Five New Comedy Projects Join Bell Media's Original Development Slate

Five New Comedy Projects Join Bell Media's Original Development Slate


- New comedies in development include projects from Mark McKinney, Rob
Sheridan, Jared Keeso, Paul Mather, and llana Frank



- Bell Media working with several seasoned production companies
including Breakthrough Entertainment, Lone Eagle Entertainment, Force
Four Entertainment, Amaze Film + Television, New Metric Media, Six
Eleven Media, Entertainment One, Vérité Films, Just For Laughs,
Farpoint Films, Wild West Productions, Foundry Films, and Sphere Media



- 71 new original Bell Media projects currently in development,
including 20 comedies



To tweet this release: http://bit.ly/1cZm8Uu


TORONTO, Nov. 15, 2013 /CNW/ - Bell Media announced today from the
Canadian International Television Festival the addition of five new
comedy projects to its original development slate, led by seasoned
writers and producers Mark McKinney (LESS THAN KIND, KIDS IN THE HALL),
Rob Sheridan (NEXT CALLER, 18 TO LIFE, LITTLE MOSQUE ON THE PRAIRIE),
Jared Keeso (19-2), Paul Mather (CORNER GAS, DAN FOR MAYOR, THE MICHAEL
J. FOX SHOW), and Ilana Frank (SAVING HOPE, ROOKIE BLUE). The new
projects join a robust slate of at least 15 other original Bell Media
comedies already in development for potential new pilots and/or series.
Drama and Factual development projects will be announced at a later
date.



"We have a long tradition of working with the best comedic talent in the
country and we're continuing on that path," said Corrie Coe, Senior
Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. "Producing
homegrown, original comedy is very important to us and we look forward
to developing these projects even further."



The five new comedies are (working titles):


WE'RE ADULTS NOW

From comedic genius Mark McKinney, a half-hour scripted series about
young 20-somethings.
Attached:


-- Mark McKinney
-- Breakthrough Entertainment (Ira Levy and Diane Boehme, LESS
THAN KIND)

THE TEAM

A multi-cam sitcom about a rag tag group of friends.
Attached:


-- Rob Sheridan

LETTERKENNY

A comedy series based on the YouTube sensation LETTERKENNY PROBLEMS.
Attached:


-- Jared Keeso
-- New Metric Media (Mark Montefiore and Patrick O'Sullivan), Ben
Nemtin (THE BURIED LIFE)

THE UNTITLED PAUL MATHER PROJECT

A scripted workplace comedy about lifelong frenemies.
Attached


-- Paul Mather

METHOD

A comedy series loosely based on a BravoFACT short of the same name.
Attached


-- ICF Films (Ilana Frank), Peter Mooney (ROOKIE BLUE), Gregory
Smith (ROOKIE BLUE), and David Wellington, Peter Wellington,
and Sonia Hosko (SAVING HOPE, ROOKIE BLUE)

The five new comedies join Bell Media's current development slate
featuring 15 other projects (working titles):

AGAINST THE LAW

An unscripted half-hour courtroom format.
Attached:


-- Jeremy Hotz
-- Lone Eagle Entertainment (Rachel Horvath, YOU GOTTA EAT HERE)

BESTIES

An ensemble comedy about family and friendship.
Attached:


-- Force Four Entertainment (Rob Hardy and John Ritchie, SEED)
-- James Phillips (LAST RIDE) .

BREAKING

A workplace comedy set in the world of new media.
Attached:


-- Amaze Film + Television's Michael Souther and Teza Lawrence
(CALL ME FITZ)
-- Author Zoe Whittall (Bottle Rocket Hearts)

CHASING MANHOOD

A scripted ensemble comedy inspired by Darrin Rose's stand-up material.
Attached:


-- Darrin Rose

DIVORCE PARTY

A scripted comedy about three women experiencing life after divorce.
Attached:


-- New Metric Media (Mark Montefiore and Patrick O'Sullivan)
-- Jessie Gabe (BEING ERICA, MR. D)
-- Linsey Stewart (BEING ERICA)

FRIDAY

An edgy, urban ensemble comedy.
Attached:


-- Six Eleven Media's Charles Bishop
-- Carolyn Taylor (CORNER GAS)

GOOD BEHAVIOUR

A scripted half-hour comedy about parenthood.
Attached:


-- Entertainment One's Mackenzie Lush and Rachel Fulford
-- Allana Harkin (The Atomic Fireballs)
-- Jennifer Whalen (INSECURITY)

THE LAINEY GOSSIP PROJECT

A half-hour dramedy inspired by LaineyGossip.com.
Attached:


-- Amaze Film + Television's Michael Souther and Teza Lawrence
(CALL ME FITZ)
-- Elaine Lui (THE SOCIAL, ETALK)

MATT & JEFF

A half-hour bromance comedy.
Attached:


-- Vérité Films' Virginia Thompson (CORNER GAS)
-- Mike McPhaden (SEED, INSECURITY)

THE ANGELO SHOW

A multi-cam sitcom inspired by the comedy of Angelo Tsarouchas (SULLIVAN
& SON, MAD MEN).
Attached:


-- Wild West Productions' Vince Vaughn (SULLIVAN & SON), Howard
Busgang, and Tom Nursall

UNGROWN UP

A scripted half-hour hybrid comedy about family.
Attached:


-- Just For Laughs' Evi Regev (JUST FOR LAUGHS: ALL ACCESS)
-- Adam Brodie (FUNNY AS HELL, SCARE TACTICS)
-- David Derewlany (FREAK ENCOUNTERS, THE JON DORE TELEVISION
SHOW)

THE UNTITLED VERA SANTAMARIA PROJECT

A blind pilot deal with acclaimed writer/producer Vera Santamaria
(COMMUNITY).
Attached:


-- Vera Santamaria

THE VIRGIN CHRONICLES

A scripted, half-hour, "fish-out-of-water" comedy. Attached:


-- Mark Sawers (ALIENATED)

WHO NEEDS ENEMIES

A scripted, half-hour relationship comedy.
Attached:


-- Farpoint Films' Kyle Bornais (HOUSE PARTY)
-- Collin Friesen (THE BIG WHITE)

WITH OR WITHOUT YOU

A female-centric scripted comedy about friendship.
Attached:


-- Sphere Media's Carolyn Newman(19-2)
-- Barbara Haynes (SPUN OUT)

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:


Twitter:


@CTV_PR
@CTV_Television


Facebook:
facebook.com/ctv

About Bell Media Independent Production

Bell Media has commissioned some of Canada's most-watched and
most-acclaimed original programming, working with the best Canadian
independent producers in the country. Hit CTV series include ratings
success stories SAVING HOPE, THE LISTENER, MOTIVE, the #1 new Canadian
scripted series of the 2012/13 season, and THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, the
record-breaking, Canadian-produced complementary version of the hit
international series. CTV is also home to drama series PLAYED, and
premiering in the 2013/14 season, multi-cam office comedy SPUN OUT, and
hit international format MASTERCHEF CANADA. Among the scripted series
on Bell Media pay and specialty channels are the two-time
Emmy®-nominated hit DEGRASSI, the recently renewed ORPHAN BLACK,
CSA-winning CALL ME FITZ, and upcoming dramas BITTEN, SENSITIVE SKIN,
19-2, and KILLJOYS. Bell Media specialty channels are also home to
reality series such as BRAVE NEW GIRLS, game shows MATCH GAME and POP
QUIZ, and factual series HIGHWAY THRU HELL and CANADA'S WORST DRIVER,
among others. So far in 2013, Bell Media has ordered 24 original
Canadian series and put 74 projects into development.


About CTV

CTV is Canada's #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of
quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV
has been Canada's most-watched television network for the past 12 years
in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia
company with leading assets in television, radio and digital. Bell
Media is part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest
communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the
network's website at ctv.ca.


SOURCE Bell Media

Bell Media

CONTACT: Jim Quan, CTV, 416.384.5311 or jim.quan@bellmedia.ca


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