marblemedia Attached to Develop An Innovative Primetime Series With CBC and The Gurin Company
June 10, 2015 (Banff, Canada) – CBC and The Gurin Company are pleased to announce a development deal with award-winning Canadian content creator marblemedia for the ground-breaking factual entertainment format series Take Sides.
The concept is the first series to come out of the creative collaboration deal signed between the CBC and The Gurin Company, a global independent format and production house. marblemedia is attached to develop a 360 viewing experience, which promises an entertaining weekly live studio broadcast with integrated social media and simultaneous digital participation for the audience at home.
Every week, Take Sides will put a hot button topic “on trial,” with a team of comedic performers, improv actors and musical guests, who face-off in a classic courtroom structure. The topic on trial will be examined through a variety of methods including monologues, sketches, musical numbers, video shorts and other means that illustrate the “pros and cons” of the issue. Through real time audience involvement, a verdict is reached by Canadian audiences, who ultimately “take a side.”
“This collaboration with the CBC is an original and ground-breaking way for the network and creator to develop new ideas for the Canadian market and beyond,” said President and Executive Producer of The Gurin Company, Phil Gurin. “With Take Sides, we’re creating a pioneering way to combine primetime comedy, entertainment, topical material and viewer interactivity in a live concept that is neither a talent competition nor game show.”
“At CBC we strive to offer audiences fresh and original content that will both entertain and inform,” said Jennifer Dettman, Executive Director, Unscripted Content, CBC. “We need to take creative risks, and are delighted to go into development on this very new and innovative factual concept.”
“Take Sides is a fresh concept that plays nicely to the strengths of our company and we’re honoured to be leading this team in shaping such an entertaining concept,” said Matt Hornburg, Co-CEO and Executive Producer, marblemedia. “This summer we will be going on a casting rampage, enlisting some of Canada’s funniest writing and comedic talent. We are creating something really special that Canadian audiences will find enlightening and engaging.”
About The Gurin Company
With the world as its market, The Gurin Company is a globally focused, full-service independent production company that produces, develops, and distributes reality-based television with worldwide appeal. Despite its proximity to Hollywood, The Gurin Company is dedicated to producing quality factual reality, studio game shows, and live events for both the domestic and international markets. Most notably, The Gurin Company has been the heart behind recent shows such as “So You Think You’d Survive” (The Weather Channel), “The Singing Bee” (NBC and CMT), and “Win, Lose, or Pawn” (CMT); as well as, CBS’ hit primetime show “Candid Camera”, long-time running “Lingo” on fGSN, and NBC mainstays “Twenty One” and “The Weakest Link.” Recently, Phil Gurin also won a 2013 Rose d’Or Award for “Oh Sit!” on The CW, and a 2014 Emmy Award for “Shark Tank” on ABC. Due to the success of the 45th and 46th Annual NAACP Image Awards, Phil has recently signed a three-year extension deal to continue producing the live award ceremony and red carpet show. The Gurin Company continues to attain a number of development projects with multiple broadcast networks and maintain extensive relationships with major broadcasters in the U.K., Germany, Latin America, France, and Japan.
gurinco.com | @thegurincompany | facebook.com/thegurincompany
About marblemedia
marblemedia develops, produces and distributes engaging multiplatform entertainment experiences for audiences around the world. With nearly 250 hours of programming distributed in more than 200 territories, marblemedia has been honoured by Playback Magazine with the 2013 Outstanding Achievement Award, in addition to being named Transmedia Producer of the Year (2011) by the publication. marble has won two Canadian Screen Award, two Gemini Awards, been nominated for an Emmy® Award and was identified as a Next Generation Content Producer (2009) by The Hollywood Reporter. The company owns a 50-acre production ranch, operates a Toronto-based studio, home to 50 staff, and an L.A. office. The company was co-founded by Mark Bishop and Matt Hornburg in 2001. www.marblemedia.com | @marblemedia | Facebook.com/marblemedia
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Roopa Shah | Silver Spark Communications | roopa@silverspark.ca | 416.856.2666
Stephan Petar | marblemedia | stephan@marblemedia.com | 416.646.2711 ext.232