Paramount+ in Canada has been announced as the lead sponsor of the 2026 Pacific Screenwriting Program’s Scripted Series Lab for emerging B.C. screenwriters.

Launched in 2019, the Scripted Series Lab provides annual training for six screenwriters with an emphasis on historically under-represented communities. The lab involves participating in a 10-week writers’ room with a showrunner as well as script mentorship on participants’ original pilots, workshops and information sessions with industry leaders.

The 2025 edition was run by showrunner-in-residence Nelu Handa (Run the Burbs). The participants are Cindy Hu, Corina Bizim, Deborah Vogt, Mateo Gugushe, Sam Keiran Macneil and Shaun Balbar.

The intake for the 2026 edition will open in August 2025, and the program will run from January to April next year.

“The PSP is delighted to have Paramount+ Canada on board for the 2026 Scripted Series Lab,” said Camilla Tibbs (pictured), PSP’s executive director, in a statement. “The Scripted Series Lab is nationally recognized as an outstanding training program, and it plays a vital role in B.C.’s domestic sector, identifying and nurturing new television writing talent.”

Farpoint Films

Winnipeg’s Farpoint Films has announced several international series sales.

In the U.S., Quest Television Network has acquired the first seasons of Farpoint series Ghosts Off Grid (14 x 60 minutes) and Fishing for History (13 x 60 minutes), as well as Disaster Deja Vu (13 x 60 minutes). The network plans to air the series this summer, a Farpoint spokesperson told Playback Daily.

The network also pre-licensed the second season of Fishing for History, which will go into production this summer, according to the spokesperson.

The same series was recently licensed by Super Channel in Canada, as it is part of Farpoint’s exclusive deal with Super Channel signed in January 2023 for 150 hours of content.

As well, Super Channel and the U.K.’s Hearst Network recently pre-licensed Farpoint’s UFO POV (13 x 60 minutes), which started production earlier this month.

TVA, JFL

Quebecor subsidiary TVA has commissioned season 12 of Just for Laughs Entertainment’s (JFE) non-verbal sketch comedy series LOL Just For Laughs, renamed this season from LOL ; ).

The series is produced by JFE in association with Quebecor Content. JFE Distribution holds worldwide rights.

Filming on the 14 x 30-minute season directed by Francis Cloutier has begun and will continue until June in Quebec City.

“We have international rights for the show and look forward to announcing distribution deals soon,” said Alex Avon, JFE Distribution’s chief strategy and revenue officer, in a statement.

Image courtesy of the Pacific Screenwriting Program