- Lauren Grant, Shaun Johnson, and Jennifer Pun awarded apprenticeships
with leading Canadian production companies Temple Street Productions,
marblemedia, and Shaftesbury -
To tweet this release: http://bit.ly/1xIBowo
BANFF, AB, June 11, 2014 /CNW/ - Bell Media announced today from the
Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) the recipients of the inaugural Bell Media Producer Accelerator Lab Production Apprenticeships. Lauren Grant, Shaun Johnson, and Jennifer
Pun have been selected for six to eight-month apprenticeships with
three of Canada's top production companies following an intense,
six-week Broadcaster Internship at Bell Media. Beginning later this
month, Lauren joins Temple Street Productions while Shaun joins
marblemedia, and in November, Jennifer begins her placement with
Shaftesbury. During their apprenticeships, each participant will be
exposed to the Executive Producer's roles and responsibilities, while
honing their production skills. Both Lauren and Shaun are currently
attending BANFF as part of the Bell Media Producer Accelerator Lab
program.
**Media Note** - Download photography for the inaugural Bell Media
Producer Accelerator Lab at BellMediaPR.ca.
"Congratulations to the recipients of the first-ever Bell Media Producer
Accelerator Lab Production Apprenticeship," said Kevin Crull,
President, Bell Media. "We're so proud to help support and nurture
these promising Canadian producers and can't wait to see how their
creative talents continue to blossom."
"For the deserving recipients of the Production Apprenticeship, this is
a unique opportunity to expand their skillsets with three of the
most-respected production companies in the business," said Corrie Coe,
Senior Vice-President, Independent Production. "A heart-felt thank you
goes out to Temple Street Productions, marblemedia, and Shaftesbury for
their participation in the Apprenticeship Program and this investment
in the future of Canadian programming."
The first-ever recipients of the Bell Media Producer Accelerator Lab
Production Apprenticeship are:
Jennifer Pun (Toronto) @JennPun
Jennifer Pun has produced over 45 hours of live action television. Her
producer credits include the award-winning tween live-action comedy
series HOW TO BE INDIE (YTV) and the action-adventure series CONNOR
UNDERCOVER (Family Channel). She is also Co-Producer on the recently
completed feature film Fall (written and directed by Terrance Odette and starring Michael Murphy).
In addition, Jennifer serves as Business Consultant to various
production companies, and is in development on several television
projects through her production company Courier Ink. Prior to this,
Jennifer held management positions at Heroic Film Company and Capri
Films. She holds an HBA and MBA from the Richard Ivey School of
Business, UWO.
Lauren Grant (Toronto) @laurenmgrant
The principal of Clique Pictures, Lauren Grant established her company
in 2006 to focus on developing fiction and documentary productions with
a focus on working with female creative talent both in front and behind
the camera. Clique Pictures is currently in post-production on the
feature film Wet Bum starring Julia Sarah Stone and recently completed the documentary Traceable. Lauren's previous productions include the feature film Picture Day starring Tatiana Maslany and the award-winning short films Frost and Savage.
Shaun Johnson (Toronto)
Shaun Johnson's career in the film and television industry spans more
than a decade, and includes credits in the drama, documentary,
lifestyle, feature, live comedy, and interactive new media genres. Most
recently, Shaun was Head of Production for Toronto's Aircraft Pictures,
where he worked on Wingman (X Box) and The Breadwinner (animated feature), as well as a number of other projects in funded
development. Previously, Shaun was a producer at Frantic Films in
Winnipeg, where he was involved with several successful television
series including TODD AND THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL (Space), GUINEA PIG
(Discovery Channel Canada), and the Winnipeg Comedy Festival (CBC).
With eight participants from across the country, the Bell Media Producer Accelerator Lab program began last March with the Broadcaster Internship, a six-week,
group-based curriculum where producers met with senior representatives
from internal departments at Bell Media, learning about the business
models and economics of Canadian broadcasting. They also a participated
in various panel discussions and case studies with some of our valued
production partners, and received in-depth coaching sessions as part of
the program. At the conclusion of the Broadcaster Internship,
participants were tasked with presenting their own case studies
outlining the life of their own production from pitch to
post-production based on learnings from the Internship. The
presentations were judged by the Bell Media Selection Committee and the
top three participants were awarded the coveted Production
Apprenticeships.
About the Bell Media TV Skills Development Initiative
The $1.8 million Bell Media TV Skills Development Initiative is a suite
of national training programs, exclusively funded by Bell Media, which
ensure a comprehensive range of training for writers, producers,
directors, and showrunners in the Canadian television industry at
different stages of their careers. The Initiative supports the Bell Media Diverse Screenwriters Program (Writers Guild of Canada) for emerging and mid-career writers from
diverse backgrounds who intern in a writing room of a Bell Media TV
series; the Bell Media National Fellowship Program (Banff World Media Festival), which encourages professional development
in the television industry by enabling emerging producers, writers, and
directors to attend the festival and take part in mentorship
activities; the Bell Media Primetime TV Program (Canadian Film Centre), which provides series development for TV
writers; the Bell Media Producer Accelerator Lab, which provides immersive and experiential broadcast and production
experience for mid-level producers; the Bell Media Showrunner Bootcamp (Canadian Film Centre), which develops showrunner knowledge and
management for TV writers; the Media Leadership Program (Women in Film and Television - Toronto), a biennial program designed
for mid to senior-level women and men who want leading-edge academic
knowledge and contemporary business and leadership skills required in
the Canadian screen-based industry; and the Business Management for Media Professionals Program (Women in Film and Television - Toronto), a certificate program
essential for emerging media professionals who want to understand the
business of film, television, and interactive production.
About Bell Media Independent Production
Bell Media has commissioned some of Canada's most-watched and
most-acclaimed original programming, working with the best Canadian
independent producers in the country. Hit CTV series include ratings
success stories SAVING HOPE, THE LISTENER, MOTIVE, and THE AMAZING RACE
CANADA, the record-breaking, Canadian-produced complementary version of
the hit international series. New to CTV in 2014 are hit international
format MASTERCHEF CANADA and multi-cam office comedy SPUN OUT, one of
the most-watched new comedies of the season. Among the scripted series
on Bell Media pay and specialty channels are the two-time
Emmy®-nominated hit DEGRASSI, the internationally acclaimed ORPHAN
BLACK, the most-watched original series in Space history BITTEN,
Bravo's most-watched new drama 19-2, TRANSPORTER: THE SERIES, and
upcoming dramas SENSITIVE SKIN, and KILLJOYS. Bell Media specialty
channels are also home to hit factual series HIGHWAY THRU HELL and
CANADA'S WORST DRIVER, among others. In 2013, Bell Media ordered 27
original Canadian series and currently has 84 projects in various
stages of development.
About Bell Media
With passion and an unrelenting commitment to excellence, Bell Media
creates content and builds brands that entertain, inform, engage, and
inspire audiences through the platforms of their choice. Bell Media is
Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television,
radio, out-of-home advertising, and digital media. Bell Media owns 30
local television stations led by CTV, Canada's #1 television network;
35 specialty channels, including TSN and RDS, Canada's most-watched
specialty channels in English and French; four pay TV services,
including The Movie Network and Super Écran; and is managing
shareholder of premium pay-per-view service Viewers Choice Canada. Bell
Media is also Canada's largest radio broadcaster, with 106 licensed
radio stations in 54 markets across Canada. Bell Media owns Astral
Out-of-Home, one of Canada's most dynamic and innovative out-of-home
advertising companies with a network of more than 9,500 advertising
faces in Québec, Ontario and British Columbia. Bell Media also operates
more than 200 websites, delivers TV Everywhere with its innovative GO
video streaming services, including CTV GO, TMN GO and Bravo GO, and
owns Dome Productions Inc., a multi-platform production company. Bell
Media is part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest
communications company. For more on Bell Media, please visit www.bellmedia.ca.
SOURCE Bell Media
