Shaftesbury Films is a

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

and

digital media Digital media is any communication media that operate in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital media can be created, viewed, distributed, modified, listened to, and preserved on a digital electronics device. ' ...

production company founded by Christina Jennings in 1987. It is based in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

, Canada.

Background

Shaftesbury is a creator and producer of original content for television and digital platforms. Shaftesbury's slate includes 11 seasons of Murdoch Mysteries for CBC, UKTV, and ITV STUDIOS Global Entertainment; detective drama Frankie Drake for CBC; Houdini & Doyle for Sony Pictures Television, Corus Entertainment, ITV, and Fox; thriller series '' Slasher'' for NBCUniversal's Chiller and now available on Netflix; and CBC Kids series The Moblees. Shaftesbury's digital arm, Smokebomb Entertainment, produces original digital, convergent, and branded entertainment projects including the YouTube series and upcoming movie Carmilla; mystery series V Morgan Is Dead; fashion comedy series MsLabelled, produced in partnership with Shaw Media and Tetley Tea; supernatural drama Inhuman Condition; and the ''Slasher'' VR app for iOS, Android, and Oculus Rift. In June 2014, Shaftesbury partnered with Youth Culture to launch shift2, a branded entertainment agency. In 2013, the company signed a first look deal with ABC.

Recent productions

Recent productions include ''

Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures ''Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures'' is a short story collection by Vincent Lam, published in 2006. The book, inspired by Lam's own experiences in medical school and as a professional physician, is a volume of interconnected short stories about ...

'' for

HBO Canada HBO (previously known as HBO Canada, and still referred to as such on social media) is a Canadian premium television network from Crave (formerly The Movie Network), which is owned by Bell Media. The channel is primarily devoted to original pro ...

, based on the Giller-prize winning book by Dr.

Vincent Lam Vincent Lam (born September 5, 1974) is a Canadian writer and medical doctor. Early life and education Born in London, Ontario and raised in Ottawa, Lam's parents came to Canada from the Chinese expatriate community in Vietnam. He attended ...

; five seasons of '' The Listener'' for CTV and

Fox International Channels Fox Networks Group (FNG) is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company that oversees international television assets that were acquired from 21st Century Fox. It produces and distributes more than 300 entertainment, film, sports and factual channe ...

; and now in season ten of ''

Murdoch Mysteries ''Murdoch Mysteries'' is a Canadian television drama series that premiered on Citytv on January 20, 2008, and currently airs on CBC. The series is based on characters from the ''Detective Murdoch'' novels by Maureen Jennings and stars Yannick B ...

'' for

Citytv Citytv is a Canadian television network owned by the Rogers Sports & Media subsidiary of Rogers Communications. The licence of the original Citytv station, granted the callsign of CITY-TV by the CRTC on November 25, 1971 to Cable Television Ass ...

/ CBC and

UKTV UKTV Media Limited, simply known as UKTV, is a British multi-channel broadcaster, which, since 2019, has been wholly owned by BBC Studios (formerly BBC Worldwide), a commercial subsidiary of the BBC. It was formed on 1 November 1992 through ...

Alibi An alibi (from the Latin, '' alibī'', meaning "somewhere else") is a statement by a person, who is a possible perpetrator of a crime, of where they were at the time a particular offence was committed, which is somewhere other than where the crim ...

. Shaftesbury also produced a variety of award-winning programming, including the global hit series ''

Life with Derek ''Life with Derek'' is a Canadian television teen situation comedy that aired on Family Channel (Canadian TV network), Family Channel (English) and VRAK.TV (French) in Canada and on Disney Channel in the United States. The series premiered on Fam ...

'' and the movie follow-up to the series, ''

Vacation with Derek The following is a list of episodes of the Canadian sitcom ''Life with Derek'', which also appeared on Disney Channel. The show premiered on September 18, 2005 and ended its run on March 25, 2009, spanning 4 seasons, with 70 episodes produced. S ...

''. Shaftesbury's newest series, ''

Good Dog ''Good Dog'' is a Canadian television comedy-drama series which aired for one season on HBO Canada. The show follows the life of character George Findlay, a role that Ken Finkleman reprised from '' The Newsroom''. Overview George Findlay (Finkl ...

'', is a half-hour comedy created, written and directed by

Ken Finkleman Ken Finkleman (born 1946) is a Canadian television and film writer and producer, actor, and novelist. Biography Finkleman was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In Canada, Finkleman is best known as the writer, creator and producer of the CBC Televisi ...

that premiered on HBO Canada in 2011.

Divisions

Shaftesbury's divisions include Smokebomb Entertainment, the company's digital media division responsible for the development and production of original online series and companion web experiences for Shaftesbury's slate of properties; Shaftesbury Kids, their division responsible for several children's TV shows and movies; and Shaftesbury Sales Company, which manages international sales and distribution for the company's content.

Television

The company's television series projects have included: * ''

11 Cameras ''11 Cameras'' is a Canadian drama television series that aired on CBC Television. It premiered on June 28, 2006 and showed its characters through webcams. CBC ordered 22 episodes in total, and did not renew the show for a second season. Endemo ...

'' * ''

Aaron Stone ''Aaron Stone'' is a science fiction action-adventure television series created by Bruce Kalish. Originally broadcast with the launch of Disney XD on February 13, 2009, it was the first original series to air on the network. It was produced in c ...

'' * ''

The Atwood Stories ''The Atwood Stories'' was a Canadian television drama series, which aired on W in 2003. A short-run dramatic anthology series produced by Shaftesbury Films, the series dramatized six short stories by Margaret Atwood. It was one of the first orig ...

'' * '' Backpackers'' * '' Baxter'' * ''

'' * ''

Connor Undercover ''Connor Undercover'' is a Canadian Teen action comedy TV series airing on Canadian specialty channel Family Channel. It stars Max Morrow as the title character Connor Heath. It is co-produced by Heroic Films Company and Shaftesbury Films. In ear ...

'' * ''

Dark Oracle ''Dark Oracle'' is a Canadian teen fantasy television series that premiered in 2004 on YTV. It was created by Jana Sinyor (former writer for '' Degrassi: The Next Generation'' and creator of ''Being Erica''), and co-developed by Heather Conkie. ...

'' * ''

Dead Still ''Dead Still'' is a six-part Irish-Canadian television drama series, which premiered on May 18, 2020 on Acorn TV and May 15, 2020 Citytv. The series is a co-production between Ireland's Deadpan Pictures and Canada's Shaftesbury Films and is wri ...

'' * ''

Fool Canada ''Fool Canada'' is a Canadian television series, airing on CBC Television in summer 2015.

'' * ''

Frankie Drake Mysteries ''Frankie Drake Mysteries'' is a Canadian drama that ran on CBC from November 6, 2017 to March 8, 2021. The series starred Lauren Lee Smith and Chantel Riley as Frankie Drake and her partner Trudy who ran an all female private detective servic ...

'' * ''

From Spain with Love with Annie Sibonney ''From Spain With Love with Annie Sibonney'' is a Canadians, Canadian reality television series, which aired on Food Network (Canada), Food Network in Canada and the Cooking Channel in the United States.Good Dog ''Good Dog'' is a Canadian television comedy-drama series which aired for one season on HBO Canada. The show follows the life of character George Findlay, a role that Ken Finkleman reprised from '' The Newsroom''. Overview George Findlay (Finkl ...

'' * '' Good God'' * ''

Houdini & Doyle ''Houdini & Doyle'' is a British television drama series loosely based on the real-world friendship of Harry Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A 10-episode first season was ordered by Fox in the United States, ITV in the United Kingdom, and ...

'' * ''

The Jane Show ''The Jane Show'' is a Canadian television sitcom produced by Shaftesbury Films that was shown on Global from 2006 to 2007. The series stars Teresa Pavlinek as Jane Black, an aspiring novelist who takes a corporate job after her life undergoes a ...

'' * ''

Hudson & Rex ''Hudson & Rex'' is a Canadian police procedural drama television series, based on the Austrian-Italian drama '' Kommissar Rex''. It premiered on Citytv on March 25, 2019. Filming commenced in October 2018, with ongoing production in St. John's ...

'' * ''

'' * '' The Listener'' * ''

Mischief City ''Mischief City'' is a short-lived Canadian animated children's show based on the book of the same name by Tim Wynne-Jones. It follows the adventures of eight-year-old Winchell Adams in the extraordinary world of Mischief City. While in this fant ...

'' * ''

The Moblees ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'' * ''

Overruled! ''Overruled!'' is a Canadian children's television sitcom about high school kids with problems, which are taken to Teen Court, hosted by Judge Tara; the series aired on Family Channel in Canada and Disney Channel in the United Kingdom. It pre ...

'' * ''

ReGenesis ''ReGenesis'' is a Canadian science-fiction television series produced by The Movie Network and Movie Central in conjunction with Shaftesbury Films. The series, which ran for four seasons from 2004 to 2008, revolves around the scientists of No ...

'' * '' Screech Owls'' * ''

The Shields Stories ''The Shields Stories'' was a Canadian television drama series, which aired on W in 2004. A short-run dramatic anthology series produced by Shaftesbury Films, the series dramatized six short stories by Carol Shields. The series was a sequel of s ...

'' * '' Slasher'' * ''

The Sounds The Sounds are a Swedish indie rock band. Formed in Helsingborg in 1998, the group's musical style has been compared to new wave acts such as Blondie, The Cars, the Epoxies and Missing Persons. Their debut album, '' Living in America'', was r ...

'' * '' Splashlings''

Film

Television films produced by Shaftesbury have included: * ''

External Affairs A state's foreign policy or external policy (as opposed to internal or domestic policy) is its objectives and activities in relation to its interactions with other states, unions, and other political entities, whether bilaterally or through ...

'', an adaptation of

Timothy Findley Timothy Irving Frederick Findley Timothy Findley's
entry in

The Stillborn Lover ''The Stillborn Lover'' is a theatrical play by Timothy Findley, first staged in 1993."Theatre Review: The Stillborn Lover". ''The Globe and Mail'', March 29, 1993. Based in part on the true stories of Canadian diplomats E. Herbert Norman and John ...

'' * ''

Diverted ''Diverted'' is a 2009 CBC made-for-TV miniseries. The film was directed by Alex Chapple based on the screenplay by Tony Marchant. ''Diverted'' is a fictionalized account inspired by what actually happened to the people of Gander, Newfoundland, a ...

'' * '' In the Dark'' *

Michael Ignatieff Michael Grant Ignatieff (; born May 12, 1947) is a Canadian author, academic and former politician who served as the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011. Known for his work as a histo ...

's novel ''Scar Tissue'' * ''Hemingway vs. Callaghan'', an adaptation of

Morley Callaghan Edward Morley Callaghan (February 22, 1903 – August 25, 1990) was a Canadian novelist, short story writer, playwright, and TV and radio personality. Biography Of Canadian/English-immigrant parentage,Clara Thomas, ''Canadian Novelists 192 ...

's ''That Summer in Paris'' * ''

Except the Dying ''Except the Dying'' is a 2004 made-for-TV film starring Peter Outerbridge, Colm Meaney, Keeley Hawes, William B. Davis and Flora Montgomery. It was adapted by Janet MacLean from the novel of the same name by Maureen Jennings. Plot In this fil ...

'', ''

Poor Tom Is Cold ''Poor Tom Is Cold'' is a 2004 made-for-TV film starring Peter Outerbridge, Colm Meaney, Keeley Hawes and Flora Montgomery. The second film to feature the character of William Murdoch and his unique ways of doing detective work, the film is base ...

'' and ''

Under the Dragon's Tail ''Under the Dragon's Tail'' is a 2005 made-for-TV film starring Peter Outerbridge, Matthew MacFadzean, Hélène Joy, and Flora Montgomery. It was adapted by Janet MacLean from the novel by Maureen Jennings of the same name. Plot This is the t ...

'', the first three novels in

Maureen Jennings Maureen Jennings (born 1939) is a British Canadian writer, most well known for the ''Detective Murdoch Series'', the basis for the television series '' Murdoch Mysteries''. She is credited as a Creative Consultant and occasionally writer for the ...

' ''

'' franchise which was later adapted by the company into a weekly series * '' Torso: The Evelyn Dick Story'', a dramatization of the murder trial of Evelyn Dick * ''

Terry Terry is a unisex given name, derived from French Thierry and Theodoric. It can also be used as a diminutive nickname for the names Teresa or Theresa (feminine) or Terence (given name), Terence or Terrier (masculine). People Male * Terry Albrit ...

'', a biopic of

Terry Fox Terrance Stanley Fox (July 28, 1958 June 28, 1981) was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist. In 1980, with one leg having been amputated due to cancer, he embarked on an east-to-west cross-Canada run to raise money ...

* six

Joanne Kilbourn Joanne Kilbourn is a fictional Canadian detective, who appears in mystery novels by Gail Bowen. Overview In ''Deadly Appearances'', the first Kilbourn novel, she is a political strategist and advisor to Andy Boychuk, a politician who is murdered ...

mysteries, based on the novels by

Gail Bowen Gail Dianne Bowen ( Bartholomew; born September 22, 1942) is a Canadian playwright, writer of mystery novels and educator. Biography Born in Toronto, Ontario, Bowen was educated at the University of Toronto, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts ...

* '' Eight Days To Live'' * ''

In God's Country "In God's Country" is a song by rock music, rock band U2. It is the seventh track from their fifth studio album ''The Joshua Tree'' and was released as the album's fourth single (music), single in November 1987 in North America only. Recording a ...

'' * ''Mount Pleasant'' * ''The Good Times Are Killing Me'' * ''

Skyrunners ''Skyrunners'' is an American-Canadian science fiction action thriller film that premiered on Disney XD on November 27, 2009. It was the first original film that premiered on the network. Plot Teenage brothers 18-year-old Nick and 14-year-old Tyl ...

'' * '' Me and Luke'' * '' The Summit'' * ''

Sleep Murder Sleep is a sedentary state of mind and body. It is characterized by altered consciousness, relatively inhibited sensory activity, reduced muscle activity and reduced interactions with surroundings. It is distinguished from wakefulness by a d ...

'' * ''

She Drives Me Crazy "She Drives Me Crazy" is a song by English group Fine Young Cannibals, released in 1988 as the first single from their second and final album, '' The Raw & the Cooked'' (1989). Peaking at No. 5 on the British singles chart in January 1989, it ...

'' * ''

The Robber Bride ''The Robber Bride'' is a Margaret Atwood novel first published by McClelland and Stewart in 1993. Plot summary Set in present-day Toronto, Ontario, the novel is about three women and their history with old friend and nemesis, Zenia. Roz, Cha ...

'' * '' Lay Them Straight '' Cinema films have included: * '' Swann'', based on the novel by

Carol Shields Carol Ann Shields, (née Warner; June 2, 1935 – July 16, 2003) was an American-born Canadian novelist and short story writer. She is best known for her 1993 novel ''The Stone Diaries'', which won the U.S. Pulitzer Prize for Fiction as well as ...

, * ''

Conquest Conquest is the act of military subjugation of an enemy by force of arms. Military history provides many examples of conquest: the Roman conquest of Britain, the Mauryan conquest of Afghanistan and of vast areas of the Indian subcontinent, t ...

'' * ''

Painted Angels ''Painted Angels'' (1997) (US: ''The Wicked Wicked West'') is a film by Jon Sanders starring Brenda Fricker, Kelly McGillis, Meret Becker, Bronagh Gallagher, Lisa Jakub and Anna Mottram. The film was shot in Saskatchewan, Canada, and follows t ...

'' * '' Camilla'' * '' Long Life, Happiness & Prosperity'' * ''

People Hold On "People Hold On" is a song by British band Coldcut and singer-songwriter Lisa Stansfield, released as the first single from the band's debut album, '' What's That Noise?'' (1989). It was written by Matt Black, Jonathan More and Stansfield, an ...

'' Digital films, produced by digital arm Smokebomb Entertainment, include: * '' Darken''

Digital

The company's digital series projects, produced by digital arm Smokebomb Entertainment, have included: * '' Backpackers'' * ''

Carmilla ''Carmilla'' is an 1872 Gothic fiction, Gothic novella by Irish author Sheridan Le Fanu and one of the early works of vampire fiction, predating Bram Stoker's ''Dracula'' (1897) by 26 years. First published as a Serial (literature), serial in ' ...

'' * ''

Emerald Code Emerald is a gemstone and a variety of the mineral beryl (Be3Al2(SiO3)6) colored green by trace amounts of chromium or sometimes vanadium.Hurlbut, Cornelius S. Jr. and Kammerling, Robert C. (1991) ''Gemology'', John Wiley & Sons, New York, ...

'' * '' Houdini & Doyle: World of Wonders'' * ''

Inhuman Condition ''Inhuman Condition'' is an EP by the American death metal band Massacre. It was released in 1992 by Earache Records. Track listing # "Inhuman Condition" – 5:41 # "Plains of Insanity" – 4:48 # "Warhead" – 5:16 (Venom cover) # "Provoke ...

'' * '' MsLabelled'' * '' Murdoch Mysteries: The Curse of the Lost Pharaohs'' * '' Murdoch Mysteries: The Murdoch Effect'' * '' Murdoch Mysteries: Nightmare on Queen Street'' * '' State of Syn'' * ''Unlikely Heroes'' The company's digital arm also oversees KindaTV, the company's distribution channel through

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

hosted by

Natasha Negovanlis Natasha Negovanlis (born April 3, 1990) is a Canadian actress, writer, producer, and singer. She achieved international recognition for portraying Carmilla Karnstein in the web series '' Carmilla'' (2014–2016) and in the 2017 feature film ba ...

References

External links

Shaftesbury Films

Shaftesbury Films About Us

Shaftesbury Films at imdb

Shaftesbury Films Inc. archives
at the University of Toronto Media Commons {{Authority control Companies based in Toronto Mass media companies established in 1987 Film production companies of Canada Television production companies of Canada