Shaftesbury announces expansion into factual entertainment with the launch of
Shaftesbury Factual division

Award-winning executive producer Rachel Low (Pitchin' In; The Opener) to head up new division

TORONTO, Sept. 8 /CNW/ - Shaftesbury Films today announced the company's expansion into non-fiction production for television and multiple platforms with the launch of Shaftesbury Factual. Effective immediately, award-winning executive producer Rachel Low (Pitchin' In; The Opener; Opening Soon) has been appointed to oversee all aspects of development and production for the division in the newly created role of Vice President, Factual Entertainment, reporting directly to Christina Jennings, Chairman and CEO, Shaftesbury.

"The move into factual production is the next strategic step for us to further diversify our business and development slate," said Jennings. "Rachel is an accomplished, highly talented producer with a proven track record developing hit factual properties. She will bring fresh vision to our business and ensure we are positioned to succeed in the non-fiction arena."

Building on Shaftesbury's leadership in dramatic and children's storytelling over the past two decades, Shaftesbury Factual is founded on great storytelling in non-fiction. Unique, extraordinary characters in compelling real situations form the basis for entertaining series across a broad spectrum of factual genres. Development is currently underway on a number of projects that will be announced in the fall.

"Shaftesbury's commitment to the highest quality storytelling and extensive relationships with broadcasters and distributors in Canada and around the world make it the ideal home for a new factual entertainment division," said Low. "I look forward to working with Christina and the team at Shaftesbury to develop a broad range of innovative factual projects that will bring audiences closer to their world."

With a 20-year background in non-fiction filmmaking and producing, Low joins Shaftesbury from Frantic Films, where she served as Executive Producer and Development Consultant. Prior to that, Low was President and Executive Producer of Red Apple Entertainment, which was acquired by Frantic Films in 2008. At Red Apple, Low oversaw the development and production of more than 150 hours of factual programming for networks including Biography, CBC, Canal D, Court TV, Discovery Times, Fine Living, Food Network Canada and U.S., HGTV Canada, History Television, TLC and W Network; and international distributors including Beyond Distribution, RDF and IMG.

Projects developed and executive produced by Low include Pitchin' In, the current hit series on Food Network Canada starring chef Lynn Crawford; The Opener, a new one-hour series for Food Network Canada starring chef David Adjey; six seasons of the long-running hit series Opening Soon; the syndicated series Masterminds; Chef School; Fink; Opening Soon by Design; the half-hour series Rags to Red Carpet for W; and Assault and Rescue, a one-hour for Discovery Channel Canada.

Low's documentary projects include Talkin' About AIDS, an innovative program for teenagers that combined documentary, drama, animation and comedy and was broadcast on the CBC and other networks worldwide; Anatomy of Love, a four-hour series on the anthropology of love for Turner and Discovery Channel Canada; and a number of high profile documentaries for the CBC including Gamer Revolution; The Disappearing Male; Surviving the Future and End of Men.

As an executive producer, Low's awards include a Gemini for Best Lifestyle Series for Opening Soon (Food Network, Fine Living U.S.) in 2002, and a James Beard Award for Morimoto RAW (Food Network U.S.) 2003. She also received a Gemini for Best Science Program for Gamer Revolution in 2007 (CBC), and a Gemini for Chef School (Food Network) in the Best Lifestyle Series category in 2008. In 2009, Rachel won a Gemini for The Disappearing Male (CBC) in the category for Best Science, Technology, Nature, Environment or Adventure Documentary Program.

Low will be based at Shaftesbury's headquarters in Toronto.

About Shaftesbury Films:

Founded in 1987, Shaftesbury is Canada's leading creator and producer of original fiction and nonfiction content for television and multiple platforms. Recent productions include Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures for HBO Canada based on the Giller Prize-winning book by Dr. Vincent Lam; The Listener for CTV and Fox International Channels; and the fourth season of Murdoch Mysteries for Citytv and UKTV's Alibi. Shaftesbury also produces a variety of award-winning children's programming, including the global hit series Life with Derek, which is broadcast in more than 120 countries worldwide, and the hit movie follow-up to the series, Vacation with Derek. Shaftesbury's newest series, Good Dog, is a half-hour comedy created, written and directed by Ken Finkleman (The Newsroom) that will premiere on The Movie Network and Movie Central in 2011. Shaftesbury's divisions also include Smokebomb Entertainment, an award-winning developer of original digital content for multiple platforms that the company acquired in 2008. Shaftesbury Sales Company, the organization's sales division, manages international sales and distribution for the company's content. Visit Shaftesbury at www.shaftesbury.ca.

/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members of the media/

For further information: Katherine Wolfgang, VP, Communications, [email protected], Office: 416-363-1411, Mobile: [phone]