Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2008.
News release: August 7, 2007
A new TV mini-series Guns, developed through Telefilm Canada’s Spark Plug Program, is now in production and set to air on CBC Television in fall 2008.
The National Screen Institute – Canada (NSI) designed a curriculum and delivered training for the program which aimed to further the development of Canadian television drama by advancing the skills of visible-minority and Aboriginal producers.
“The training offered through NSI provided us with a wealth of information covering all aspects of TV production,” says Guns creator Jennifer Holness. “The program gave us the tools, the guidance and the encouragement to take our story and turn it into a four-hour, two-part mini-series.”
Guns examines the incendiary issue of illegal arms and was developed by Holness and her husband David “Sudz” Sutherland as part of the Spark Plug Program.
“The series portrays the randomness of gun violence,” says Holness. “Guns pushes the audience to realize that it can happen anywhere at anytime.”
Guns features Colm Feore (Bon Cop, Bad Cop) who plays an arms dealer and Elisha Cuthbert (24), Shawn Doyle (The Eleventh Hour), Gregory Smith (Everwood), KC Collins (Doomstown), Lyriq Bent (Saw IIII) and Stephen McHattie (300).
The series is produced by Hungry Eyes Film & Television under the banner of High Caliber Productions. David Barlow worked as the mentor on the project.
The Telefilm Canada Spark Plug Program was aimed at mid to advanced level visible minority and Aboriginal producers with an interest in developing dramatic television programming for broadcast in Canada. The program included funds for attendance at the Banff World Television Festival, professional development, project development and market research.
The National Screen Institute designed a curriculum and delivered training for this program.
The Telefilm Canada Spark Plug Program was an initiative between the Department of Canadian Heritage’s three cultural agencies: The National Film Board of Canada, The Canada Council for the Arts and Telefilm Canada.
Media enquiries:
Glynis Corkal, Marketing and Communications Manager
Tel: 204-957-2995 | Email: glynis.corkal@nsi-canada.ca