Canadian Sci-fi Series Reach 10 Percent of Population

MONTREAL/CANNES: At MIPCOM, Telefilm Canada and the Canada Media Fund (CMF) released the reach figures for Canadian science-fiction productions.

During the 2014-15 broadcast year, Canadian TV sci-fi series Orphan Black (CTV), Dark Matter (Space), Between (City Total) and Killjoys (Space) each reached approximately 10 percent of the Canadian population. Those shows also performed above their respective channel averages in the 18 to 34 demographic, with Between reaching 31 percent of the demographic, Dark Matter 28 percent, Killjoys 25 percent and Orphan Black 32 percent.

“Sci-fi productions are a clear example of how audiences are now engaging with content,” said Valerie Creighton, the president and CEO of CMF. “Millennials are building communities on social media and on other platforms and rallying around these characters and plots. Productions that capture young people’s attention find success on many fronts. The wealth of sci-fi projects that have come out of Canada is a testament to the talent, both on screen and off—such as our visual effects specialists—that makes our industry so very competitive on the international scene.”

Carolle Brabant, Telefilm Canada’s executive director, added: “With the worldwide frenzy surrounding the next chapter of the Star Wars franchise and the spectacular attendance at fan conventions, the traction of the sci-fi genre is clearly increasing—and Canadian TV is a big part of this excitement. The success of these series extends outside our country too. Most notably, Between, Killjoys and Dark Matter were recently renewed for second seasons at Syfy, and Regina’s Tatiana Maslany was nominated for an outstanding lead actress Emmy for her work on Orphan Black.”