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Fan favorite Corner Gas looks to repeat
Were the Gemini Awards a popularity contest, the scale would tip to CTV’s hit laugher Corner Gas, about the goings-on of the quirky, lovable residents of small-town Dog River, SK. Canada’s highest-rated comedy series – with a third-season average of 1.6 million viewers last year – is favored to take its second best comedy prize after winning in 2005.
Ash upbeat after AFF
Last month’s Atlantic Film Festival went well for both deal-makers and everyday movie fans, according to organizer Gregor Ash, who says ‘everything seemed to fall in place’ for the 10-day event in Halifax.
Nominees for Best TV Movie
Following are the nominees for Best TV Movie:
MOW and miniseries heats by viewership
If ratings are any indicator, Terry will run away with Gemini hardware and Prairie Giant: The Tommy Douglas Story will be big at the gala ceremony.
IBC displays digital’s future
The battle lines were clearly visible at last month’s International Broadcasting Conference (Sept. 7-11) in Amsterdam, where Japanese broadcaster NHK demonstrated its next generation of high-definition TV – a product that will, down the road, play a part in trying to keep consumers at home – while proponents of digital cinema showed off products and services meant to lure those same people back into theaters.
Raging Boll
Director Uwe Boll, left, squares off against Chris Alexander of Rue Morgue magazine during a Sept. 24 bout in Vancouver. The 41-year-old Boll challenged four movie critics who have been particularly negative about his films, which include Alone in the Dark and BloodRayne. The filmmaker defeated all his opponents, remarking to local press, ‘Now they are brain dead and they will like my movies.’
Anne-Marie Losique’s no Bimbo
Montreal, QC: Although she is already thoroughly exposed – in more ways than one – in her native Quebec, X-rated TV personality Anne-Marie Losique will show even more of herself in the forthcoming Adventures of a Real Life Bimbo.
Nominees for Best Dramatic Miniseries
Following are the nominees for Best Dramatic Miniseries:
Sold!
* Australia’s ABC has bought season two (26 x 11) of the CG toon Planet Sketch and the entire run (71 x 30) of The Halifax Film Company’s preschooler Poko, following deals with Decode Entertainment. Decode also sold seasons one and two, respectively, of its live-action series Naturally, Sadie and Radio Free Roscoe, and the toons Delilah & Julius and Naughty Naughty Pets, to air on the kids block of ABC and ABC 2.
People
* Martin Markle is Alliance Atlantis’ new production executive for Life Network and National Geographic Channel, having left as executive in charge of production of children’s and youth programming at CBC.
News field gets thinner as CTV pulls out of awards
Across the nine major news categories, the CBC claimed 31 Gemini nominations out of a possible 39 (up from 27 in 2005), including sweeps in best direction, best news magazine segment and best host. CBC’s the fifth estate, with nine noms, has more than double the next-highest broadcaster total – Global’s four noms – while Citytv avoided being shut out for a second straight year with a pair of noms, for newscast and best reportage. CBC’s dominance was largely unaffected by the surprise absence of CTV News.
Global brings ‘West Coast vibe’ to gala
The brass at Global Television hope that shifting this year’s Gemini Awards gala to Vancouver from Toronto will provide just the fresh start the national show needs.
Sick Kids gets theater
Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Kids is getting a state-of-the-art movie theater thanks to the efforts of filmmaker and ad exec Barry Avrich (The Last Mogul).
Gems a private party
It seems that, lately, most talk surrounding the Gemini Awards is dominated by debate over voting systems, the politics behind the scenes, and how the show could be made more effective. And before I jump back into the fray myself, let’s not lose sight of the point of the whole thing – to salute excellent work in Canadian TV.
Clarification
Bell Globemedia’s proposed purchase of CHUM would be a friendly takeover. Wording in the Sept. 18 issue may have left readers with a different impression.
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