginal People (18+) By contrast, We Were Children, which aired on APTN point to a burgeoning aboriginal creative industry, with TV found 11% of APTN viewers cite Blackstone as the program and received four CSA nominations, takes a more direct at its core. they watch most often on the channel, says Jacqueline route to capturing residential school survivors’ experiences: “In many ways, since the onset of APTN 15 years ago, Jubinville, manager of communications, APTN. emotionally wrenching documentary. the introduction of a career in fi lm and TV has increased Scott echoes Podemksi, saying APTN and other avenues “From one minute into that movie, I was balling my eyes accessibility,” she says. “People who watch APTN, who see have allowed aboriginal fi lmmakers to exercise their craft. And out,” Podemski recalls. their own stories being told, are inspired and a lot of young it’s paying dividends. Other aboriginal CSA nominees include The 20th Annual storytellers, actors and producers have been working at their “There’s a lot of fruit that comes from that,” he says. Indspire Awards, which spotlights gifted aboriginal artists craft. This is the fi rst year to see the result of that effort,” Another CSA nomination in the best fi lm actress competition and will contend in the variety or sketch comedy categories, Podemski added. has gone to Kawennahere Devry Jacobs for her star-turn in including best direction and performance. Empire of Dirt, a fi lm about the lives of three First Nation Rhymes for Young Ghouls. And there are three CSA noms for Untamed Gourmet, an women, earned fi ve CSA noms, including the aforementioned In Jeff Barnaby’s debut feature fi lm, Devry Jacobs plays a APTN series that explores the link between food and the best picture, best fi lm actress for Cara Gee and best young woman who runs drugs to escape a feared residential land, while veteran Canadian documentary maker Alanis supporting fi lm actress for Podemski. school for aboriginal youth. Obomsawin will receive the Humanitarian Award at the The best fi lm competition also includes another aboriginal As in Blackstone and Empire of Dirt, the dark legacy of Canadian fi lm, TV and digital awards. fi lm, Michel Poulette’s Maïna, a love story that stars Tantoo the Canadian residential school system forms a backdrop in Obomsawin also received CSA nominations for best Cardinal, Eric Schweig and and which Rhymes for Young Ghouls. director for her The People of the Kattawapiskak River, and received six nominations. But key to these projects’ wider appeal is universal storytelling, best feature documentary for another of her fi lms, Hi-Ho On the TV side, Blackstone, an APTN drama shot in in which audiences can go beyond dark subject matter and be Mistahey!, which chronicles a struggle for First Nations Edmonton and set around the politics and corruption of a captivated by rich characters and engaging storylines. education in Attawapiskat.

28 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!

SUNDAY, MARCH 9th at 8pm/8:30 NT

28 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

PB.CSA_p28_spring2014.indd 28 14-02-05 4:57 PM PB.24516.ACCT.indd 1 14-02-05 12:55 PM DILLON CASEY MIA KIRSHNER MICHAEL SHANKS WENDEL MELDRUM “I THINK I DO” GREGORY SMITH MICHELLE THRUSH “LESS THAN KIND” “BACKPACKERS” “MR. HOCKEY: LEADING DRAMATIC “ROOKIE BLUE: IN SESSION” “BLACKSTONE” CONTINUING PERFORMANCE DIGITAL THE STORY” PERFORMANCE DIGITAL CONTINUING LEADING COMEDIC LEADING DRAMATIC LEADING DRAMATIC

SHAWN DOYLE “FLASHPOINT: NO KIND OF LIFE” “ORPHAN BLACK” AND “CAS & DYLAN” “CALL ME FITZ” TYLER JOHNSTON GUEST DRAMATIC CONTINUING LEADING DRAMATIC/ “MOTIVE: PUBLIC ENEMY” CONTINUING LEADING COMEDIC “LESS THAN KIND” & “PHANTOMS” ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE GUEST DRAMATIC FEATURED SUPPORTING COMEDIC / LEADING DRAMATIC

Congratulates its’ 27 clients for their 30 nominations in the 2014 CSAs

Direction in Biography Documentary Series: Production Design in a Fiction Series: Achievement in Casting: RUPERT LAZARUS LISA PARASYN & JON COMERFORD “STONE THROWER: THE CHUCK EALEY STORY” “SATISFACTION” “BOMB GIRLS”

Direction in a Lifestyle Series: Original Music Score for a Program: Bell Media Award for Comedy Series: HARVEY CROSSLAND JOHN ROWLEY PAULA J. SMITH “THE CHEF’S DOMAIN” “PHANTOMS” “SEED”

Writing in a Dramatic Program: Achievment in Cinematography: Direction in a Youth Series: Direction in a Comedy Series: JAMES PHILLIPS PIERRE GILL SAMIR REHEM JAMES GENN “WILLED TO KILL” “UPSIDE DOWN” “THE NEXT STEP” “SEED: ILL CONCEIVED”

Original Series Digital Non-Fiction: Picture Editing in a Dramatic Series: Photography in a Series: BRADLEY SHENDE CHRISTOPHER DONALDSON “GROW INC.” “FLASHPOINT” “THE BORGIAS: THE ”

Direction in a Comedy Series: Direction in a Comedy Series: Best Dramatic Series: Writing in a Variety Program: JASON PRIESTLEY STEVE WRIGHT JAMES THORPE MICHAEL SHORT “SATISFACTION” “MR.D” “MOTIVE” “THE 2013 CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS”

PB.24425.Characters.indd 1 14-02-05 12:56 PM CANADIANSCREENAWARDS DIGITAL MARROW How the CBC is evolving its approach to digital innovation.

While times – and original production dollars – may be tighter at Canada’s public broadcaster, one area fl ourishing at the CBC is digital. Along with announcing several envelope-pushing projects in 2013, the pubcaster netted six Canadian Screen Award nominations for digital projects this year, including second-screen activations for Over the Rainbow, , a branded content execution for CBC Music and Arctic Air’s extended digital season fi nale. Here, Tessa Sproule, director of digital, CBC explains how the pubcaster, in its age of austerity, is using each digital opportunity as a chance to build tools and skills for the next. Or, as Sproule says: “we suck [ideas] out of every single bone that we can.”

Where does digital start at the CBC? Tom à la ferme is nominated for eight Canadian Screen Awards In my perfect world, digital starts at the premise of the idea. We’ve all struggled in the industry around this – in the past we’ve been as guilty as anybody else to having a cookie-cutter approach and saying everything should have a digital element to it. And we’re moving further away from that. Now, [it’s] what is BEST PICTURE, the story that we’re trying to tell and how does interactive help make that experience better? Rather than applying it to every single possible thing that we are doing. Because we would blow BETTER BOX OFFICE? our brains out. We don’t have the funding to be able to do that. Is it safe to say this is easier BY JULIANNA CUMMINS in the unscripted space than scripted? I don’t think that anyone’s hit the sweet spot of where scripted One of the many changes the Canadian Screen Awards made when it launched was changing its best picture and interactivity [meet]. The way that we tell stories for the TV qualifi cation criteria so both theatrically released and festival-screened fi lms were eligible for the big prize. screen is to try and get people to spend their time and sit back While it certainly opened up the fi eld – previously only theatrical fi lms were eligible for the Genie’s Best Picture passively, right? So it’s been really hard to crack that. I would prize – will the industry see an impact in terms of bums-in-seats? say that in the unscripted space we’ve been able to test more Of the eight fi lms were nominated for best picture this year, only two – Le Démantèlement (The and we’ve been able to move faster because when you ask the Dismantlement) and Gabrielle – had been released theatrically when the nominations were announced on Jan. audience to do something in a live context you can show them – 13. Both French-language fi lms, neither seemed to see a boost from the announcement at the overall Canadian and reward them – with the output immediately. box offi ce the following Friday, with both dropping slightly but maintaining consistent trajectory. However, two fi lms stand to directly benefi t from the awards afterglow: director-of-the-moment Denis The NFB has done great things with digital Villeneuve’s Enemy will be released on March 14, one week after the March 9 gala, and Michel Poulette’s Manïa as a public institution, do you see yourselves will be released theatrically in Quebec on March 21. in a similar position? Possibly missing out on the benefi ts of extra awards promo is Don McKeller’s The Grand Seduction, which had For us, we have to justify every ounce of energy that we put into a long festival run in the fall but won’t be released until May 30, and Peter Stebbings’ fall release, Empire of Dirt. anything, right? We have to make sure that it’s going to align with The remaining nominees – Tom à la ferme (Tom at the Farm) and The F-Word – did not have theatrical release what the audience is actually doing. I wish we could play more dates as of press time, although The F Word is expected out this spring. It would be very unlikely for the fi lms’ but right now we have to be incredibly shrewd and sophisticated distributor eOne to change the date of a release based on an award win, an eOne spokesperson confi rmed. in our decision-making. When we’re doing something from Being able to use a CSA nomination or win to market a fi lm is all about timing, notes Avi Federgreen, president the angle of research and development, we have to learn the of Indiecan Entertainment. most we possibly can from it. If we just hire guns [i.e. outside “If it’s not being released until signifi cantly after, all of that hype is lost,” he notes. interactive producers] to come in and do everything for us, then Still, some distributors are leveraging the marketing opportunities the nomination offers. we wouldn’t necessarily evolve. eOne plans to use Canadian Screen Awards nominations to market Enemy, as the awards gala lines up nicely with the North American release of the fi lm, says Mark Slone, SVP acquisitions, Will that involve original web content? Films Canada. “In general, we appreciate having the fl exibility to market the CSA nominations and wins around the time of We’re bringing that into our development and production universe the theatrical run,” Slone says. “Since many Canadian fi lms premier at TIFF but only get released the following now. If someone’s got a great, hilarious story to tell and it makes winter or spring, the timing is often good.” the most sense for it to [online], I still want it to be vetted through Editor’s note: theatrical release dates may be subject to change. our comedy development team. We need as an organization to be more exposed to all that talent that might not necessarily be coming to us to pitch a 22- or 44-minute program anymore.

-Katie Bailey 30 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

PB.CSA_p30_spring2014.indd 30 14-02-05 4:57 PM Put miles on your messaging – nationally and around the world.

Content creation is a global industry. That’s why Playback is offering two unique print opportunities for Canadian companies to boost profi le with an international industry audience, as well as Canada’s top decision-makers.

PLAYBACK SUMMER ISSUE One of our most anticipated issues of the year features the long-running keeper Indie Production List as well as bonus distribution at the Banff World Media Festival, where it reaches top global industry executives.

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CANADA Travelling from Santa Monica’s American Film Market to Cannes’ MIPTV & MIPCOM and all the relevant festivals and markets in between, our annual guide to shooting in Canada features expanded editorial content focusing on Canada’s world class production expertise and infrastructure.

Show the world what you have to offer! Book into both issues and receive a bonus online package.

To reserve space please contact account supervisor Jessamyn Nunez: [email protected] CANADIANSCREENAWARDS THE AWARDS EFFECT This Monday morning is a particularly glamorous one at The recognizes indie artists; the indie-er the artist, the bigger the Can you quantify a Ritz-Carlton hotel in Toronto. Canadian talent and industry possible sales boost. After Godspeed You! Black Emperor won Canadian cultural award folks are packed together, a dozen television cameras are the 2013 prize, their album Hallelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend! lined in a row and actors Katheryn Winnick and David Sutcliffe jumped 2400% in sales, says Steve Jordan, executive win? Playback looks at how smile broadly from their podiums as they reel off the long list producer and Polaris Music Prize founder. of nominees for the 2014 Canadian Screen Awards. And the nationally broadcast Junos, (which, like any major winning a fi lm or TV award As the names are announced, applause and cheers fi ll awards show, tend to focus on more established artists), can the air and nominees gather at the front of the room, arms help indie artists reach a wider audience. A week after indie differs from glitzy book around each other, cameras fl ashing in their faces. band Monster Truck won a 2013 Juno for breakthrough group “This is how people kick-start the rocket ship that hopefully of the year, its two-year-old EP jumped to #123 from #153 on prizes and music kudos. becomes their career,” Helga Stephenson, CEO of the the Nielsen Soundscan top 200 albums in Canada chart. Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, told Playback But for fi lm and television, which is less about retail shelf BY JULIANNA CUMMINS ahead of the nomination ceremony. space and more about views and ticket sales, what does an If careers are made, is there money to be made too? Can award nomination or win mean? one quantify fi lm or TV awards in the same way one does a The marketing value of a nomination would seem obvious, Giller book prize or Juno music award? given how heavily Oscar nominations and wins are marketed A Giller Prize-winning book, for example, can generate by U.S. studios and distributors. (Estimates have pegged the triple-digit retail sales growth. Will Ferguson’s 419, the 2012 worth of a best picture nomination at $3 to $7 million at the prize winner, experienced an 803% increase in sales following box offi ce.) the win, according to BookNet Canada. And the Canadian Screen Awards changed its best picture The relatively new Polaris Music Prize, launched in 2006, qualifi cation regulations in 2012, allowing fi lms screened at

32 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2014 CANADIAN SCREEN AWARD NOMINEES

THE HORSES OF MCBRIDE

Best Dramatic Mini-Series or TV Movie

Anne Wheeler Best Direction in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series

Anne Wheeler Best Writing in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series

Louis Natale Best Original Music Score for a Program

COTTAGE COUNTRY

François Dagenais and Traci Loader Achievement in Makeup

whizbangf ilms.com

Whizbang Films congratulates the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television on 65 years of excellence.

PB.CSA_p32_33_spring2014.indd 32 14-02-05 5:00 PM PB.24492.Whizbang.indd 1 14-02-05 2:04 PM CANADIANSCREENAWARDS

Left: Director accepts the award for best fi lm for (Rebelle) at the 2013 Canadian Screen Awards (Photo: Academy.ca/G. Pimentel Photography) Top: Hannah Georgas performs “Robotic” at the 2013 Juno Awards (Photo: CARAS/iPhoto)

On the TV side, Canadian award recognition does help in selling shows to new markets, says Mark Bishop, co-CEO of marblemedia. In sales pitches, marblemedia will lead with ratings numbers, followed closely by award wins, he explains. However, a slew of accolades will not necessarily “push it over the edge” when it comes to making a sale. festivals, but not yet theatrically, to enter the awards race, viewers to pay-TV broadcasts. “It’s a great calling card, but the quality of the program is creating a new opportunity to market the recognition. And, given the industry’s small size, the kudos are important. really what will close the deal,” Bishop says. But it’s been hard to assess whether or not Canadian fi lm “We need as many opportunities of celebrating our success Quantifying the value of an award nom or win in terms of award nominations infl uence consumer behaviour, says and the quality of our work as possible,” he says. increased viewership is also tough, given the delay between Hussain Amarshi, president and founder, Mongrel Media. Montreal-based micro_scope has been on an awards hot wins and broadcast schedules – but what can be easily Last March, the Mongrel-distributed War Witch (Rebelle) streak for several years, racking up nods for 2011’s Monsieur counted is the value of earned media. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2014 swept the fi lm categories, winning 10 awards including best Lazhar and 2010’s . At the CBC, which broadcast the CSAs and earned a slew of fi lm, best direction, best director and best screenplay. But While nominations seem to help raise the profi le of a fi lm, nominations for its shows, that value topped $1 million, says CANADIAN SCREEN AWARD NOMINEES by the time the fi lm won its CSAs, it was already in its home the measurable effect is moreso on people’s careers than on Bridget Hoffer, executive director communications, marketing entertainment window and was nominated for an Oscar. distributors’ bankroll, micro_scope founder and producer Luc and brand, CBC. “It’s very diffi cult to identify which one was the main driver,” Déry notes In addition, the fi rst Canadian Screen Awards ceremony saw he says. “I would say that’s the main reason why we register all of a 76% increase in viewers over the the year Mongrel Media does use Canadian arts awards in its fi lm our fi lms that are eligible,” he explains. before, and a 100% increase over the broadcast, marketing, but Amarshi notes there’s “no real way to measure However, Déry also says Genie wins seem to help French- Hoffer says. Canadians were interested, and tuned in. the effectiveness of any award in general.” language fi lms cross the divide into English Canada. “We are becoming part of the awards season in a much Still, an award win can help extend the life of a fi lm after its On average, he says, micro_scrope’s French-language fi lms more signifi cant way,” Hoffer says. theatrical run. When 2006’s Bon Cop, Bad Cop won the Genie earn less than $100,000 at the English box offi ce. But Genie- John Wimbs, director of publicity and public relations for the Award for Best Motion Picture, it was in its post-theatrical award winners and Incendies both pulled in CBC, says he feels the rebranded CSAs have greater potential window, notes Kevin Tierney, president of Park Ex Pictures, more than $1 million in the English Canada market, a success to shape public opinion. which produced the fi lm. Déry partly attributes to the Genie awards – the other part “There feels like in the past couple of years there’s been a While he’s not sure the award had a quantifi able effect being, of course, both fi lms’ Oscar nominations. shift towards the public embracing the idea that Canada is on home entertainment sales, he says any extension of the “I think it would be reasonable to assume that the Oscar ready to have an award that is embraced by consumers on promotional life of a fi lm is welcome and it can help draw nomination had more impact than the... Genie wins,” Déry admits. many levels,” Wimbs says.

spring 2014 | 33

PB.CSA_p32_33_spring2014.indd 33 14-02-05 5:00 PM PB.24492.Whizbang.indd 1 14-02-05 2:04 PM PB.24327.Yorkton.indd 1 14-02-05PB.24440.RTR.Ad.indd 12:56 PM 1 2014-02-05 1:23 PM CANADIANSCREENAWARDS CULTIVATING CULT They’re watching you. They show up en masse to conventions, line up for autographs and wear funny costumes in honour of their favourite characters. They create elaborate online tributes to How super fans drive their beloved TV shows and spend inordinate amounts of time online discussing plot lines. international appeal, If we were talking religion, the words “cult following” take on a sinister, scary connotation. But for genre TV shows like build buzz and keep Orphan Black, , Haven, Continuum, and , they are the lifeblood, the early believers who provide much- storytellers on track needed early interest. Orphan Black co-creator Graeme Manson has witnessed BY NICK KREWEN the fervent phenomenon first-hand and says online fans played a big role in trumpeting Orphan Black’s existence. “We didn’t air to huge numbers,” admits Manson, “but we did air to ‘buzz.’ And the way the online fans claimed that space and built on it was huge for us. They’re a really crazy bunch.” Crazy? Perhaps, but stalwart fans that take a show to their collective bosom are a serious business advantage when they use social media to spread the love. For a show like Lost Girl, now in its fourth season, the story about a bisexual succubus on a mission to discover her origins, avenues like YouTube and online fan tributes are key. One fan- generated Lost Girl clip compilation, “Red Dress,” has over one million hits on YouTube. “Genre shows are becoming something so much more appealing internationally now, from a sales point of view, because of the big fan base,”says Emily Andras, executive producer and showrunner of Pictures series. “With a show like Lost Girl, we have fans all over the world, and I think defi nitely we’ve seen a ton of international [sales] success that I never would have expected necessarily.” It’s not just restricted to genre shows, either: more conventional offerings like the CBC’s Heartland, seen in 25 countries, and its historic drama , viewed in 120 territories, also have avid devotees, notes Bridget Hoffer, executive director, communications, marketing and brand, CBC. “There are some shows that have an extremely hardcore fan base: Murdoch Mysteries is one. They have a fan day where they meet the cast, and the cast also participates in Fan Fest activities. And there’s a huge fan base in France for Heartland.” Peter Meyboom, producer of Shaftesbury’s Murdoch Mysteries, can even split them into three groups. “There are the hardcore Murdoch relationship worshippers who almost exclusively tweet about the relationship between Murdoch and Ogden, or George and Emily,” he explains. “Then we have the history buffs who tweet about the historical accuracy or perceived inaccuracies. And then we have the mystery fans, which focus almost completely on the story. “It’s a good gauge, and a good thing for me to look at because I have to remember that all three components are kind of crucial,” he continues. “I can tell when I’m going a little bit astray if I know the history buffs are getting disappointed or if the mystery is turning into a soap opera.” So who are these fans? “Super fans are a unique type of infl uencer,” explains Lisa Pasquin, group manager and VP at Vertias, a Toronto-based public relations agency. “While they may score lower on reach, their relevance and resonance scores are through the roof. This

34 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

PB.CSA_p34_35_spring2014.indd 34 14-02-05 2:30 PM PB.24468.PrairieDog.Ad.indd 1 2014-02-05 1:23 PM CANADIANSCREENAWARDS

Left: as William Murdoch in CBC’s Murdoch Mysteries Right: Prodigy Pictures’ Lost Girl has a passionate, international fan base

places them in a category of infl uencers that we call ‘vested;’ Hoffer. “It’s an ongoing and instant conversation. Through our trying to do. BBC America and Space have the opportunity to they have a vested interest in your success.” Twitter account here at CBC.ca, we’ve had our stars tweeting increase their fan base by nurturing that online community Lost Girl in particular has found an active, vested superfan during shows. It provides a lot of feedback in terms of value. It’s and prompting those super fans to draw in other fans and base in international LGBT community, Andras says. an opportunity for us to understand how people are responding engage them. “They have a big voice and they’re very active on Twitter and to the show.” “But it’s not free – they put a lot of work into it and they have on social media,” she explains. “It’s one of the things that I’m Graeme Manson credits it with helping gauge Orphan a lot of people assigned to it. It takes a lot of creativity to be super proud of on this show, knowing that we have a show that Black’s popularity. able to access a fan that way and make it work.” is so supportive of the LGBT community.” “That’s when we realized that we had caught on,” Manson The return broadcasters get on that investment may not be Orphan Black’s Manson describes his online lot as “lots of says of his fi rst Comic-Con appearance in 2013. “People were in increased ad premiums, says Lauren Richards, principal young people, intelligent, also older – a pansexual community. screaming in the room when we walked in, totally making our at communications consultancy Pollin8. But advertisers do I think people let their identities hang out online, whatever they jaws drop, because we weren’t expecting that at all. We saw recognize the value of a passionate fan base, she says. may be. It may not even be their own identity, but that’s cool. some really hilarious costumes.” “The passion of a super fan evidenced through their social That’s what the show’s about.” But it also gave them immediate gratifi cation that the media activity is contagious and at the very least awareness However, the value of these “cult” fans to prodcos and show was working. building, which has huge value to producers and networks to broadcasters still seems to be somewhat intangible. “We saw that some of the risks we were trying to achieve help determine the ultimate success of a property,” she says. Merchandise and licensing are a good gauge, but not as were actually working,” Manson explains. “For example, that And as social analytics improve, the value proposition of common for adult dramas as kids’ properties. Tatiana was seamless in her transitions and really fun to watch, super fans will become clearer. Nielsen, for example, has There are Murdoch Mysteries conventions and Lost Girl live and that the show wasn’t coming off as gimmicky or cheesy.” introduced Social Guide to the U.S. market, a social TV and pre-show parties for some of the devoted, but generally it’s the On a promotional level, there’s no question that word-of- analytics service that captures real-time conversation on Fan Expos, San Diego’s fl agship Comic-Con and activities like mouth fan interest helps offset expensive media buys as well. Twitter about every program on over 250 U.S. TV nets. No Canadian Screen Week’s Fanzone that are the real eye-openers “I’m sure that the networks have a certain amount of word yet on when the service will come to Canada but if it for each show’s cast and crew. hand-rubbing strategies around that,” says Orphan Black’s does, it would provide an inside look at just how powerful a “The value of the fans is all about engagement,” says CBC’s Manson. “It only makes sense and it’s what everybody’s cult can be.

spring 2014 | 35

PB.CSA_p34_35_spring2014.inddPB.24468.PrairieDog.Ad.indd 1 35 2014-02-0514-02-05 2:311:23 PMPM PLAYBACK TRIBUTE (STILL) INTIMATE & INTERACTIVE:

BY ETAN VLESSING Few channels have been so directly in the crosshairs of changing viewer habits but MuchMusic’s continued innovation and reinvention have made it a Canadian trailblazer in reaching the elusive, ever-connected youth market.

It’s June 16, 2013 and Taylor Swift is walking So to capture those viewers back, the MMVAs Needing to manufacture its own audience- As the MuchMusic brand evolved and the red carpet at the MuchMusic Video Awards can these days be experienced via the TV sticky solutions – beyond a reliance on core occasionally reinvented itself, it expanded in Toronto in strappy heels and a body-hugging broadcast, blog posts, mobile integration or music clip content – may well be the secret of to include sister channels and offshoots black and white dress. social media like Facebook comments, Twitter Much’s brand longevity. like MusiquePlus, the French language Also performing songs and picking up awards chat and Instagram. The channel was interactive long before the counterpart launched in 1986, MuchVIBE at the Canadian TV channel’s annual music The goal is continuing a tradition of internet entered mainstream culture. Fans could and MuchLOUD, both popular genre-specifi c spectacle were winner Phillip interactivity and innovation to create a unique phone in with video choices, mail in a request shows becoming standalone channels, and Phillips, Aussie heartthrob Cody Simpson, brand of entertainment, which began April 2, poster or go to Speaker’s Corner and leave a MuchMoreMusic, which would later become Demi Lovato, and with her fi ancé, 1984 when MuchMusic fi rst went on air with taped comment. MuchMusic’s studio opened MuchMore and is now M3. singer . All the while, Rush’s “The Enemy Within.” onto in Toronto, so the audience “That was us fl exing our muscles and seeing MMVA host Psy showboated with his signature The channel launched with non-stop music was always part of the show. how big we could get. Of course, to everyone dance moves. video play because MuchMusic had the rock Creating sticky viewer engagement also else today, it’s second nature,” says Mark “It’s a unique offering. Anyone can come,” industry’s promotional fi lms for , David led early on to Much’s adoption of the video Swierszcz, director of digital for MuchMusic. Justin Stockman, executive director of specialty Bowie and Human League all to itself well jockey, or VJ, an on-air host offering music Eventually, the Canadian teen lifestyle brand channels at Bell Media, says of the MMVAs. before the internet age. industry news, gossip and concert informa- evolved from pure-video play to becoming

Canadian artist Drake with VJ Sarah Taylor Original MuchMusic VJ Erica Ehm and band Smashing Pumpkins play the 1998 MMVAs

Anyone, that is, willing to camp out outside Three decades later, it is easy to look back on tion to keep audiences tuned in during music a pop culture brand, adding reality, comedy, Much’s studio for a much-coveted wristband. the upstart channel with its captive audience video interludes. drama movies and other scripted series to its “No one needs to buy a ticket [and] you can see and see it as having to run on little more than And MuchMusic curated videos around offerings. the biggest stars in the world,” Stockman adds. autopilot in its early years. shows like Pepsi’s Power Hour, RapCity, the The aim was to keep MuchMusic in touch The MMVAs may ostensibly be about music Far from it. While MuchMusic arrived on the live event dance show Electric Circus and the with its core demo as young Canadians awards, but the iconic Canadian TV brand is dial to serve up music videos, viewers could just weekly concert series, The Big Ticket. increasingly viewed music videos on second, also taking its best shot at engaging viewers as easily fl ip in and out of them, waiting for their Years before the concept of a street-front third and even fourth screens in an on- in a kaleidoscopic entertainment culture favourites while channel surfi ng. But program- studio spread throughout the North American demand world. where broadcasters increasingly get their mers needed viewers to stay on MuchMusic for broadcast scene, MuchMusic was making a The cross-platform transition was just starting biggest audiences with live events viewed on 15 minutes to have a ratings point register. name for itself being intimate and interactive when MuchMusic launched its MuchMusic.com multiple platforms. “Even before the internet, the idea that we with fans as music videos went mainstream. website in 1995. After all, illegal downloading, streaming and bit had to offer something besides the music The channel’s then-fresh approach garnered The rationale at the time was simple: torrent sites, as well as YouTube, Vevo and Pan- video was there because we knew our rat- audiences around the world via international if you have a youth-skewing TV channel, dora have long prompted young Canadians to hit ings were higher than they were, they just satellite feeds and, eventually, its website. and young people were fi rst to embrace the internet and social media to consume online weren’t being registered because people Much’s format was even licensed internationally the internet, as a broadcaster you need to music programming and connect with artists. were coming in and out,” Stockman recalls. to places like the Czech Republic. follow fans online.

36 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

PB.MuchTribute.Spring14.indd 36 14-02-05 2:28 PM MUCHMUSIC AT 30

FROM TO

spring 2014 | Top: performs at the 10th37 anniversary of the MMVAs in 1999; Bottom: Taylor Swift shares the love at the 2013 MMVAs

PB.MuchTribute.Spring14.indd 37 14-02-05 2:28 PM TIMELINE

1995 1997 1989 Much Music’s VJ Search airs 1997 ’s performance 1984 The Speakers Corner for the fi rst time. In 2006, it A new logo is designed, on MuchMusic’s Intimate MuchMusic launches booth (1989-2008) was becomes a reality show and replacing the original “M.” and Interactive is beamed with Rush’s “The Enemy an iconic part of Much’s in 2013, it hits the road for a to HMV music stores Within.” street facade. cross-country tour. around the world.

“We weren’t part of a big company then, Other brand innovations followed: MuchMusic becoming a 10-episode reality show in 2006, “I typed for . It was one of my just a couple guys in a room. So we tried to ring tones, the Big Shiny Tunes album series, incorporating online fan voting, streaming fi rst jobs here,” Stockman recalls. construct a website and it worked,” Stock- and partnerships with AOL Canada to air and celebrity judges in 2009, and in 2013, a Keeping the MuchMusic brand fresh needs man recalled. original unplugged concerts by Bjork or the Foo cross-country bus tour and reality show that constant innovation, but the channel also has Early message boards brought MuchMusic’s Fighters on its portal. culminated in a Much studio campout and fully also worked hard to achieve consistency in its interactive mandate to a new level, as did adding In this era, Much also launched what would interactive fan-driven popularity contest. voice and approach. This became more critical ad banners and tracking codes to create a become its fl agship interactive reality series, But before VJ Search offered fans a chance to as music videos started to migrate to major sellable product. the VJ Search. First airing in 1995, VJ Search be a part of the action, MuchMusic’s successful online destinations like YouTube and Vevo, and In 2000, MuchMusic.com debuted its fi rst invited viewers to contest for a much-coveted Intimate and Interactive-branded concert series Much had to fi ght harder to remain “the nation’s online music video, Madonna’s “Music” single. spot on air by submitting audition tapes, the was launched in 1997 with a live No Doubt music station.” “[] was doing a worldwide best of which would be played on-air and a performance. After the concerts, artists would So while its on-air VJs kept coming and going, digital push, and was looking to get [the video] winner selected by fan voting (via calls and often carve out 15 minutes to chat online with MuchMusic strived for a consistent voice online, placed, so MuchMusic did an online premiere,” eventually texts) and a panel of judges. their fans, with a MuchMusic technician typing especially on blogs and social media, to keep in Swierszcz recalls. The series followed reality TV’s evolution, into their answers to questions. tune with the latest music and artist trends.

38 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca

Congratulations to our talented cast and crew on your Canadian Screen Award nominations

Cracked NOMINATED FOR David Sutcliffe Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role David Sutcliffe | “Inquest” Best Performance in a Guest Role, Dramatic Series Rick Roberts | “How the Light Gets In” Best Direction in a Dramatic Series Bruce McDonald | “What We Can’t See” D Best Original Music Score for a Series Robert Carli | “What We Can’t See” T Bruce McDonald West Wind: the vision of tom thomson NOMINATED FOR Best Documentary Program Peter Raymont | Nancy Lang | Kelly Jenkins The Barbara Sears Award for Best Editorial Research Nancy Lang | Rebecca Middleton Best Photography in a Documentary Program or Series R John Westheuser | Neville Ottey Best Original Music for a Non-Fiction Program or Series John Welsman B “CRACKED” has been sold to Groupe Canal+ & 13ème Rue Universal/NBCU in France, Pro Siebens in Germany, Séries+ in Québec and U.S. network ReelzChannel. “WEST WIND” has screened in over 80 cities across Canada and was the C third-highest grossing Canadian production when released theatrically. 38 spring 2014 | playbackonline.ca John Westheuser www.whitepinepictures.com

PB.MuchTribute.Spring14.indd 38 14-02-05 2:28 PM PB.24464.WhitePine.indd 1 14-02-05 12:57 PM PB.24445.Nabet.indd 1 14-02-05 12:58 PM 2003 2006 2010 2013 George CTVglobemedia announces The CRTC denies a 2010 MuchMusic launches its Stroumboulopoulos its acquisition of CHUM for an request from Much to air The MMVAs are streamed audience loyalty program, hosts The White Stripes estimated $1.7B, including fewer music videos and online in HD for the MuchCloser. in Much’s Queen Street MuchMusic. more dramas, such as fi rst time. window. teen drama .

Photo: Diego3336

That style calls for the use of LOLs, winky MuchMusic to air fewer music videos and Another example of Much’s attempts to than 10 or 20 years ago. We know what they’re faces and other emoticons to allow MuchMusic reposition itself with more entertainment fare accommodate the radical shift in young viewing and sharing and what’s doing well bloggers to converse with fans online as they like Gossip Girl, The Hills and Degrassi due to people’s relationship to music videos has online,” Stockman says. speak or text in real life. reduced TV viewership. been increased partnerships with marketers Better audience insights and targeting also “It sort of works when you have that digital The regulator said no to including up to looking to connect with Much’s still-sought- enable the MuchMusic brand to more effectively property and you can be there for the audi- 25% “lifestyle programming” in MuchMusic’s after young demo, in more high-tech ways. tailor its voice for fans. ence in the way they’re talking to each other,” schedule, and to changing the number of music In partnership with Microsoft, the MMVAs “The idea of having a generic voice is no Stockman says. videos that air in the broadcast week. were streamed online in HD for the fi rst time in longer something that people want. They want That consistency, he adds, is key when So MuchMusic’s brand positioning remains as 2010 from six user-selected camera angles. to be talked to directly,” Swierszcz argues. MuchMusic TV viewers routinely shift to second a music-based specialty channel, now at 50% One angle came via a Nokia smartphone The MuchMusic brand also has around and third screens for social conversations. music-video programming. held by a MuchMusic crew member on the red 500,000 Twitter followers, and targets them The rub is, despite vast changes in the To accommodate its regulatory mandate, carpet that used QuickPlay software. before and during live events with specifi c media consumption habits of young Canadians the channel increasingly airs music videos in Also that year, fans could vote for the MMVAs hashtags, tune-in reminders and live tweeting. and Much’s attempts to keep up, the CRTC commercial breaks, or as short clips teasing to on Facebook, where MuchMusic has 1.3 million “We continue to fulfi ll the idea of being has compelled the Bell Media-owned brand longer online content, and to airing more videos friends, the most of any brand in Canada; interactive and in touch with our audience, to keep airing music videos as a condition in off-peak hours. American Idol followed with Facebook voting a and social media is the best way to do that,” of licence even as its target audience goes In primetime, that leaves more space for year later in 2012. Swierszcz explains. elsewhere for content. long-form content like Degrassi and other And 2013 saw MuchMusic launch an With Facebook, that may mean sharing a “We’re the only channel that was mandated scripted series and reality shows like Jersey audience loyalty program, MuchCloser, which comic photo or making pop culture references to air 50% content that our users could get for Shore and Teen Mom. has 200,000 members to date and offers or comments, and all the while shying away free elsewhere,” Swierszcz insists. MuchMusic also continues creating shows rewards like concert tickets, meeting celebrities, from direct promotion. That includes music video content the rights around videos to retain viewers. exclusive online chats and event access. More “Whether fans come to our site or decide to to which MuchMusic can’t lock up, and content “We’ve found a way to make it work by signifi cantly, MuchCloser also offers the channel watch our channel, if they’re connected with the channel can’t geo-gate or tear down if it creating shows around the videos to get key insights for more precise audience tracking. our brand, it will pay off somehow with more ends up on YouTube. viewers,” Stockman says, citing shows such “The insights we get from MuchCloser allow audience engagement and brand building,” The CRTC in 2010 denied a request by as The Countdown and Video on Trial. us to know so much more about our audience Stockman says.

spring 2014 | 39 Degrassi Murdoch The F-Word eries Cas & Bomb Dylan ngin' It Girls E Congratulations to all the television, film and digital media An Officer and a Murderer productions, serviced by NABET 700 UNIFOR, Rooki on their 71 nominations for the 2014 Canadian Screen Awards In particular NABET 700 UNIFOR would like to congratulate it's members S nominated for their outstanding work in Art Department/Set Decoration on point Orphan Black, Satisfaction and Saving Hope, Costume Design on Blue H The Colony, Bomb Girls and Orphan Black and Make-Up on Bomb Girls, ext Step The Colony, Cottage Country and The Murdoch Mysteries. han Crac For more information on producing with NABET 700 UNIFOR check us out at www.nabet700.com or contact Business Agent, Jayson Mosek, at 416-536-4827 [email protected] 2014 | ckThe CColony39 y Life wi action

PB.MuchTribute.Spring14.indd 39 14-02-05 2:28 PM PB.24464.WhitePine.indd 1 14-02-05 12:57 PM PB.24445.Nabet.indd 1 14-02-05 12:58 PM 1980 PM Louis St. Laurent1950 and Bill Murray, and at the others at the Genie Awards

1985198 nd Kim Cattrall eenie Awards ene Levyhe Ge an 19861986 Eugeneat Levythe GeGenieand Kim Awards Cattrall Enthusiastic gguests arrive at thethe fi rst Gemini AwardsAwards

Academy exec director Maria Topalovich 1993 announces Genie nominees 1996

Ernie Coombs wins a Gemini for Mr. Dressup, 2008 presenters Polkaroo and Dudley the Dragon at the Gemini Awards

40 springi 22014014 | playbackonline.cal b k li e.ca

PB.ACCT_Tribute.Spring14.indd 40 14-02-06 1:48 PM PLAYBACK TRIBUTE A REINVIGORATED ACADEMY CELEBRATES

1983 and ITS LEGACY at the Genie Awards For 65 years, Canada’s screen awards have recognized excellence: fi rst in cinema, then in television, and now in digital production as well. Since 1979, the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television has overseen those prizes, though over time producers and broadcasters lost faith in the awards and the Academy. But the organization’s new brain trust looks to have overcome this crisis in just two years, in part by merging the Genies and Geminis into the Canadian Screen Awards. Now Academy CEO Helga Stephenson and chair Martin Katz have reason to rejoice.

BY MARK DILLON

1991 Leslie Nielsen at the Genie Awards

sspringpring 22014014 | 41

PB.ACCT_Tribute.Spring14.indd 41 14-02-05 2:18 PM Robert Lantos1991 and at the Genie Awards 1967 1985 Genevieve Bujold and Gerald Parks Producer Dennis Heroux and writer for ’s Isabel Dan Petrie accept best fi lm Genie award from

he Academy of Canadian Cinema and “When we came in – Marty with the board shingle of Prospero Pictures. “Our task was then to a one-hour after-party special only. Television has much to celebrate this and me as director – it was on a mandate to try to bring back the luster and we were The latter confi guration netted a disastrous T year. And it can breathe a sigh of relief. of change. Major change,” says Stephenson, able to do that.” 34,000 viewers in the combined Ontario, The fêting concerns two milestones: the the well-respected former TIFF head who The recent ratings still are a far cry from the Vancouver and Calgary markets in 2006. 65th anniversary of the Canadian Film Awards took over the Academy’s reins from Sara peak 1.9 million who tuned in to the Genies on CHUM aired the show on its , Bravo! (CFAs) – forerunner of the Genie Awards, Morton, initially on an interim basis, in May CBC in 1985, although the respective media and Star! channels, which did not equal launched before the country even had its 2011. “We listened to the industry. They had landscapes are substantially different. Back network coverage. own TV stations – and the 35th birthday of been asking for the amalgamation of the then, network TV was unchallenged by the Canwest aired the Geminis in 2005 and the Academy itself. The relief comes as the awards for a few years. And it turned out to specialties, and in the digital world there are 2006, and both the TV and fi lm awards Academy has seemingly righted a ship headed be a very wise decision, because the results other measures of awareness. In addition to from 2008 to 2010. The shows were either toward discord and irrelevance. were beyond our dreams.” being covered on the main networks and in shunted to local stations (E!), specialties (Showcase) or digital channels (IFC), or aired on Global usually on Saturday nights in an unenviable showdown against CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada. The 2008 Gemini show on Showcase and E! was watched by a mere 100,000. In 2011, it was back to the public broadcaster. “ OUR TASK WAS TO TRY TO BRING Asked if the CBC is the natural partner for the awards, Katz responds, “Absolutely.” BACK THE LUSTER AND WE WERE Stephenson adds, “We’re very happy with the CBC and very grateful to them.”

ABLE TO DO THAT.” - MARTIN KATZ LOOKING FOR PROFILE The CBC was on board for the first Genie broadcast on March 20, 1980. That was the fruition of a movement begun some 18 months earlier, when a group of Canadian filmmakers spearheaded by Toronto Festival of Festivals co-founder The non-profi t organization’s mission is to CBC broadcast the inaugural CSA show major dailies from coast to coast, the CSAs William Marshall pushed for the creation honour and promote the work of its nearly last March to a live average audience of trended in social media across Canada and of an Academy of Canadian Cinema and a 4,500 nationwide members in fi lm, TV and new 756,000. Interest was boosted by the in , with the #CdnScreenAwards replacement for the CFAs, which launched media and offer them year-round professional presence of host , red-hot after hash tag recording 11.8 million impressions back in 1949, when the industry was development. It made a big move in May 2012 an appearance on less the day of the awards and the following day, dominated by the NFB. when it announced the merger of the Genies than three months earlier. The CSAs drew according to TweetReach analytics. Producer , speaking in and the TV-and-new-media-focused Gemini exactly twice as many viewers as the 2012 This is a notable improvement from a separate interview, was one of those Awards into the Canadian Screen Awards Genies hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos recent periods in which private broadcast- filmmakers. “The Canadian Film Awards (CSAs). Academy CEO Helga Stephenson on CBC. ers aired the events. CHUM took on the were never televised,” he recalls. “It was a and chair Martin Katz, talking to Playback in “The awards lost visibility with the public Genies from 2004 to 2007, changing the clubby, unstructured, strictly industry event Stephenson’s downtown Toronto offi ce, say the and we were losing the support of the format from a theatrical awards show to a that had no profile and public awareness. change was long in the works. industry,” says Katz, who produces under the Golden Globes-style roundtable dinner and The idea in creating the Academy and

42 springs pring 20142014 | plaplaybackonline.cay backonline.ca

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a 1987 Gemini nom for kids TV special The Generally speaking, a fi lm, TV or new media Conserving Kingdom. His prodco adapted work is submitted for CSA consideration at the latter’s central character for the series a cost to the applicant from $100 to $4,000 The Adventures of Dudley the Dragon and for movies with budgets over $5 million. In won the trophy 10 years later. He regards the each category, a peer jury of fi ve watches nominations and awards as highly benefi cial. all submissions and then meets to arrive at “It’s fundamental in terms of self-worth and a shortlist of nominees. Academy members recognition in the industry and outside,” Levy then decide the winner – fi lm members vote says. “That recognition was crucial in helping in fi lm categories and TV and new media us move along that project with the character members vote in those categories. And in one of Dudley from a one-off to a TV series that of the Academy’s online upgrades, the voting was on TVO, YTV and PBS. It’s not just a now occurs online and offers streaming of nice award you can put on your mantle. It’s nominated works. something that actually carries a lot of weight “We have one of the most advanced and ’s Mark McKinney, in the industry.” high-tech voting systems in any comparable Less Than Kind industry and we’re really proud of that,” 2013 CSAs: THE PRIVATE CASTERS Katz says. “We’ve used that to ramp up Chris Sheasgreen, Marvin Kaye, Ira Levy, Peter VS. CBC the accuracy of the voting – in the sense Williamson, Phyllis Laing, Paula Smith, Gary Campbell, Brooke Palsson, Wendel Meldrum Inevitably, the Geminis became a battlefi eld that voters are getting a chance to see the in the eternal rivalry between the private [nominated work]. And we know whether broadcasters and CBC. Many at the privates voters watch them or not, how much they complained the CBC was winning an inordinate watch, and if they fast-forward.” turning the awards into what became the the Canadian Film and Television Associa- number of awards because so many of CTV News ended its boycott with the Genies was to create profile – to bring tion to honour TV work at the one-off Bijou its employees were Academy voters and introduction of the CSAs. Yet if some some glamour and public attention to the Awards. Three years of discussions ensued jurists. A boiling point was reached in 2006 Academy members – producers and Bell event, and through it, to Canadian films.” among industry stakeholders determined when CTV News withdrew from applying for Media employees among them – continue to Lantos chaired the Academy in 1985-86 to expand the TV ceremony to a broadcast Geminis – ostensibly because the show did not grumble about the use of juries, Stephenson and, after a mutual courtship, rejoined the event. In 1985, Lantos announced the forma- adequately represent local news. insists they make their voices heard. “There’s board last November. tion of the Academy’s TV division, and the “We took a vote to see who wanted to con- a very open-door policy here, so if you have The Academy was incorporated on June fi rst Gemini show went to air the following tinue supporting our news involvement in the a gripe, you know you’re encouraged to bring 20, 1979. Its board was split between year. This was around the time he co- Geminis,” CTV News president Robert Hurst it in. We’ve always said, ‘Don’t whisper in a carryovers from the CFA committee and founded , which led the growth told Playback at the time. “Of 15 people corner – come on in,’” she says. new blood, and was chaired by producer of indie prodcos making series for private around the table, one person put up their Ron Cohen. Andra Sheffer served as the broadcasters, such as CTV’s . In hand. The rest of the people said, ‘They’re FINANCIAL CRISIS organization’s executive director for the fi rst 1987, Quebec would get the prix Gémeaux not legitimate. Let’s pull out.’” Address- This is part of the culture she and Katz have 10 years, followed by Maria Topalovich, then for French-language TV, four years after the ing such concerns, in 2012 the Academy sought to instill. When they arrived, another the Academy’s director of marketing and Academy’s Montreal offi ce opened its doors. announced changes to the Gemini voting area of turmoil surrounded budget. communications. She stayed on until 2007, Ira Levy, partner at Breakthrough system that granted more weight to member “We had a much larger staff in the past, at which point Morton took over. Entertainment, was a Bijou winner for the ballots and less to juries. Yet juries remain and it became clear it was not possible to In 1981, the Academy joined forces with documentary The Breakthrough, and scored fundamental to the process. maintain that size of staff in the economic

spring 2014 | 43

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PB.ACCT_Tribute.Spring14.indd 43 14-02-05 2:26 PM PB.24500.Fearless.indd 1 14-02-05 12:58 PM MILESTONES OF THE FILM, TV AND DIGITAL AWARDS [A] 1949 The inaugural Canadian Film Awards (CFAs) take place in Crawley Films’ short The Loon’s Necklace is named fi lm of the year [A]

1950 Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent hosts the awards [B]

1951 Canadian-born silent-fi lm legend Mary Pickford hosts the awards [B] 1968 The CFAs unveil an award statuette designed by sculptor . The award becomes known as the Etrog

1969 The CFAs add television categories

1979 Academy of Canadian Cinema is founded

1980 [D] The Genie Awards replace the CFAs. [C] The fi rst show, hosted by Bruno Gerussi in Toronto, is broadcast on CBC. The Changeling wins best picture

1983 The Academy opens a Montreal offi ce

1985 The Academy launches its TV division

1986 [C] The fi rst Gemini Awards take place in Toronto and air on private stations including CityTV. , and host [D]

1987 Les prix Gémeaux launch in Quebec for French TV

1995 The Academy launches its offi cial website, academy.ca

2003 The Gemini Awards and les prix Gémeaux add digital categories

2013 The fi rst Canadian Screen Awards – merging the Genies and Geminis – launch in Toronto on CBC, hosted by Martin Short [E] [E]

44 spring 2014 | plaplaybackonline.cay backonline.ca

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environment,” Katz says. The Toronto offi ce BizBash named the CSAs the second-best cut its number of employees to 11 from 24, entertainment industry event in Canada in while the Vancouver offi ce was ultimately 2013, behind only TIFF. closed. The Quebec offi ce was untouched. This year’s show airs on CBC Sunday, This meant more responsibility fell to the March 9 at 8 p.m. ET, with Short returning. board. But as the new regime eyed a sea As with last year, Canadian Screen Week will change, it needed fresh people and ideas, build momentum ahead of the event with and so the entire board stepped down. Jay Montreal and Toronto nominee receptions, Switzer – former CHUM Limited president two nights of non-televised awards galas, the and CEO, current executive chair of digital Banff Industry Day of panels and networking, broadcaster Hollywood Suite and a founding the In Studio onstage talent interviews, and a member of the Academy’s TV division – was bigger Fanzone, where the Academy acts as part of an advisory committee called upon selfi e facilitators, allowing the public to get during the transition. photos with homegrown fi lm and TV stars at 2013 “It was a crisis of confidence and a Martin Short hosts Toronto’s Eaton Centre. short-term financial crisis,” he recalls. inaugural broadcast of CSAs A legacy of industry boosting and the “Telefilm Canada and others came to of the CSAs are certainly causes for rescue, and the [incoming and outgoing] celebration, but they’re also stops on a path boards were hugely positive. Everybody of growth. was of the agreement that things had to “We want even more recognition for the change for the better in terms of structure Canadian Screen Awards,” Katz insists. “We and organization. Over a few months we governance, fundraising and participating guidance to the Montreal offi ce on les prix want to grow our membership and we’re on contributed ideas and helped, then stepped in the day-to-day activities of the Academy, Gémeaux and other Quebec events. the road to doing that. We have relatively back – and what a great new story.” so it made much more sense to have an It was a tense period in which the modest goals in the context of the massive The new 15-member board is Toronto- active board that was Toronto-centric than Academy and its board had to roll up their change that we’ve worked already, which based and receives input from a National a representative board,” Katz explains. The sleeves and get to work, but the changes is to get Canadians focused on our star Advisory Council speaking for the rest Academy in Quebec has a 14-member have been positively received in the industry system and the great programming that of the country. “It’s a board focused on board chaired by Richard Speer that offers and beyond. Event-planning magazine comes from here.”

spring 2014 | 45

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