Media Ranch Unveils Horsepower 3.0 Candidates

The finalists of the Horsepower 3.0 format incubator have been announced by Media Ranch, with five women and three men from Quebec selected for the opportunity.

The candidates selected to begin the TV format creation training come from a spectrum of backgrounds and ages, with several without any experience in television. They will join in the Horsepower stable’s weekly workshops over the next four months, participating via videoconference due to Covid-19.

This edition of Horsepower brings in two new French partners who have joined Media Ranch and Quebecor Content—TF1 Group and La Fabrique des Formats. The incubation process will culminate in July with the presentation of the eight virtual pitches to the jury that is made up of ten representatives from the four partners. The winning format will be the subject of a co-development agreement as well as an international distribution agreement.

Among the selected participants is Christiane Berthiaume, a personal stylist and fashion professor at LaSalle College in Montréal, where she acts as coordinator of fashion events. Claudia Ferri is a Quebec actress of Italian origin. Elsa Olano is a communications officer at the Center for Public Health Research and a communications’ teaching associate at the University of Montréal. A film student at the University of Montréal, Charlotte Brassard is a program manager for the fundraising organization Donaction. A film production student at Concordia University, Alexandra Paquin is passionate about improv.

Finalist Mathieu Ferland is a high school teacher and a storyteller of Scandinavian mythology. With a Bachelor’s in television, specializing in animation, from UQÀM, Louis-Philippe Vachon created the web series A Guy Trys Himself. Robert Baziramwabo is the host of Podcast Mezanmi, a humorous podcast where they talk about various subjects without taboos.

Over 16 weeks, the members of Horsepower 3.0 will be introduced to the world of TV formats—from the different types to trends in global TV markets around the world—and will learn to write formats, in concise and effective language.