1 THANKS May 27, 2015 tO tHe 2015 AwArDs oF ExCeLlEnCe CB Glen Gould Studio Sponsors CHIEF SPONSOR AND HOST Special Thanks Youth Media Alliance would like to warmly thank its 2015 Awards of Excellence advisory committee: JENNIFER BARKIN / TIFF Kids NATALIE DUMOULIN / 9 Story Media Group J.J. JOHNSON / Sinking Ship Entertainment JESSICA MCLAUGHLIN / TVO Kids MICHELLE MELANSON CUPERUS / Radical Sheep Productions SANDRINE PECHELS DE SAINT SARDOS / Bejuba! Entertainment ROBERT PINCOMBE / Writer FIONA R. SAVAGE / Super Sonics Post Production PRESTIGE SPONSORS CLAUDIA SICONDOLFO / NFB TRAVIS WILLIAMS / Mercury Filmworks SUZANNE WILSON / TVO Kids Table of Contents Team ............................................................................... 3 Words from Co-Chairs . 5 Word from Executive Director .......................................................... 6 Word from CBC/Radio-Canada President and CEO ........................................ 7 YMA’s Statement of Quality ............................................................ 8 Members of the Jury .................................................................. 9 Awards of Excellence for Best Television Program (All Genres) ............................ 18 Emerging Talent Award ..............................................................20 EXCELLENCE SPONSORS Awards of Excellence for Best Digital Content ...........................................22 Awards of Excellence for Best Television Program (Animation) .............................24 Special Presentation from Max the Mutt College of Animation, Art & Design and L’école des arts numériques, de l’animation et du design (NAD) de l’UQAC ..................27 Outstanding Achievement Award ......................................................28 Grand Prize for Best Production ...................................................... 31 2 3 yOuTh media WORDS ALINCE fRoM cO-cHaIrS BOARD OF DIRECTORS If we want to deliver high-quality TV to our young people, we need to keep producing programming tailored to kids at various ages that acknowledges Co-Chairs Directors their intelligence and contributes to their development. There’s a huge variety MICHÈLE FORTIN / Télé-Québec GUILLAUME ANIORTÉ / Frima in terms of form and content, and it helps us gain parents’ trust while also J.J. JOHNSON / Sinking Ship Entertainment JUDITH BEAUREGARD / Tobo providing an enjoyable learning experience for youngsters. ATHENA GEORGAKLIS / Télétoon Secretary MICHAEL GOLDSMITH / DHX Television MICHELE PARIS / Knowledge Kids I’d therefore like to acknowledge the efforts of all those who dedicate themselves MADELEINE LÉVESQUE / Sardine Productions and BBC Kids day after day to producing children’s and youth TV programming we can all be IRA LEVY / Breakthrough Entertainment proud of that’s both vibrant and instructional. We make really great youth TV Treasurer PETER MOSS / PDM Entertainment here in Canada. VINCE COMMISSO / 9 Story Media Group JAMIE PIEKARZ / Corus Kids ALEXANDRA RAFFÉ / Thunderbird Films KIM WILSON On behalf of the Youth Media Alliance Board of Directors, I welcome you to the 2015 English-Language Awards of Excellence Gala, and thank you for your ongoing commitment to Canadian youth. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees. YMA OFFICE TEAM Enjoy the Gala! CHANTAL BOWEN / Executive Director CÉLINE MAZARD / Intern MICHÈLE FORTIN GENEVIÈVE BRAULT / Special Events and Communications Coordinator On behalf of the Board of Directors, I’d like to welcome you to the 2015 Youth Media Awards of Excellence! Otherwise known as the best awards show in town. #betterthanCSAs And so it should be, tonight we celebrate the best of the best in Canadian kids GALA TEAM content. These projects are smart, funny, beautifully executed and ratings winners too! Did you know that 8 out of the top 10 shows in Canada for kids are AIDAN COSGRAVE / Director either Canadian-made or Canadian co-productions? 8 out of 10! That’s 80% or, ASHLEY COMEAU / Host and scriptwriter in producer speak, a Shaw Rocket Fund away from being fully financed. J.J. JOHNSON / Scriptwriter and producer of special numbers DEXTROUS ONE / DJ There’s a reason kids choose Canadian productions and you’ll see it in full force VICKY MIDDLETON / Stage Assistant tonight. These producer’s programs and digital content are innovative, daring and STUDENTS / Volunteers challenge the audience to think. Now our only challenge is to get that 8 out of 10 to 10 out of 10. Enjoy the night! J.J. JOHNSON 4 5 WORD WORD fRoM ExEcUtIvE DiReCtOr fRoM PrEsIdEnT aNd CeO Youth Media Alliance is extremely proud to honour tonight’s nominees, who On behalf of all of us here at CBC/Radio-Canada, I want to congratulate the through their talent, creativity and boldness, uphold the highest standards of winners and nominees of the 2015 Awards of Excellence for all their outstanding quality for Canadian youth content production. achievements in youth programming. Each year, the members of the awards jury take on the difficult task of selecting The media industry is changing at an unprecedented pace, but one thing remains: the winning productions. I’d like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank them we need to ensure that young Canadians have access to high-quality content that and the jury chair, Louis Fournier, for their diligent effort. speaks to them and as a result enriches their lives and broadens their horizons. Remember that the Grand Prize is now open to all productions entered in the We want to create a familiar and personal space for each of us, including our competition, whether for TV, web or mobile platforms. kids, within that media universe. That is where the public broadcaster is headed. We are constantly taking advantage of new tools and technologies to connect As you know, Andra Sheffer is this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Achievement audiences with great content and to become more open and approachable. Award. For over 20 years, she has shown an unwavering commitment to young audiences, helping produce myriad programs that have kept them both engaged We look forward to working with you on the innovative contents that will make and amazed. This tireless focus on satisfying children’s need to learn, create and our kids laugh and learn. So welcome. imagine has marked Andra’s distinguished career and rubbed off on everyone who worked with her. Enjoy the Gala! Mike Geiger has many strings to his bow, being an accomplished artist, animator and web/app designer. But what drives him most is his desire to communicate with young people – which he does with a vengeance on multiple platforms! HUBERT T. LACROIX Over the next few months, YMA will work on finalizing the content of the Digital Toolkit. This new tool will become a go-to reference for all youth content producers. In closing, I’d like to thank CBC/Radio-Canada not only for hosting us here in Montreal, but also for supporting YMA’s various activities in both official languages. I wish you all a memorable evening! CHANTAL BOWEN 6 7 YMA’s Statement MEBRS OF QUALITY of the jury MARC BEAUDET Marc is a digital media producer with over a hundred digital media The YMA statement of quality provided the foundation for the Children’s Television Charter, projects on web, mobile and other platforms. Many of his projects such as which is currently being ratified by governments and broadcasters around the world. Champlain, Ma Zone CEC, Tout Petit, Wixx, MixMania, and Qu’est ce qu’on Mange pour Souper were awarded prizes or special mentions. Turbulent is a Quality television is television deemed excellent in both form and content, geared to the needs key partner behind the tremendous success of the Robert Space Industries’ crowdfunding campaign which raised $79M in two years. Marc is the and expectations of its target viewers while meeting recognized industry standards. President of Regroupement des producteurs multimédia du Québec since 2008. The content of programs should be relevant and entertaining, stimulate the intellect and the imagination, and foster openness toward others. It should also be an accurate reflection CHLOÉ BENAROYA of the world in which children grow up, respecting their dignity and promoting learning. Chloé Benaroya is Vice President of the Content Development Group at global learning company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and manager of As a Canadian agency, the Youth Media Alliance strives to promote Canadian content in children’s its Montreal office. Chloé joined HMH in 2013 through the Company’s programming. Although young Canadians should definitely be exposed to international programs acquisition of Montreal-based edtech company Tribal Nova, bringing that testify to the rich diversity of our world, they should also have access to quality productions extensive experience in multi-platform educational game development for early learners. Throughout her career, she has produced over twenty that portray Canada, its provinces, regions and communities, as well as its institutions, heritage interactive educational games, ebooks and websites, including CuriousWorld. and culture. com, Carmen San Diego, Toupy and Binoo, Bayam, Mini-TFO and Woozworld. com. Prior to joining Tribal Nova, she also worked on interactive projects for Quality programming for children . ONE DROP, the Cirque du Soleil foundation, and renowned museums such Le Louvre, Le Musée de la Légion d’Honneur, and Le Musée de la Marine. Chloé is an Honors graduate from the Sorbonne - Paris. • is designed and produced to meet the needs and expectations of the children for whom it