Barely 3 years old, the Los Angeles-based TV arm of indie Entertainment One has made a mark in the network and cable biz by bringing to the table that most precious commodity: financing.

eOne Television, headed by CEO John Morayniss, leverages its heft as a producer and distrib of film, TV and home entertainment fare in Canada, the U.K. and other territories to cobble together coin for TV series in the same way that many indie features are funded, through a combo of foreign pre-sales and advance commitments. It mines the lucrative Canadian system of production incentives and premium license fees given to shows that lense in Canada but also air on a major U.S. network.

This patchwork quilt of funding sources allows the company to offer some series to U.S. networks at a steep discount, often in exchange for big upfront commitments. Its highest-profile series to date has been the adaptation of John Grisham novel “The Firm,” which landed at NBC with a 22-episode order.

The legal ensembler wasn’t that much of a gamble for NBC at a license fee said to be around $1 million, less than what top cablers pay for original drama skeins. Between the coin received from Canada’s Global TV and a big sale to Sony’s suite of AXN-branded international channels covering more than 140 countries, eOne didn’t need big bucks from the U.S. to cover its costs; it needed the outlet to attract name thesps (notably Josh Lucas and Molly Parker) and to ensure the premium license fees from its other partners.

“There’s a proliferation of channels that are hungry for American programming that is a certain genre and tone,” Morayniss said. “When an opportunity comes along get a branded series like ‘The Firm,’ Sony’s AXN came in without the condition of a U.S. sale because they knew we were heavily in this market.”

In many respects, “The Firm” will be an interesting test case for whether the eOne model can survive the big leagues of network primetime. The Big Three have been experimenting with Canadian imports for the past few years, but most of these shows have been relegated to summer runs, as ABC has done with eOne’s cop drama “Rookie Blue.”

“The Firm,” on the other hand, landed a regular-season slot and was touted at NBC’s upfront presentation last May. On the downside, “The Firm” has been mostly panned by domestic critics and got off to a weak start (a 3 share in adults 18-49 weak) in its two-hour premiere Sunday. It will face tough competish in its regular Thursday 10 p.m. berth.

But even if “The Firm” doesn’t go the distance, the eOne model has piqued the interest of the creative community. Indeed, it was Grisham, scribe Lukas Reiter and his reps at CAA that brought the project to eOne after seeing what the company had done with “Rookie Blue” and the Syfy drama “Haven.”

NBC, for one, is negotiating with eOne for a multi-episode commitment to another drama, medical vehicle “Saving Hope,” that has also been ordered by Canada’s CTV. Filmmaker Paul W.S. Anderson came to eOne last fall with a concept for a supernatural procedural drama, “The Reel,” that will be shopped overseas long before it seeks a U.S. home.

Timing was everything for eOne’s push to build its U.S. TV business. In fall 2008, the company bought Blueprint Entertainment, the production shingle run by international TV vets Morayniss and Noreen Halpern, who is now eOne’s prexy of drama programming. Morayniss and Halpern had been pursuing the Canadian content/foreign financing model on their own, but the backing of eOne gave them deeper pockets.

Moreover, eOne’s rollup of Blueprint and other TV companies came on the heels of the 2007-08 writers strike, which was the shock to the system that spurred the major nets to look for new and cheaper sources of programming.

“We’d always had a more global approach,” Halpern says. “All of a sudden that coincided with an interest in the U.S. of putting shows together in a different way — bringing financing out of international markets, using the advantage to be able to bring a significant amount of money out of Canada and other countries as a way to do high-end shows for lower license fees.”

This article first appeared on Variety.com.

“Descent Into Crowley Heights” is a web-based, side-scrolling game that takes players through the world of Todd & The Book of Pure Evil, playing as one of the gang members from the series with characteristic weapons. The game utilizes the well-known locations, enemies, and a slew of monsters featured on the program.

Each player is taken through five bloody levels on their mission to try to capture the Book of Pure Evil. The art direction is representative of the rich texture and tongue-in-cheek style from the Todd & The Book of Pure Evil television series.

“Descent Into Crowley Heights” leverages cast audio, clips and of course the attitude that viewers have come to know and love. The game guide takes the form of Todd’s mentor, Jimmy (Jason Mewes), with his typical crude approach to advice. A variety of mini-game challenges are also available on Facebook as well as an unlockable character to play once the user finds the code.

Hot off a Gemini award for best Ensemble Cast in a Comedy Series, Todd & The Book of Pure Evil debuted as one of the highest-rated premieres for a SPACE original series last year and continues to gain momentum. Following an amazing run on SPACE, Season 1 was the most watched Canadian program on The Comedy Network this summer among all key adult and male adult demos. The first season’s gory goodness can also be found on MuchMusic, Tuesdays at 9:30 pm ET.

Viewers in the U.S. made a pact with the devil when the first season of TODD began airing on the horror channel, FEARnet, in August.

The series returns to SPACE and SPACE HD with brand new bloody hilarious episodes Sunday, Oct. 30 at 10 p.m. ET.

The series is distributed by eOne Television International and is produced by Corvid Pictures, Aircraft Pictures and Frantic Films.

For more information on the game, please contact:

Travis Dudfield, FanTrust Entertainment Strategies, travis@fantrust.com

For more information on the series, please contact:

Andrea Allen, Bell Media, 416-384-5375 or andrea.allen@bellmedia.ca

• Call Me Fitz, produced and distributed by eOne Television International, walked away with six Gemini’s for Best Sound and Best Picture Editing in a Comedy, Variety or Performing Arts Program or Series, Best Writing in a Comedy or Variety Program or Series, Best Performance by an Actress and Actor in a Featured Supporting Role or Guest Role in a Comedic Series and Best Direction in a Comedy Program or Series.

• “The Phantom of Crowley High”, a musical episode from the first season of Todd & The Book of Pure Evil, produced by Frantic Films, Corvid Pictures and Aircraft Pictures, and distributed by eOne Television International, received the Gemini for Best Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Program or Series, in what the Toronto Star called one of the biggest surprises of night.

• The season finale of Ice Pilots NWT, “Arnie Calls It” received a Gemini for Best Original Music for a Lifestyle/Practical Information or Reality Program or Series and the Season 2 episode “Under Pressure”, was given the nod for Best Photography in an Information Program or Series.

• Debt Do Us Part, distributed by PictureBox, picked up a Gemini for Best Lifestyle/Practical Information Series.

• Best Cross-Platform Project, Fiction went to marblemedia for the comedy DatingGuy.com

Catherine Warren, FanTrust president and Bell Fund board member & communications chair, also congratulates the following Gemini award winners, who received funding from the Bell Broadcast & New Media Fund:

• Best Cross-Platform Project – Children’s and Youth: Babar and the Adventures of Badou Interactive

• Best Cross-Platform Project – Fiction: DatingGuy.com

• Best Cross-Platform Project – Non-Fiction: Storming Juno Interactive

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 8pm on CBC Television.

In an ambitious and provocative new 4-part series exploring our global ocean, CBC’s THE NATURE OF THINGS with David Suzuki brings to audiences a unique, investigative look at the water that covers more than 70 percent of our planet.

With games, a pledge and more, cbc.ca/oneocean accompanies the series, airing on Thursdays through to March 25^th, further educating and entertaining audiences about the wonders and challenges facing our oceans.

The One Ocean Pledge is an open call to think resourcefully, reduce consumption and waste, and get involved in protecting aquatic ecosystems. Among the 50 pledge points addressing issues such as coral depletion, deadzones, overfishing and pollution, participants can pledge from a range of choices to change their actions. Examples range from activities such as supporting conservation organizations to refraining from de-icing sidewalks with salt.

Pledge activists can earn virtual eco-points making One Ocean commitments. These points can be used to play The Biosphere, an online 3D game that allows users to create their own marine reserve, play video games to help balance the health of their ecosystem, explore landscapes from deep ocean trenches to colourful coral reefs and swim virtually with prehistoric creatures.

“This combination of evocative television series, immersive game, action-oriented pledge and social networking represents the next generation of environmental education and entertainment,” said Catherine Warren, president of FanTrust Entertainment Strategies, which provides community-building strategies and tactics for One Ocean Interactive, produced by clients Merit Motion Pictures and Tactica Interactive.

The Biosphere is built using Unity, the innovative 3D social gaming engine, and will be available on Facebook as well as www.cbc.ca/oneocean

The One Ocean Pledge also makes use of Facebook Connect functionality, allowing participants to help spread the word about the importance of ocean conservation as well as what can be done to help.

Finally, Ocean Explorer takes users on guided tours of the ocean using Google Earth’s satellite and sonar imagery. Historical timelines, profiles of sea life, experts, and creators of the series and website are also available, along with new webisodes and podcasts.

Conservation partners currently promoting the One Ocean pledge include:

David Suzuki Foundation

Canadian Wildlife Foundation

Living Oceans Society

One Ocean is co-produced by CBC’s The Nature of Things and Merit Motion Pictures (The Science of the Senses, The Truth About Liars and The Secret World of Shoplifting), in association with National Geographic Channel, and with the participation of the Canadian Television Fund, Manitoba Film & Music, the Government of Canada – Canadian Film and Video Production Tax Credit and the Government of Manitoba – Manitoba Film and Video Production Tax Credit.

www.cbc.ca/oneocean is co-produced by Merit Motion Pictures and Tactica Interactive Communications, in association with CBC’s The Nature of Things, and with the participation of the Canadian Television Fund, the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund, and the Government of Manitoba – Manitoba Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit.

The launch will allow Unity game developers – representing a growing base and 100,000 downloads of Unity’s engine to date – to create an account at http://www.dimerocker.com and access an ever-growing feature-set that includes the following turn-key API:

• Deployment to Social Networks (Facebook and MySpace )
• Real-time global and Social Leaderboards
• Achievements
• Scalable Hosting
• Social Engagement (Wall Posts, Challenges, etc.)
• Microtransaction System

“These initial beta developers will be invaluable in helping to shape dimeRocker’s technology moving forward, and will receive many ‘first-look’ opportunities as we roll out new tools and services,” said OverInteractive Media CEO Jason Joly. “We currently have more than 150 Unity developers signed and expect to see more exciting games tapping our platform in coming months.”

In tandem with the open-beta launch of dimeRocker, OMI is showcasing two next-gen social games inside the Unity booth at GDC.  The first, “Air Traffic Commander,” developed by Downtown East Side Games, in partnership with Complex Games, shows-off a wide range of dR functionality from social engagement to microtransactions.

The second is a browser-version of the popular iPhone/iTouch title “Battle Bears”, downloaded more than two million times via Apple’s App store.  The game took under two weeks to port over to the web and deploy via dimeRocker.  SkyVu Pictures, the company behind “Battle Bears” sees this opportunity as way to not only market the App, but also provide a secondary stream of revenue from social networks like Facebook with its 400 million users.

“DimeRocker is bringing consumers and developers together in the explosive world of 3D social games,” said FanTrust Entertainment Strategies President Catherine Warren, who also serves as a board director of OMI. “Facebook and other social network fans are now looking for immersive entertainment environments as part of their gameplay experience.” In coming months, OMI will keep expanding the dimeRocker platform by offering real-time analytics, in-game advertising and iPhone connectivity.

View the full news release

Santa Monica, CA / Waterloo, ONTARIO  – RingTales (www.ringtales.com), a digital media content company that produces and syndicates animated video versions of world renowned print cartoons s across all digital media, and Metranome (www.metranome.net), a leading mobile applications production company, have partnered to launch the first ever animated Dilbert and New Yorker “Cartoon a Day” integrated calendar applications for BlackBerry.

FanTrust client Metranome 2009 is one of Canada’s Top 20 Innovative Companies and winner of the 2009 International ITV Award for best Mobile Interactive App.

Read the full press release

* Ice Pilots NWT delivers highest-ever ratings for a Canadian series on History Television
* Highest-rated program on Specialty Television during its timeslot

The series premiere of the highly-anticipated Canwest original series Ice Pilots NWT garnered massive ratings with 459,000 viewers (2+), marking the highest audience ever for a Canadian series on History Television. The debut episode, which aired Wednesday, November 18 at 10 pm ET/PT, hauled-in 174,000 viewers in the A25-54 demographic and achieved a remarkable 164,000 viewers in the younger, A18-49 category. Ice Pilots NWT also proved to be a hit with females, pulling in 59,000 (W25-54) and an impressive 74,000 in the W18-49 demographic. The highest-rated series on Specialty Television during its timeslot, Ice Pilots NWT also won the timeslot against conventional network CityTV and sports Specialty TSN.

The epic premiere of Ice Pilots NWT aired after the compelling viewer-favourite series, Ice Road Truckers, which continues to achieve huge audience numbers for the channel. An impressive 323,000 viewers (2+) tuned-in to the eleventh episode of the season on November 18 at 9 pm ET/PT, creating a powerful lead-in for the premiere of Ice Pilots NWT. Garnering over 750,000 (2+) viewers between the two shows combined, this audience success has proven that Canadians are captivated by History Television’s gripping living history series, set right here in the great Canadian North.

Ice Pilots NWT is a thirteen–part series that follows a group of elite pilots in Yellowknife and the extraordinary adventures of the most unorthodox airline in the Canadian North. Renegade Arctic airline Buffalo Airways defies the cold and the competition by using WWII-era propeller planes to haul vital fuel, supplies and passengers to remote outposts. Rookie pilots with nerves of steel come from across the country to Yellowknife to receive training from the very best and for the chance to earn their wings flying vintage planes originally built for war. From landing vital cargo onto airstrips at mine sites to carving out runways on frozen lakes and rocky tundra, the Ice Pilots do it all, despite frequent blizzards and breakdowns.

For more on the show’s online and on-air success, visit http://www.fantrust.com/2009/12/07/ice-pilots-takes-flight-for-history-television/

Ice Pilots NWT airs Wednesdays at 10 pm ET/PT on History Television.

Source: BBM Canada PPM

Historical Cdn premiere data – BBM-NMR meter data (Mark 2)

You can view the full Bell Fund 2008 annual report, including the funded new media productions, online.

As in years past, the awards will gather over 200 professionals across the entertainment, mobile and Internet industries. Catherine Warren, FanTrust President and Academy member, will join other digital luminaries at the invitation-only ceremony.

“We are very pleased to be recognizing these nominees for their outstanding achievements in producing content specifically designed for delivery on a digital platform,” said Bruce L. Paisner, President & CEO of The International Academy. “Digital programming is now a significant option for audiences around the world seeking out content.”

In addition to the presentation of the International Digital Emmy® Awards for Children & Young People, Fiction and Non-Fiction. The International Academy will present a special award – the Pioneer Prize, which is not an Emmy® but rather a special initiative from the Academy which honors an industry personality or organization. “The Pioneer Prize will be presented to Nokia, Inc. for its innovative contributions to the field of digital television and video broadcasting on a mobile device,” added Paisner.

Niklas Savander, Member of the Nokia Group Executive Board and EVP, Nokia Services will accept on behalf of the company.

“We are delighted to accept this prestigious award. As consumers’ digital consumption habits are increasingly going mobile, Nokia and the mobility industry at large is excited by the business opportunity it presents for us together with our content partners,” commented Niklas Savander. “Services like the groundbreaking Comes With Music service and the Ovi Store media distribution network are pushing the boundaries of what is possible in mobile entertainment.”

Read full press release