Television Heavyweights and Industry Leaders Tune In For Inaugural Bell Media Showrunner Bootcamp

- Over forty TV creators, showrunners, network executives and producers lend their time and expertise in support of Bootcamp Participants -

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TORONTO, Feb. 21, 2012 /CNW/ - The three participants in the inaugural Bell Media Showrunner Bootcamp land in Los Angeles this week to meet with some of television's most coveted creative minds. Today, CFC (Canadian Film Centre) and Bell Media announced the mentors and guests for the Los Angeles (Feb. 20-24) and Toronto (Feb. 6-17) modules of the program. The Bell Media Showrunner Bootcamp is a new initiative designed to equip experienced TV writers with the knowledge and management skills necessary to become successful showrunners.  As previously announced, the participants of the Bell Media Showrunner Bootcamp are: Shelley Eriksen ("Bomb Girls"), Daegan Fryklind ("The Listener"), and Dennis Heaton ("Call Me Fitz").

Mentors/guests joining for the L.A. module of the Bell Media Showrunner Bootcamp are:

• Showrunners: Steve Blackman (Co-Executive Producer, "Private Practice"), Alexandra Cunningham, (Executive Producer, "Prime Suspect", "Desperate Housewives"), Treena Hancock & Melissa Byer (Co-Executive Producers, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation"), Hart Hanson (Executive Producer, "The Finder", "Bones"), Jason Katims (Executive Producer, "Parenthood"), Tim Minear (Consulting Producer, "American Horror Story"), Kurt Sutter (Executive Producer, "Sons of Anarchy"), J.H. Wyman (Executive Producer, "Fringe"), Graham Yost (Executive Producer, "Justified") and Daniel Cerone (Executive Producer, " The Mentalist")
  
  
• Jeff Melvoin (Executive Producer, "Army Wives"). Melvoin is also Chairman of the Writers' Guild of America's Showrunner Training Program
  
  
• Network Heavyweights: Christina Davis, Executive Vice President, Drama Series Development, CBS, Deborah Oppenheimer, Executive Vice President of Production Division, NBC Universal International Television Distribution, Thom Sherman, Executive Vice President of Development, The CW, Quinn Taylor, Senior Vice President, Movies, Miniseries and Acquisitions, ABC Entertainment Group, and Jeff Wachtel, Co-Head, Original Content, Universal Cable Productions & Co-President, USA Network
  
  
• As well as: Libby Goldstein, Casting Director, "True Blood", Noreen Halpern, President, Scripted Programming, Entertainment One, Jeremy Podeswa, director, "Boardwalk Empire", Stacey Silverman & Andrew Wang, Vice Presidents of Television, Alloy Entertainment and Packaging Agents: Kevin Cooper, Creative Artists Agency, Lindsay Dunn, William Morris Endeavor Agency, and James Kearney, United Talent Agency

Previously providing their expertise in the Toronto portion of the Bell Media Showrunner Bootcamp were:

• Consultant and Mentor Al Magee (Executive Producer/President, Magee TV)
  
  
• Showrunners: Tassie Cameron (Executive Producer, "Rookie Blue"), Robert C. Cooper (Executive Producer, "SGU Stargate Universe"), Tom Fontana (Executive Producer, "Oz", "Copper"), Paul Mather (Executive Producer, "Dan for Mayor") and Mark McKinney (Executive Producer, "Less Than Kind")
  
  
• Jennifer Kawaja & Julia Sereny (Executive Producers, "Combat Hospital"), Christina Jennings (Executive Producer, "The Listener"), John Morayniss (Executive Producer, "The Firm"), Bill Mustos (Executive Producer, "Flashpoint") and Ivan Schneeberg & David Fortier (Executive Producers, "Being Erica"), Brian Dennis (Producer, "The Border")
  
  
• As well as: Andrea Boyd, Vice President of Production, Temple Street Productions, Armand Leo, Vice President of Production, Entertainment One, Claire Welland, Production Executive, Entertainment One, and John Young, Managing Director, Temple Street Productionsl casting directors Marissa Richmond, & Stephanie Gorin, Post Production Supervisor Paul Ackerly

"Canada made me," acknowledged guest Hart Hanson, Creator/Executive Producer, "Bones", "The Finder". "Every significant lesson I learned as a writer I learned in Canada, either at school, in an internship, working for Canadian production companies, or writing scripts for Canadian networks. I am proud to have the opportunity to pay that debt down in some small measure by taking part in the laudable Showrunner Bootcamp under the auspices of the Canadian Film Centre."

The Bell Media Showrunner Bootcamp is an individually tailored program that focuses with precision on the special talents, abilities and challenges of each participant. The program will build on leadership skills, provide practical exposure to the producing side of the equation, and empower participants to confidently take on all of the challenges and responsibilities of showrunning. The participants will engage with top showrunners, key network executives, producers and other top-notch talent to expand their professional networks and take their showrunning skills to the next level.

About CFC
CFC is Canada's leading institution for advanced training in film, television, screen acting and new media. A charitable not-for-profit organization, CFC is committed to promoting and investing in Canada's diverse talent; providing exhibition, financial, and distribution opportunities for top creative content leaders from coast to coast. CFC makes a significant cultural and economic contribution to Canada by launching the country's most creative ideas and voices in film, television, new media and screen acting to the world. For more information please visit: cfccreates.com

About Bell Media
Bell Media is Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio and digital. With passion and an unrelenting commitment to excellence, Bell Media entertains, informs and inspires Canadians. Bell Media owns 28 conventional stations, including CTV, Canada's #1 television network and lead broadcaster of the London 2012 Olympic Games, and owns and operates 30 specialty channels, including TSN, Canada's #1 specialty channel and RDS, Canada's #1 French-language specialty channel. Bell Media also owns 33 radio stations, dozens of websites including the Sympatico.ca portal, and Dome Productions Inc. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. For more on Bell Media, please visit www.bellmedia.ca.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Tamara MacKeigan, Acting Director, Marketing & Communications, CFC, 416.445.1446 x304 [email protected]

For information on Bell Media, please contact:
Laura Heath Potter, Director, Communications, Bell Media, 416.384.4633
[email protected]