WildBrain revenue dips 11%, dedicates $25M to growth
The new financing has a special focus on the AVOD business at WildBrain Spark, even though the division’s revenue was down 36% due to COVID-19 and YouTube’s ad changes.
In brief: CFF, Super Channel unveil 2020 industry series
Plus, NSI names Manitoba Content Creators Development Accelerator participants, Band Ladies rock out with Highball.TV and more.
CMF lays out amended guidelines for projects affected by COVID-19
Among them, CMF relaxed the timelines on which funded projects must enter production, and gave added flexibility around performance envelope allocations.
Wattpad sets two adaptations as part of development fund
The film versions of What Happened That Night and The Hound are part of the new initiative, which sees Wattpad finance early development on select film and TV projects.
How ‘bizarre serendipity’ brought Dan Aykroyd to Hotel Paranormal
Inside the making of Blue Ant and Saloon’s new paranormal series, which, after landing its star performer, weathered COVID challenges to reach the finish line ahead of its May 15 premiere.
Closing out Cardinal’s final chapter
Sienna Films’ Jennifer Kawaja and Julia Sereny discuss what factors initially drew them to the project and working on the thriller’s final season.
Shaftesbury reveals its kids development, production slate
Kids and family exec Jennifer McCann shares the prodco’s strategy to build on legacy brands and how they’ve had to shift gears during the COVID-19 pandemic.
BGM expands kid-con offerings with first post-Kew commission
TVO has ordered the preschool series Abby’s Farm, the prodco’s first greenlight since it was acquired by DATSIT Sphere earlier this year.
Hot Sheet: Top 30 TV programs, April 27 to May 3, 2020
Medical drama Transplant lands at #13, while Cardinal rises to #22 on this week’s list.
Guru Studio joins Sesame’s Mecha Builders
The HBO Max spinoff posed a challenge for the prodco, which had to translate the puppets’ soft fluffy aesthetic into a hard metal exterior, says Guru’s Frank Falcone.
WFF names 2020 Producers Lab cohort
Finalists include Camille Hollett-French with Man in Pieces and Sibel Guvenc with Loya.
Inside Out launches emergency relief funding for LGBTQ projects
The relief fund is an expansion of its RE:Focus Fund, with eligible projects able to apply for up to $2,500 to cover costs due to COVID-19.
The state of play: entertainment insurance in the age of COVID
Damian Schleifer, EVP at Front Row Insurance Brokers, on production shutdowns, coverage, advice for producers and what insurance policies will look like going forward.
NFB greenlights 16 new projects
Canada’s public producer has given titles from Rosana Matecki, Cordell Barker and Ann Marie Fleming the go-ahead.
Inside Out sets 2020 Finance Forum selections
Pink Carnations and Adolescent are part of the festival’s new stream geared towards micro-budget projects from emerging Canadian producers.
Photo Gallery: CAFTCAD 2020 - Kendra Terpenning mingling with Billy Gridley and Stephanie Smethurst at the event. Image courtesy of Mike Tenaglia.
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