The Winnipeg-based National Screen Institute-Canada has selected the participants for its sixth Totally Television program – including Toronto writer David ‘Sudz’ Sutherland and producer Marilyn Gray.

He and Gray are developing their series Double Trouble (13 x 30) through the program. The series follows two kids who discover a glowing box that gives them superpowers. Sutherland’s Love, Sex and Eating the Bones garnered him the best Canadian first feature award at the 2003 Toronto International Film Festival.

The East Coast is represented by Nova Scotia writer Iain MacLeod and St. John’s producer Deanne Foley with their series concept Strung Out High (6 x 30), about a narc who would rather party than root out drug dealers.

Harmen Meinders and writer Tyson Koschik will also participate with Techs (13 x 30). The comedy series is about a pair of nerdy TV station technicians who have differing reactions to the new anchorwoman.

The remaining teams are: writer James Gilpin and producer Victoria Hirst with ESL (13 x 60), a drama about life at a language school; writer Quinn Merkeley and producer Andy Marshall with Mustard Seed (13 x 60), a drama series about a street fighter who has a premonition that saves his life; and writer Sarah Glinski and producer Jennifer Pun-Morrissette with The Tao of Katie (13 x 30), a comedy about the only Chinese family in a small Nova Scotia town.

Totally Television is a 10-month program designed to mentor emerging television production teams.

Katie producer Pun-Morrissette is excited about her prospects.

‘We will get to speak with potential mentors who are seasoned in the industry, giving us the opportunity to learn from people we might otherwise not get a chance to,’ she says. ‘Eventually, the goal is to meet up with a producer, get a broadcaster and see our show on air within the next year or two.’

The NSI received about 30 entries this year, the program’s fourth. One of last year’s Totally Television projects, Kink in My Hair from producer Damion Nurse and writer Trey Anthony, is currently in development with CBC, while This Space for Rent, a 2002/03 Totally Television project from producer Jason James and writer Nick Citton, will shoot its pilot this summer in Vancouver.

-www.nsi-canada.ca