Shane Kinnear

VP, Marketing, Sales & Digital Media

Shaftesbury Films

On June 4 at 10 p.m., NBC is launching The Listener, a Canadian drama, commissioned by CTV from Shaftesbury Films. The move reflects the changing nature of the U.S. network TV business, as broadcasters struggle to maintain their output of high-quality scripted fare amid constrained budgets. In that light, the sets up north have become increasingly attractive. And Shaftesbury Films, which next month is being honored at the Banff World Television Festival with the Lionsgate/Maple Pictures Innovative Producer Award—celebrating entrepreneurial excellence and achievements of an independent producer in Canada—is among the outfits that are making the most out of this trend. 

The Listener, set in Toronto, chronicles the experiences of paramedic Toby Logan (Craig Olejnik) as he learns to master his telepathic gift to help people in need, while discovering the truth about his past. The cast also includes Colm Feore as Dr. Ray Mercer, Toby’s mentor; Ennis Esmer as his paramedic partner Oz; and Lisa Marcos as tough detective Charlie Marks. Ahead of its North American premiere, the series rolled out in March on Fox International Channels (FIC) feeds in territories across the globe, reaching ratings highs in several markets. "With that success, there are a lot of people who want to be involved in our next series," says Shane Kinnear, who heads up distribution, digital media and marketing at the company.

In addition to raising Shaftesbury’s profile around the world, The Listener has served as another example of the company’s ability to negotiate international partnerships that will grant its shows maximum exposure, while also making financial sense. Shaftesbury is working with ShineReveille International to handle worldwide distribution of the series, outside of the FIC window. This is similar to the relationship Shaftesbury struck with ITV Global Entertainment to handle the global rollout of the Canadian period drama Murdoch Mysteries.

"It’s a matter of the best way to get a program a) financed and b) distributed," Kinnear says on the decision to line up a third-party distributor. "We’ve got a sales, distribution and marketing team here, positioned to distribute to kids’ broadcasters. When you get into drama, the financial demands are such that it has made sense for us to bring in a third party who can bring that to the table, take the pressure off Shaftesbury and get the program distributed. It’s very interesting how international distribution has changed over the years. Now, international distributors are run by folks who are interested in what the creative is, in getting it made and in sharing with us their intelligence. In the old days of distribution, often the producer was left in a bit of a box."

Shaftesbury’s internal distribution unit is, indeed, well known to broadcasters of kids’ programming around the world. The hit live-action series Life with Derek has aired in more than 100 markets, and Kinnear and his team are now busy working on shoring up slots for Overruled! and Connor Undercover. Overruled! presold to Disney Channel in the U.K. and several other territories, and Connor Undercover went to Turner in the U.K.

Another area that takes up much of Kinnear’s time is digital media, particularly following Shaftesbury’s acquisition last year of new-media producer Smokebomb Entertainment. "We’ve got 11 projects in various stages of development," he says.

Articulating his big-picture strategy for the year, Kinnear notes that the number one priority remains to "produce and find partners to produce engaging, high-quality television drama and kids’ programming, and identify the best opportunities for the deployment of our digital properties."

Kinnear continues: "One of the reasons Shaftesbury has been able to grow in the last 7 to 10 years is because we have made [shows] of the highest quality, highest production value, according to what the market would bear. Being able to make entertainment for the dollars that are available is really the key to health."

Kinnear, who has been with Shaftesbury for eight years, adds that the company’s strength also lies in its ability to be flexible, nimble and responsive. He says he takes the most joy out of working with a team of colleagues "all of whom have the same objective in life, which is to make programming we can be proud of and everyone’s kids can watch…and that’s made [in Canada]."

He continues: "The fact is Shaftesbury is a remarkable team of professionals whose product output is reaching a larger and larger audience with each passing year. I am proud to be part of the ambition that drives us and I am inspired on a daily basis by the imagination and drive of our chairman and founder, Christina Jennings. I’ve worked in this business for nearly 30 years and never met a more intelligent, unselfish and visionary producer. She is simply the best!"