® WINTER 2015/2016

Bold strategies for a new market reality BREAKING GROUND

BEST OF THE YEAR | 2016 TRENDS | DISCOVERY@20

A publication of Brunico Communications Ltd. CANADA POST AGREEMENT NUMBER 40050265 PRINTED IN CANADA USPS AFSM 100 Approved Polywrap CANADA POST AGREEMENT NUMBER 40050265 PRINTED IN USPS AFSM 100 Approved PB.27139.ScottBrothers.FP.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:25 PM CONTENTS WINTERWINTER 22015/2016015/2016

20 The executive team of Temple Street Productions, 2015’s Best of the Year Playback’s Company of Drumroll, please: The best in Canadian the Year (pg. 22) media, production and people

5 2 Watch Power Lunch A look at Playback’s networking event for our 2015 5 to Watch nominees 46

36 Discovery @20: A view from the top (execs) 12 Programmer Profi le: Shaw Media’s Lisa Godfrey on ON THE COVER the company’s new strategy

Screened 8 The Marketing Summit Top 5 15 People moves, Property Brothers @ 100 and News you can use from Playback’s inaugural Serendipity makes a “point” with its new feature marketing-focused event Crazy/Brilliant 11 Full speed ahead 16 Creating hockey FOMO, and other big ideas Five key trends driving the Canadian screen from the media business industry now and in 2016 Barb Williams vs. Heather Conway 14 Whistler Film Festival @15 42 Why do industry conferences matter? How the West Coast fi lm festival is looking to Our Winter 2015/16 cover Two veteran execs weigh in join the Oscar race, one premiere at a time features Much Digital Studios creator Dan Talevski, a singer with almost 100,000 subscribers on YouTube. (Photo: Mark Myers) 3 EDITORIAL PUBLISHER Mary Maddever [email protected]

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Lisa Faktor [email protected]

CONTENT DIRECTOR & EDITOR Katie Bailey [email protected]

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Julianna Cummins [email protected]

STAFF WRITER Jordan Pinto [email protected]

CONTRIBUTORS Mark Dillon, Matt Forsythe, Marc Glassman, Sonya Fatah, Megan Haynes, Fiona Morrow, Val Maloney

ADVERTISING SALES The paradox of choice (416) 408-2300 FAX (416) 408-0870 1-888-278-6426 I’M GOING TO COP TO SOMETHING: I’VE the world to think that Canadian content (as a SALES SUPERVISOR BEEN WATCHING A LOT OF LOW-FI RERUNS whole) is cool and desirable, like that PR/branding Neil Ewen OF SEX AND THE CITY LATELY. On CosmoTV machine Vice does so eff ectively. (It’s Vice? It must [email protected] – not even the “cool” way via OTT. (Sorry Corus, no be edgy! It’s Canadian! It must be ____.) ACCOUNT MANAGER Jane Tesar disrespect.) But Playback is a demanding mistress It’s harder for the big broadcasters to achieve [email protected] and I’m usually tired at the end of the day. And or contribute to this, outside of the CBC, due to the BRUNICO CREATIVE visiting Carrie and Samantha feels like going out nature of acquisition programming. But I think we’re ART DIRECTOR Andrew Glowala with girlfriends, without actually having to talk to starting to see, a little bit, the eff ects of good work [email protected] people and with the benefi t of sweatpants. begetting good branding in the prodco space. PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION SUPERVISOR So when the paradox of too much choice Our Company of the Year Temple Street Robert Lines was brought up multiple times at our Playback Productions is well on the path: if it keeps cranking [email protected] Marketing Summit – a problem faced by out high-quality drama, sci-fi and tween/teen BRUNICO AUDIENCE SERVICES MANAGER advertisers, broadcasters and producers alike shows, the logo might even start to really resonate Christine McNalley – and the CRTC fi nally released some details with consumers, not just Fairfax. And eOne – wow. [email protected] on its Discoverability Summit, my sweatpants Have you seen that big logo on their new downtown ADMINISTRATION PRESIDENT AND CEO and I were like: yes, let’s do this thing. Because Toronto digs? Hollywood and investors are paying Russell Goldstein turning on the TV has become a little, well, hard. attention and the public may not be far behind. [email protected] (#FirstWorldProblems) That’s not even taking into account marblemedia, VP AND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Mary Maddever This is new for me. I’ve only just become totally which is perhaps making the boldest play in the [email protected] overwhelmed by the idea of turning on the TV and brand space with its waterpark. These are the seeds VP ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE navigating my options. It’s making me do weird things. of brands being planted and growing. Linda Lovegrove Like read Good Housekeeping on my iPad (who reads This isn’t crazy, or out of reach. It just takes [email protected] VP AND PUBLISHER, REALSCREEN Good Housekeeping?) or watch Luc Besson movies and unrelenting dedication and a laser-focused strategy Claire Macdonald sports because that’s what was on. Who is this person? that starts with the prodcos and the talent with [email protected] Don’t worry, Playback readers: I still watch which they align. VP AND PUBLISHER, KIDSCREEN Jocelyn Christie your stuff . But I also have the fantastic benefi t of When I think of our Channel of the Year, W [email protected] being surrounded by it daily: my colleague Julianna Network, honestly, the Property Brothers spring to Playback is published by and I are little repositories of in-production lists, mind fi rst. (Those guys are killer marketers.) For Brunico Communications Ltd., 366 Adelaide Street West, Suite 100, coproduction ventures, casting wins and territory my boss, it’s Love It or List It. For my husband, Blue Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V 1R9 sales, all of which are multiple daily reminders of Ant’s HIFI means Anthony Bourdain. For all the (416) 408-2300; FAX: (416) 408-0870 Web address: www.playbackonline.ca what titles are available and so we easily seek them Netfl ixers, well, I’m curious. Do you think of the Editorial e-mail: [email protected], show that hooked you fi rst? Or is the series that [email protected] out. Other Canadians aren’t so lucky. Sales e-mail: [email protected] So what do we do? kept you binging for the longest, like The X-Files Sales FAX: (416) 408-0870 or Murdoch? Or do you like the reduction of choice © 2015 Brunico Communications Ltd. I was quite captivated by Mark Tomblin of ad All rights reserved. agency TAXI at our Summit (hopefully you’re supplied by suggestions? Printed in Canada. not tired of hearing about this from us yet.) He Shows are driving brand conditioning Canadian Postmaster, send undeliverables and address changes to: talked about how brands can create a shortcut and channel-brand awareness. And the indie Playback PO BOX 369 in a consumer’s mind: if they’re staring at a wall production sector is perfectly poised to be a part of Beeton ON, L0G 1A0 U.S. Postmaster, send undeliverables of deodorant in the drug store, a little brand- this process. and address changes to: conditioned part of their brain tells them to choose Playback PO BOX 1103, Niagara Falls NY, 14304 Degree and makes their choice easier. [email protected] We often talk in our industry, and in Playback, Katie Bailey Canada Post Agreement No. 40050265. ISSN: 0836-2114 about the idea of a “Can brand” or somehow getting Content director & editor, Playback Printed in Canada.

4 WINTER 2015/2016 C M F + Y O U

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Connecting storytellers HOWDY! I’VE BEEN WITH THE BRUNICO TEAM FOR which is one second less than a goldfi sh (A GOLDFISH!). Comedy Central SEVERAL YEARS NOW AND KNOW MANY OF YOU FROM MY CMO Walter Levitt, drove this home too as saying “if viewers (millennials REALSCREEN DAYS. This issue marks a full year since moving across especially) can’t fi nd you in the vast digital world, they are on to the next brands to the worlds of strategy and Playback as associate publisher and piece of content that they can fi nd, which means you need to be there.” what a year it has been! An infl ux of insights come to mind looking back It’s by no means a new notion that Canadians produce great on the year as the advertising, marketing and Canadian fi lm landscapes content. However, as professor Alan Middleton schooled the audience have continued to reinvent themselves amidst digital disruption. at the Marketing Summit “we are terrible at promoting ourselves. With the CRTC pick and pay ruling of 2015, TV needs to evolve We’re too polite, we’re too Canadian!” With everything available to us quickly. And on the feature front, Telefi lm’s recent Audience Viewing and every channel of distribution at our fi ngertips, why is that? And trends report shows that fi lm viewing has been rising signifi cantly since why not take advantage of the opportunity to work with brands to 2013 – yet 81% of this viewing is done at home through digital channels. amplify your audience reach? I don’t remember the last time I went to a movie theatre in my Mark Childs, Samsung Canada CMO, wrapped up the Marketing personal time, the truth is I’d rather Summit by concluding that we enjoy that content in the comfort of my (advertisers and content creators alike) own home, in my own time, whether Telefi lm Canada’s are all now storytellers, it’s just that Francesca Accinelli takes through a streamed subscription service the mic at Playback marketers are telling the brands’ story. (a legal one of course), or on TV. I Marketing Summit As such, we have lots in common and haven’t cut the cord just yet, defi nite need – and should – help each other out. FOMO of live TV and sports. I also hear that a lot from our Media in Quite frankly I’m curious and Canada audience. Marketers and media excited to see how our industry tackles planners are continuously searching the challenges ahead. How will we for producers with great stories to cater to the changing ways audiences collaborate on branded opportunities, are viewing content? I know one thing and they just can’t fi nd them. Where is for sure, we will come out on top. are you hiding? Or is it just too hard to Perhaps a programmatic digital viewing connect with potential partners? model isn’t too far off ? If brands can We’ve got you covered! Playback and target their consumers on such a Media in Canada have been developing granular scale to serve ads, what’s stopping producers from targeting BCON Xchange over the past year. The platform allows marketers and audiences using data? media agencies to fi nd projects that Canadian producers have underway, These worlds came together at the Playback Marketing Summit, with the potential to board those projects on a fi nancing or brand in partnership with Telefi lm and sister brand strategy late October to partnership level. We’ve even partnered with the CMPA to get it into the dive into deep discussion on the best marketing and release strategies hands of producers, whose partnership is critical. for content marketers, producers and distributers. It’s an interesting Val Maloney, Media in Canada’s associate editor has been championing time out there folks, how do you reach these audiences? this initiative, so get in touch with her at [email protected] to get Mark Tomblin, chief strategy offi cer of Canadian ad agency TAXI, said your profi le and project in front of brands looking for content creators at the Summit “Creativity is at its highest as we tackle two big revolutions with which to partner. – the digital revolution and the problem of attention.” I think he hit it spot As we charge into 2016 ready to tackle the Wild West of the new on for our industry as well. Cancon regulations, keep these words from Mark Tomblin in mind, Laura Henderson, global head of content & media monetization for “Content without reach is like building a cathedral in the desert.” Mondelez International (the company behind Chips Ahoy, Oreo, Ritz, Maynards and lots more) shed light on the number one problem aff ecting Lisa Faktor marketers today. Apparently we have an eight-second attention span, Associate publisher, Playback

6 WINTER 2015/2016 DISTRIBUTOR TV SERIES PRODUCER COMPANY OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR (FILM)

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR PARTNERS FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS.

PB.27053.TechnicolorCanada.FP.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:26 PM EXECUTIVE SHUFFLE Moves that matter Four executive shifts set to infl uence the indie production sector

Tara Ellis Was: Director of original drama, Shaw Media Is now: Executive director scripted content, CBC TV Why it matters: Ellis’ departure from Shaw Media On Nov. 9, Cinefl ix’s Property Brothers joined Canadian sparked an anxious response from indie producers television’s exclusive 100-episode club. Since the series launched with projects in production and development. But happy times arrived again when Ellis resurfaced on W Network fi ve seasons ago, photogenic twins Jonathan and at CBC. Now, with a familiar face in place and a Drew Scott have successfully built the property (get it?) into a CBC-friendly prime minister on the Hill, producers franchise, putting several spin-off series into production, such as are lining up to pitch the Next Big Thing. Buying & Selling with the Property Brothers and recently launching a DIY home-reno iPad app. The brothers also continue to drive Chris Harris ratings at W Net - four of the fi ve top-rated episodes on the channel Was: VP, strategy and business this year featured Jonathan and Drew. development, Secret Location Is now: Executive producer, digital, scripted, CBC Why it matters: CBC has made no bones about SCREENED going big on digital. And Harris, working under Paul McGrath, will help lead the charge on content. Luckily, Harris has been honing his skills at future-forward digi shop Secret Location, so don’t be afraid to pitch him out-of-the-box ideas. Film The TIFF People’s Choice award is seen as a harbinger of Oscar success, with the Ireland/Canada copro Room from Element Jennifer Harkness Pictures and No Trace Camping taking home the prize at this year’s Was: Co-founder of fest. While it’s hard to predict Room’s award season likelihood Jumpwire Media so early, the fi lm had strong opening weekends in both Canada Is now: SVP, sales and development and the U.S., at $27,497 (one screen) and $118,298 (four screens) U.S., Cream Productions respectively. With those fi gures, Room had the highest per-location Why it matters: Harkness was the head of development, scripted and reality at Temple Street average of any fi lm screening in the U.S. over the Oct. 16 weekend, before launching social media agency Jumpwire and the biggest opening weekend on a per-theatre basis of any Media in 2012. Keep an eye on her new Cream Canadian fi lm or copro in eight years, according to Rentrak info projects, which promise to have a savvy social provided by Canadian distributor Elevation Pictures. strategy to match innovative production.

Julie Di Cresce Was: Director of Canadian programming, Super Channel Is now: VP scripted programming, First Generation Films Why it matters: Indies looking for a home for sophisticated dramas like Versailles will have to butter up a new contact at Super Channel while First Generation Films gains an invaluable asset in its entry into the scripted game. Di Cresce’s market knowledge gives the ambitious prodco a keen edge.

8 WINTER 2015/2016 Photo: Erin Simkin

Serendipity Point Films makes a point In October, Women in View on Screen released its 2015 report on the representation of women in Canada’s screen-based industries, including fi lm, TV and web series. The report painted a less-than- encouraging picture of women’s participation, fi nding only 17% of directors, 22% of writers and 12% of cinematographers attached to Congratulations Telefi lm-backed features in 2013/14 were women. But a few Canadian fi lmmakers are not sitting idly by. In addition to trailblazer Ingrid Veninger’s ongoing pUNK Films Femmes ELEVATION Lab for female screenwriters, formidable Canadian producer Serendipity Point Films’ latest production, Below Her Mouth, features an all-female cast and crew. Initially, the goal was to ensure PICTURES all key crew were women so the actors in the lesbian love story would be as comfortable as possible, says producer Melissa Coghlan. But the team later decided to produce the fi lm with a female- only cast and crew with a focus on professional development. For example, one production assistant said she wanted to learn more 2015 about post-production, and will now sit in the editing suite while the recently wrapped fi lm, directed by April Mullen, fi nishes post. “It’s Playback Distributor important to me to create and be a part of a working environment of the Year where every single person – myself included – is challenging themselves to show up and perform at the top of their game,” Coghlan said. – Julianna Cummins From your friends at Bleecker Street Ahead of its annual market and ✔conference (Jan. 19-21), the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE), released a study it commissioned to gather its membership’s views on the future of the content industry. It found the percentage of members polled who believe...

The number Marketing/ Scripted …But of scripted promotion television budgets shows will is #1 in quality will increase driving will decrease: over the viewer increase: next two tune-in: 45% years: 47% 58% 54% 2015

WINTER 2015/2016 9

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PB.27083.BleekerStreet.HPV.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:28 PM MEASUREMENT A major shakeup in the measurement world came when comScore announced it had inked a deal to acquire Rentrak. With Rentrak focused on VOD, box offi ce and set-top box TV data, and comScore a global player in digital measurement, the merger creates a more holistic, cross-platform measurement company that can rival heavyweights like Nielsen in the U.S. and global market. The deal is expected to close by early 2016. – Val Maloney AGENCIES In a novel move, Toronto- and L.A.-based Meridian Artists has expanded into the book industry, hiring veteran book agent Amy Moore-Benson to head up its new publishing division. Previously, Meridian exclusively represented screenwriters, producers and directors. The move is meant to give Meridian’s writers more access to authors and IP that can be developed and adapted, while also giving them access to the publishing industry, says Meridian founder Glenn Cockburn. – Jordan Pinto DIGITAL New In … Toronto digital agency Secret Location revealed this Savvy deals and MERCHANDISING fall its DitchTV video player. The app aims to combine strategies in digital, Toronto’s One of a Kind craft show teamed up with the the channel surfi ng and discovery of traditional TV with measurement and Toronto International Film Festival to launch a line of YouTube content. The DitchTV app allows users to curated handmade gifts for the holidays, such as a mug choose content by selecting a human-curated channel, merchandising featuring a 35mm camera, a tea towel inspired by TIFF’s such as comedy. The videos then start playing a third annual Just for Cats fi lm festival and a T-shirt confessing of the way through to give context on what is being the wearer “lied and went to a matinée.” The items are watched. Like a channel-surfi ng TV watcher, the user can available in both the TIFF gift shop and the One of a then decide if they should keep watching – or turn the Kind online store. – Julianna Cummins digital dial. – Val Maloney

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10 WINTER 2015/2016

PB.26177.IATSE.indd 1 2015-08-20 2:34 PM / BY VAL MALONEY, Crazy Brilliant KATIE BAILEY & SONYA FATAH Five big ideas from the media business

eOne, Shomi scare up Bus shelter Rogers, Google create One weird brand Brand integration a new strategy marketing love hockey FOMO integration at its best If you can’t beat ‘em, join Picture this: a multiple-choice You know how you look at This fall, retailer Sport Leaving the destruction of ‘em? eOne and Shomi interactive quiz at a bus stop shoes online and then they Chek recruited professional expensive toys to Big Retail, devised a new way to lure asking commuters “How follow you everywhere? athletes Kyle Lowry of Shaftesbury, the CBC and horror fans to the OTT to Plan an Orgy in a Small Rogers and Google took the Toronto Raptors and SickKids this winter came platform by releasing one Town.” Now distributors – the idea further with a new Steven Stamkos of the up with one of the most episode of a three-ep series and Jeremy Lalonde – can online ad product promoting Tampa Bay Lighting to clever brand integrations on Facebook in its entirety dare to dream with a new Rogers’ hockey subscription appear in online videos in we’ve ever seen for A ahead of its debut on Shomi. product from Astral Out-of- service GameCentre LIVE. which the pros showed Merry Murdoch Christmas. The Enfi eld Haunting, Home, which this October The ads feature almost- off their sport prowess to The storyline includes a from U.K. prodco Eleven introduced 10, 22-inch live video of goals, cut and destroy drones in fl ight. fundraiser for the Hospital (newly acquired by eOne) interactive screens to its uploaded to a server the Sure, it was impressive but for Sick Children and Dr. was promoted to Facebook Toronto transit advertising second they happen. Those if Sport Chek was looking Julia Ogden (Helene Joy) users with a demonstrated network. In consumer testing clips will then be targeted to to blow out a drone budget, moved to donate. Given preference for movies of the screens, 90% said sports fans programmatically we could suggest far better SickKids is 140-years-old, and TV, with the goal of they’d like to see more. 100% using Google’s DoubleClick places. Like, on any movie it was not only an inspired attracting new customers to of Playback staff thought it’d network. We shudder to shoot, ever. idea for holiday fundraising, the Rogers Media and Shaw be hilarious to test it with the think of it being applied to it was literally a perfect fi t Media OTT service. “Orgy” question. the next federal election. for the historical drama.

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CONGRATULATIONS to W Network Channel of the Year!

From Whizbang Films

PB.27149.WhizBangFilms.HPH.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:36 PM or renovation – and is there a way to deepen that relationship on a multi-platform basis? The elements that resonate on digital are touchpoints with our talent, Shaw Media’s a more immersive relationship in their lives. The kind head of original content, of content that we’re moving forward with gives them more family background, like Moving the McGillivrays Lisa Godfrey, discusses the with Scott. company’s evolving programming strategy You’ve had a lot of success on specialty, and with Rookie Blue, but there’s been a bit of a struggle in the face of changing to fi nd that next hit for Global TV. What are you audience expectations looking for next? and viewing habits. The Code [eOne] is building on the success of Rookie Blue, it’s a procedural about an ex-hockey player turned PI. It’s lighthearted and fun. And with Houdini and Doyle [Big Talk/Shaftesbury], we were looking to do a big, noisy show with top talent. It has a supernatural element, a A new bit of procedural and is a great character-driven series. I think that all of those elements will make that a hit show. view of content In terms of genre, what is growing and what is slowing down? We like to keep a balanced portfolio. Lifestyle is our PROGRAMMING PROFILE BY KATIE BAILEY strength but we have reality with Big Brother Canada. That’s no slouch. It has great audience, we get a younger It was becoming pretty clear long before Let’s Talk TV that modern demo, lots of integrations and in this environment, we’re broadcasters would have to reconsider traditional TV development strategies looking at those things. Can we integrate in a show? Do in the face of so much change. Shaw Media is looking to tackle the challenge advertisers want that kind of show? That’s important to by transforming itself, in its words, from a broadcasting company to a media us. That helps fi nance this kind of programming. company. This fall, it revealed one of its fi rst steps in doing so, hiring and promoting a raft of new staff to its programming team, including the hire of I know Recipe to Riches was immensely complicated former truTV exec Robyn Hutt to lead factual programming. Here, original but can you see returning to that level of complexity content head Lisa Godfrey off ers insight into the new strategy. and brand integration in factual/reality? We are open to big noisy shows that have potential Robyn Hutt transformed Court TV into the much extensions. Top Chef was huge; I put that in the same vein more successful truTV - how do you see that as Recipe to Riches. Currently we’re working on Home experience refl ected at Shaw Media? to Win for HGTV and I think that is almost bigger than We do a lot of coproductions and co-ventures on History a Recipe to Riches. It not only super-serves our base of and she has those contacts and relationships, as well as HGTV fans but…our advertisers are on board. They want knowledge of the marketplace, ratings, and understanding this show. of the product in the marketplace. You have to know analytics, ratings and you have to have partnerships. That Are you in the room with your sales team, talking to is what drives our factual team. advertisers while developing a show? We always work as a collaborative team. I work heavily Barb Williams said in April that Shaw Media with our marketing ventures team and even in the was evolving from “a broadcaster to a media commissioning process [we ask], is this a show that will organization.” Can you discuss this? work for you? I go to sales meetings with them so that I As we shift into into a media business, we will continue can meet with clients and they know they’ve got someone to create long-form content for 24-hour schedules but on the content team who is listening to them. we’re expanding our content off erings, including how we exploit our long-form shows, creating extensions What TV excites you at home? of our brands, short-form content, branded content, I’m a reality junkie. I have watched Survivor from instructional videos, behind the scenes and web and social day one. Big Brother Canada is a great show. I love media content. MasterChef. My latest binge watch was Transparent. But I’m a Food and HGTV junkie and I mean that What does that mean from your point of view? honestly and whole-heartedly. A new favourite with Let’s say we’re doing a show with Bryan Baeumler my kids is America’s Funniest Home Videos. We can or Scott McGillivray: we look at where their vertical actually watch TV as a family and laugh out loud, strengths are for their brand – it could be real estate which is delightful.

12 WINTER 2015/2016 LOST & FOUND MUSIC STUDIOS THE NEXT STEP

Congratulates its partners in production on their 2015 “Best of Awards” TEMPLE STREET PRODUCTIONS RHOMBUS MEDIA Best Company Best Producer (Film)

MURDOCH MYSTERIES SMOKEBOMB ENTERTAINMENT Best TV Series Best Digital Producer

ORPHAN BLACK MURDOCH MYSTERIES

PB.27064.Nabet700.FP.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:30 PM Why conferences matter With the In your opinion, what is the value of getting camera, behind the camera, in our edit suites, in our the Canadian industry together in one room? executive offi ces, at our board tables - I think we have a CMPA’s Prime Barb Williams: There’s huge value in us all being lot of work to do to have an inclusive industry that’s truly Time event together. Particularly now, when everything is changing refl ective of our audience. so fast and new stuff is being invented and created every HC: At the risk of sounding egocentric, the central role ahead, we day. I just think there’s huge opportunity for us all to have of CBC in creating a healthy environment for Canadian ask two panel the conversation of what’s working, what isn’t and what creators across the whole arts and cultural sector is are we learning. something I wish was more widely recognized veterans, Heather Conway: For me, the value of these events lies and celebrated. Shaw Media in the sharing of views and insights on the most important issues we face as an industry. We’re in a relationship business Do you have a favourite panel moment? president that benefi ts from face-to-face time. Coming together in BW: The Women’s Power Lunch at Banff [in 2015]: I Barb Williams support of Canadian content is never a wasted eff ort. think was a breakthrough moment. It empowered a room to be honest and forthright about the challenges and CBC Do you ever feel like we hash that we are still facing and I think EVP Heather the same things out over a lot of women walked out of that and over? room having felt they participated Conway, for BW: [When] we feel sometimes in something meaningful. We were their views we’re having the same conversation being really honest about the lives over and over again it’s because that we have and the careers that on the value we’re trying to fi x a problem. When we want, about what works and of media a problem persists, the conversation where we still have challenges. persists. So, yeah, sometimes for a HC: It was at Prime Time last conferences. few years it feels like, ‘boy, we’re all year. The audience burst into really stuck on this same thing,’ but spontaneous applause, in reaction BY KATIE BAILEY it’s because it’s huge and important Barb Williams to the argument that without and we haven’t fi gured it out yet. stable funding to the CBC, we’re HC: There are perennial, macro all, as an industry, “screwed.” It’s issues that come up at every event; my favorite moment because they problems that have needed fi xing for weren’t even my words, they were some time. On the other hand, our Michael MacMillan’s of Blue industry changes daily. New players Ant Media. are shaping our conversations, taking them in directions we weren’t Ideally, what comes out considering even a year ago. of events like these? Is it as simple as a better What topic are you most understanding of issues? tired of being asked about? Heather Conway Or friendships forged BW: The common one is ‘how come over cocktails? we can’t have more Canadian hits?’ For a long time that HC: A better understanding of issues is one payoff , but conversation was very specifi cally about Canadian drama. what I look forward to most at these events is that they But then we broke through. We had a host of dramas that allow me to step away from my day-to-day operational were brilliantly produced, well scheduled, well promoted challenges and think about where we’re heading, and were a hit. And then a whole new crop of shows what’s our vision. The relationships built over a few evolved, new storytelling started to happen and we get cocktails are a bonus. asked the question again. The fact is what we’re all trying BW: The real value is to think, learn and listen to to do is endlessly try and make our product better, that other people. In your own company, you talk amongst doesn’t frustrate me, it encourages me. yourselves. It’s great to hear someone else talk about HC: If we’re talking about creating a bright future for a challenge or an opportunity they’ve encountered. Canadian creators and content, just about every topic is We’re a remarkable industry: we are very competitive worthy of discussion. and yet we have strong friendships that cross those competitive lines. We fi gure out a way to think and What topic do you wish was brought up more? learn together and yes, share a glass of wine, but at BW: I have a few pet favourites. I think we are dismal the end of the day we are strong business people with in our industry at diversity. Everywhere: in front of the competitive natures.

14 WINTER 2015/2016 Playback’s inaugural Marketing Summit took place on Oct. 29, 2015, bringing together marketers and indie producers to talk shop. Here are the top fi ve takeaways from the day’s talks.

Tweak My Plan pitch contest judges Randy Stein of Grip Ltd and Amy Laski of Felicity PR

Comedy Central CMO Walter Levitt and 1. Shaftesbury CEO Christina Jennings 3. ATTENTION 5. SPANS ARE BAKE DWINDLING. MARKETING 4. THINK AS A INTO YOUR BRAND – NOT Mondelez International’s TAKE A 2. TV SHOW OR A CHANNEL global content head Laura FILM’S DNA TIP FROM Henderson said that 15 BE SAVVY BUZZFEED Comedy Central CMO years ago, the average Marblemedia’s Mark Walter Levitt said the WITH YOUR The website is particularly human’s attention span Bishop insisted series company no longer sees good at creating highly was 12 seconds – which INFLUENCER must be conceived from itself as a TV network, but shareable video that has tumbled to eight. This STRATEGY the very start as “full 360 rather a comedy brand insight sparked Mondelez leverages the company’s Communications agency degree projects.” Using targeting a millennial to reshape its marketing brand, while also tapping North Strategic co- its Open Heart teen series audience and adding that by developing and into issues people care founder Mia Pearson as an example, Bishop it no longer refers to its owning original IP based about or are interested in, said the time has passed discussed how a digital “viewers” but rather its on its brands (like Oreo), said creative director and for a simple “please producer was installed “fans.” It now micro- which it strives to make so consultant Robin Heisey. mention my product” in the writers’ room from targets fans, rather than good that people pay to Top 5 lists, anyone? strategy with infl uencers. day one, allowing them striving exclusively for own or play them. She emphasized: quality to simultaneously launch mass reach. over quantity, embracing a sophisticated online/ collaboration with online mobile strategy alongside creators, and extending the series. the relationship after the campaign has ended. Google Canada’s head of marketing Fab Dolan

Filmmaker Sean Cisterna pitches Event co-chair and Samsung the judges during the Tweak My Plan Canada CMO Mark Childs marketing-strategy pitch contest

Photos: Matt Forsythe WINTER 2015/2016 15 Full speed ahead Five key trends driving the Canadian screen industry now and in 2016

BY KATIE BAILEY, CANADA’S BROADCAST INDUSTRY MAY HAVE One: Canadian companies achieving global reach, JULIANNA CUMMINS BEEN RESHAPED THIS YEAR by the CRTC, and both in terms of audiences and potential customers. AND JORDAN PINTO some provincial governments took a scalpel to local tax “When the Canada Pension Plan investment board puts credit regimes, but while both garnered headlines, behind that kind of money into eOne and when Fairfax puts the scenes the Canadian screen industry was already money into Temple Street, you know something else is undergoing a metamorphosis, buff eted by global shifts happening beyond ordinary investors making related in media consumption, an increasingly international media investment. They’re looking at the media space and marketplace and volatile commodities markets. Here’s a saying ‘this is a mature industry that we can work with.’” look at fi ve industry trends illuminated in 2015 that will Two: relative value. A low Canadian dollar in an have a ripple eff ect in Canada in 2016 and beyond. industry bolstered by tax credits and funding programs combined with an under-performing resource sector that Mergers and acquisitions is less attractive to investors (creating the opportunity Arthur Evrensel, partner with business and entertainment for their money to move elsewhere) has created a perfect law fi rm Michael, Evrensel and Pawar, is almost in awe of storm of relative value, he says. With operating costs low the volume of M&A activity in the Canadian production in Canada and the currency gap in Europe, the U.K. and sector in the last two years. “It’s incredible to me,” he says. the U.S. between 30% and 50%, Canadian-made content is “I’ve never seen anything like it.” an attractive proposition. Evrensel’s fi rm has been at the centre of the action, Three: quality of work. “The expertise here is as handling a number of the 2014/2015 deals including good as anywhere. That holds true and people forget four for Thunderbird (Atomic Cartoons, Reunion about that sometimes.” Pictures, Great Pacifi c Television and Soda Pictures); Evrensel’s summary is refl ected in RBC Capital Markets NBC’s minority stake in Lark Productions; Rainmaker’s recent overview of Entertainment One, which it ranks proposed acquisition of Shaftesbury and DHX’s $57 as an “outperform.” “In our view, eOne is a high quality million pickup of Nerd Corps. Outside of that, you have company with meaningful global scale in a large and CPP’s 17.8% stake in eOne (itself having been a major growing addressable market,” its report said. “We believe it domestic M&A player since 2012); Fairfax Financial is well positioned to deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns Holdings’ majority stake in Temple Street; Image Engine by leveraging a solid position in the fi lmed entertainment and Cinesite on the VFX side; SIM Group and Tattersall value chain, strong relationships with creative talent, in the post sector and more. world-class sales and distribution infrastructure, and He sees three main trends driving the volume of fi nancial resources (including regulatory mechanisms) to activity and the size of the investments. support major annual investments in content.”

16 WINTER 2015/2016

PB.26532.MTAC.Strip.indd 1 2015-11-06 3:22 PM This year saw two big broadcasters join Corus by making moves into the MCN space: Bell launching Much Digital Studios and CBC launching the CBC | Fullscreen Creator Network. Now, few people or companies are getting crazy-rich off YouTube just yet (except YouTuber PewDiePie, whom Forbes recently estimated makes $4 million a year from ads on his channel). But that’s not really the point. Once in the driver’s seat of mass media content creation, broadcasters are tacitly admitting by way of investment that they may not be the best-poised to launch the Next Big Thing for millennial and Gen Z audiences. These next-gen partnerships allow Big Media to tap into the DIY ethos driving the “TV” of tomorrow, says Max Valiquette, a strategic planner, consultant and former CMF board member. “Everyone understands how important these two markets are, but I think increasingly people are understanding how diffi cult it could be to create Shelly Palmer U.S.-based media really great content directed at this market,” he says. consultant “It’s one thing to produce that content and say, ‘This “Consumers the content we have, I think it’s relevant to you.’ It’s The world gathers at MIPCOM to buy and sell are looking the hottest TV – so when eOne reports 2015 another entirely to be able to say, ‘Look at who we’ve was its busiest-ever visit to Cannes, it’s a good partnered with, who we know is relevant to you.” for something sign Canadian content is gaining traction Another trend to watch is platform-specifi c to put on content. With Snapchat hosting original series and these RBC’s analysts were particularly impressed by mobile-centric Facebook pushing aggressively screens...if we eOne’s acquisition of a majority stake in the Mark into video, broadcasters must also avoid the trap of [the industry] Gordon Company and signalling what may be simply repurposing content that works on linear don’t take the next big trend in the Canadian independent properties or risk being left behind, says U.S.-based production sector: global investment. media consultant and pundit Shelly Palmer. The care of those These newly well-capitalized companies are likely proliferation of smartphones with HD capabilities customers, to now start looking for acquisitions of their own, a and connections to 4G networks means broadcasters someone strategy Temple Street discussed with Playback (see have to be thinking about mobile-fi rst content. Arthur Evrensel else will.” Partner, Michael, pg. 22) and one which is refl ected in Thunderbird’s “You are talking about a lot of network-connected Evrensel and Pawar: 2014 acquisition of U.K. distributor Soda Pictures or miniature consumption devices that yield emotionally “[Investors] 9 Story Media Group’s August acquisition of Ireland’s satisfying consumer experiences, and people are going to are looking Brown Bag Films. want content there,” Palmer says. “Consumers are looking at the media “They’re doing exactly what they should be doing,” for something to put on these screens...if we [the industry] space and Evrensel notes. “Going global not only with their don’t take care of those customers, someone else will.” product but asset purchases and expanding that base.” saying ‘this The increasing importance of branding yourself is a mature The quest to capture While humans have always struggled to process industry the millennial audience excessive amounts of information, the problem has been that we While having a content-hungry audience in a young exacerbated by abundance of choice, said Mark Tomblin, can work demo isn’t exactly a huge problem for content chief strategy offi cer at Toronto ad agency Taxi during with.’” creators, herding that particular group of (under 30) his presentation at this fall’s Playback Marketing Summit. cats into monetizable channels is one of the biggest And that means the more quickly you can create a mental challenges facing the broadcast side of the industry. shortcut for people, the better. 17

MAY 30 - JUNE 2

WINTER 2015/2016 17

PB.26532.MTAC.Strip.indd 1 2015-11-06 3:22 PM “Why brands really matter is really simple...they are would want it to and TV moved into that vacuum. a brilliant way of quickly navigating the astonishing and You see both money and talent following it.” ever-increasing complexity of modern life. And it’s only But while Baxter isn’t worried about consumers going to get worse,” Tomblin said. “Brands are fast mental fi nding the time to cram enough TV into their cues that allow us to choose something, feel good about it schedules, he says the eff ect of the above-mentioned Stuart Baxter and move on.” trend has put pressure on the talent side of the President, eOne Television This rings particularly true when considering what business. While the talent pool in TV (in front of International: goes through a consumer’s head while they scan a fi lm and behind the camera) has never been greater, the festival lineup, VOD menu or venture outside competition for it is fi erce, with U.S. studios and “Film Netfl ix’s algorithms. Where will it matter most in networks being the fi rst stop for agencies. It was that probably 2016? When broadcasters recast their channels trend that prompted eOne’s big Hollywood play in hasn’t as individual pick-and-pay-preneurs, fi ghting for 2015, taking a majority stake in the Mark Gordon evolved as Canadians’ attention in a sea of channel choices. Company (MGC). Hailed by some analysts as a It was a message reinforced by Comedy Central “game changer,” the investment gave the company an quickly as CMO Walter Levitt at the Summit, who said the important position at the top of the TV food chain. consumers Mark Tomblin network has spent the last several years transitioning “When we looked at our drama slate, [there] Chief strategy offi cer, would want Taxi: its marketing from being a TV channel into a comedy were some very good Canadian dramas and it to and “Why brands brand – the comedy brand. “Everything we do is international coproductions, but in Hollywood, about taking that lens and applying it,” Levitt said, we’d had less success getting the best talent the best TV moved really matter into that is really adding that the network no longer refers to its shows. They tended to go to the networks fi rst or simple... “viewers” but rather its “fans.” the studios – which were a little bit more expensive vacuum.” they are a to buy,” he said with a laugh. “The sole exception is “Peak TV” and a fi ercely Mark. And that’s what really made it. So we’re seeing a lot brilliant way competitive marketplace of better quality projects a lot earlier, which is the key to of navigating Is there #TooMuchTV? FX chief John Landgraf said success in this industry.” quickly the (repeatedly), in 2015 he thinks there is, prompting He predicts, however, a bounce-back in the light astonishing a rash of consumer articles examining the idea entertainment, reality and documentary genres. And with and ever- (“#TooMuchTV is real. Here’s how to cope,” advised shows like Good Witch on W Net breaking ratings records increasing the Washington Post in October) and some anxiety – and Supergirl being one of the few breakout hits of the complexity of amongst those who ply their trade in it. fall TV season – one senses the saturation of dark dramas modern life.” Stuart Baxter, president of eOne Television may have the eff ect of turning some viewers back to an International, says he disagrees with the idea that older style of feel-good light drama. there’s too much TV. Not only did eOne have its What really matters, Baxter points out, is having a busiest-ever MIPCOM this year (according to a fall 2015 “balanced portfolio,” a strategy you’ll see refl ected at RBC analyst report), he thinks fi lm is partially to blame. many of Canada’s top, most active prodcos. Expect the “I think it’s fi lling a void, where some of the retention of diversifi cation to continue in 2016, as the recent spate of the sequential releasing in the fi lm business has meant M&A and subsequent capital infusions play out across that fi lm probably hasn’t evolved as quickly as consumers kids, factual and yes, drama.

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PB.27108.BristowGlobalMedia.ThirdH.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:31 PM PB.27109.CMPA.HPH.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:32 PM The rise of Canadian feature animation content, which has created new space in the If you feel like you’ve been hearing more about Canadian markets for indies to fi ll. The Netfl ix-driven feature animation in 2015, it’s probably because you are. demand for moderately budgeted animated Led on the West Coast by companies such as Arcana features ($15 million to $35 million) is a (which released full-length feature Pixies this year, major driver, agrees Barry Ward, president with Christopher Plummer in a lead voice role); Bardel of Bardel Entertainment, as now distributors Entertainment, which was acquired this year by Europe’s are more willing than before to pick up Barry Ward President, Bardel biggest animation studio Rainbow, and Bron Studios, animated properties. Entertainment: which opened a new animation studio in B.C. In Eastern But Ward also sees a change in viewer “[Films Canada, Portfolio Entertainment this fall opened a new behaviour, in which audiences are animation studio and relatively new player AMBI increasingly inclined to see movies not made from indie is currently in pre-production on two animated by the major studios: “[Films from indie animation features: Groove Tails and Arctic Justice: Thunder animation studios] are usually unique, they studios] Squad, both populated with big-name voice talent. stand out a bit from the clutter. No one’s are usually The culmination of three main factors is driving trying to compete head-to-head with the the trend, says Michael Hirsh, the former CEO of huge studio productions – it gives them a little unique, they animation powerhouse Cookie Jar who now sits more freedom to be unique and original.” stand out a on the boards of DHX, TEAM and Cinecoup. First: However, none of it would be possible Michael Hirsh bit from the Chairman,TEAM; the inevitable ripple eff ect of Disney’s aggressive without the stockpile of talent Canada has clutter.” vice-chairman DHX acquisition strategy in the U.S.; second, tax credits amassed, built and honed over many years “The almost and currency fl uctuations, and third, the depth of of investment by schools like Sheridan and monopolistic Canadian animation talent. Capilano University. Although developing talent for business “The almost monopolistic business that Disney the animation industry is a skill set of its own, beset that Disney was enjoying now has competition. So the potential by the challenges of constantly changing technology for independents to be successful is defi nitely there and often-changing artistic trends, the long-term was enjoying now,” Hirsh tells Playback. investment is paying off , emphasizes Hirsh. “Our talent now has Equally as important is the global demand from pool has matured, especially in the area of feature fi lm,” competition.” OTT services for family-friendly animated feature added Ward.

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PB.27108.BristowGlobalMedia.ThirdH.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:31 PM PB.27109.CMPA.HPH.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:32 PM DIGITAL OF THE PLAY YEAR Much Digital Studios gets loud The 30-year-old music channel found new life online in 2015, launching an MCN to incubate talent and fi nd new fans.

BY MEGAN HAYNES

20 WINTER 2015/2016 MDS’s content creators assemble last spring But for Much, which was the fi rst linear channel for their fi rst campaign shoot, in which they (literally) emerged from the underground in Canada to try its hand in this new network, it’s not about scale, but rather widening its talent pipeline, says Stockman. At MDS, creators have access to Bell Media studios and expertise to create and edit their work. In exchange, Much will curate some of the best videos from individual creator pages for its website, as well as cross- promote and drive traffi c to the creators’ owned channels. The best of the best may be further curated into linear content, says Tracey Pierce, SVP specialty and pay, Bell Media, though at this stage nothing has been offi cially planned. Creators also cover festivals and events such as the MMVAs, just as Toronto comedian Jus Reign (613,000 subscribers, 85 million views) did for the red carpet this year, helping the channel receive a record two billion social interactions online. Creators retain the IP of their content, and are free to leave with their idea when their contracts are up, says Stockman. Much is also exploring some pilots – recently comedian Will Sasso tweeted a writers room photo for a Bell Media pilot that included Jus Reign – for both linear and digital-only, and in those cases the IP will be addressed on a case-by-case basis depending which party came up with the idea. Much will also pair creators with brands and help create branded content for digital, linear or both. In September, beauty vlogger Melissa Merk partnered with sports brand Puma to create three original online videos, which saw Merk participate in boxing, football and military bootcamps alongside Much VJs. The content will go live on Merk’s channels (along with some behind the scenes footage), Much.com as well as curated into a linear episode of Much series Playlist. REMEMBER WHEN MUCH MUSIC’S STREET-LEVEL WINDOW WAS It’s a smart move for the MCN, says Nick Barbuto, CUTTING EDGE? managing director of OMD’s Ignition Factory. “As a Its innovative straight-to-fan format tore down traditional barriers and helped Much broadcaster, it makes a ton of sense – it creates a system grow to prominence among two generations of youth. But in the last decade, as social that new talent can be pulled from that already has a media tore down those barriers too, Much has struggled to fi nd its place. proven track record in this environment,” he says. The In 2015, however, Much opened a new window, this time online and called Much brand can only benefi t. However, he cautions that much Digital Studios. And instead of VJs, DIY content creators are the stars. of the success YouTubers receive is because their content With genre exclusivity now a thing of the past and viewing habits changing quickly, lives on the platform, which has a built-in audience. And the linear channel has gone digital in a big way, opening the doors to its multi-channel simply transporting them to a new platform (Much.com) network (MCN) this past April. It has since signed 37 Canadian digital creators who doesn’t guarantee a boost in audience. collectively pull in approximately 3.1 million subscribers (as of Nov. 4, 2015). Its aim is to To sign the roster, the team looked for a very diverse increase that list to 100 creators in total. (For comparison, the top 10 MCNs globally have set of candidates (to represent the face of youth in over 280,000 creators collectively.) Canada) across youth-centric verticals such as comedy, It’s hard to describe how much the youth audience adores this group of digital music, beauty and fashion and gaming. Contracts aren’t creators. At North American’s fi rst YouTube FanFest in Toronto this May, more than being disclosed, Stockman says, but the revenue sharing 15,000 people showed up and waited hours for a chance to see, meet and even hug their heavily favours the creators. favourite YouTube stars. The goal isn’t the short-term revenue from these Rather than simply tap these digital players to work on linear, Much wanted to help deals, says Pierce. Rather, they’re playing the long-game, them grow their brand wherever it made the most sense for the creator, says Justin banking on a new generation of VJs for a new audience. Stockman, VP of channel and business strategy, Bell Media. “We really believe in order for Much to continue An MCN helps its member content creators increase their channel traffi c and to be relevant – both to our advertising clients as subscribers via improved production values and cross-promotion, as well as securing well as to our audience – we have to be in this space,” content, licensing, advertising and merchandising deals. she says. “Much has always been about authenticity, In return, MCNs take a cut of everything from branded deals, YouTube pre-roll and connectedness and that sense of ownership for the merch sales. Scale is often required for MCNs to make a profi t – the largest networks have fans. And you’re not credible with that youth audience upward of 55,000 creators. if you’re not in that space.”

WINTER 2015/2016 21 OF THE COMPANY YEAR Temple Street Productions

In 2015, the prodco attracted a majority stake 2010 to manage the company’s day-to-day business operations. Since the start, Fortier said Temple Street from prestigious Canadian investor Fairfax has adhered to a strategy focused on diversifi cation and Financial, launched two new divisions, hit the producing premium content, which has helped position the company well for strategic alliances such as the new big screen and watched the star of its hit show partnership with Fairfax. get nominated for a Primetime Emmy. “Our focus has always been on a fair amount of diversifi cation, just to deal with the volatility of the BY JULIANNA CUMMINS business, number one. Number two is to make the best IN THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER, TEMPLE STREET shows we possibly could, with the hope those shows PRODUCTIONS HEATED UP PLAYBACK’S NEWS would turn into audience hits and sellers – in our case, CYCLE with the announcement that one of Canada’s we’ve had a few,” Fortier says. “The other thing we most prominent investors, Fairfax Financial Holdings, had wanted to do was capitalize on the hits we had and build taken a majority stake in the Toronto-based prodco. up the business in terms of merch and licensing and other The deal capped a multi-year strategy that saw Temple avenues for exploitation.” Street build up and diversify its TV slate and expand into A good example is The Next Step, which has blossomed new business areas. In 2015 alone, this included launching into a multiplatform franchise, spanning apps, merch a distribution arm, a mobile games studio and a live tour and a live tour set to expand to international markets for its hit tween series The Next Step. in 2016. The tour’s inaugural run was even leveraged to This year also marked the debut of two Temple create a behind-the-scenes documentary that screened in Street primetime dramas, X Company on CBC and Cineplex’s Front Row Centre events program. Space’s Killjoys, which became the channel’s highest- “It was the fi rst [Temple Street kids’] show that rated original program of all time. On the factual side, broke past being just a good TV show to something that the prodco’s hit format adaptation Say Yes to the Dress transcended TV and became a brand – a hit,” Schneeberg Canada premiered on W Network and it got a greenlight says of The Next Step. That success in turn helped get for another half-hour tween series, Lost and Found Lost and Found Music Studios off the ground, Schneeberg Music Studios, which is set to bow on Netfl ix and Family says. With its music focus, Lost and Found is poised to Channel in 2016. In addition, the profi le of Orphan Black be even bigger than The Next Step in terms of ancillary continued to rise alongside its star Tatiana Maslany, who opportunities, including original music that will be earned a 2015 Primetime Emmy nomination for the role. released as the show goes to air, he explains. Temple Street opened its doors in 2006, with co- Temple Street Media Ventures, launched in 2013, has presidents David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg bringing become the company’s sandbox, so to speak. Within it, on John Young from OMERS private equity in January they launched a fl edgling MCN venture, Boat Rocker

22 WINTER 2015/2016

PB.27050.BellMedia.HPH.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:30 PM Studios, a fi tness app and subscription service called Evolve Functional Fitness and, most recently, TS Games, which will develop games for both its own and new IP. And while some of these have been more successful than others, the division is where Temple Street can test business models in the new media space. TS Games in particular was a shrewd move, says Becky Reuber, professor of strategy management at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. “Gamifi cation is becoming huge, not just for games that people play for recreation, but for commercial solutions: training and all sorts of things,” Reuber says. “They are going into an area that is high-growth and has lots of possibilities.” Looking ahead, Temple Street will focus on the launch of its distribution division and exploring M&A opportunities that complement its business or take it into new areas, Young says. While Let’s Talk TV has created some additional uncertainty in the marketplace, quality content will continue to trump all, Young argues. “All we can do, because we can’t control a lot of this industry, is continue to try to produce the best quality content we can and work with the best people that we can. Content, and great content, is going to be in From left to right: Temple Street co-presidents David Fortier, Ivan demand, and if we can focus on doing just that, we will Schneeberg and managing director John Young Photo: Matt Forsythe be just fi ne,” Young says.

WINTER 2015/2016 23

PB.27050.BellMedia.HPH.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:30 PM OF THE DISTRIBUTOR YEAR

From left to right: Noah Segal, Victor Loewy, Naveen Prasad, Laurie May and Adrian Love On the up and up The upstart YOU KNOW THE TALE. New kid on the block shows acclaimed industry veteran Victor Loewy as chair and up and immediately takes on all comers, winning awards Adrian Love as SVP of marketing and acquisitions, has Canadian everywhere she goes. It’s a story out of Hollywood but this progressed considerably in a year. Among the fi lms distributor burst time it’s occurring north of the border. released (and occasionally co-executive produced) at Elevation Pictures, the Toronto-based prodco launched this year’s festival were Canadian features Into the Forest, onto the scene by Laurie May, is Playback’s Distributor of the Year. The Hyena Road and Closet Monster as well as coproductions in 2013 and has company hit the ground running at TIFF 2014, with Zoom, The Witch and Room. This time, Elevation Pictures The Imitation Game, the groundbreaking bio-pic of gay garnered the two major prizes. Stephen Dunn’s Closet amassed an cyber-scientist Alan Turing, which became the highest Monster, a sensitive coming-of-age story, won the Best impressive list grossing independent fi lm of the year. A gleeful May and co- Canadian Film award and Room, an unconventional tale president Noah Segal accepted the Toronto festival’s highest of a mother and son held captive in a garden shed, won of premium fi lm international prize, the People’s Choice Award, capping off a the People’s Choice Award. and television brilliant entrée into the Canadian fi lm business. Astonishing results – but how did it happen so fast? The fi lm “was really our stake in the ground in terms May, who co-founded Lionsgate distributor Maple titles in the two of saying, ‘This is who we are; these are the fi lms we’re Pictures in 2005, had moved to Alliance in 2011 when it years since. trying to do,’” recalls May. The company had already acquired Maple. When it, in turn, was acquired by eOne set up a home distribution deal with Universal Studios a year later, she took the opportunity to pursue a new BY MARC GLASSMAN Home Entertainment and had released a couple of fi lms venture, based on an idea sparked by U.S. agency CAA. before the festival but it was at TIFF that it truly made its “They were saying there had been too much presence felt. Elevation also premiered Nightcrawler and consolidation in the market and there needed to be more ’71 at the festival, both of which did very well critically. competition,” says May. “They asked me if I would be “We were laying down the framework of who we are,” interested in speaking to some potential investors to fund says May. “Obviously we were going to be opportunistic a distribution company. In early 2013, I started to talk to and try to have a profi table company, but within the investors and I really liked Teddy Schwarzman, who is confi nes of trying to be tastemakers and quality-driven.” obviously a really well capitalized guy – his father Steven A quick cut to TIFF 2015 shows that May, Segal, EVP Schwarzman runs Blackstone, one of the largest hedge and GM Naveen Prasad and their team, which includes funds in the United States. Teddy is a lawyer by trade and

24 WINTER 2015/2016

PB.27152.DeluxeToronto.HPH.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:34 PM he had worked at Cinetic Media before founding Black Bear Pictures, which was a client of CAA. We thought that would be a great partnership – somebody who could give us fi lms, that had some production acumen and who understood the marketplace.” Noah Segal joined May in February 2014 and Naveen Prasad in May; all three had worked together at Lionsgate and Alliance. “The vision was to build a boutique-plus entertainment company that would release 20 to 25 fi lms a year, be able to nurture the relationships with fi lmmakers, spend time marketing the fi lms, and provide great relationships with our customers,” says May. As befi ts a contemporary distributor, Elevation has quickly moved into television as well. Between, produced by Don Carmody TV, Mulmur Feed Co and Elevation, is the fi rst Canadian coproduction with Netfl ix. “We were the company that brought Netfl ix on board to the project, and that comes from my long-standing relationship with them, going back to my Alliance days,” says Prasad. “This was a true coproduction partnership between Rogers and Netfl ix. We were quite pleased that both parties were willing to look forward to what the marketplace could be.” The deal, in many respects, is the perfect example of ethos Elevation has embraced: nimble, bold and premium-focused. Or, as Segal puts it, “We’re absolutely not in the H&M business. We’re in the made-to-measure Photo: Matt Forsythe suit business.”

WINTER 2015 25

PB.27152.DeluxeToronto.HPH.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:34 PM Masters of Flip has been a hit for W, matching ratings for fl agship primetime shows like Cinefl ix’s Property Brothers

OF THE CHANNEL YEAR W banks on The network has also been building out its original original content scripted series - a major shift for the network. While the channel had historically banked on second-window The Corus- CORUS’ FEMALE FOCUS WAS ALWAYS CLEVER. viewing of popular TV shows, DVRs and online streaming Now, in the toughest TV climate it’s ever faced, its deep made that strategy defunct, he says. owned channel understanding of woman could just be its saving grace. He points to The Good Wife. “It should have been the is increasing its Because what women want is original content. prototypical W series,” he says. “[It is] very well written, It’s not all positive news: W saw a 4.23% decrease high quality, compelling [with a] strong female lead. But spend on fi rst- in subscribers in 2014, and a nearly $9 million (13.6%) the numbers were unimpressive. In comparison, Good run scripted decrease in ad dollars, though direct competitors Witch was a runaway success.” According to Corus, Good experienced similar declines. Witch (Whizbang Films) preformed 182% greater than and unscripted “We suff er from what a lot of broadcasters in the the primetime average, and was W’s top-ranked series of shows – and specialty cable business suff er from,” says John MacDonald, the past decade. The series joins a slimmed-down scripted EVP, head of women and family, Corus. “I think we’re all lineup, including the W-commissioned Cedar Cove proving it surprised at how slow the recovery of the economy [has (Orchard Road Productions) and Will and Grace repeats. can work. been], and we can’t ignore the cord-shaving behaviour.” Expensive to produce, scripted series won’t likely be the It’s not all doom and gloom: when MacDonald joined core off ering for W for a little while, he says.

BY MEGAN HAYNES three years ago, he says Property Brothers (Cinefl ix) and “[But] I would say in fi ve years time, I would expect to the Love it or List it (Big Coat Productions) franchises see much more scripted programming on W – and most of were starting to drive the network’s success. Now, each that will be fi rst-run original series,” he says has spawned spinoff s and continue to grow in ratings Michael Neale, chief commercial offi cer, MediaCom, (38% increase for Love It, 77% increase for Property says W’s original content strategy seems to be working: Brothers, over premiere seasons). audience numbers for show by week are great, while the W will continue to ride the property train in 2016, with average minute spent with W is trending upwards for all a new Love It or List It franchise from Big Coat called adults. He cautions its key demographic of women (25 to Vacation Properties. But the biggest win for the network 54) has been trending downwards, and the channel needs this year has been Masters of Flip, starring Kortney and to look at its digital/cross-screen strategy, something Dave Wilson (produced by Rhino Content in association MacDonald says they’re exploring via a partnership with with W), who fl ip houses in Nashville, Tennessee. With MCN Kin Community. a 67% higher-than-average primetime rating, Masters The channel has been looking for digital content regularly matches the ratings for the stalwart bros and creators in female-focused verticals, to help cross-promote Love It teams. W has since nabbed the international W, create bespoke TV and digital content and explore distribution rights and is exploring taking the show global. branded content. MacDonald doesn’t rule out potential In 2014, the channel spent more than $28 million on linear spinoff s for Kin creators, but says many YouTubers original Canadian content, according to CRTC data, and says are already stars and aren’t interested in doing TV content. it will deepen its fi nancial commitment to creating original He says the focus now is exploring how creating original productions. That’s not to say W will become a hub of real digital-fi rst content can feed into the broader W ecosystem estate series, says MacDonald. New shows Say Yes To the and he’s confi dent the strategy will draw audiences to Dress Canada (Temple Street) and Hockey Wives (Bristow online and linear platforms. Global Media) have fared very well, earning each second “One of the best ways we believe to attract people [is] seasons. “People come to W to be entertained,” he says. “We a lot of original programming,” he says. “Audiences have hope there’s a lot of crying, because it means we’ve touched demonstrated they’ll show up if you give them great, on something emotional.” quality entertainment.”

26 WINTER 2015/2016 W Network is a trademark of the Corus Entertainment Inc. group of companies. All Rights Reserved.

PB.27107.Corus.FP.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:39 PM English services, was hired in late 2013. It’s looking to off er something distinct from the private networks – mainly, shows with cable-TV edginess for a wider audience. And today the Ceeb can feel vindicated by numbers. This year’s crown jewel has been The Book of Negroes (Conquering Lion Pictures), an adaptation of Lawrence Hill’s award-winning novel. The six-part miniseries averaged 1.6 million viewers last winter. (All numbers Numeris, InfoSys+TV, A2+ AMA.) Yet Catto is quick to point out that eyeballs are not the only driver. She values feedback from ordinary Canadians, OF THE and got some at a recent public event where she and the fi lmmakers discussed The Book of Negroes. PROGRAMMER YEAR “A gentleman in the audience asked, ‘If The Book of Negroes doesn’t do well, does that mean you won’t be telling more stories like this?’ It made me sad that he felt that. That’s not what we’re about. Numbers matter for certain programs, but they’re not our only mark of Sally Catto success,” she says. “We have been encouraged to take risks, for which CBC’s head SALLY CATTO IS BEAMING OVER REVIEWS FOR I’m very grateful,” she adds, referring to directives from THE CBC’S NEW FALL SHOWS. Conway. “We’re juggling many variables. But I question programmer These include This Life (Sphere Media Plus) – an whether anyone but the CBC would be exploring that has found adaptation of Quebec drama Nouvelle adresse, about kind of story. We need more [diverse stories], and we have a single mother facing a grim cancer prognosis – and projects in development that address that.” ratings success Keeping Canada Alive (Force Four Entertainment), a six- Of course, risks bring disappointments. Chief among despite budget part factual series tracking 24 hours at health and home those is Strange Empire (Janestown Productions), care facilities in 24 Canadian cities. The Globe and Mail characterized as a “gritty, feminist Western” about challenges, yet calls the former “touching, humorous and admirable” women struggling for survival in 1860s Alberta. The series insists numbers and the latter “scary and uplifting.” received strong notices but averaged only 308,000 viewers Seated in her seventh-fl oor offi ce in CBC’s downtown and was not renewed beyond its fi rst season. aren’t everything Toronto headquarters, the GM programming for CBC “I’m proud of it and of the risk we took, and I think English television says reviews are useful – not only for a [creator] Laurie Finstad-Knizhnik is brilliant,” Catto BY MARK DILLON pat on the back, but because critics “go into detail about says. “But taking risks is also about being prepared to say, what they liked or didn’t like about a show and what’s ‘We tried this and it’s great, but other opportunities have resonating with them.” come along that might resonate better with our audience.’ Then, of course, there are ratings. CBC has talked up Those are the not enjoyable times in my position.” a new direction since Catto’s boss Heather Conway, EVP Somewhere down the line, Catto will have to decide

28

28 WINTER 2015

PB.27055.GoodHumanProd.ThirdH.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:52 PM on This Life, which premiered on Oct. 5 to an underwhelming 280,000 viewers against CTV’s Blindspot and Global’s Chicago Fire, climbing to 295,000 in week two (All data Numeris, total, 2+). Meanwhile, X Company (Temple Street Productions) – a fi ctionalized account of Camp X, the World War II commando training facility near Whitby, Ontario – bowed last season to an average 803,000 viewers and returns in the winter. Catto sees it as a good fi t because “It shines a light on a time in our country some people might not know about, and in a way that is diff erent from how they have consumed that kind of information in the past.” A former lawyer and literary agent, Catto started in production at Accent Entertainment before being hired by CBC in 2001. Her stint as exec in charge of drama production extended to 2005, when she left CBC briefl y, returning in 2006 as creative head of drama. She left once again in 2011 for an EVP position at Cinefl ix Studios but returned to the Ceeb in 2012. She has overseen production on series including the period detective drama Murdoch Mysteries (Shaftesbury), which CBC began airing in 2013 after City dropped it, and has proven a brilliant pickup. It was the Ceeb’s highest-rated weekly scripted series last season, averaging 1.2 million viewers. Previously, Catto was the CBC exec in charge of Chris Haddock’s Vancouver crime drama Intelligence (2006-07), which had ratings not commensurate with its rave reviews. But today, she notes, the series seems of a piece with popular serialized cable dramas. “Audiences are craving that kind of programming,” she says. And so, she and CBC are once again banking on Haddock and his new spy thriller The Romeo Section. It got off to a tough start, with its fi rst two episodes averaging 333,000 viewers (total, 2+). Refl ecting all of Canada, Catto says, is key: “When I’m watching The Romeo Section and I’m seeing Vancouver refl ected and characters and storylines that are organic to that coast, I feel a connection that’s very personal, and that makes it unique.” And the Alberta rural drama Heartland (Seven24 Films), another show she has shepherded, is back for its ninth go-round, giving the network a reliable Sunday 7 p.m. family hit that averaged 928,000 viewers last season. In comedy, the riches-to-rags Schitt’s Creek (Not a Real Company), created by and starring Eugene Levy and son Daniel and co-starring Catherine O’Hara, averaged more than one million viewers in its fi rst season and returns in the new year. It is slated to again be followed on Tuesday nights by Mr. D (Topsail Entertainment), which averaged only half as many viewers. Still, Catto is bullish. “Not every show has to achieve the same goal,” she says. “Every time I’ve met with Gerry outside this offi ce, people have come up to us and said, ‘Your show is the only show I watch with my kids.’ That has value for us.” It apparently also has value for CBS, which is developing a U.S. version. CBC’s recent successes have come amid cuts including a workforce being trimmed by about 25% by 2020, a property sell- off , and a 25% cut to its programming budget over the past three years, which, says Catto, has had ramifi cations. (However, the new the Liberal government promised to bump up funding.) “We’ve been able to do less and you’ll see more repeats,” she says. “But there’s a plan in place starting in 2015-16 that will see an increase in our programming budget every year for the next fi ve years. Then we’ll be back to where we were three years ago. So we’re headed in a very positive direction.”

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PB.27132.Topsail.HPV.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:41 PM SHAFTESBURY CHAIRMAN AND CEO CHRISTINA JENNINGS WALKED OUT OF THE ROGERS MEDIA OFFICES at 9:30 a.m. one September morning in 2011, having just learnt that the prodco’s fl agship drama, Murdoch Mysteries, was being cancelled after its fi fth season. Disappointed but resolute, Jennings picked up the phone and called the CBC. Within two days, a deal was done – Murdoch was moving to CBC and the stage

A Canadian TV love was set for one of Canadian TV’s great comebacks. story: in August 2015, Now over 130 episodes in, its fi rst Christmas movie on OF THE a Murdoch Mysteries fan event sold out in15 the way, sales into 110 territories globally (distributed by TV SHOW YEAR minutes, prompting Shaftesbury and ITV), deals with Netfl ix Canada, Netfl ix organizers to hastily add a second day U.S., Hulu and Acorn TV, Murdoch shows no signs of slowing down. Produced by Julie Lacey and Stephen Montgomery and executive produced by Jennings, Yannick Bisson, The not-so-mysterious Scott Garvie and Peter Mitchell (who also showruns), Murdoch landed on CBC in fall 2012. Its fi fth season drew an average audience of 718,000, which wasn’t bad, but it appeal of Murdoch was the next season where it began to really gain traction. Season six saw the series leap to an average audience Almost retired at 65 (episodes), but now in the of 1.16 million viewers, followed by a series-high season average of 1.295 the next year. Season eight saw a slight prime of life, Shaftesbury’s Murdoch Mysteries is drop to 1.229 million, but all 18 episodes drew an average a globe-trotting Canadian success story. audience of more than one million, reaching 23% of Canadians. (All ratings 2+; Numeris data via CBC). BY JORDAN PINTO Adapted from a series of detective novels by Canadian author Maureen Jennings (no relation), Shaftesbury fi rst

30

Thank you Sally for your incredible and continuing contribution to our industry. Your passion, commitment and leadership nurtures amazing Canadian content that entertains and enriches audiences at home and around the world.

30 WINTER 2015

PB.27157.SEVEN24Films.HPH.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:42 PM PB.27063.SphereMediaPlus.HPH.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:42 PM optioned the books 14 years ago. However, the tone of the series’ 100th episode, “Holy Matrimony Murdoch.” show in its early incarnations was nearly very diff erent. It was that day that both CBC and Shaftesbury realized William Murdoch’s fi rst appearances on camera came the full potential of Murdoch’s fervent fan following, in the form of three MOWs (released in Canada 2004 Jennings says, sparking the spring 2015 launch of and 2005, with Peter Outerbridge in the lead role), which Murdoch Mysteries: The Infernal Device. were far darker than the show audiences have come to The six-week global interactive event tour saw fans know. In 2008, with the fi rst season only a couple of weeks invited to historically themed “crime scenes” in fi ve from going to camera – with Yannick Bisson now cast as major cities to help solve a global conspiracy. Each Murdoch – Jennings threw the brakes on. event had on and offl ine components (including being “I don’t want to do a dark, edgy, turn-of-the-century live-streamed on Periscope), attracting 1,500 people in series. I want it to be more accessible, I want it to have Toronto and 1,300 in London. And in August 2015, the more humour,’” Jennings recalls telling the season-one series held its most popular fan day to date, attracting writers. And so the lighter, family-friendly Murdoch was 2,500 fans and requiring the scheduling of a second date born – a direction Jennings believes has been key to both after the fi rst sold out in 15 minutes. its audience and international sales success. It even pulled off one of the most clever brand “One of the things we learned from Murdoch was integrations on Canadian TV this year, partnering with that you can take an hour-long show, you can put it on SickKids for A Merry Murdoch Christmas. The special primetime, repeat it in the day time, or access time, or episode will feature a Children’s Hospital benefi t in its even late night and it works right across the schedule. storyline, a perfect match with the show’s historic setting These shows aren’t being made in the States as much as and SickKids 140-year-old legacy. they used to be, so the international buyers…are looking At the heart of all this success is Murdoch’s feel-good, elsewhere,” she explains. wide appeal and episodic structure, an increasingly rare In terms of its reach and cross-generational appeal, commodity in the often darker drama landscape. “Murdoch is its own entity,” notes Sally Catto, GM, “The thing with Murdoch is it doesn’t matter if you’ve programming for CBC English television. And nowhere missed fi ve episodes or if you just saw a re-run of season was that more apparent than in November 2014, when three against season eight,” says Jennings. “We all love a line of more than 1,000 fans stretched around CBC binge-watching and serialised shows, but sometimes it’s headquarters in Toronto for the celebratory airing of the really nice to…just put your feet up and watch TV.”

31

WINTER 2015 31

PB.27157.SEVEN24Films.HPH.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:42 PM PB.27063.SphereMediaPlus.HPH.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:42 PM Rhombus fl exes its fi lmmaker-fi rst approach With fi ve projects at TIFF this year, some of the hottest up-and-coming talent on its slate and the year’s biggest-opening Canadian fi lm to its credit, this 36-year- old prodco is having a banner year.

BY JULIANNA CUMMINS

ROUGHLY EIGHT YEARS AGO, RHOMBUS MEDIA PRINCIPAL NIV FICHMAN DECIDED HE WANTED THE PRODCO TO FOCUS ON A NEW DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY. While continuing to pursue work with A-list Canadian directorial talent, Rhombus was going to focus on developing relationships with talented emerging fi lmmakers. This year, the dividends on that strategy have paid out signifi cantly, with Rhombus bringing an astounding OF THE fi ve projects to the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival. PRODUCER(FILM) YEAR “I think the slate at TIFF couldn’t have been more refl ective of that strategy,” Fichman says. “There’s a [Paul] Gross fi lm, and a [Patricia] Rozema fi lm, and two fi rst- time fi lms – one of them a coproduction – sprinkled with a Guy Maddin [project]. That is Rhombus.” Speaking with Playback this fall with Rhombus producers Kevin Krikst and Fraser Ash, Fichman points out the TIFF fi ve-peat was more a product of lucky timing over shrewd strategy. But he allows the strong Rhombus brand and reputation is an asset in building the kind of From left to right: Kevin Krikst, Niv Fichman and Fraser Ash slate the prodco brought to TIFF ’15. take a moment in Rhombus Media’s old Toronto offi ce The festival was a success: Stephen Dunn’s debut on the eve of a move to new digs. Photo: Jennifer Horn feature Closet Monster took the Best Canadian Feature

32 CONGRATULATIONS! Telefilm Canada applauds all of Playback's Best of 2015 honorees. Inspired by Canadian talent, passion and successes.

32 WINTER 2015

PB.27106TelefilmCanada.1/3H.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:43 PM award and Paul Gross’ Hyena Road (complemented at TIFF by a CONGRATULATIONS Rhombus-produced installation by Guy Maddin) was feted with a gala premiere. And three of the projects that appeared at TIFF NIV, KEVIN, FRASER will be distributed by Elevation Pictures, which acquired them at AND THE ENTIRE TEAM AT script stage: Road, Rozema’s Into the Forest and Brazil-Canada copro Zoom from rookie director Pedro Morelli. (The prodco also saw the second season of its HBO Canada dramedy, Sensitive Skin, go into production this summer, with its fi rst season earning an International Emmy nom this fall.) While Rhombus has always pursued a fi lmmaker-friendly approach, the unlikely seed of the enhanced fi rst-time fi lmmaker focus was 2011’s Hobo with a Shotgun, which was not exactly the ON BEING NAMED kind of project usually associated with the often-highbrow prodco. Initially concerned that the fi lm wasn’t a fi t for Rhombus, Fichman BEST PRODUCER quickly changed his mind when he saw how passionate rookie fi lmmakers Jason Eisener and Rob Cotterill were. OF THE YEAR “That started a whole other trend,” Fichman recalls. He then partnered with Alliance Atlantis to launch an unoffi cial initiative to support fi rst-time fi lmmakers, and dedicated Rhombus’ Telefi lm performance envelope (a now-defunct program) to support projects from emerging artists. Projects connected to that strategy include Hobo, Brandon Cronenberg’s Antiviral, Closet Monster and Zoom. Now, Fichman says that emerging fi lmmaker focus is “our entire way of life,” noting much of Rhombus’ development slate, including fi lms from In Her Place director Albert Shin, are projects from up-and- coming fi lmmakers. “To me it’s really crucial that we provide a really good home for talented young fi lmmakers, writers, directors, producers, and help make the fi lm industry in this country stronger,” he says. It’s a philosophy Fichman, and his partners before him, pursued internally as well. Krikst joined Rhombus in 2007, Ash in 2010 (following an internship in 2008), and both worked as assistants before producing. The shorthand the trio has developed over time has been invaluable, Ash says. “It’s easy for us to take a decision on our own having been raised in the company by Niv and knowing how he would react.” Earlier this year, founding Rhombus partners Barbara Willis Sweete and Larry Weinstein departed the company, reducing the workforce to fi ve and prompting a move to a smaller Toronto offi ce. The compact company, however, has allowed the producers to be nimble and independent. “It’s partly an all-hands-on-deck thing. There is no saying, ‘this is my function, you talk to him about this.’ We’re all there to help ALSO A BIG THUMBS UP TO and problem-solve in any way that we can. Niv also trusts us a lot OUR OTHER PARTNERS AND FRIENDS to just go with something...it empowers us,” Krikst says. Also key to Rhombus’s big 2015 is the budding relationship W NETWORK between it and upstart distributor Elevation Pictures. The companies work together to develop projects that suit both, but BEST CHANNEL OF THE YEAR Elevation co-president Noah Segal says the company can rely on Rhombus fi lms to be high-quality, commercially viable and edgy. SALLY CATTO “[Niv’s] committed to making features and not shirking the BEST PROGRAMMER OF THE YEAR responsibility to do something qualitative and diff erent. That is what has made Rhombus stand out,” Segal says. “Hyena is a huge WE’RE VERY HAPPY TO SEE YOU budget fi lm, Zoom is a crazy comedy, Closet Monster is an edgy ALL GET RECOGNIZED subject from a new guy, Into the Forest is chance-taking from a seasoned director. All these things, very few producers would have the heart, or the nerve, to try. Niv can’t just do it once a year – he did four in one year.”

WINTER 2015 33

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PB.27043.ElevationPicturesHPV.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:45 PM OF THE PRODUCER(DIGITAL) YEAR The year the smoke cleared Smokebomb IN 2015, SMOKEBOMB ENTERTAINMENT IS A October) and struck an agreement with Shaw Media for Entertainment COMPANY TRANSFORMED. Once a pioneering the series to appear on Slice.ca. digital producer focusing on making and selling Tying the strategy together is Shaftesbury and has emerged traditional web series such as Backpackers, Smokebomb Smokebomb’s internal client-facing agency Shift2, in 2015 with has shifted its attentions to a new digital production which was launched in partnership with millennial a crystal clear model: brand-funded scripted content. agency Youth Culture in 2014. “Shift2 is essentially The biggest leap the company, which is a division of the brand agency, Smokebomb is the creative engine focus on brand- Shaftesbury, took in this new arena was Carmilla, a web behind that,” explains Jay Bennett, SVP, creative and funded scripted series funded entirely by Kimberly Clark’s U by Kotex innovation, Shaftesbury and Smokebomb. content, aimed brand and asking the provocative question “do vampires 2015 has proven to be a pivotal year for the company. get periods?” Now in its second season, Carmilla proved In addition to second seasons of the above series, it also at millennial that brand-funded content could work by honouring launched I Do, a wedding-themed lifestyle series with female both the creative process and the brand’s promise. And Cotton Inc. as a sponsor, announced its fi rst feature audiences. it off ered a valuable clue to the mystery of how to make fi lm Darken – which will be preceded by a free 20-part web content work from a business perspective. digital series – and launched a branded entertainment

BY JORDAN PINTO Shifting its focus to female millennial audiences, pitch contest with the Banff World Media Festival. Smokebomb started to develop a formula: high Smokebomb’s strategy follows a simple premise, quality scripted content, backed by targeted audience says Bennett. “You have to give your audience engagement social campaigns, and funded by brands as something of value before you ask them for their a way to communicate their brand attributes, which in money,” he says, referring to the diff erence between turn delivers them a return on investment. brand-sponsored content and product placement. Smokebomb built on the Carmilla foundation with Putting creative fi rst seems to be working. MsLabelled, which secured Schick as its fi rst-season Smokebomb reports that 31% of Carmilla’s audience brand partner, Tetley for its second season (greenlit in purchased U by Kotex as a result of watching season 34

Murdoch Mysteries, Playback’s Best TV Series of the Year Congratulations to showrunner Peter Mitchell, and to the entire writing team!

From the Writers Guild of Canada 34 WINTER 2015

PB.27102.WritersGuild.Strip.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:46 PM Photo: Jasper Savage

to all 2015 DGC AWARDS winners

DGC LIFETIME DON HALDANE DGC HONOURARY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD DISTINGUISHED LIFE MEMBER AWARD PRESENTED BY SHAFTESBURY SERVICE AWARD PRESENTED BY BELLMEDIA David Cronenberg Mark Reid Peter Leitch

Beesst Diirreectictioonnn, FFeeaatttuurree FFiilm BBeeesst Prrodduccttiioonn Dessiiggnn, PRESENTED BY DELUXE FFeaattuure Fililmm Charles Binamé Elephant Song PRESENTED BY PINEWOOD TORONTO STUDIOS Carol Spier Maps to the Stars BBeesst Diirrreectionn,, TTeeleevvisiioon Moovvviie/M/Miinnnii--SSSeerriiees BBeeesst Prrodduccttiioonn Dessiiggnn, PRESENTED BY PANAVISION TTeeleevvviissioon Moovvviie/M/MMini--SSSeerries Clement Virgo The Book of Negroes Jason Clarke The Book of Negroes, Episode 5 Jay Bennett and Christina Jennings (centre, left and right) helm the Smokebomb BBeest Dirreectionon, TTeeleevision SSeeerries PRESENTED BY WILLIAM F. WHITE INTERNATIONAL strategy, which is laser-focused on young women in the digital space BBeeesst Prrodduccttiioonn Dessiiggnn, Kari Skogland Vikings, Blood Eagle TTeeleviv ssiiioon Serieess Beesst Feeaaattuurre Film Brendan Smith Schitt’s Creek, PRESENTED BY TECHNICOLOR Our Cup Runneth Over one. The company also grew its YouTube channel, VervegirlTV, Mommy Besst Piicccturree EdEditinnggg,, FFeeaatturree Film to just under 150,000 subscribers in 2015 from 3,000 in 2014. BBeest Teleevviissionon MMoovvie/MMiinnii-Seeries Michele Conroy Pompeii Finding the secret to producing fi nancially viable web PRESENTED BY VANGUARDE ARTISTS MANAGEMENT BBeesst Picturree EdEdiitttiinnggg,, The Book of Negroes content has not, however, been either easy or straightforward. TTeeleevvviissioon Moovvviie/M/MMini--SSSeerries BBeest Teelleevissiioon SSeeriieess,, DDrramma Susan Shipton The Book of Negroes, Previous web series ventures State of Syn and Backpackers PRESENTED BY PS PRODUCTION Episode 6 both fought hard for buyers and audiences but ultimately did SERVICES LTD. AND SIM DIGITAL BBeesst Picturree EdEdiitttiinnggg,, Orphan Black, By Means Which not fi nd lasting success. TTeeleviv ssiiioon Serieess Have Never Yet Been Tried Don Cassidy Vikings, The Lord’s State of Syn in particular taught Smokebomb a lesson. BBeeest Teelleevisisiiooonn SSeeriieess,, FFaamiily Prayer The 8 x 6-minute series proved too easy for viewers to blaze Open Heart, Last Things First BBeesst Sound Editing, through in one sitting and prompted a change in the company’s BBesst Teeleevvissiioon SSerieess,, CCoomeedy FFeaattuure Fililmm Pompeii thinking. “There’s no exact mathematical equation for Schitt’s Creek, Our Cup Runneth Over AAllaann KKiiinng Awwaaarrd BBeesst Sound Editing, [sustained engagement], but there is a threshold of content you FFoorr EExxcceelleennccee In DocDocuummenntttaary TTeeleevvviissioon Moovvviie/M/MMini--SSSeerries need to hit in order to build up any sort of repeat fan interest,” PRESENTED BY ROGERS GROUP OF FUNDS The Book of Negroes, Episode 1 Super Duper Alice Cooper Bennett says. BBeesst Sound Editing, BBeest Shhoort Film TTeeleviv ssiiioon Serieess As such, the majority of Smokebomb’s new digital series Made in Bali Vikings, The Choice play out over longer periods of time. “That is a basic, strategic choice we have made and it is allowing true fan engagement THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS over months, as opposed to days or weeks,” he explains. There’s also been a huge cultural shift towards YouTube on LEAD SPONSOR the business side. “Eighteen months ago, [YouTube] just didn’t exist in the broadcasters’ lexicon. Today...the idea of going to where your audience is and understanding that your brand can exist GOLD SPONSORS outside the walls of your brand is something that, from my perspective, broadcasters are embracing,” says Bennett. CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE Lisa Godfrey, head of original content at Shaw Media, says SILVER SPONSORS Smokebomb has become very good at putting its money where its mouth is. Not only does it come to the table with brands

attached to projects, it follows up with supporting data and takes BRONZE SPONSORS the time to explain it. “For us, it’s fi nding out those analytics and understanding them. It’s educating us,” says Godfrey. And while brand-funded web series are still not big business PATRON SPONSORS CONTRA SPONSORS – Bennett notes that the company would have to make around a dozen digital series to compete with just one Shaftesbury TV series – it is building a slate of digital IP with TV pedigree, replete with pre-built fan bases and brands attached. Which, most would agree, is broadcaster gold in today’s competitive TV landscape. www.dgc.ca

WINTER 2015 35

PB.27102.WritersGuild.Strip.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:46 PM

PB.26803.DirectorsGuild.HPV.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:46 PM Discovery@20:

PLAYBACKP L AY BAC K TRTRIBUTEIBU T E Discovery Canada has evolved from a science BY MARK DILLON BACKED BY A STRONG INTERNATIONAL BRAND, and nature channel to PREMIUM POSITIONING AND A NIMBLE APPROACH TO PROGRAMMING, Discovery Canada’s 20-year tenure on a factual entertainment Canadian TV is a success story by any measure. First launched in 1995, the channel today is a multifaceted brand including spinoff digi-channels Animal Planet, Discovery powerhouse with a suite Velocity, Discovery Science and Investigation Discovery, and now its own “GO” mobile product. And, in a challenging TV of digital spin-offs landscape, those younger spin-off channels are flourishing, recording 33% audience growth in 2014-15 over the previous period, according to owner Bell Media. The main channel brings in more revenue than any other non-sports specialty – $100 million in 2014, according to the CRTC. It is #1 in ratings for the key A25-54 demographic among what Bell Media calls “entertainment” specialties, according to 2014-15 Numeris data. The “entertainment” descriptor is telling, as the channel has largely shifted from Entertainment-style factual series like Highway Thru Hell, which science- and nature-based programming to more populist fare. feature charismatic but relatable casts (star Jamie Davis and his crew, pictured) are driving record ratings and revenues for Discovery Its most-watched program in 2014-2015 was Highway Thru Hell (Great Pacifi c Television), about heavy-rescue operators working in perilous conditions, which drew an average 723,000 viewers. Meanwhile, tops among A25-54 audiences was Canada’s Worst Driver (Proper Television), which averaged 548,000 viewers overall. (Source: Numeris, P2+.)

36 WINTER 2015/2016 An oral history

Meanwhile, fl agship series Daily Planet, a one-hour Trina McQueen was president magazine that explains the “science behind the headlines,” is of Discovery Canada until 1999. coming off its 20th and most-watched season. It is produced Trina McQueen: I had high hopes for Discovery by channel subsidiary Exploration Production Inc. (EPI). for several reasons. I believed the new specialty Discovery Canada prepared for takeoff in 1994, as the channels had extremely attractive business and CRTC considered a slew of specialty applications. Among programming models. I saw that CBC’s [science- the hopefuls was Labatt Communications, a division of focused] The Nature of Things and its radio show Labatt Brewing that owned sports specialties TSN and Quirks & Quarks had good-sized and wildly RDS. It now had its eye on a documentary and non-fi ction enthusiastic audiences who undoubtedly wanted science-based version of the U.S.’s Discovery Channel. more. It was the beginning of the web. Technology Trina McQueen, previously head of news and current was cool. And our U.S. partner Discovery Channel aff airs at CBC, led an application team that included was doing very well. Ken Murphy and Paul Lewis. (All three would serve at Our aim was a distinctively Canadian channel diff erent times as Discovery presidents.) The CRTC gave with a global viewpoint. We wanted high production them the nod and the channel launched on Jan. 1, 1995. values, exceptional storytelling, originality, and a The following year, Labatt sold its broadcast interests to sense of humor. We also wanted authenticity. People a group consisting of the Bronfman Family Trust, Reitmans, like [original Daily Planet host] Jay Ingram and the Caisse de Dépot du Québec and U.S.-based sports channel [supervising producer] Penny Park, who both came ESPN. They renamed the company NetStar Communications. from Quirks & Quarks, were respected in the science Some key players shared their memories of growing community. They and other good producers kept the Discovery into a present-day powerhouse. standards high.

WINTER 2015/2016 37 PLAYBACK TRIBUTE DISCOVERY@20 We were interactive from the beginning. When we There were frantic moments, but the pace was wanted a weekly program about new internet technologies manageable. There was a great group of people around and devices, we commissioned four pilots and asked and we were given plenty of freedom by Trina McQueen, viewers to vote for the one that would go to series [which and that made it easier. was EXN.TV]. We also had enormous help from Discovery @discovery.ca was a good name at the time, but our in the U.S., which had huge budgets and great events. digital presence evolved quickly enough that it seemed Shark Week: need I say more? However, our greatest so dated. I was walking on the beach in Sanibel Island, commitment was to Canadian documentary producers. Florida, and the name The Daily Planet just sprang into my head. It was daily, it was news... Smarter people knocked off “The” and it became Daily Planet. We had a number of executive producers after Paul Lewis moved up. Each had ideas about what the show should look like and should be, so we would be reversing our fi eld sometimes. But there were no bad ones.

In 2000, CTV, led by president and CEO Ivan Fecan, acquired an 80% voting interest in NetStar – with ESPN holding on to 20% – and later renamed it CTV Specialty Television. Ivan Fecan: CTV bought NetStar because we came late to specialty. We had CTV Newsnet and CTV Sportsnet, OLN and The Comedy Network, but other companies had more. The lure from a business perspective was to diversify revenue so that we would have both ad and subscriber support. Conventional TV was all about cost effi ciencies and top-10 shows, while specialty was about pure growth. NetStar had the top specialty channels: TSN, RDS and Discovery. CanWest wanted NetStar, but we prevailed. Plus I believed in science journalism, having produced the fi rst year of Quirks & Quarks. I wish I had been prescient enough to foresee the rise of the ecological movement among younger viewers, but the wind certainly was at Discovery’s back. Discovery had a great management team but needed capital to grow and the cross-promotion engine a major TV network could provide. In addition, the relationship with Discovery in the U.S. allowed us to launch sub- brands under the Discovery umbrella as digital channels rolled out. While Discovery’s audiences weren’t the highest (TSN’s were), they regularly were #2 and their viewers were the most committed, as evidenced by qualitative surveys.

When CTV’s deal for NetStar was announced in 1999, Fecan hired McQueen as CTV EVP. Ken Murphy, Discovery’s VP of production and administration, took over as president. In 2000, BCE purchased CTV and folded it into Bell Globemedia. Top: Series like the six-part Ken Murphy: By then we had well-oiled programming, Megaspeed have been successful by telling the marketing and sales machines. There was tremendous human stories behind Jay Ingram hosted Daily Planet from its launch in pressure to increase profi ts and margins. The largest technological achievements 1995 – when it was called @discovery.ca – until 2011. priority was ‘Now let’s exploit this service and put some Bottom: The Mighty It is currently hosted by Dan Riskin and Ziya Tong. numbers on the board’ – in part so we could act on the series, including Mighty Ships (pictured), has been Jay Ingram: The thing I remember best is that we would second major priority, which was adding digital channels, one EPI’s most successful have the fi rst two shows of the week done in advance, but which we did starting with Animal Planet and Discovery international franchises by the Friday we were putting the show together on the Science, which was then Discovery Civilization. day. It really hasn’t changed. Tomorrow’s show isn’t ready We started to produce some of our key priorities yet. Tomorrow afternoon it will be. [through EPI]. There was great anxiety among

38 WINTER 2015/2016

PB.27140.ThunderbirdFilms.HPH.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:47 PM independent producers about that. I understand that, but I think we found a pretty good balance between in-house production – with EPI operating independently – and the outside independent community. Champions of the Wild [Omnifi lm Entertainment], Exhibit A: Secrets of Forensic Science [Kensington Communications] and, later, Mayday [Cinefl ix] were tremendous Canadian productions that saw success internationally, whether through the Discovery family of channels or ad hoc international sales. When I left, the pivot to programming that was more populist and less natural history and science had begun, coming largely out of Discovery in the U.S., and that has continued unabated all these years later.

Murphy left in 2002 and, along with former Discovery VP production John Panikkar, co-founded High Fidelity HDTV, which operated four digital channels including nature-focused Oasis HD. SVP Paul Lewis was promoted to Discovery president and GM – posts he would hold until departing this year as part of a restructuring at Bell Media. Ziya Tong, left, co-hosted Daily Planet with Jay Ingram Paul Lewis: To stay on top year after year, we had Discovery]. We introduced social media and cross- for three years before he left to continue to adapt to shifting audience trends and platform projects. the program in 2011 technological change. We moved into character-led The miniseries Race to Mars and Mars Rising were reality series. We launched Discovery HD Theatre, the huge challenges. It’s Discovery Canada’s most ambitious fi rst 24-hour HD specialty channel. We expanded our undertaking ever. Some of the things we did back in portfolio of channel brands [to also include Investigation 2007 were years ahead of their time: a scripted drama

39

WINTER 2015/2016 39

PB.27140.ThunderbirdFilms.HPH.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:47 PM PLAYBACK TRIBUTE DISCOVERY@20 based on the latest science, a companion documentary Logo-lution Discovery has vision and an appetite to take risks, series, a book, a public forum, a $1 million website. It Like any species, whereas many channels want to follow trends. Their team wasn’t our most-watched series ever, but it was the one Discovery’s brands is always asking, “How can we do this diff erently?” They we learned most from and helped establish us as leaders must evolve have an ability to spot a great idea and nurture the talent and risk-takers. to deliver. Our portfolio has changed signifi cantly to ensure 1995 the most popular, compelling channels. Discovery Edwina Follows has served as a producer for World [as Discovery HD was later known] off ered big EPI and executive producer for Discovery. She is documentaries in HD, but over time, other channels currently Discovery Networks Canada’s director, off ered full HD as well. We realized there was a strong commissioning and production. consumer and advertiser demand for a channel devoted Edwina Follows: The biggest change since my to cars and speed, so Discovery World morphed into producing days is the growing popularity of our Discovery Velocity. 1996 Canadian character-driven series. During the last three years, ratings for Highway Thru Hell, Cold Water Tony Leadman joined EPI 14 years ago and Cowboys [Paperny Entertainment] and Jade Fever currently serves as head of worldwide [Omnifi lm Entertainment] have continued to grow. In program distribution. 2014-15 audiences for Canadian productions were nearly Tony Leadman: EPI provides in any given year a 25% higher than audiences for U.S. content range of 210 to 250 hours of programming, including in primetime. Daily Planet. The biggest hits in recent years have been 2002 I like to think that shows like Jade Fever that feature Mighty Ships, Mighty Cruise Ships, Mighty Planes and independent, adventurous women like Claudia Bunce MegaSpeed. We specialize in the stories of the people are helping bring more women to the channel. In its running these vehicles. These human stories are fi rst season, Jade Fever attracted 71% more female important for our audience. viewers to the time slot than in the previous year, Our Mighty series has set the factual world on fi re for 2009 compared to an 18% increase for male viewers. us. It airs worldwide on all platforms. The big territories Off -the-grid Northern (Alaska/Yukon) programming for us are the U.S., U.K., Australia, Scandinavia, France remains strong, as do aspirational shows such as Gold and Germany. By and large we have coverage throughout Rush [Raw Television], Fool’s Gold [11 Television] and Eastern and Western Europe. Asia is a good market for us Bering Sea Gold [Original Productions]. Ultimate fi shing as well. 2012 shows such as Deadliest Catch [Original Productions] Prior to launching Mighty Ships [nine seasons ago], we and River Monsters [Icon Films] continue to rate well. had a great run in the crime genre with Forensic Factor Our viewers want authentic, relatable, everyday heroes and On the Run. who are not afraid to live life on their own terms. With all our relationships involving these programs, we have formed strategic partnerships and alliances with 2001 Joining Discovery in 2003, Ken MacDonald has broadcasters around the world that have participated in overseen in-house programming, served as the production of many of our series. VP programming, and this year was appointed GM and VP, Discovery Networks. Great Pacifi c Television CEO Mark A. Miller is Ken MacDonald: Our digital strategy has always writer, producer and executive producer on been a major component of our success, and continues Highway Thru Hell, now in its fourth season and to be an area of focus of future innovation. We work seen in 170 countries. closely with independent production partners to Mark A. Miller: I did my fi rst piece for the channel for ensure content is created for all screens and we are 2002 @discovery.ca in 1995-96 and it turned into a regular gig continuously looking at ways to be leaders as the as a fi eld reporter/producer. I still contribute to Daily media evolves. Planet. When Animal Planet started a few years later I Also, we’re charging forward with an upcoming 4K produced shows such as Animal Tracks and Into the Wild. off ering for our TV Everywhere product, Discovery GO. Eventually they gave me my own show, Xtremely Wild In addition to more character-led programs and with Mark Miller. specials, we’re excited to launch our fi rst foray into The idea for Highway Thru Hell came when a friend 2010 scripted series with the rich and layered storylines of had broken down on B.C.’s Coquihalla Highway. He was Frontier [Take the Shot Productions’ drama about the in a moving truck and got towed. He showed me a pic 18th century fur trade], soon beginning production. from his smartphone. We went down to the area, shot We think our channels are well-positioned as we a sizzle reel, cut it together, and met with Discovery’s move toward a pick-and-pay environment. It is really all Ken Macdonald (who had hired me as a Parliament Hill about quality content. We have a proven product that reporter at another network) and Paul Lewis. They saw 2015 Canadians value. We listen to our audience and deliver the potential right away. My past relationships with smart, entertaining, and informative content. We are them were key. I knew they were the right partners to confi dent the Discovery Canada brand will continue to make this a hit. lead the way as the #1 choice for factual entertainment.

40 WINTER 2015/2016

Will McCormack and Rashida Jones hit the red carpet in 2012

Jay Baruchel (pictured right) received WFF’s fi rst Screenwriter to Watch award in 2011

Michael Shannon (centre) receives the Spotlight Tribute in 2011, with Fred Lee (left) and Stacey Do

Carly Rae Jepsen takes the 42 WINTER 2015/2016 stage at the 2009 festival How this ambitious West Coast fi lm festival is looking to capitalize on its “peak” assets to attract dealmakers, fi lmmakers and aspiring Oscar nominees. BY FIONA MORROW Whistler Film Festival @ 15

Kim Cattrall received Whistler’s inauguaral PLAYBACK TRIBUTE Maverick Award last year

IT MAY BE TURNING 15 THIS YEAR, BUT AS Taken aback by the setting, and the proximity to Los FAR AS ITS CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE Angeles, Gaydos remarked to Hardy Mishaw that she was DIRECTOR IS CONCERNED, THE WHISTLER FILM sitting on something special. FESTIVAL IS STILL THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK. “He told me I had no idea what I had here,” she recalls. “When you start looking at festivals that have turned A chat that began on a walk along Whistler’s “Village 40, we have to consider ourselves still emerging,” insists Stroll,” continued on and off through the festival and Shauna Hardy Mishaw. beyond. “I pretty much called him up every week on the Begun almost by accident – Hardy Mishaw was same day for a year,” she laughs. approached to help screen a series of Canadian fi lms in In Whistler, Gaydos saw the potential for a pre-Oscar Whistler, she agreed, but said she wanted to call it the stop. The timing of the festival in early December is prime Whistler Film Festival – the festival has become a venue for studios wanting to ramp up their Academy campaigns. for the Canadian fi lm industry to network. For its part, Whistler – never shy about its desire to bring “I think by now we have established a solid reputation in celebrities – was thrilled to step into what its team saw as being a fi lmmakers’ festival, and having a place in the as the big time. landscape of fi lm festivals, certainly in North America,” she Last year brought – if not A-list stars - local premieres suggests. “But also I think the word’s out that we as a fi lm of Hollywood Oscar hopefuls The Imitation Game and The festival are an emerging force on the international scene.” Theory of Everything. This year, the festival has scored the It’s a bold statement, and one that Hardy Mishaw Canadian premiere of Oscar buzz movie Carol, starring bases on the festival’s recent partnership with Variety. Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, directed by Todd The partnership, announced in 2011 and launched Haynes. (At time of press, no guests were confi rmed.) the following year, is arguably the most signifi cant Carol – an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s collaboration in the festival’s history. With it came not lesbian romance novel The Price of Salt – comes trailing only a level of credibility Whistler sorely needed, but critical acclaim and plaudits from Cannes, bringing also guaranteed profi le in a major trade paper with an undeniable splash of glamour to the opening night international reach. But the real currency in the deal of B.C.’s mountain festival. And, with the movie’s was Variety’s Hollywood clout, especially that of VP and distributors, The Weinstein Company, pushing Blanchett executive editor Steven Gaydos, who became a Whistler for Best Actress, and Mara in the Best Supporting cheerleader after attending the festival in 2010 as the Actress category, Whistler’s hope to become a pre-Oscar screenwriter on Monte Hellman’s Road to Nowhere. stop for Hollywood seems on track.

WINTER 2015/2016 43 WFF 2012’s spotlight on Daniel Radcliffe with George Stroumboulopoulos

WFF held a tribute to Donald Sutherland’s career in 2008

Gaydos agrees. “I’m, with you there. I think Whistler should concentrate on being the next Whistler,” he says. “You embrace who you are – just like Toronto, New York or Austin. None of them are Sundance, but they all have a strong identity.” Added to that, the festival is also able to trumpet its Whistler started in 2001 with just 13 fi lms, 10 delegates own connection to the movie. and ticket sales of less than 4,000. The next year the ticket “We’ve been hosting our “10 Screenwriters to Watch” sales went down, despite 30 features and 35 shorts on Jason Priestley in the Celebrity strand for three years,” notes Hardy Mishaw. “Phyllis the slate. No one paid much attention to this upstart fi lm Challenge Nagy was one last year – and she wrote Carol, and now festival until 2004, when they signed a sponsorship deal Ski Race she’s opening our festival. with American Express, inaugurated the $10,000 Borsos “There’s a direct correlation,” she insists. “And, when Award for Best Canadian Feature Film, and brought in we start to see people returning with their fi lms that guests including Joely Collins, Deborah Kara Unger and originally came through our labs, then that’s when we Don McKellar. (Of note, the winner of the 2014 Borsos know it’s starting to work. That’s the cycle that we are Award, Metafi lms’ Felix et Meira, was named Canada’s very committed to seeing happen. And that’s why I call 2016 Oscar entry for Best Foreign Language fi lm.) this a fi lmmakers’ festival.” The impact of 2004’s festival wasn’t apparent until For his part, Gaydos says the festival is “a work in 12 months later, when over 400 industry delegates progress.” In a call from Los Angeles, he reiterates what (up from the previous year’s 77) attended the festival’s he sees as the potential: a place with good proximity to Bell Filmmaker Forum, workshops that have become Hollywood, that can off er the industry bigwigs the kind the lifeblood of the festival, off ering pitch sessions, of hospitality they expect, and give them an opportunity development advice, and panels with notable industry to network with the Canadian industry – specifi cally the players. Numbers have grown steadily since, with last year bigger producers, talent and crews so relied upon for attracting 888 delegates. shooting north of the 49th parallel. The festival hired Gratton – an industry veteran with Right now, of course, this vision is in its infancy, and it a huge contact list – in 2012. He says Whistler goes out of will likely be a few years before it comes to fruition – or its way to invite distributors to make sure those Canadian not. But Hardy Mishaw has always been impatient for fi lmmakers who choose to premiere their movies at WFF to be noticed as a real player, and is quick to return WFF have a good chance at a distribution deal. Though to the oft-suggested idea that Whistler is poised to be the focus in Canadian content remains – “proudly and Canada’s equivalent to Sundance. predominately” – he says the growth in major Hollywood “The Weinsteins made Sundance,” Hardy Mishaw screenings is a sign of “the increasing prestige of the festival.” emphasizes. And, since 2013, access to these Oscar-bait movies (as WFF director of programming, Paul Gratton, makes Gratton terms them) improved with the introduction of the same connection. “When the Weinsteins bought Sex, the Rainbow Theatre – a dedicated luxury screen they Lies and Videotape, that’s when Sundance blew up.” lease from the municipality of Whistler, but with a state- But, the possible presence of Harvey and Bob in of-the-art digital projector bought by the festival. Up until December notwithstanding, does invoking Sundance then, screenings were confi ned to the local small and every year really mean anything? In 1989, when slightly down-at-heel multiplex, and a cavernous room Soderbergh’s debut took the world by storm, Sundance (still employed) in the conference centre, with less than – just four years young at the time – had already optimal acoustics and uncomfortable folding chairs. championed Jarmusch, Sayles and the Coen brothers. By The festival also continues to add to its sponsorship its 15th year, it had over 20,000 attendees and screened roster: Bell Media signed up as the lead sponsor in 2012, 197 fi lms. Whistler may be carving itself a niche, but it isn’t and last year, there were new partnerships with L’Oreal on the same level as Utah’s indie fest. and Cineplex.

44 WINTER 2015/2016

PB.27138.CreativeBC.QPH.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:48 PM PLAYBACK TRIBUTE Whistler Film Festival @15

Dustin Milligan, Camille Sullivan, Niall Matter, Sara Canning from the 2014 Rising Stars program

It may be cool but audiences give a warm The 2014 WFF attracted, collectively, 74 distributors, reception to WFF’s outdoor screenings broadcasters and fi nanciers, split fairly evenly between domestic and international. In talking to a number of Canadian independent nature of the pedestrianized village is a boon to an fi lmmakers and distributors, they had nothing but positive industry that spends too much time conducting business things to say about Whistler – the ease of access to their in the back of cabs on cellphones. peers and potential partners, the great atmosphere, the They also know it’s a bonus that they have free ski sense that they are valued and important. The Hollywood passes to waft under the noses of the real movers and connection, some said, doesn’t hurt either, giving a sense shakers, and they aren’t embarrassed to celebrate that good that there could be bigger eyes on their work, or the fortune with the likes of celebrity ski and bobsled events. possibility of an exciting deal. “Things happen in unique and creative ways here that I But fi lm critics – local and international – told another don’t think happen in the same way in other environments,” story, uninspired by the programming, and disinterested Hardy Mishaw agrees. “I think it’s absolutely inspired by the in the business side. The Sundance North idea was landscape of this place – one minute you’re in a celebrity ski roundly considered risible. race, the next thing you’re making a deal. Looking at the list of business done over the festival’s “I just heard about a deal between a guy named Charles history, the list is short. Six titles, including Winnipeg’s Lei, one of our panelists last year, and Terry Ingram, Farpoint Films’ music documentary The Sheepdogs Have At who’s a director in Vancouver, made on a chairlift,” she It, and Citizen Marc, a documentary from Capital Motion continues. “Terry’s working on his fourth Hallmark movie Pictures about pot activist Marc Emery, make up the fi lms of the year, and now he’s doing a project for Charles that bought and sold over the years, and fi ve titles – including his wife’s writing – one that’s headed for China. Force Four Entertainment’s award-winning 65 Red Roses – “I have countless stories like this. [Film is] like any make up the productions that have become realities from business – it’s all about the relationships. Here it’s a bit the festival’s pitch and development programs. diff erent, because when you have your moment, you’re Meanwhile, where Whistler really excels is in the not standing in an elevator, you’re on a chair lift,” she understanding that its location is priceless – the compact laughs. “Or sitting in a hot tub.”

45

Proud to sponsor and support the 15th annual Whistler Visit our website at creativebc.com or connect with us on Facebook Film Festival. and Twitter @creativebcs

WINTER 2015/2016 45

PB.27138.CreativeBC.QPH.indd 1 2015-11-05 3:48 PM POWER LUNCH Hosted by Playback and the Canadian Film Centre, the annual 5 2 Watch Power Lunch brings together some of Canada’s brightest up-and-coming talent with high-profi le

executives in their fi eld. Joining the guests of Bell Media’s Randy Lennox (left) and honour – Jasmeet “Jus Reign” Singh, Stella 5 to Watch honouree Daniel Birnbaum Meghie, Daniel Birnbaum, and Aberrant Pictures’ Hannah Cheesman and Mackenzie Donaldson (absent: Giacomo Gianniotti) – were director Kari Skogland; Elevation Pictures’

Just for Laughs COO Bruce Hills (left) and Naveen Prasad; Just for Laughs COO Bruce 5 2 Watch honouree Jasmeet “Jus Reign” Singh Hills; Andrew Barnsley, executive producer, Project 10 Productions and Randy Lennox, Bell Media’s president of entertainment production and broadcasting. Also on hand were 5 2 Watch advisory board members Marguerite Pigott, VP of outreach and strategic initiatives at the CMPA and Kathryn Emslie, chief programs offi cers at the CFC. Between cocktails, awards and a family-style meal on Montecito’s swanky second fl oor, guests mixed, mingled and most importantly, made new connections to help build their careers in the future. Playback extends a special thanks to the hundreds of people who submitted nominations to the Elevation Pictures’ Naveen Prasad (near left) with Playback 5 2 Watch list in 2015 and to the Left to right: 5 2 Watch honouree Stella Meghie, 5 2 Watch honourees Mackenzie Donaldson (far left) Kathryn Emslie, CFC’s chief programs offi cer and and Hannah Cheesman of Aberrant Pictures advisory board that helped review them. Project 10 Productions’ Andrew Barnsley

5 2 Watch honouree Stella Meghie (left) and Playback editor and content director Katie Bailey

Left to right: Elevation’s Naveen Prasad, Mackenzie Donaldson, Hannah Cheesman and director Kari Skogland

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