Up-and-coming Canadian TV writers & producers chosen for market-driven training

Winnipeg — The National Screen Institute — Canada (NSI) is pleased to announce the seven teams selected to the NSI Totally Television program, which is designed to help writer/producer teams fine-tune their TV series ideas and work towards landing a broadcast development deal.

The selected TV projects and teams are:
• B-List by producer Bob Crowe (Saskatoon, SK) and writer Joadie Jurgova (Antigonish, NS)
• Bruised Fruit by producer Karen Wong and writer Karen Lam (Vancouver, BC)
• Get Happy! by producer Corey Marr and writer Joseph Kay (Toronto, ON)
• Homefront by producer Todd Dulmage and writer David Macniven (Toronto, ON)
• Ice Queen by producer Andy Pedersen and writer Mary Pedersen (Halifax, NS)
• Vacationship by producer Kat Baulu (Westmount, QC) and writer Cynthia Knight (Montreal, QC)
• Vets! by producer Ziad Touma and writer Phillip Kalin-Hajdu (Montreal, QC)

“This year there were so many great projects that we just had to select seven teams, rather than our usual six” said Program Manager Kit Redmond. “The chosen participants are from across Canada and bring a variety of ideas that meet the current market need. We are very excited to explore and develop these projects over the next 10 months.” Kit is the executive producer on From the Ground Up with Debbie Travis (airing on Global) and executive producer of Maxed Out (airing on W network).

NSI Totally Television is a ten-month, market-driven program designed to mentor and guide television writer/producer teams through the development of their TV series concept. Each year up to six teams are selected to fine-tune their ideas and work towards landing a development deal with a broadcaster.

Recent NSI Totally Television graduate successes include:

Less Than Kind, created by producer Chris Sheasgreen and writer Marvin Kaye (2004-05), is in production with CHUM Television.

da’ Kink in My Hair by producer Damion Nurse and writers Trey Anthony and Ngozi Paul (2004-05) is in production with Global Television.

Wapos Bay - There’s No ‘I’ in Hockey, a pilot by producer Anand Ramayya and writer Dennis Jackson (2002-03), was broadcast on APTN in 2005. More episodes have since aired on the network.

Since the inception of the NSI Totally Television program in 2002, seven out of eight NSI Totally Television graduating teams have landed development deals with broadcasters and so far, three have been produced and broadcast nationally.

For more information on the NSI Totally Television program, visit www.nsicanada.ca

NSI Totally Television has been made possible through the generous support of Presenting Sponsor CTV and the CTV/BCE Benefits. Additional funding has been provided by Program Partner Telefilm Canada. We also gratefully acknowledge the support of our provincial sponsors British Columbia Film and Nova Scotia Film Development Corporation which provided financial assistance for three BC-based teams and a team member from Nova Scotia, respectively, for the 2006-07 program year.

The National Screen Institute - Canada, with headquarters in Winnipeg, is Canada's oldest nationally-recognized film and television training school. The National Screen Institute helps emerging writers, directors and producers bring their stories to life to share at home and abroad. Its market-driven programs have led to employment for National Screen Institute graduates by giving them a competitive edge - according to the latest National Screen Institute Alumni Survey, 97% of respondents are working in the industry.