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Kelly Townsend

Kelly Townsend is the editor at Playback, with previous experience in B2B and entertainment journalism. Before joining the Playback team in 2018, she worked in the editorial, marketing and communication departments at B2B publisher Dovetail Communications. She has a bachelor's degree in English from York University and is a graduate of Humber College’s journalism program. Her byline has appeared in IndieWire and she spent several years covering Canadian TV as associate editor of The TV Junkies.

Posts by Kelly Townsend

Pixcom adds three in scripted content expansion

Martine Pagé has been hired as director of fiction development, while the company has added two scripted producers to increase its production capacity.

September 20, 2022

WIFF increases Canadian film prize to $25K

A total of 10 films have been selected to compete for the Windsor International Film Festival prize, which was first established in 2019.

September 19, 2022

Whizbang Films hires Frank Manzo as CFO

The financing and business affairs expert succeeds outgoing CFO Janina Barrett as she enters retirement.

September 19, 2022

Playback’s 10 to Watch 2022: Kelsey Espensen

The unscripted format expert reveals the secret sauce behind creating the concepts for series such as Race Against the Tide, A Cut Above and Best in Miniature.

September 16, 2022

APTN lumi’s experimental programming strategy

Lisa Ducharme, director of online content at APTN, discusses how working with short-form content has allowed the streamer to be innovative.

September 14, 2022

Bell Media inks co-development deal with Lionsgate

The multi-year agreement will see Lionsgate work with Bell Media on comedy and drama series, as well as handle global distribution, excluding Canada, for select titles.

September 13, 2022

Telefilm plots 18-month course amid leadership shift

The film funder has set three strategic priorities as it plans to “act swiftly” in the ever-changing audiovisual sector.

September 13, 2022

Corus Entertainment hires Jeff Norton to lead content venture, inks overall deal

Waterside Studios will develop and produce premium scripted IP, starting with a partnership with fellow Corus subsidiary Nelvana for live action youth content.

September 13, 2022

Bleecker Street sets output deal with levelFILM

The agreement will see Toronto’s levelFILM handling Canadian distribution for Bleecker Street’s North American titles beginning in 2023.

September 12, 2022

TIFF ’22 dispatches: Game Theory Films levels up

Plus: Dufferin Gate Studios expands its studio space, the DGC reveals the long-list for the Jean-Marc Vallée DGC Discovery Award, and more.

September 12, 2022

Sphere Films pacts with A24 on multi-picture deal

The agreement will see Sphere Films handle Canadian theatrical distribution for nine titles from the U.S. studio.

September 9, 2022

The Grizzlie Truth among Canadian world debuts at VIFF

The Crave original doc is one of six Canadian features to world bow at the 41st Vancouver International Film Festival.

September 9, 2022