Transmedia Producer of the Year: marblemedia
If you’ve been to a major Canadian TV industry event in the past 10 years, chances are you’ve been in the same room with at least one of marblemedia’s two founding partners, Matt Hornburg and Mark Bishop. As TV producers and early adopters of transmedia digital media executions — plus members of numerous industry organizations — the Toronto-based partners have been Canadian leaders in the field since they launched marblemedia a decade ago.
This September, they made the leap into primetime factual entertainment with the premiere of What’s in a Name, a half-hour long series on History Television. In each episode, someone who needs to name something (a baby, a band, a car) gets help from celebrities such as race car driver Paul Tracy or George Wendt (“Norm from Cheers”) to find inspiration in other famous names from throughout history. While the topic may seem at first somewhat pedestrian — albeit perfect for History — its execution was anything but.
Marblemedia got the greenlight for the show in 2008, and launched the series with a web-first strategy in 2010. For a year, History and marblemedia compelled 65,000 Canadians to participate in building the show’s content with a website, NameThis.ca, urging them to suggest names for things or things to name, and even building the show’s name itself into the engagement strategy. Production on the show was complex — the TV production team was reactive to the website’s results — but the result has been one that Hornburg says is already exceeding History’s expectations.
“It was a risk,” he says. “But it was a risk that we took with History to ensure that it would be a different experience and it would actually grow something online. [The goal was that] when the show launched, you have these fans from coast to coast that are already engaged in the brand and already have ownership.” Hornburg and Bishop both say they feel What’s in a Name is truly representative of the marblemedia brand — an entity that was born and lives independently online, stands alone as an entertaining TV property, extends to mobile and all ties together in a way that encourages multiple levels of engagement.
That kind of approach really sets marblemedia apart, says Interactive Ontario president Ian Kelso, who works with Bishop on the IO board. “They started out with transmedia as part of their company’s DNA,” he says. “From day one they saw the opportunities that were online to get distribution for their properties and some of their first projects looked at alternative audiences that weren’t being served, like the hearing impaired. So they went to where no one else was yet looking in terms of trying to find audiences and build communities in the online space and then were successfully able to marry that to what they were doing on television.”
The kind of forward, ahead-of-the-curve gaze has led to success — one of their earliest properties,This is Daniel Cook, is an iconic Canadian kids show and has been sold into 90 countries — but also scrutiny. People are unafraid to press them, to question them: how is it you make money in this new-fangled realm?
“Sometimes we tend to almost get defensive when people ask ‘What is the business model [around transmedia]?’” Hornburg says. “It’s in its infant stages still, it really is. And I think there’s been way too much pressure put on a very new and exciting opportunity for making money. We don’t look to the Canadian film industry and go ‘why are you not making money?’ We don’t. We continue to subsidize it and we continue to support it and I think there is a real business opportunity in transmedia or else we wouldn’t be focusing on it.”
“I think the big thing is that the fragmentation of audience is also the fragmentation of the business models,” adds Bishop. “The same piece of content could end up being repurposed and repackaged in so many different ways that it becomes a full time job just to track it and figure out which the best area is to drive the revenue. In many cases it’s multiple streams.”
Transmedia — in its truest sense of telling stories in unique ways across multiple media — has really only begun to find traction in mass consumer culture. But with 10 years of persistence in the genre behind them, marblemedia are poised at the front of the mass-media transmedia pack. Crossplatform interactive kids broadcast properties? Skatoony, Splatalot, Taste Buds, check. Serious-but-still-silly factual entertainment for adults? What’s in a Name, check. Slightly risqué, Gemini-winning adult animated primetime comedy with a complementary make-your-own-porno online game? The Dating Guy, check. (Fun fact: The Dating Guy was inspired by Bishop and Hornburg’s adventures in singledom.)
But as Hornburg sees it, marblemedia is just getting started. “For the past 10 years, we’ve always been thinking that when the right content is on the right platform people will gravitate to it. So every brand, every project that we ever create, we are thinking ‘Who is the target audience?’ and ‘How are we going to get the consumer to engage with the stories, characters and games on all platforms?’ “Is it complex? Absolutely. Is it distracting? Often. Is it an opportunity? Absolutely. And that’s how we’ve been able to carve a very niche part of our business very, very quickly, to identify that there is a huge opportunity. It’s a very exciting time and both of us feel that the next three to five years particularly, we’re hoping that we’ll really see that opportunity, skyrocket. Not just for our company, but for others that are in the space as well.”
Seven24 and marblemedia developing Dark Horse teen drama
Indie producers marblemedia and Seven24 Films are pacting to co-develop the teen coming-of-age drama Dark Horse as a multiplatform property for YTV.
The prodcos are developing the property as a 13 x 60-min series, which would include online and mobile extensions.
Shelley Scarrow and James Hurst will showrun the indie drama about Lyla, a rancher’s daughter whose destiny becomes intertwined with Micah, a mysterious outsider who can morph into a wild horse.
The Dark Horse project is being spearheaded by Seven24 director of development Jessalyn Coombe, marblemedia head of development Miklos Perlus and creative director Johnny Kalangis.
Distribution360 will handle international sales and distribution on Dark Horse.
SEVEN24 Films and marblemedia Co-Developing Teen Drama Dark Horse for YTV
TORONTO, ON (November 30, 2011)—marblemedia and SEVEN24 Films today announced they are co-developing Dark Horse, a multi-platform teen property for YTV, which includes 13 x 60’ live action drama episodes, an online world and mobile interactive elements. Seasoned primetime drama showrunners Shelley Scarrow (Instant Star) and James Hurst (Degrassi: The Next Generation) have joined the project to bring the story to life.
Dark Horse tells the story of Lyla, a rancher’s daughter whose destiny becomes intertwined with Micah, a mysterious outsider who has the unique ability to shape-shift into a wild horse.
“We’re thrilled to be developing this property with such a strong primetime drama team,” says Matt Hornburg, Partner/Executive Producer, marblemedia. “This is a unique opportunity to create a rich, teen-focused story world with our longtime partners at Corus Entertainment and our friends at SEVEN24.”
“This series explores teen coming-of-age themes from a fresh and exciting perspective,” says Jordy Randall, Executive Producer, SEVEN24 Films. “Fans will definitely love the mysterious and magical world we’re creating on TV and online.”
The project development team is supported by SEVEN24’s Jessalyn Coombe (Director of Development) with marble’s Miklos Perlus (Head of Development, Kids & Scripted) and Johnny Kalangis (Creative Director).
International sales and distribution for Dark Horse will be handled by Distribution360.
For more information, please visit:
About SEVEN24 Films
SEVEN24 Films is one of Canada's foremost dramatic production companies. Managing Partners Tom Cox and Jordy Randall have created and produced dramatic features, mini-series, series, and television movies for CBC, CTV, CanWest Global, CBS, Lifetime, TNT, ABC Family, BBC, Disney Channel, Warner Brothers, Granada, Focus Features and Mandalay Television. Their efforts have resulted in over 300 hours of prime time dramatic programs, sold in hundreds of territories around the world. Notable SEVEN24 Films projects include: the hit family drama Heartland, the high-stakes conspiracy thriller Burn Up, and the Gemini Award-winning Mayerthorpe.
About marblemedia
Founded in 2001 by Mark Bishop and Matt Hornburg, Toronto-based marblemedia is an award-winning content creation company at the forefront of television and digital media production, devoted to telling stories that entertain and engage audiences across all platforms. marblemedia was named Company of the Year by the Canadian New Media Awards and was recognized by the Hollywood Reporter as a Next Generation Content Producer. Notable marblemedia projects include: the hit preschool series and websites, This is Daniel Cook and This is Emily Yeung; the first television series and website in American Sign Language, deafplanet.com; the mobile short film anthology, Shorts in Motion: The Art of Seduction; Taste Buds, a Gemini Award-winning kids’ cooking and food adventure cross-platform property; the teen competition series The Adrenaline Project; The Dating Guy, a Gemini Award-winning animated comedy and website about the single life of twenty-somethings in the city; Skatoony, North America’s first animated/live-action comedy series that pits tweens and cartoons against each other in competition through frantic, trivia-based rounds; and Splatalot, a hilarious medieval-themed physical game show geared to the 8-12 year-old audience, currently airing on YTV in Canada, the BBC in the U.K. and ABC in Australia. marble’s newest project is What’s in a Name?, a transmedia factual entertainment series and website that takes audiences through the naming of Canada’s most notable people, places and things, currently airing on History Television (Canada).
Media Contact
René d’Entremont
Manager of Communications
(416) 646-2711 ext. 232
rene@marblemedia.com
marblemedia and Corus Announce Innovative Storytellers Award Winner
Exploring the connection between new technologies, content and social change is often its own reward for digital media creators, but the journey can also bring financial awards and industry mentorship.
That's the case for Peter-Julian Lee, announced by Corus Entertainment and marblemedia as the winner of the 2011 Innovative Storytellers Award.
The $20,000, five-year educational initiative was created in 2008 by marblemedia and Corus in conjunction with Ryerson University's Master of Arts in Media Production program.
Lee's winning thesis is entitled The Kenya Help Project: A Work Flow for Not-for-Profit Organizations to Foster Positive Social Change while Increasing Transparency and Donor Dollars. The project showcases a model for charitable organizations to reach new prospective donors through transparent documentary blog posts, including videos, photos and written entries shared through social media networks.
Lee has worked in the media industry for the past ten years as a videographer, producer, business manager and media services director for such organizations as VIVA Productions, Rogers Television, CKWS TV, and Queen's University's Alma Mater Society.
"Peter-Julian has proven through his thesis that telling stories in innovative ways can affect positive social change," said Mark Bishop and Matt Hornburg, Executive Producers/Founders, marblemedia, and Ryerson alumni. "We look forward to guiding him on other projects that take storytelling to the next level. The media landscape is rapidly changing, and it's important to continually develop new and exciting ways to communicate with existing and new audiences."
As an outstanding Ryerson graduate student, the Innovative Storytellers Award-winner receives a grant in addition to mentoring sessions with Corus Entertainment and marblemedia executives. These sessions offer guidance for the award-recipient's thesis as well as greater insight into the content creation industry. Mentors are selected from the areas of creative production, broadcasting, technology, legal, and sales and marketing.
"Being selected for this award is a great honour. It will enable me to further develop innovative media strategies for not-for-profit organizations in order to reach potential donors, in turn helping to better the lives of many people globally," Lee said. "Corus and marblemedia's recognition of the importance of media development in the not-for-profit sector is truly admirable. I'm excited to draw from their expertise in creating content and strategies by thinking outside the box."
"When Peter-Julian combined his passion for media with his commitment to humanitarian works, he created a truly exceptional project for the Media Production program," said Laura Nenych, Director of the M.A. in Media Production program. "His innovative use of media to tell compelling stories has both raised awareness of the Kenya Help Project, and has motivated others to try to build a better world. Peter-Julian's inspiring work is technologically impressive and has made a meaningful contribution to humankind."
Corus Entertainment Inc. is a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. The company's multimedia entertainment brands include YTV, Treehouse, Nickelodeon (Canada), W Network, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network (Canada), CosmoTV, Sundance Channel (Canada), Movie Central, HBO Canada, Nelvana, Kids Can Press and radio stations including CKNW AM 980, 99.3 The FOX, Country 105, 630 CHED, Q107 and 102.1 the Edge.
Founded in 2001 by Mark Bishop and Matt Hornburg, Toronto-based marblemedia is an award-winning content creation company at the forefront of television and new media production, devoted to telling stories that entertain and engage audiences across all platforms. marblemedia was named Company of the Year by the Canadian New Media Awards and was recognized by the Hollywood Reporter as a Next Generation Content Producer. marble's newest project is What's in a Name?, a transmedia factual entertainment series and website that takes audiences through the naming of Canada's most notable people, places and things, currently airing on History Television (Canada).
marblemedia and Corus Entertainment Announce Peter-Julian Lee as 2011 Innovative Storytellers Award Winner
TORONTO, ONTARIO (November 15, 2011) Corus Entertainment and marblemedia today announcedPeter-Julian Lee as the winner of the 2011 Innovative Storytellers Award. The $20,000, five-year educational initiative was created in 2008 by marblemedia and Corus in conjunction with Ryerson University’s Master of Arts in Media Production program. The award celebrates an outstanding Ryerson graduate student whose thesis explores the connection between content, new technologies and audiences.
Lee’s winning thesis is entitled The Kenya Help Project: A Work Flow for Not-for-Profit Organizations to Foster Positive Social Change while Increasing Transparency and Donor Dollars. The project showcases a model for charitable organizations to reach new prospective donors through transparent documentary blog posts, including videos, photos and written entries shared through social media networks.
Lee has worked in the media industry for the past ten years as a videographer, producer, business manager and media services director for such organizations as VIVA Productions, Rogers Television, CKWS TV, and Queen's University’s Alma Mater Society.
“Peter-Julian has proven through his thesis that telling stories in innovative ways can affect positive social change,” said Mark Bishop and Matt Hornburg, Executive Producers/Founders, marblemedia, and Ryerson alumni. “We look forward to guiding him on other projects that take storytelling to the next level. The media landscape is rapidly changing, and it’s important to continually develop new and exciting ways to communicate with existing and new audiences.”
The Innovative Storytellers Award-winner receives a grant in addition to mentoring sessions with Corus Entertainment and marblemedia executives. These sessions offer guidance for the award-recipient’s thesis as well as greater insight into the content creation industry. Mentors are selected from the areas of creative production, broadcasting, technology, legal, and sales and marketing.
“Being selected for this award is a great honour. It will enable me to further develop innovative media strategies for not-for-profit organizations in order to reach potential donors, in turn helping to better the lives of many people globally,” said Peter-Julian Lee. “Corus and marblemedia’s recognition of the importance of media development in the not-for-profit sector is truly admirable. I’m excited to draw from their expertise in creating content and strategies by thinking outside the box.”
"When Peter-Julian combined his passion for media with his commitment to humanitarian works, he created a truly exceptional project for the Media Production program,” said Laura Nenych, Director of the M.A. in Media Production program. “His innovative use of media to tell compelling stories has both raised awareness of the Kenya Help Project, and has motivated others to try to build a better world. Peter-Julian’s inspiring work is technologically impressive and has made a meaningful contribution to humankind."
For more information please visit:
About Corus Entertainment Inc.
Corus Entertainment Inc. is a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, television broadcasting, children’s book publishing and children’s animation. The Company’s multimedia entertainment brands include YTV, Treehouse, Nickelodeon (Canada), W Network, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network (Canada), CosmoTV, Sundance Channel (Canada), Movie Central, HBO Canada, Nelvana, Kids Can Press and radio stations including CKNW AM 980, 99.3 The FOX, Country 105, 630 CHED, Q107 and 102.1 the Edge. Corus creates engaging branded entertainment experiences for its audiences across multiple platforms. A publicly traded company, Corus is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (CJR.B). Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com.
About marblemedia
Founded in 2001 by Mark Bishop and Matt Hornburg, Toronto-based marblemedia is an award-winning content creation company at the forefront of television and new media production, devoted to telling stories that entertain and engage audiences across all platforms. marblemedia was named Company of the Year by the Canadian New Media Awards and was recognized by the Hollywood Reporter as a Next Generation Content Producer. Notable marblemedia projects include: the hit preschool series and websites, This is Daniel Cook and This is Emily Yeung; the first television series and website in American Sign Language, deafplanet.com; the mobile short film anthology, Shorts in Motion: The Art of Seduction; Taste Buds, a Gemini Award-winning kids’ cooking and food adventure cross-platform property; the teen competition series The Adrenaline Project; The Dating Guy, a Gemini Award-winning animated comedy and website about the single life of twenty-somethings in the city; Skatoony, North America’s first animated/live-action comedy series that pits tweens and cartoons against each other in competition through frantic, trivia-based rounds; and Splatalot, a hilarious medieval-themed physical game show geared to the 8-12 year-old audience, currently airing on YTV in Canada, the BBC in the U.K., and ABC in Australia. marble’s newest project is What’s in a Name?, a transmedia factual entertainment series and website that takes audiences through the naming of Canada’s most notable people, places and things, currently airing on History Television (Canada).
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Media Contact
René d’Entremont
Manager of Communications
marblemedia
(416) 646-2711 ext. 232
rene@marblemedia.com
Judy Lung
Communications
Corus Entertainment
(416) 479-6757
marblemedia Heads to MIPCOM with New Kids & Youth Cross-Platform Series
TORONTO, ON (September 29, 2011)—marblemedia brings three new cross-platform series by top-tier creative talent to MIPCOM this year. The company is looking for partners interested in developing these projects (stand #02.10).
New additions to marble’s development slate include:
Dave and Jonesy’s Locker (13 x 30’ live action comedy cross-platform series)
From the creative mind of Ali Marie Matheson (Rugrats, So Weird), Dave & Jonesy’s Locker is a live action tween comedy about two unlikely buddies - one in the present (2011), the other in the future (2036), who share the same high school locker, only 25 years apart. When they spin the right combo, the boys activate a top-secret, time-traveling vortex that allows them to pass back and forth between each other’s time period. Whether they are in the present or the future, Dave and Jonesy help each other make high school the best times of their lives. Online, users can play a game that allows them to create their ideal future self in role playing adventures. Fans will also have access to a series of bonus videos that will present alternate timelines based on the choices that Dave and Jonesy didn’t make.
Breaker Brothers (13 x 30’ live action comedy series)
Created by Mark Satterthwaite (Creative Producer of YTV’s Almost Naked Animals), Breaker Brothers is a live action tween comedy about two 16 year-old next-door neighbours who are trying to break the world record for most world records broken. To date they’ve set records for the biggest house made of pickles, highest double pole vault, largest belly button lint collection, and dozens more. But they are still a long way from setting the world record for most world records—it will be interesting.
Snow Joe (26 x 15’ animated cross-platform series)
From Alexander Bar (Mike The Knight, Lunar Jim), Snow Joe is an animated preschool comedy set in a wintry wonderland at the top of the world where, for a boy called Joe, becoming a hero like the ones in his grandfather's stories means finding fun and imaginative ways of turning everyday experiences into snow-filled adventures. Snow Joe Interactive continues the story online and on mobile phones through interactive games—such as snowball bowling — that bring the world of Snow Joe to the audience’s fingertips.
“We’ve been developing these exciting properties with some of the industry’s freshest talent, and we’re really looking forward to showcasing them at MIPCOM this year,” says Matt Hornburg, Partner/Executive Producer, marblemedia. “We’re interested in speaking with potential partners who are looking for comedy content in the kids and youth space.”
For more information, please visit:
www.marblemedia.com
About marblemedia
Founded in 2001 by Mark Bishop and Matt Hornburg, Toronto-based marblemedia is an award-winning content creation company at the forefront of television and new media production, devoted to telling stories that entertain and engage audiences across all platforms. marblemedia was named Company of the Year by the Canadian New Media Awards and was recognized by the Hollywood Reporter as a Next Generation Content Producer. Notable marblemedia projects include: the hit preschool series and websites, This is Daniel Cook and This is Emily Yeung; the first television series and website in American Sign Language, deafplanet.com; the mobile short film anthology, Shorts in Motion: The Art of Seduction; Taste Buds, a Gemini Award-winning kids’ cooking and food adventure cross-platform property; the teen competition series The Adrenaline Project; The Dating Guy, a hooked-up animated comedy about the single life of twenty-somethings in the city; Skatoony, North America’s first animated/live-action comedy series that pits tweens and cartoons against each other in competition through frantic, trivia-based rounds; and Splatalot, a hilarious medieval-themed physical game show geared to the 8-12 year-old audience, currently airing on YTV in Canada and BBC in the U.K., and will premiere on ABC in Australia this fall. marble’s newest project is What’s in a Name?, a transmedia factual entertainment series and website that takes audiences through the naming of Canada’s most notable people, places and things, currently airing on History Television (Canada).
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Media Contact
René d’Entremont
Manager of Communications
marblemedia
(416) 646-2711 ext. 232
rene@marblemedia.com
Marblemedia appoints Blake Tohana to the newly created position of CFO and COO
Tohana will work close with Partners/Executive Producers Mark Bishop and Matthew Hornburg. Tohana will oversee the expansion of new divisions and departments, including the interactive group and its international sales and distribution arm, Distribtion360.
He is also responsible for growing marblemedia's new Factual & Lifestyle division, which will debuts its first cross platform property, What's in a Name?, on History Television (Canada) on September 12, 2011. Tohana most recently served as EVP and CFO, Magna Entertainment. He previously held senior management positions, including CFO, at Fireworks Entertainment and helped take the company public ahead of it being acquired by CanWest Global Communications.
marblemedia Brings on Industry Veteran Blake Tohana as CFO & COO
TORONTO, ON (September 6, 2011)—marblemedia today announced the appointment of Blake Tohana to the newly created role of CFO & COO. He will be working closely with Partners/Executive Producers Mark Bishop and Matthew Hornburg to lead the company’s growth and execute its strategic plan.
Blake will oversee the expansion of new divisions and departments, including marblemedia’s Interactive group and its International Sales & Distribution arm, Distribution360. In addition, he will be responsible for growing the company’s newly-created Factual & Lifestyle division, which is launching its first cross-platform property—What’s in a Name?—on History Television (Canada) on September 12th, 2011.
“We’re very pleased to welcome Blake to the marblemedia team. Over the past decade, we’ve been fortunate to have grown significantly from a two person start-up to an award-winning multi-platform production studio. Blake will be implementing strategies to further expand our business in Canada as well as in international markets,” said Mark Bishop and Matthew Hornburg, Partners and Executive Producers at marblemedia.
Blake has nearly 15 years of senior management experience in the media and entertainment industry. Prior to joining marblemedia, he spent seven years as Executive Vice-President and CFO of Magna Entertainment Corp., which was North America's largest horse racing company with media operations that included a U.S. television network and Internet wagering business. Prior to that, he held various senior management positions (including CFO) at Fireworks Entertainment Inc., which was a film and television production and distribution company that he helped take public before it was subsequently acquired by CanWest Global Communications Corp. Blake got his start in the industry as Corporate Controller of Alliance Communications Corp., which was Canada's largest filmed entertainment company at that time.
Blake currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Ontario Media Development Corporation. He is a Chartered Accountant and has an MBA from McMaster University and a B.Sc. from The University of Western Ontario.
For more information, please visit:
www.marblemedia.com
About marblemedia
Founded in 2001 by Mark Bishop and Matt Hornburg, Toronto-based marblemedia is an award-winning content creation company at the forefront of television and new media production, devoted to telling stories that entertain and engage audiences across all platforms. marblemedia was named Company of the Year by the Canadian New Media Awards and was recognized by the Hollywood Reporter as a Next Generation Content Producer. Notable marblemedia projects include: the hit preschool series and websites, This is Daniel Cook and This is Emily Yeung; the first television series and website in American Sign Language, deafplanet.com; the mobile short film anthology, Shorts in Motion: The Art of Seduction; Taste Buds, a Gemini Award-winning kids’ cooking and food adventure cross-platform property; the teen competition series The Adrenaline Project; The Dating Guy, a hooked-up animated comedy about the single life of twenty-somethings in the city; Skatoony, North America’s first animated/live-action comedy series that pits tweens and cartoons against each other in competition through frantic, trivia-based rounds; and Splatalot, a hilarious medieval-themed physical game show geared to the 8-12 year-old audience, currently airing on YTV in Canada and BBC in the U.K., and will premiere on ABC in Australia this fall. marble’s newest project is What’s in a Name?, a transmedia factual entertainment series and website that takes audiences through the naming of Canada’s most notable people, places and things, premiering this September on History Television (Canada).
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Media Contact
René d’Entremont
Manager of Communications
(416) 646-2711 ext. 232
rene@marblemedia.com
Gemini Award Winners Include Digital Media, Cross-Platform Programming (DatingGuy.com Wins Best Cross-Platform Project - Fiction)
The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television has honoured cross-platform and digital media creators among 52 Gemini Award winners in the News & Sports, Documentary, Lifestyle and Reality programming categories.
Five Academy Special Awards were also presented in the first of three Gemini Galas.
"It's truly wonderful to acknowledge and celebrate these great Canadian talents while surrounded by such an impressive group of individuals from the Canadian television and digital media industries," said Helga Stephenson, Interim CEO, ACCT.
The Industry Gala was hosted by comedian Steve Patterson. (The Debaters).
The following awards were presented at last night's Gemini Industry Gala:
Barbara Sears Award for Best Editorial Research Jane Burgess, Andrew Easterbrook, Jonathan Woodward - The Pig Farm
Best Biography Documentary Program Mordecai Richler: The Last of the Wild Jews Mary Armstrong, David Sherman
Best Breaking News Coverage CBC News: Here & Now: Hurricane IgorDoug Letto, Rod Dobbin
Best Breaking Reportage, Local Francis D'Souza, Alfredo Colangelo - CityTV - G20 Summit
Best Breaking Reportage, National Adrienne Arsenault - CBC News The National - Pakistan Floods
Best Cross-Platform Project - Children's and Youth Babar and the Adventures of Badou Interactive Caitlin O'Donovan
Best Cross-Platform Project - Fiction DatingGuy.com Matthew Hornburg, Mark J. W. Bishop, Ted Brunt, Julie Dutrisac, Johnny Kalangis
Best Cross-Platform Project - Non-Fiction Storming Juno InteractiveJames Milward, Ryan Andal, Noora Abu Eitah, Pietro Gagliano, Steve Miller
Best Direction in a Documentary Program Michael McNamara - Acquainted With the Night
Best Direction in a Documentary Series P.J. Naworynski - Nazi Hunters - Erich Priebke
Best Direction in a Lifestyle/Practical Information Program or Series Grant Greschuk - Village on a Diet - Beyond the Diet
Best Direction in a Live Sporting Event Chris Elias - 2010 Queen's Plate
Best Direction in a News Information Program or Series Oleh J. Rumak - the fifth estate - Above Suspicion
Best Documentary Series Africa on the Move Sue Dando, Peter John Ingles, Paul Morin
Best History Documentary Program Nazi Hunters: Herbert Cukurs Simon Lloyd, Nick Godwin
Best Host in a Lifestyle/Practical Information, or Performing Arts Program or Series Gail Vaz-Oxlade - Princess - Princess Nicola
Best Host or Interviewer in a News Information Program or Series Mark Kelley -Connect with Mark Kelley
Best Lifestyle/Practical Information Segment Ron Waksman, Laurie Few, Mary Garofalo, Brennan Leffler - 16:9 The Bigger Picture - Electronic Pickpocket
Best Lifestyle/Practical Information Series Til Debt Do Us Part Jamie Brown, Jennifer Horvath
Best Live Sporting Event HNIC on CBC - Heritage Classic Trevor Pilling, Sherali Najak, Brian Spear
Best Local Newscast, Large Market News Hour Ian Haysom, Clive Jackson, Randy McHale, Tim Perry, Doug Sydora
Best Local Newscast, Small Market CBC News Saskatchewan Paul Dederick, Chris Lane, Costa Maragos, Jonathan Shanks, Anna-May Zeviar
Best News Anchor Dawna Friesen - Global National
Best News Information Segment Adrienne Arsenault, Stephanie Jenzer, Claude Panet-Raymond, Keith Whelan - CBC News The National - Mexico's Deadly Explosion
Best News Information Series CBC News: Marketplace Tassie Notar
Best News Special Event Coverage CBC News: The New Governor GeneralMark Bulgutch, Tom Dinsmore, Fred Parker
Best Original Music for a Lifestyle/Practical Information or Reality Program or Series Graeme Coleman - Ice Pilots NWT - Arnie Calls It
Best Original Music Score for a Documentary Program or Series Claudio Vena - T O in 2 4
Best Original Program or Series produced for Digital Media - Non-Fiction The Test Tube with David Suzuki Rob McLaughlin, Loc Dao, Tyler Kealer, Kris McLaughlin, Nate Smith
Best Performing Arts Program or Series or Arts Documentary Program or SeriesThe National Parks Project Ryan J. Noth, Joel McConvey, Kristina McLaughlin, Kevin McMahon, Michael McMahon, Geoff Morrison
Best Photography in a Documentary Program or Series Daron Donahue - Code Breakers
Best Photography in an Information Program or Series Sean Cable, Todd Craddock - Ice Pilots NWT - Under Pressure
Best Picture Editing in a Documentary Program or Series Sally Blake, Avril Jacobson - Peep Culture
Best Picture Editing in an Information Program or Series Clark Masters, Richard Rotter - Best. Trip. Ever.
Best Science, Technology, Nature, Environment or Adventure Documentary Program Code Breakers Niobe Thompson
Best Sound in an Information/Documentary Program or Series Mark Gingras, Christian Cooke, Sanjay Mehta, Adrian Tucker - Yonge Street - Toronto Rock & Roll Stories
Best Sports Analysis or Commentary (Program, Series or Segment) Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games Anniversary Special Rick Chisholm, Robert MacAskill, Don Young
Best Sports Analyst Jim Bannon - 2010 Queen's Plate
Best Sports Feature Segment Michael Farrell, James Cybulski - SportsCentre: Jay Triano and Terry Fox Feature
Best Sports Play-by-Play Announcer Mark Lee - 2010 Canadian Track & Field Championships
Best Sports Reporting Elliotte Friedman - HNIC on CBC - Heritage Classic
Best Sportscaster/Anchor Jay Onrait - SportsCentre Best Talk Series George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight George Stroumboulopoulos, David Freeman, Tania Natscheff
Best Visual Research Sonja Carr, Benoît Michaud - Meltdown: The Secret History of the Global Collapse - The Men Who Crashed The World
Best Writing in a Documentary Program or Series Terence McKenna - Meltdown: The Secret History of the Global Collapse - A Global Tsunami
Best Writing in an Information Program or Series Linden MacIntyre - the fifth estate - The Betrayal
Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary Program Life With Murder John Kastner, Silva Basmajian
61 winners in the Drama, Children's or Youth, Comedy and Variety categories, as well as the remaining five Academy Special Awards, will be presented on Wednesday, August 31 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, hosted by broadcaster Jian Ghomeshi. The 26th Annual Gemini Awards will culminate with the Broadcast Gala on Wednesday, September 7th at CBC in Toronto with the presentation of the final seven awards.
Hosted by comedian Russell Peters, the event will be broadcast at 8 PM - 8:30 NT on CBC Television nationwide.
Established in 1979, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is anational, non-profit, professional association dedicated to the promotion,recognition and celebration of exceptional achievements in Canadian film,television and digital media. Unifying industry professionals across Canada, the Academy is a vital force representing all screen-based industries. Gemini Awards were established in 1986.
Seven24 and marblemedia pact on Little Wombat
Canadian indie producers Seven24 Films and marblemedia are to jointly develop Little Wombat as a preschool animated TV series.
The project, based on the Little Wombat books by Charles Fuge, will comprise 13 half-hours about the mischievous marsupial Little Wombat and his friends Mouse and Koala.
Seven24 Films will also include an online and mobile extension for Little Wombat, in partnership with cross-platform producer marblemedia.
“We’re pleased to be developing this series, and look forward to telling Little Wombat’s timeless stories through charming animation,” Jordy Randall, executive producer at Seven24 Films, said in a statement.
International distribution and format sales will be handled by Distribution360, which is jointly run by marblemedia and Seven24 Films.
SEVEN24 Films and marblemedia to Develop Preschool Animated Series Little Wombat
SEVEN24 Films and marblemedia today announced a partnership to develop Little Wombat, an animated series (26 X 11 minutes) for preschoolers based on the internationally acclaimed Little Wombat books by Charles Fuge. Through the adventures of Little Wombat, preschoolers explore, learn, and discover new things.
Each episode follows the mischievous marsupial Little Wombat and his friends Mouse and Koala as they adventure within the Hollow where they live. Although their adventures don’t always go smoothly, Little Wombat and his friends use teamwork to solve problems and complete their adventures successfully.
The adventures of Little Wombat continue online and on mobile devices. Kids are immersed in the world of Little Wombat through interactive digital books, bonus animated content, age-appropriate games, puzzles, and sing alongs.
“We’re pleased to be developing this series, and look forward to telling Little Wombat’s timeless stories through charming animation,” says Jordy Randall, Executive Producer, SEVEN24 Films. “The show really captures the fun and adventure of being a 4 year-old, where every day is filled with optimism and curiosity.”
“This is a great opportunity to expand the adventures of Little Wombat across multiple platforms,” says Matt Hornburg, Executive Producer/Partner, marblemedia. “Having already gained phenomenal success as a book series, the doors are open to bring these stories to life in other unique and exciting ways, including the TV series we’re currently developing.”
International distribution and format sales will be handled by marblemedia and SEVEN24 Films’ distribution arm, Distribution360.
For more information, please visit:
www.seven24films.com
www.marblemedia.com
About Seven24Films
SEVEN24 Films is one of Canada's foremost dramatic production companies. Managing Partners Tom Cox and Jordy Randall have created and produced dramatic features, mini-series, series, and television movies for CBC, CTV, CanWest Global, CBS, Lifetime, TNT, ABC Family, BBC, Disney Channel, Warner Brothers, Granada, Focus Features and Mandalay Television. Their efforts have resulted in over 300 hours of prime time dramatic programs, sold in hundreds of territories around the world. Notable SEVEN24 Films projects include: the hit family drama Heartland, the high-stakes conspiracy thriller Burn Up, the Gemini Award-winning Mayerthorpe and the Academy Award-winning Brokeback Mountain.
About marblemedia
Founded in 2001 by Mark Bishop and Matt Hornburg, Toronto-based marblemedia is a content creation company at the forefront of television and new media production, devoted to telling stories that entertain and engage audiences across all platforms. marblemedia was named Company of the Year by the Canadian New Media Awards in 2008, and was recognized by the Hollywood Reporter as a Next Generation Content Producer in 2009. Notable marblemedia projects include: the teen competition series The Adrenaline Project; the hit preschool series, This is Daniel Cook and This is Emily Yeung; the first television series and website in American Sign Language, deafplanet.com; the mobile short film anthology Shorts in Motion: The Art of Seduction; Taste Buds, a Gemini Award-winning kids cooking and food adventure series; The Dating Guy, a hooked-up animated comedy about the single life of twenty-somethings in the city; Skatoony, North America’s first animated/live-action quiz show adventure that pits tweens and ‘toons against each other in four frantic, trivia-based rounds; Splatalot, a hilarious medieval-themed physical game show geared to the 8-12 year-old audience, currently airing on YTV in Canada and BBC in the U.K., and will premiere on ABC in Australia this fall. marble’s newest project is What’s in a Name?, a transmedia factual entertainment series and website that takes audiences through the naming of Canada’s most notable people, places and things, premiering this September on History Television (Canada).
Media Contact René d’Entremont Manager of Communications (416) 646-2711 ext. 232 rene@marblemedia.com
Skatoony expands online game with second season
Indie producer Marblemedia and Teletoon are at work on a second season of Skatoony, the hybrid live-action and animated game show.
Indie producer Marblemedia and Teletoon are at work on a second season of Skatoony, the hybrid live-action and animated game show.
But the latest cycle of 26 episodes for the cross-platform kids series includes a multi-player online game on Teletoon.com, courtesy of the Bell Fund.
The TV series, based on the Cartoon Network UK format, sees real life kids compete against one another by answering trivia questions for prizes.
Mark Bishop, executive producer at Marblemedia, said an initial multi-player online game, the Skatoony Home Game, drew a big enough following for the Bell Fund to get behind an expanded version for the second season, and two upcoming iPad applications.
Besides the online engagement the Skatoony Home Game brings, Bishop adds the interactive extension serves cross-promotional goals for Teletoon by driving traffic to Teletoon.com and then back again to Skatoony on air. This is done by promoting the online game going into or during TV commercial breaks, or through bumper ads on the Skatoony Home Game site that flag the TV show.
The aim is to keep kids watching the TV show or playing the online game for “Skatoony Bucks” they can exchange for in-game accessories, and all within the Teletoon realm.
“The challenge is to craft a path and experience with messaging to ensure a continuum of [TV to online and back to TV],” Bishop explained.
The Skatoony TV series and its interactive game extension were produced with financing from Teletoon, the Canada Media Fund, the Bell Fund and Ontario and federal tax credits.
From Playback Daily
Company co-founded by Fergus man twice-honoured at Awards of Excellence
A company started by a Fergus man, marblemedia, is the only recipient of more than one award at this year’s Youth Media Alliance (YMA) awards.
The awards for marble’s TasteBudsTV.com were presented June 2 at the 2011 awards gala at CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio.
TasteBudsTV.com was awarded the special jury award for interactive web content and the Award of Excellence for best convergent interactive content. The special jury award goes to a project that promotes healthy living by outlining the importance of education, staying physically active, and incorporating strong core values. The Award of Excellence is awarded to the project that best exemplifies exceptional work on a website or convergent cross-platform content tied into a children’s television program.
TasteBudsTV.com is a website that brings the feel and flavour of the Taste Buds TV series to computers across the globe, promoting healthy eating by encouraging knowledge about food, nutrition, and diverse cultures. The online environment is host to a number of recipes, videos, and games, which incorporate educational components such as literacy, numeracy, science, health education, and caring for the environment.
“We’re very excited to have been honoured with these two great awards for TasteBudsTV.com,” said Mark Bishop, Executive Producer and partner in marblemedia with former Fergus resident Matt Hornburg.
Bishop said, “The Youth Media Alliance continues to promote the growth of ground breaking cross-platform content for kids and teens, which is very much what we here at marble strive for as well.”
For more information, visit: www.marblemedia.com and www.tastebudstv.com.
Marblemedia, of Toronto, founded in 2001 by Bishop and Hornburg, is a content creation company at the forefront of television and new media production, devoted to telling stories that entertain and engage audiences across all platforms.
It was named Company of the Year by the Canadian New Media awards in 2008, and was recognized by the Hollywood Reporter as a Next Generation Content Producer in 2009.
Its notable projects include: the teen competition series The Adrenaline Project; the hit pre-school series, This is Daniel Cook and This is Emily Yeung; the first television series and website in American Sign Language, deafplanet.com; the mobile short film anthology Shorts in Motion: The Art of Seduction; Taste Buds, the Gemini award-winning kids cooking and food adventure series; The Dating Guy, a hooked-up animated comedy about the single life of 20-somethings in the city; and Skatoony, North America’s first animated live-action quiz show adventure that pits tweens and toons against each other.
Its most recent project, called Splatalot, is a medieval-themed television game show geared to 8 to 12-year-olds that airs on YTV in Canada and is coming this summer to the BBC in the U.K. and ABC in Australia.
UK Celebrities Dick & Dom Host the CBBC Version of Splatalot Premiering June 13th
marblemedia has brought on popular UK comic duo Dick and Dom to host the CBBC version of its series Splatalot premiering Monday, June 13th. marblemedia has also produced localized versions of the show for YTV in Canada and ABC in Australia.
BAFTA Award-winning comedians Dick and Dom are no strangers to the small screen. Over the past 15 years, they’ve starred and appeared in more than 25 programs and series such as Dick & Dom’s Funny Business and Are You Smarter Than a 10 Year Old? Splatalot marks their first Canadian-produced series. Their impressive portfolios also include a number of film, radio, and book publishing credits.
Splatalot is a hilarious medieval-themed physical game show geared to the 8-12 year-old audience. The series features a larger-than-life extreme obstacle course with more splats and spills than ever imaginable. Each episode features a different group of 12 thrill-seeking teen contestants, dubbed Attackers, competing in three hilarious rounds: Cross the Moat, Escape the Stockade, and Capture the Crown. The Defenders of Splatalot, an international squad of nine costumed gladiators, do their best to protect the castle from the Attackers—leaving only one to be crowned King or Queen of Splatalot.
“Dick and Dom really bring their comedic genius to Splatalot, which is sure to entertain their large UK fan base, and attract new audiences to CBBC,” says Matt Hornburg, Executive Producer/Partner, marblemedia. “They’re very talented actors, and it was great working with them on this project.”
“This is our first collaboration with marblemedia. It’s a great show and we’re very excited about the full on medieval messy madness,” says Kez Margrie, Executive Producer, CBBC. “The CBBC viewers are sure to laugh out loud at the soaks, the slips and the splats as the fearless attackers battle to become the King or Queen of Splatalot.”
International distribution and format sales are handled by Distribution360.
For more information, please visit:
www.marblemedia.com
www.distribution360.com
About marblemedia
Founded in 2001 by Mark Bishop and Matt Hornburg, Toronto-based marblemedia is a content creation company at the forefront of television and new media production, devoted to telling stories that entertain and engage audiences across all platforms. marblemedia was named Company of the Year by the Canadian New Media Awards in 2008, and was recognized by the Hollywood Reporter as a Next Generation Content Producer in 2009. Notable marblemedia projects include: the teen competition series The Adrenaline Project; the hit preschool series, This is Daniel Cook and This is Emily Yeung; the first television series and website in American Sign Language, deafplanet.com; the mobile short film anthology Shorts in Motion: The Art of Seduction; Taste Buds, a Gemini Award-winning kids cooking and food adventure series; The Dating Guy, a hooked-up animated comedy about the single life of twenty-somethings in the city; and Skatoony, North America’s first animated/live-action quiz show adventure that pits tweens and ‘toons against each other in four frantic, trivia-based rounds. marble’s newest project is What’s in a Name?, an original cross-platform series and website for History Television (Canada), which takes audiences through the naming of Canada’s most notable people, places and things, premiering this September.
Media Contact:
René d’Entremont / Manager of Communications / (416) 646-2711 ext. 232 rene@marblemedia.com
marblemedia Twice-Honoured for TasteBudsTV.com at Awards of Excellence Gala
marblemedia is the only recipient of more than one award at this year’s Youth Media Alliance (YMA) Awards. The awards for marble’s TasteBudsTV.com were presented last night at the 2011 Awards of Excellence Gala held at CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio.
TasteBudsTV.com was awarded the Special Jury Award for Interactive Web Content and the Award of Excellence for Best Convergent Interactive Content. The Special Jury Award goes to a project that promotes healthy living by outlining the importance of education, staying physically active and incorporating strong core values. The Award of Excellence for Best Convergent Interactive Content is awarded to the project that best exemplifies exceptional work on a website or convergent cross-platform content tied into a children's television program.
TasteBudsTV.com is a vibrant and engaging website that brings the feel and flavour of the popular Taste Buds TV series to computers across the globe, promoting healthy eating by encouraging knowledge about food, nutrition, and diverse cultures. This interactive online environment is host to a number of recipes, videos and games, which incorporate educational components such as literacy, numeracy, science, health education, and caring for the environment.
“We're very excited to have been honoured with these two great awards for TasteBudsTV.com,” says Mark Bishop, Executive Producer/Partner, marblemedia. “The Youth Media Alliance continues to promote the growth of groundbreaking cross-platform content for kids and teens, which is very much what we here at marble strive for as well.”
For more information, please visit:
www.marblemedia.com
www.tastebudstv.com
About marblemedia
Founded in 2001 by Mark Bishop and Matt Hornburg, Toronto-based marblemedia is a content creation company at the forefront of television and new media production, devoted to telling stories that entertain and engage audiences across all platforms. marblemedia was named Company of the Year by the Canadian New Media Awards in 2008, and was recognized by the Hollywood Reporter as a Next Generation Content Producer in 2009. Notable marblemedia projects include: the teen competition series The Adrenaline Project; the hit preschool series, This is Daniel Cook and This is Emily Yeung; the first television series and website in American Sign Language, deafplanet.com; the mobile short film anthology Shorts in Motion: The Art of Seduction; Taste Buds, the Gemini Award-winning kids cooking and food adventure series; The Dating Guy, a hooked-up animated comedy about the single life of twenty-somethings in the city; and Skatoony, North America’s first animated/live-action quiz show adventure that pits tweens and toons against each other in four frantic, trivia-based rounds. marble’s newest project is Splatalot, a hilarious medieval-themed physical game show geared to the 8-12 year-old audience, which airs on YTV in Canada and is coming this summer to the BBC in the U.K. and ABC in Australia.
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Media Contact
René d’Entremont / Manager of Communications / (416) 646-2711 ext. 232 / rene@marblemedia.com
TELETOON Renews Skatoony for a Second Season
There’s more loony Skatoony fun on the way for TELETOON fans. The Canadian broadcaster has ordered a second season of the marblemedia-produced hit TV series Skatoony (26 half-hour English and 26 half-hour French episodes), and further expansion of the popular multiplayer online game on Skatoony.ca. Skatoony is based on the Cartoon Network UK format.
"Skatoony has proven to be a very successful franchise both in English and French Canada, and we’re excited to be starting production on its second season in association with our long-time partner TELETOON", says Mark Bishop, Executive Producer/Partner, marblemedia. "The great thing about Skatoony is that it encourages education and learning through fun and engaging trivia games", adds Bishop. "There is a high-level of interactivity both on-air and online that resonates well with kids."
Production of the second season has begun in Toronto on the animated/live-action comedy series that pits tweens and toons against each other in competition through frantic, trivia-based rounds - but only one will be named Skatoony Quiz Champ. The live-action portion of Skatoony is being filmed in front of a green screen with contestants chosen through an audition process, which took place in Toronto and Montreal over the past two months. In addition, teletoon.com held a wildly successful contest and a winner from both English and French Canada will appear on the show. To add to the excitement of the second season, there will be special celebrity toon appearances by popular characters from other TELETOON hit series, such as Total Drama Revenge of the Island (Fresh TV) and Jimmy Two-Shoes (Breakthrough Entertainment).
"TELETOON is incredibly excited to bring Skatoony on board for a second season – a series that has become a beloved part of our programming lineup", says Alan Gregg, Director, Original Content, TELETOON Canada inc. "We’re delighted to have more celebrity appearances from TELETOON’s other original productions that will enhance the new season and the overall game-show experience that Skatoony brings to our viewers."
This year, teletoon.com launched its first-ever multi-player online game, the marblemedia-produced Skatoony Home Game (available at Skatoony.ca), which has been played over 85,000 times with over one million trivia questions asked to date. Kids play against other real kids in real time as well as computer-generated characters, and compete in the same trivia rounds featured on the television series, such as Bang On or Bogus and Hoo Flung Dung. The more kids play, the more Skatoony Bucks they collect, which can be used in-game to purchase accessories to customize both their avatar and their quiz show block.
Skatoony TV and Skatoony Interactive were produced with the financial participation of TELETOON Canada inc.; Canada Media Fund; Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund; Ontario Film & Television Tax Credit; Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit; Canadian Television Fund - Digital Media Program; OMDC Interactive Digital Media Fund.
Skatoony is distributed internationally by Distribution360.
Danone gets messy with Splatalot
When in the hands of a toddler, yogurt is always a messy experience, but Danone is taking the concept to a wider audience with a just-announced integration deal with new YTV show Splatalot.
Danone has signed on as the presenting sponsor of the new game show, which is produced by Toronto-based Marblemedia and airing on Corus's YTV starting March 14. Danone will be promoting its new yogurt product, Coolision, which is targeted at a tween audience.
The deal was handled by MPG and YTV.
Coolision is set to be featured right off the bat, with branded integration in the series' opening sequence. Thirty-second spots will also include Coolision tags and online banners will be placed on the Splatalot homepage.
The star piece of the integration puzzle is a branded segment, Best Coolisions of the Day, which will feature highlights of the best wipeouts of the day. It will run before the last act of each episode and online at YTV.com. Danone branding will also be featured on the show's pages on YTV.com and the brand is sponsoring an online game, the Danone Castle Coolision.
Splatalot will be getting extra promotion with YTV's afterschool block, The Zone. Starting April 4, The Zone hosts will encourage viewers to enter The Ultimate King of the Castle competition, where viewers can win a chance to appear on Splatalot. The contest will be promoted with 30-second spots on YTV and online banners on YTV.com.
marblemedia Announces New Series For Kids
marblemedia and Skatoony creators James Fox and Richard Brookes from UK-based Whole Hog Creations, today announced a partnership to develop Chugga Chugga Wow, an original live-action/animated hybrid television series (52 x 11 minutes) and website for preschoolers. The series is in development with Kids’ CBC.
“We’re really looking forward to developing Chugga Chugga Wow with the creators of Skatoony,” says Mark Bishop, Executive Producer/Partner, marblemedia. “Through our combined experience with children’s cross-platform properties, we feel this is a great opportunity for both companies to create something entertaining and educational for pre-schoolers.”
Chugga Chugga Wow is an educational adventure, where real kids board an animated train and embark on a journey through a cartoon world. At each stop, they interact with characters, and help them solve problems through fun, learning-based activities.
“Chugga Chugga Wow is a hugely exciting concept,” says James Fox, Co-Founder, Whole Hog Creations. “It’s the perfect mix of live-action kids and magical cartoon characters, plus it’s as funny as it is educational. We have developed a strong creative relationship with marblemedia; they are fantastically imaginative and great fun to work with. Chugga Chugga Wow is the perfect project on which to blend our expertise and enthusiasm.”
The Chugga Chugga Wow experience transitions seamlessly online, where kids get to take the journey themselves. marblemedia is developing an interactive world where kids can meet and interact with their favourite characters as well as sing songs and play games from the television show.
Kim Wilson, Creative Head for Children’s & Youth Programming at CBC says, “We’re really excited to be working on this project. The idea of doing an age-appropriate game show for preschoolers is extremely appealing.”
International distribution and format sales for Chugga Chugga Wow will be handled by marblemedia’s distribution arm, Distribution360.
What's in a Name? Multi-Platform Content from History TV, marblemedia
Toronto-based marblemedia has begun production on an original cross-platform series and website for History Television, developed to take audiences through the naming of Canada's most notable people, places and things.
Toronto-based marblemedia has begun production on an original cross-platform series and website for History Television, developed to take audiences through the naming of Canada's most notable people, places and things.
The original concept actually began as a website, but has now expanded into a 13-part TV series, being produced in HD. Shooting is scheduled to wrap in May.
The yet-to-be named property will premiere on History Television fall 2011, and the show format will be made available for distribution to other markets through Distribution 360, René d'Entremont, Manager of Communications for marblemedia, told Mediacaster Magazine.
The series will explore the history and origin of names, from Chef Susur Lee's new restaurant to a new small-town beer to a team from the Women's National Hockey League.
Even the TV show itself will be named through an online contest. To date, nearly 45,000 Canadians have registered their unique name suggestions. The contest closes in April this year.
Parallel to pre-production, marble's Gemini Award-winning interactive department launchedNamethis.ca, the website that allows Canadians to enter the nation-wide contest and submit name suggestions.
That website will also host bonus video content exclusive to the site, d'Entremont added. Users will be able to explore the meaning of names and their origins through quizzes and polls. They will also have access to tools to digitally visualize their name. The site will also host a blog where naming experts will answer questions from fans.
While the television show is geared towards a broad audience, the online experience is meant to offer a more personal experience, he noted
Some of the most intriguing and thought-provoking names will be profiled in the forthcoming TV series.
Each TV episode will take viewers through the process taken by corporations, entrepreneurs, and even well-known personalities in making a final decision on what to call their soon-to-launch product. The contemporary storyline launches into the fascinating history of where names have come from through the centuries.
"This project truly allows audiences to leave their mark on history by naming the next big thing," said Matt Hornburg, Executive Producer/Partner, marblemedia. "While the TV series will explore this process, the website will engage people in a more intimate experience on what's most important to them, their name, allowing them to discover the roots of their first and last names as well as connect with others online in a sizeable social experiment."
The project's Series Producer is Maggie Sutcliffe, an award-winning factual producer who has worked for major UK broadcasters - BBC, Sky, Channel 4 and ITV. Maggie worked as Co-Executive Producer on Weird or What with William Shatner, which is a top-rated, primetime series airing on Discovery Channel in the U.S. and History Television in Canada.
"It's surprising how much names affect us in our daily lives, and how they help shape our opinions about the people we meet and the products we use," added Maggie Sutcliffe, Series Producer. "The series will explore the history of naming successes and failures over the centuries."
marblemedia is building an immersive website that will extend the brand to new audiences with a fun, re-playable social experience. Visitors will be able to uncover the roots of a name, its place in history as well as its global popularity. They will also be able to share the fun through Facebook, helping friends to experience their own names in new and surprising ways, further extending the audience reach with social media.
Activities, quizzes and games will contribute to a dynamic, ever-changing dashboard that will use eye-catching design and creative visualizations to turn a name into an adventure.
Founded in 2001 by Mark Bishop and Matt Hornburg, Toronto-based marblemedia is a content creation company at the intersection of television and new media production, telling stories that entertain and engage audiences across multiple digital media platforms.
marblemedia was named Company of the Year by the Canadian New Media Awards in 2008, and was recognized by the Hollywood Reporter as a Next Generation Content Producer in 2009.
The company's describes its notable projects as including the teen competition series The Adrenaline Project; the hit preschool series, This is Daniel Cook and This is Emily Yeung; the first television series and website in American Sign Language, deafplanet.com; the mobile short film anthology Shorts in Motion: The Art of Seduction; Taste Buds, a kids cooking and food adventure series; The Dating Guy,a hooked-up animated comedy about the single life of twenty-somethings in the city; and Skatoony, North America's first animated/live-action quiz show adventure that pits tweens and toons against each other in four frantic, trivia-based rounds. marble's newest project is Splatalot, a hilarious medieval-themed physical game show geared to the 8-12 year-old audience, which will air this year on YTV in Canada, BBC in the U.K. and ABC in Australia.
marblemedia enters production on new History series
Here’s a twist: marblemedia’s new series delves into the origins of the names of Canada’s notable people, places and things, but the series itself doesn’t yet have a name. Broadcaster History Television is letting the public decide its moniker as part of a contest.
Roughly 45,000 Canadians have already weighed in on what to name the series during pre-production at Namethis.ca, launched by marble’s interactive department. (The contest closes in April.)
The 13 x 30-minute series is also the first prime-time factual series for the prodco, bringing viewers into the process of naming anything from Chef Susur Lee’s new restaurant to a Women’s National Hockey League team.
Meanwhile, marble interactive is building a website to complement and extend the brand socially. Users will be able to explore the history and roots of their own names, along with activities, quizzes and games and Facebook integration.
Maggie Sutcliffe (Weird or What) is series producer, along with marblemedia executive producer/partner Matt Hornburg. It’s slated to air on History this fall.
Read more: http://playbackonline.ca/2011/01/28/marblemedia-enters-production-on-new-history-series/#ixzz1CLVb7zNL