Canada From Above Lands On TVO From Big Time Decent
From Realscreen- TVO has commissioned Canada From Above, a limited docuseries from Vancouver-based Big Time Decent Productions.
The 3 x 60-minute series (pictured) is currently in production and is being produced by Big Time Decent in partnership with TVO and London’s TVF International, which is handling international distribution.
Canada From Above will explore the people, landscapes, industries and wildlife that inhabit Quebec, the Yukon Territories and the Rocky Mountains.
“BTD’s ambitious, dynamic and human approach to capturing the awe-inspiring nature of Canada and the stories it tells promises something truly special for broadcasters and audiences of premium aerial travel documentaries the world over,” said Sam Joyce, TVF International’s senior acquisitions manager, in a statement.
Big Time Decent’s previous unscripted productions include the AMI docuseries Underdog Inc. and Cottage Life’s Vet Detective. The company also has a scripted branch called Bread and Better Films, which filmed the AMI scripted series Adapting last month.
Bomanbridge and FlareFlow Link on Lion Docuseries
From Broadcast International - Vertical video platform FlareFlow has partnered with Sonia Fleck’s Singapore-based production and distribution outfit Bomanbridge Media on a natural history docuseries.
Mapogo: The Lion Throne (w/t) is being touted as the first premium factual series to be produced in a vertical video format and is set to debut in Q3.
The show, which is being co-produced by COL Group International’s FlareFlow and Bomanbridge, was filmed over several years at South Africa’s Sabi Sands Game Reserve. It chronicles the brutal rise and tragic fall of the Mapogo Lion coalition, regarded by many as the most famous and feared lion dynasties ever documented.
The series will be narrated by popular microdrama star Sam Myerson (Oops, I Married My Bestie’s Brother).
FlareFlow said the show would “combine the cliffhanger pacing and emotional intensity of vertical drama with the sweeping scale of premium natural history”.
Trailblazer Studios' Work Showcased at Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Film Festival kicks off next week, and two projects Trailblazer worked on are premiering there: Full Circle: The First All Black Everest Ascent and ChikaBOOM!.
Trailblazer provided online assistance, color, and audio post for Full Circle, and audio post for ChikaBOOM!
Read about it here!
Big Time Decent Earns Eight LEO Award Nominations
Big Time Decent earns eight LEO Award nominations across their two series, The Last Captains, and Underdog, Inc.
BTD International Sales
From Playback -
BTD International, the sales arm of Vancouver-based Big Time Decent Productions, has secured international deals for Big Time Decent’s unscripted series Underdog Inc. and Mysteries of the Hollow Earth.
Sweden’s Viasat World has acquired season one of Underdog Inc. (8 x 60 minutes) for its Viasat Explore channel, which serves Central and Eastern Europe.
Commissioned by Accessible Media Inc. (AMI), the docuseries follows a diverse group of truckers, salvagers and recovery operators in B.C.
AMI has ordered a third season of Underdog Inc., which is currently in production.
Meanwhile, Germany’s ProSiebenSat.1-Group has acquired all three seasons of Mysteries of the Hollow Earth (24 x 60 minutes), which examines the enduring conspiracies and mythology surrounding the hollow Earth belief.
BTD International was launched ahead of MIPCOM 2025. Its wider slate includes such titles as Rust Valley Restorers and the upcoming scripted AMI series Adapting.
Shawney Cohen's "How to Survive" Nominated for a Webby!
Writer, Producer, Director Shawney Cohen’s recent work for Underknown’s webseries, HOW TO SURVIVE, is nominated for a Webby in the How-To, Explainer, & DIY Video & Film category. The episode, Tokyo’s Subway Horror: The 1995 Sarin Gas Attack has 1.3M views.
The Ozempic Effect: Beyond the Waistline to Netflix UK!
From C21: Netflix UK & Ireland has picked up medical science documentary The Ozempic Effect: Beyond the Waistline.
Produced by Paul Kemp Productions for CBC in Canada, the 1×54’ title tracks the development of a drug that was originally intended for type 2 diabetes treatment but has become more widely used for its side-effect of reducing weight.
The Netflix acquisition was announced by distributor TVF International at this week’s London TV Screenings.
TVF has already sold the doc to broadcasters including SBS in Australia, Spain’s Movistar Plus+, RTP in Portugal, RTV in Slovenia and Croatia’s HRT.
Cutting Class Studios prepping doc on CIA’s MKUltra program
From Playback -Toronto-based Cutting Class Studios has partnered with executive producers Robert Salomon and Brian Knappmiller for a multi-part documentary on the CIA-run MKUltra experiments, and the impact they had on Canadian survivors.
Initiated by the U.S. intelligence agency in the 1950s and lasting until the early ’70s, MKUltra was a secret, illegal program designed to test the viability of various mind-control and brainwashing techniques. A subset of the tests, referred to as the Montreal Experiments, were carried out on unwitting Canadians at McGill University’s Allan Memorial Institute by psychologist Donald Ewen Cameron.
Cutting Class has also partnered with U.K. investigators to chart how theexperiments may have extended outside North America to regions such as the U.K. and Australia. A substantial portion of the documentary was filmed over the past year, with completion expected by the end of 2026. The project is currently planned as a 3 x 60-minute series, but Cutting Class is also exploring options for a feature-film version.
MAGASIN GENERAL NOMINATED!
Race for the Arctic has been nominated for a Buzzie at the World Congress of Science and Factual Producers! In July 2023, the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Healy embarks on a strategic mission in the Arctic: To map, explore, and protect a region profoundly affected by climate change. On board, scientists and military personnel work together to better understand this fragile ecosystem, while asserting American presence in response to the growing ambitions of Russia and China. The rapid melting of ice is opening new maritime routes, fueling competition and reshaping global power dynamics. This immersive documentary series follows the Healy at the heart of the race for the Arctic and gives voice to international experts to unpack the environmental, geopolitical, and human stakes of a territory that has become crucial for the planet’s future.
AVAILABLE FOR LICENSE XGERMANY, XFRENCH CANADA
DARK SLOPE LAUNCHES CREATOR FUND
From Realscreen - Toronto-based virtual production studio Dark Slope has launched a creator-focused funding opportunity offering up to CAD$250,000 (approximately US$178,000) in studio, virtual production and team support for successful creators.
The Dark Slope Creator Studio Challenge is open to creators who have built up a fandom on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram or other platforms. Up to five winners will be selected across true-crime and investigations; family, kids and sports entertainment; short-form fiction and microdramas; pop culture, history and science explainer content; game shows and interactive formats; and sketch comedy and standup.
Each winner will receive CAD$50,000 (about US35,600) in in-kind studio support, including access to Dark Slope’s LED volume, soundstage, virtual production crew and digital art and VFX teams. Winners will also receive an option agreement for Dark Slope to coproduce content for potential inclusion on the company’s digital channels.
Dark Slope’s 75,000-square-foot facility (pictured) has contributed to projects such as Prime Video’s Gen V, Crave’s Heated Rivalry and more.
JOURNY Debut's Original Food & Travel Series TIDE
NextTrip, a technology-forward travel company redefining how people discover, plan, and book travel, today announced the production of TIDE, a vibrant new original series set to premiere exclusively across JOURNY's streaming and Video-on-Demand ("VOD") platforms. Sponsored by luxury cruise line Sea Cloud Cruises, the series combines cultural discovery with the art of dining, delivering immersive storytelling that connects audiences to destinations in a fresh and flavorful way.
At the heart of TIDE is the belief that "every port tells a story, and every story ends on a plate." Each episode follows charismatic chefs as they step ashore to explore vibrant markets, family farms, cafés, workshops, and hidden gems, gathering ingredients and inspiration that fuel one-of-a-kind pop-up dining experiences onboard. These meals, served on deck against stunning backdrops, offer passengers an unforgettable blend of storytelling, culture, and cuisine.
Big Time Decent Launches Distribution Arm
From Deadline. Big Time Decent International will debut at October’s industry get-together, with René Brar expanding his role to lead the division at Head of Development & Sales. Sarah McCormack, the former Beyond Rights sales exec who was most recently at Moonbug Entertainment, has also joined the support the operation.
Big Time Decent will form part of the Canadian Pavilion at MIPCOM, officially marking its international market entry.
“We’re excited to introduce our business and our content to the international market and to grow a distribution label that reflects the same creative values as our production company,” said Brar. “I’m thrilled to have this opportunity and grateful to have Sarah McCormack by my side offering support and sharing her expertise.”
“We’ve always made content with international audiences in mind but with our company now five years old and having secured a number of hits under our belt, the time feels right to start selling it ourselves and to see where else we can take our IP to help the business grow further,” said Matthew Shewchuk, President of Big Time Decent Productions.
L.A.’s Front Foot First pacts with Toronto’s Cutting Class Studios to shop IP
From Realscreen: Los Angeles-headquartered prodco Front Foot First has entered a partnership with Toronto-based prodco Cutting Class Studios to represent and shop the L.A. company’s original IP and properties in Canada and internationally.
The partnership will see Cutting Class work closely with Front Foot to identify market opportunities at events such as MIPCOM and the Realscreen Summit. They will also pitch original concepts and develop relationships with buyers, broadcasters and distributors outside the U.S to explore Canadian copros.
To kick off the partnership, the two are bringing to market a large-scale, home cook food competition format that “puts amazing home cooks through their paces in a fiery showdown”, according to a release announcing the pact. An initial rollout to prospective buyers is already underway.
Front Foot First, co-founded by Lauren and Janah Brooks Golden, is known for its unscripted food-based formats such as Undercover Chef (Food Network), Feral (Outdoor Channel) and Taste the Culture (TruTV, TBS).
Cutting Class Studios, led by Harriet Luke (pictured) and Bracken Burns, is the production and slate managing arm of Cutting Class Media. Its slate spans formats, feature documentaries, docuseries, and lifestyle programming.
TELL TALE'S GREAT WHITE NORTH INVASION FOR SHARK WEEK
They’re back Discovery’s #SharkWeek returns to colder waters in Great White North Invasion.
As great white encounters spike off the coast of Nova Scotia, Andy Casagrande joins a team of scientists, divers, and local fishers on a high-risk mission to tag and track these apex predators — before the next close call turns fatal.
Premieres Tuesday, July 22, 2025 @ 8PM ET on Discovery Shark Week
Ancient Bodies: Secrets Revealed and Fishing for History are back!
Farpoint Films announced today the start of production on the second seasons of two of their most popular shows: Ancient Bodies: Secrets Revealed and Fishing for History. Both shows will premiere on Super Channel Quest and Super Channel+ in Canada in 2026.
The second season of Ancient Bodies: Secrets Revealed (8 episodes) continues to uncover ancient human remains from around the world revealing prehistoric murders and rituals. Archaeologists then examine clues about lives lost, illuminating the tales of how these people lived and died.
Fishing for History’s second season (13 episodes) will see hosts Mike Lenton and Justin Gerbrandt, and their sidekick Toban Gottfried, once again searching with their mighty magnets for submerged treasures in waterways across North America and for the first time, Europe.
MANSION IMPOSSIBLE BREAKS GROUND
With 500K+ views on Youtube, the Fischer family has started construction on their abandoned 65,000 square foot mansion in Northern Ontario, and cameras are rolling.
BTD WINS WILL ROGERS MEDALLION FOR EXCELLENCE IN WESTERN WRITING
Congratulations to Big Time Decent and INSP for their win!