Television producer and director Matt Shewchuk has officially launched his new Vancouver-based prodco, Big Time Decent Productions, in addition to unveiling a number of key partnerships and hires.

Shewchuk (pictured), whose credits include Rust Valley Restorers, Dog Dudes, Highway Thru Hell and Heavy Rescue: 401, established the production company earlier this year with a focus on developing and producing unscripted and scripted series, feature films and digital content.

The prodco’s first series Backroad Truckers, produced in partnership with Mayhem Entertainment and distributed by Corus Studios, is scheduled to premiere on Corus Entertainment’s HISTORY in winter 2021. The B.C.-set factual series, greenlit as part of Corus’ 2020 slate, follows two groups of independent truckers as they tackle some of the most harrowing roads and dangerous off-road locations in northern B.C.

Shewchuk, who serves as founder and head of production, has brought on industry veteran René Brar as head of development and finance executive Pricilla Hui to oversee business affairs.

Brar was previously a partner at Vancouver-based Soshefeigh Media, where his credits included The Algorithm (TV3) and Battle Cats (Blue Ant; Channel 4). He also developed documentaries and formats for Stone & Company Entertainment, including Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style (Bravo) and The Mole (ABC).

In addition to building out its team, Big Time Decent has inked a development deal with showrunner Tommy Blacha (Metalocalypse) for a half-hour animated comedy series, and a talent deal with social media personality Larry Enticer. Shewchuk also says Big Time Decent is in development with Corus on a raft of new shows.

The fledgling prodco has 6,000 square feet of production and post-production facilities at its Vancouver office.

“Big Time Decent Productions was created to tell big stories and push the envelope of new media,” said Matt Shewchuk in a statement.