A blueprint for success
We recently caught up with Frank Saperstein who’s Heading up the newly created Blueprint Kids division of Blueprint Entertainment. “We’re putting together a diverse slate of animated series, preschool projects, and a latenight show in Canada and will be taking out slate to MIPCOM for the first time,” says Saperstein. “We see ourselves as a mini-major and are open to international co-productions. We are in a position we can piece together the shows through Canadian financing and take the risk off of the U.S. producers.
Saperstein says he has several major animated projects in the works. The fist one is Dating Guy, A flash-animated co-produced by Toronto’s marblemedia. “We’re hoping for a fall or spring of 2009 launch date,” he says. “It’s an adult, male- oriented series aimed at 16- to 24-year-old viewers which centers on a guy who works in an ad agency and has dates from hell every Friday and Saturday night!” The 13 x 22 series is created by Mark Bishop and Matt Hornburg and will have a strong internet component.
Also on the company’s plate is Mad Science, a series based on a popular Montreal-based franchise. “The concept was developed to promote science in a fine way at the Kennedy Space Station,” says Saperstein. “It uses science in an adventure/comedy setting and has a live-action wrap-around element.” Blueprint is also involved with the production of the 52 x 11 Flash animated series Iggy Arbuckle, the buddy comedy that is co-produced with national Geographic Kids. Jetix Europe and C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures and debuted on Teletoon Canada in July. It sure sounds like we can expect to see big things from this new Canadian Enterprise.
marblemedia and BLUEPRINT ENTERTAINMENT Double Date with TELETOON
marblemedia and BLUEPRINT ENTERTAINMENT have joined forces to produce 13 half-hour episodes of the animated television series The Dating Guy which is scheduled to air in late 2008 on TELETOON, as part of the popular teen/adult-oriented programming block, The Detour on TELETOON, available in both English and French.
The Dating Guy is a smart, edgy and urban-minded animated sitcom that tackles relationships from a downtown guy’s perspective. Created by marblemedia partners Matt Hornburg and Mark Bishop, and developed with TELETOON, it boldly exposes the romantic, working and every day struggles of a twenty-something male in his attempts at finding love…or lust. With an entourage of quirky supporting characters, the show looks at relationships from the often hilarious point of view of the young and single male. A fully integrated on-line component will also accompany the new toon.
BLUEPRINT’s John Morayniss and Frank Saperstein serve as Executive Producers along with Hornburg and Bishop, on the series which marks marblemedia’s first foray into the world of animation. International distribution for The Dating Guy will be handled by BLUEPRINT through OASIS INTERNATIONAL.
“With the support of TELETOON, and the experience of BLUEPRINT, we are bringing together an amazing team of people for this show,” said Mark Bishop, Executive Producer and co-creator of The Dating Guy. “We’re very excited to branch out into the animated genre and develop a prime time adult show where the boundaries of reality, and humour, can be bent.”
“We look forward to working with the talented teams at TELETOON and marblemedia on this edgy sitcom that will appeal to the much sought after teen and young adult audience, especially with the added element of the on-line interactive component,” said Frank Saperstein, Executive Producer and Senior Vice President, Animation and Children’s Programming for BLUEPRINT ENTERTAINMENT. “The series gives us the opportunity to really push the boundaries of comedy creatively while exploring the often complicated minefield and emotional world of dating and relationships.”
“From the first pitch TELETOON recognized the potential of The Dating Guy to have broad appeal with our teen and adult audience,” says Michael Goldsmith, Director of Original Content, TELETOON Canada inc. “In partnering with marblemedia and BLUEPRINT we’re confident in delivering a hilarious home-grown hit that sends up dating and romance with a blend of satire and slapstick that will resonate with Detour fans.”
marblemedia Wins at CNMA
The Canadian New Media Awards (CNMA) honoured marblemedia producer and partner Matt Hornburg last night with the award for Producer of the Year.
Hornburg’s work on Shorts in Motion: The Art of Seduction and www.thisisemilyyeung.com were two of the projects that garnered the award, which was handed out at the annual CNMA gala held at the Carlu in Toronto.
“These awards are really significant for us because they truly recognize the burgeoning field of new media and cross platform storytelling, and of course that truly is the focus of our work,” said marblemedia Partner/Executive Producer Matt Hornburg. “Our industry is a highly collaborative one and so naturally this recognition is equally shared with my business partner Mark Bishop and our team.”
The independent production company has been nominated for the Canadian New Media Awards several times in recent years. Last year, marblemedia Director of Technology James Eberhardt was honoured with the CNMA for Programmer of the Year for his work on www.thisisdanielcook.com and www.burnttoastopera.com.
It was also announced last week that Hornburg and marblemedia Partner/Executive Producer Mark Bishop will be the recipients of the Banff World Television Festival’s 2007 Lions Gate/Maple Pictures Innovative Producer of the Year, awarded June 11, 2007.
marblemedia is a next generation content creation company dedicated to telling stories and connecting with audiences across platforms in television, web and mobile. Some of marblemedia’s notable projects include the hit preschool series’ This is Daniel Cook and This is Emily Yeung; hilarious comedic opera, Burnt Toast; the first television series and website in American Sign Language, deafplanet.com; and the mobile short film anthology Shorts in Motion: The Art of Seduction. Upcoming projects for the independent producers include The Dating Guy, Taste Buds and The Adrenaline Project.
Early win for marblemedia
The creative minds from marblemedia will be on stage next month at Banff, accepting the TV festival's Innovative Producer award for their handiwork on titles including their kids series This is Daniel Cook, the comic opera Burnt Toast and Shorts in Motion: The Art of Seduction.
The prize, sponsored by Lionsgate and Maple Pictures, recognizes "entrepreneurial excellence" among Canadian indie producers, and will be presented to company bosses Mark Bishop and Matt Hornburg on June 11, during the fest's awards luncheon.
"Matt and I are honored to have garnered such recognition from our peers and the Canadian television industry," said Bishop in a release. "We are thrilled to be among the calibre of past recipients whose innovative vision was acknowledged thanks to this award."
The previous winners of the prize, introduced in 2005, include Michael Geddes of Lone Eagle Entertainment and Allan Magee (The Smart Woman Survival Guide).
marblemedia is up for two other prizes at Banff. This is Emily Yeung, the follow up to Daniel Cook, is nominated for best children's program, while Shorts in Motion is up for best mobile enhancement. The Banff World Television Festival runs June 10-13.
marblemedia Named as Nominee
Canadian media production company marblemedia has been nominated for six different awards for its multiplatform content creation in television, film, web and mobile.
The Alliance for Children and Television (ACT) recognized the new preschool series This is Emily Yeung, produced with Sinking Ship Entertainment, with a 2007 nomination for All Genres 3- 5, as well as Best Website or Original New-Platform Content Tied Into a Children’s Program for www.ThisIsEmilyYeung.com.
The awards will be handed out May 31 in Toronto, Canada.
The 2007 Canadian New Media Awards also recognized another of marble’s projects, Shorts in Motion: The Art of Seduction. This short film anthology holds an impressive list of directors including Guy Maddin and Isabella Rossellini, and is nominated for Excellence in Cross Platform and Producer of the Year for Matt Hornburg. Winners will be announced May 28.
Another impressive acknowledgment comes from the Banff World Television Festival where both projects are nominated this year. This is Emily Yeung is up in the category of Children’s Programs and The Art of Seduction is nominated for Mobile Program Enhancement. These awards will be announced at the 28th Annual Banff World Television Festival on June 11.
marblemedia, based in Toronto, ON, is a next generation content creation company dedicated to telling stories and connecting with audiences across platforms in television, web and mobile.
This is Daniel Cook and This is Emily Yeung Finalize Several International Distribution Deals
marblemedia Distribution and Picture Box Distribution are in Cannes where they have inked several new deals for the live-action preschool series This is Daniel Cook and This is Emily Yeung.
Discovery Latin America and Rainbow Television Corporation, based in Beirut, Lebanon, have picked up 65 episodes of each of the "This is…" series for air across Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. The series will be dubbed and/or subtitled in local languages for broadcast in various territories. South Korean's C4U Media Co Ltd, has also picked up 65 episodes of This is Daniel Cook for its networks. Both series are co-produced by marblemedia and Sinking Ship.
This Is Daniel Cook Releasing His Debut CD on April 10th, 2007
Daniel Cook, who has appeared as a special correspondent on the The Oprah Winfrey Show’s “Amazing Kids” episode as well as eTalk and ET Canada, has a brand new project, the This is Daniel Cook. Here we are! CD. This album, available on April 10, features 26 songs, including a special track Daniel co-wrote with Ed Robertson (Barenaked Ladies) called It’s Daniel Cook. The song first appeared on an episode of the hit show “This is Daniel Cook”, which airs in North America on Treehouse, TVOntario, Playhouse Disney, Knowledge Network, ACCESS and SCN.
Besides Ed Robertson, the This is Daniel Cook. Here we are! CD features vocal performances by Universal recording artist Melissa McClelland, Keith Macpherson (“Canadian Idol” and pop group Easily Amused) and “Canadian Idol” vocal coach Sarah Morrison. Melissa McClelland – who performed the original This is Daniel Cook Theme Song – provides vocals on a brand new extended version. The CD was mixed by Juno Award winner and Rush producer Terry Brown and also features some of Toronto’s top musicians.
In the award winning live action “This is Daniel Cook” show, host Daniel Cook explores, learns and creates with everyone from chocolatiers to musicians and from firefighters to dog trainers. The show captures the perspective of a young boy in a unique way that entertains and teaches. The inspiration for the songs on the CD came directly from the show, such as a freshly recorded version of Raffi’s If I Had a Dinosaur, which relates to the two episodes where Daniel Cook learns about his favourite dinosaur the Giganotosaurus and digs up dinosaur bones.
The CD is a collaboration between The Children’s Group and marblemedia distribution and is based on the hit TV series “This is Daniel Cook,” produced by marblemedia and Sinking Ship Productions. The album includes original songs, classic favourites such as Puff The Magic Dragon and The Candy Man and traditional children’s music. The CD is an eclectic mix of musical styles designed to introduce children (and their parents) to the wonderful sounds of classical, pop, big band, country, polka, hip hop, celtic and more.
The This is Daniel Cook. Here we are! CD is marketed by The Children’s Group, the leading presenter of storytelling and classical music and CDs for children. The CD is distributed in Canada and the United States by KOCH Entertainment Distribution. Suggested retail price: $15.99 in the U.S. / $13.99 in Canada. The CD is also available on Daniel’s website www.thisisdanielcook.com.
Ryerson University Establishes the Innovative Storytellers Award Courtesy of marblemedia and Corus Entertainment
Toronto-based marblemedia and Corus Entertainment Inc. have come together to establish a new educational initiative for Ryerson University’s new Masters of Arts in Media Production program. The Innovative Storytellers Award is a $20,000 contribution over a five year period intended for an outstanding Ryerson University graduate student whose thesis explores how content creators can best use new technologies to connect to audiences.
Through a competitive process conducted by Ryerson University, the Innovative Storytellers Award will be given to an annual recipient for an initial term of five years. Supporting this monetary commitment, marblemedia and Corus Entertainment will offer the recipient up to five one-on-one sessions with key industry stakeholders who will provide the award-winning student with support and feedback to strengthen the overall graduate thesis project. Mentors will be selected from the areas of creative production, broadcasting, technology, legal, and sales and marketing.
“The overall intent of this award is to encourage students to use their studies as an opportunity to envision what the future might hold for Canada’s entertainment industry,” said Mark Bishop, marblemedia Partner, and recipient alongside Partner Matt Hornburg of Ryerson’s Isadore Sharpe Outstanding Recent Graduate Alumni Achievement award.
“Mark and I approached Corus when creating this award because we felt their corporate strategy was aligned with our own philosophy for cross platform storytelling,” said Matt Hornburg, marblemedia Partner who graduated from Ryerson University with Bishop in 1998.
“Corus is committed to fostering new talent within the industry and developing innovative approaches to content delivery in a changing media universe,” said Paul Robertson, President, Television, Corus Entertainment. “Sponsoring this Award is an exciting way for us to discover and support the next wave of broadcast talent.”
The first award will be given in September 2007. The award-winning thesis will also demonstrate that a creative prototype can be delivered on any or multiple platforms and should demonstrate an original model for storytelling. Each project is to be supported with a 10-page business and marketing plan that evaluates the current state of the industry.
“By offering graduate students the opportunity to work with industry experts, the Innovative Storytellers Award provides the kind of unique and experiential learning that Ryerson is recognized for,” said David Tucker, Chair of the School of Radio and Television Arts at Ryerson. “At the same time, it creates a window for new and experienced minds to work together in exploring the challenges and opportunities facing the future of the Canadian media industry.”
For more information about the award, please visit: www.ryerson.ca/fcad/storyteller
Big European, Canadian short
In an extraordinary coup, the National Film Board of Canada and Bravo!FACT will be presenting a film directed by Isabella Rossellini as part of their downloadable short film series Shorts in Motion.
Titled Oh La La, Rossellini's film is said to be an off-kilter homage to Paris and its architecture. There are sounds of sensual moaning throughout, phallic symbols abound and the whole thing ends with the Eiffel Tower and an explosion of fireworks, followed by a title card that simply says "Paris."
"It's fabulously over the top, but somehow she pulls it off," says Matt Hornburg, whose company, Marble Media, co-produced the series.
It's a risqué bent that should come as no surprise from the star who, despite her serene appearance and ageless beauty, has been drawn to such projects as David Lynch's Blue Velvet and Guy Maddin's fever dream set to celluloid, The Saddest Music in the World.
Toronto filmmaker and photographer Jody Shapiro produced and shot the two-minute film with Rossellini and a single camera along the streets of Paris.
His connection with Rossellini has been largely through Maddin, it seems. Shapiro had worked with Rossellini on Saddest Music, which he produced.
He also produced the Maddin-directed short My Dad is 100 Years Old, which was written by Rossellini about her father Roberto, the Italian cinema master.
Shapiro also produced the director's short film Nude Caboose, about an overeager, shirtless man leading a conga line, which is in the Shorts in Motion: The Art of Seduction series and will be joined by Oh La La.
Rossellini's Parisian film is expected to have a prominent run on the festival circuit, with Cannes and Toronto's Worldwide Short Film Festival in the spring as possible destinations.
It will then be available as a download along with the other nine films in Shorts in Motion: The Art of Seduction (http://www.shortsinmotion.com), the second instalment of films in the award-winning Shorts in Motion series.
In addition, Oh La La will likely be broadcast on the Bravo! TV network, following its festival run.
Hip-hop musician k-os had been slated to make the tenth film in the series, although with a new album out and all the attendant projects that go along with it, his film wasn't ready.
Oprahsaurus Rex, this is Daniel Cook
Daniel Cook has a new fan: Oprah Winfrey.
The cherubic host of This is Daniel Cook, I dare you! and the upcoming Dino Dan appeared on Winfrey's popular talk show yesterday as a "correspondent."
The 9-year-old was recently hired to co-host the "Amazing Kids" episode, taped last Tuesday in Chicago. Daniel also covered the Heart Truth's Red Dress Fashion Show collection during New York Fashion Week, where he ...
What's that, Daniel? Okay. We'll get to this TV stuff in a minute. Let's begin with a more urgent matter: dinosaurs.
"I'm not really sure of the part of dinosaurs that I like," Daniel tells me yesterday, before going to school. "I just really like them. They're big."
While in Chicago, Daniel received a special tour at the Field Museum, where his inquisitive eyes feasted upon the fossilized remains of Sue.
Let him explain.
"Sue was the largest T-Rex that they've ever found."
Did we mention that dinosaurs were big and that some were meat eaters?
Okay, Daniel, I promise to brush up on all things Jurassic. But what about the most feared and influential carnivore in our present era?
Most of us have never seen the Oprahsaurus in real life. What was Ms. Winfrey like?
"She is very, very nice," says Daniel. "If you're nervous, she will try to help you. She probably has to do that a lot. She's just really nice."
Daniel also learned why Winfrey prefers to not meet her guests before a taping: "She doesn't like to meet people before the audience does."
During yesterday's show on CBS and CTV, Daniel was shown backstage, interacting with Oprah via stage-mounted monitors and introducing some of the other Amazing Kids.
"I was talking to some of them," Daniel recalls. "I got to meet a juggling team. And an opera singer. A memory champion. And, yeah."
In New York, Daniel interviewed many celebrities, including Kim Cattrall (she asked if he had plans for Valentine's Day), Marlee Matlin, Paula Zahn, Mary Hart (she offered him a job) and Billy Jean King – "We were the only people that were wearing tennis shoes."
So what did you ask these glittering luminaries?
"Well, on the red carpet I was asking them if they were nervous, and why they were here. For the, `Are you nervous?' everybody's answer was, `Yes.'"
Well, were you nervous?
"No, not really."
Before getting swept up into this whirlwind, you see, Daniel was not entirely familiar with The Oprah Winfrey Show. In fact, he assumed he was going somewhere to sing, having initially misheard "Oprah" as "opera."
Mind you, by the time the young TV prince landed on the couch belonging to the Queen of Daytime TV, the escalating hype proved somewhat unnerving.
"It was actually a little surprising to see how nervous Daniel was when he finally sat down with Oprah," says mom Deborah Cook, who was in the Chicago studio.
"It was really sweet for us because, you know, he's still just a regular kid. He's not the big celebrity."
The deal with Harpo happened within the past three weeks. Nobody seems to know what, if anything, will come from this cross-border adventure.
"I suspect the fallout will be kind of interesting," says Cook. "But if we really had our druthers, it would be nice to have a little bit of excitement and then go back to our normal life."
"Daniel is already well known to the Canadian audiences, but his appearance on (Oprah) will introduce him to million of viewers that don't necessarily watch his show, especially in the U.S.A., where his career is just beginning," adds his manager Yanick Landry.
Near the end of yesterday's show, Oprah said she heard Daniel attends school every day. Yes, he said. Then he paused and screwed up his face into a familiar expression.
"Well, not this day," Daniel quipped, triggering a raucous laugh.
"Daniel is a phenomenal talent because in every situation he's himself, whether he's making ice cream, tracking down dinosaurs or being interviewed on Oprah," says J.J. Johnson, the creator of This is Daniel Cook.
"We couldn't possibly be prouder of him."
This is Daniel Cook is no longer in production. But the second season of I dare you! begins shooting this spring. Meanwhile, Dino Dan, which Daniel co-created with Johnson of Sinking Ship, begins production in the summer.
I ask Daniel for his take on the Big Apple and the Windy City.
"The only thing you can say about New York is you can always get a taxi. But the one thing you can say about Chicago is, when it's football night, never try to get a taxi."
Got it. And, yeah.