CBC and distributor Banijay International announce the commission of an original Canadian format as a result of the Format Incubator, an initiative launched at the 2015 Banff World Media Festival. Format Incubator is a collaborative venture between CBC, Banijay International and the independent production community in Canada, aimed at boosting the creation of original, exportable television formats.
Anything But Average (working title) is an original factual concept from Frantic Films, and was selected jointly by CBC’s Unscripted Content team and Banijay International. The hour-long pilot is currently in production and will air in March 2016. The series is the ultimate nation-defining format for the nosy neighbour inside all of us. By exploring the lives of statistically average Canadians—who are the same on paper, but very different in reality—this entertaining, engaging and fact-filled format poses the question, what does it mean to be an “average” Canadian family in 2016?
Responding to Canadians’ love for comparisons, surveys and revealing statistics, Anything But Average uses data visualization to bring facts and figures about Canadian identity to life, layered over fly-on-the-wall footage of real families. The pilot episode, Modern Love, explores the nature of love, relationships, marriage and family dynamics, and provides a surprising snapshot of modern Canadian life. Other potential episodes will focus on themes including money, diet, religion, leisure time and housing across the nation.
“Our goal with the Format Incubator was to harness the depth of creativity in our independent production community and create a format that would resonate with other countries, as well as the CBC audience,” said Jennifer Dettman, executive director, Unscripted Content, CBC. “We’re excited to work with Frantic Films and Banijay International to bring this unique concept to life.”
“We’re very pleased with the outcome of our collaboration with CBC,” said Emmanuelle Namiech, managing director, Banijay International. “Anything But Average is an engaging series which demonstrates that the average isn’t so common after all. We found this concept very relatable and we are looking forward to launching the format on the international market.”
“We are thrilled to have been selected to work with CBC and Banijay to create this innovative new program,” said Jamie Brown, CEO and executive producer, Frantic Films. “It would be fantastic to see this new approach generate a hit series in Canada and a format that can be adapted around the world.”
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About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight aboriginal languages.
A space for us all is CBC/Radio-Canada’s new strategy to modernize the public broadcaster and ensure that it continues to fulfill its mandate for Canadians and for future generations. Through to 2020, it will increase its investment in prime time television programming, and continue to create radio programs of the highest quality, while promoting the development of digital and mobile platforms and content.
For more information including series synopses, press releases, hi-res images, video clips and bios, please visit the CBC Media Centre at cbc.ca/mediacentre. Follow CBC’s publicity team on Twitter @CBC_Publicity.
About Banijay International
Banijay International is a global force in content distribution with exceptional vision and conviction. It is an extension of the major TV and multimedia content creator, Banijay Group, which in five years has grown into a worldwide entertainment powerhouse.
Banijay International is the owner of a wide portfolio of programming rights, originating both from within the Banijay Group companies as well as the very best third party properties from leading independents around the world. It is confident about its ability to exploit rights on a global scale and optimise the value of its programming operating with the nimble approach of a boutique distributor combined with the muscle of a large, cost effective group structure. Its portfolio is strong, relevant, bold and brash, spanning the genres of factual, compelling game shows, reality hybrids, serial dramas and finished programmes. Banijay International delivers content that’s fresh and innovative, with wide appeal.
About Banijay Group
The Banijay Group is a content creation company for television and multimedia platforms. With leading production entities in more than a dozen territories, the Group is engaged in strategic partnerships with innovative creative talent around the world. Banijay formats and programming, as well as acquired third-party content, are sold around the world by its global distribution arm, Banijay International.
The Banijay Group currently comprises Banijay Productions France, H2O and Air Productions (France), Cuarzo and DLO Producciones (Spain), Brainpool (Germany), Banijay Ambra (Italy), Nordisk Film TV (Denmark, Norway, Sweden); Pineapple Entertainment (Denmark), Respirator (Denmark), Banijay Finland (Finland), Screentime (Australia, New Zealand), Banijay Studios North America; Stephen David Entertainment and Bunim/Murray Productions (US).
About Frantic Films Corporation
Frantic Films is one of Canada’s leading producers of creative content. It is responsible for hundreds of hours of award-winning programs that have set ratings records and sold to over 130 countries around the world. With offices in Toronto and Winnipeg, Frantic has also been recognized for its contributions to the community, corporate leadership and innovation. www.franticfilms.com.
For more information, please contact:
Kylie McGregor
Entertainment publicist, CBC
Kylie.McGregor@cbc.ca
416 205 8638 (office) / 416 948 6181 (mobile)
