Mystery Hunters

TV Kids
Weekly, October 16, 2007

ORIGIN: Mystery Hunters is based on an original idea by
Jonathan Finkelstein.The series is produced by Apartment 11 in association with
Discovery Networks International and YTV, Canada. It originally debuted in Fall
2002.

DISTRIBUTOR: MarVista Entertainment

CREATOR: Jonathan Finkelstein, Apartment 11
Productions, Montreal

EXECUTIVE
PRODUCER: Jonathan
Finkelstein

TV SHOW: Mystery Hunters is a live-action television series
comprised of 56 half-hour episodes. The series has just been renewed by Canada’s
YTV for a fourth season, bringing the total number of episodes to 78
half-hours. The new season made its debut at MIPCOM 2007.

SYNOPSIS: In Mystery Hunters, two intrepid young reporters, Araya
Mengesha and Christina Broccolini, with the help of a skeptical magician and
scientist Doubting Dave (David Acer), set out to explore some of the world's
greatest myths and mysteries. Combining on-site reporting and exciting
adventures, the Mystery Hunters use science and reasoning to try to uncover the
truth. But they remain open to the unknown, to the things science cannot yet
explain. Doubting Dave assists the Mystery Hunters with their investigations,
using his own brand of humor (and a few magic tricks!) to conduct fun
experiments and uncover the truth. He also challenges viewers to send in their
own mysteries, and then tackles the questions with experiments and logical
explanations.

The show has
been recognized by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television with the
following 2007 Gemini Nominations: Best Children's or Youth Non-Fiction Program
or Series (Jonathan Finkelstein, Jason Levy and Stacey Tenenbaum) and Best
Writing in a Children's or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series (David Acer and
Ramelle Mair). Mystery Hunters is also the winner of the Parents Choice Award 2006, and has been
nominated for six previous Gemini Awards and the 2006 Prix Jeunesse Award in
the Non-Fiction category for ages 7-11.

COMMISSIONING
BROADCASTERS: Discovery
Networks International, YTV Canada

TV SALES: The series currently airs on Discovery
channels around the globe, and in Canada on YTV and Discovery Kids Canada.
Other broadcasters include TV12 Singapore, RCTV in Venezuela, TV1 and TV2 in
Malaysia and Television Broadcasting in Hong Kong.

CONSUMER
PRODUCTS: The first Mystery
Hunters DVD, entitled Beastly
Beings and Monstrous Mysteries was released in Canada on September 18 under the new YTV on DVD
home entertainment label by Nelvana. The DVD will feature three episodes from
the first season and exclusive bonus footage including interviews with the
cast.

Additionally,
the Corus Entertainment-owned children’s book publisher, Kids Can Press, will
release a series-based book title in Fall 2008. The book will be written by
David Acer, who plays the series’ skeptical scientist, Doubting Dave.

STRATEGY
FOR ROLLOUT:
Mystery Hunters first
debuted on Discovery Channels across the globe and on YTV in Fall 2002. YTV has
just recently commissioned season four, which will go into production in 2008. “In
the fourth season, viewers will have an amazing new way to experience Mystery
Hunters—online,” commented Jonathan Finkelstein, the show’s creator. “Apartment
11 is in the midst of financing and designing a multi-level game in which
viewers get to train to become certified Mystery Hunters. Within the context of
the larger game, they’ll come across a series of mini-games that challenge
their minds and their hand-eye coordination.”

Fernando Szew,
the CEO of MarVista, added: “Mystery Hunters is a unique property in that it really
is a global show catering to inquisitive kids around the world. It demystifies
legends and myths in a fun-filled setting.”

Scott Dyer,
the executive VP and general manager of Corus Kids Television, Nelvana Studios,
noted: “The first three seasons have enjoyed a strong following on YTV and
Discovery Kids and new and loyal fans can continue to enjoy this innovative
show.”

With a new
season in the works, Apartment 11 is exploring additional licensing concepts
including an Adventures of Mystery Hunters comic book; a Mystery Lab Kit describing tricks and
experiments that can be done at home with objects found around the house, plus
some included items such as a compass, a gold pencil, a cloth napkin etc.; and
a Mystery Hunters Training School video game, where kids would go through three
gaming steps to solve a mystery they are investigating to win the game.