M O T I O N L I V E

REVENGE OF THE BEST BLACK FRIEND UP FOR THE CSA AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD!

Posted on February 27, 2023 by MotionLive

In addition to NINE Canadian Screen Award nominations that REVENGE OF THE BLACK BEST FRIEND has received for the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards, the Academy has selected the series to be one of its curated, Original Top 10 series in contention for the Cogeco Fund Audience Choice Award!

The Audience Choice Award is completely fan-voted and as of 1pm ET today, anyone can vote up to 100 times a day at audiencechoice.ca.

The first round runs until 11:59pm (est) Wednesday, March 1st.

The Cogeco Fund Audience Choice Award is an award which gives the power to the people, allowing audiences everywhere to vote for their favourite Canadian series in television or digital media. The winner will be announced at the Canadian Screen Awards on CBC and CBC Gem on Sunday, April 16, 2023 at 8 | 9 AT | 9:30 NT.

Congratulations to this year’s nominees! Vote Early & Vote Often!

Also, don’t forget to tell us why you love these show on social and tag us @thecdnacademy!

Canadian Academy Social Handles:

Twitter: @TheCdnAcademy

Instagram: @thecdnacademy

Facebook: @thecdnacademy

TikTok: @thecdnacademy

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MOTION HOSTS ‘CUT TO’ PODCAST FEAT. HELLO, AGAIN!

Posted on October 13, 2022 by MotionLive

In this episode, we CUT TO: the making of the CBC Gem series Hello (Again) with guests Nathalie Younglai—executive producer/showrunner/co-creator/writer—and series writers Leonard Chan and Lief Ramsaran. The host, Motion, talks to the panel about everything from tips for new writers, to taking the show from a concept to a series, to building scenes around an emotional core, and the challenges of writing about time travel.

Presented by the Writers Guild of Canada, each episode of CUT TO: will explore a particular subject relevant to Canadian screenwriters and their art, whether it’s an individual screenwriter and their body of work, an aspect of the craft, or a pressing issue in the industry. Tune In on WGC Podcasts; or on Apple Music.

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AKILLA’S ESCAPE U.K. THEATRICAL RELEASE AUGUST 26th!

Posted on August 19, 2022 by MotionLive

AKILLA’S ESCAPE is hitting cinemas across the U.K. on August 26th! Follow Akilla’s Escape on Instagram for latest updates and showtimes.

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CBC, BIPOC TV & Film, CFC Announce Showrunner Catalyst!

Posted on June 15, 2022 by MotionLive

INAUGURAL PARTICIPANTS: ANDREW BURROWS-TROTMAN, MOTION & IAN IQBAL RASHID

June 12, 2022 – CBC, BIPOC TV & Film and the Canadian Film Centre (CFC) today announced at the Banff World Media Festival the creation of a new accelerator program, the CBC-BIPOC TV & FILM SHOWRUNNER CATALYST, which will support the career advancement of senior writers who identify as Indigenous, Black or People of Colour through hands-on and personally tailored on-set experience. The Catalyst offers a high-level professional coaching opportunity, designed through an anti-racist and equity-focused lens, and provides participants with additional tools and support systems necessary to reach a showrunner level in the Canadian film and television industry. CBC, BIPOC TV & Film and the CFC have made an initial commitment of three years to the program, with the opportunity to renew.

“It is imperative that while we are opening doors at entry-level for BIPOC creatives, we are simultaneously creating pathways for mid-level and senior BIPOC writers to have the opportunities to bring their careers to the next level,” said Kadon Douglas, Executive Director, BIPOC TV & Film. “The Canadian industry needs to see BIPOC writers as showrunners – leaders who can helm the vision of a show, from both the creative and business standpoint.”

“Within our industry, there are limited opportunities for equity-deserving senior writers to take on a leadership role, and we are honoured to work with Kadon and the dedicated team at BIPOC TV & Film in partnership with the CFC to help bridge that gap with the Showrunner Catalyst,” said Sally Catto, General Manager, Entertainment, Factual and Sports, CBC. “By launching this tailored and practical program, we help to ensure that the future of Canadian storytelling reflects the changing face of our country. We offer our sincere congratulations to this year’s talented participants, who have already made great strides in their careers.”

“We’re thrilled to work with BIPOC TV & Film and CBC on this new initiative to help catalyze change in the Canadian film and television industry by including and growing Black, Indigenous and racialized creators in leadership positions,” added maxine bailey, Executive Director, CFC. “This shift is required to truly reflect today’s Canada, and the CFC is excited to be part of this change.”

Media Contact:
Tanya Koivusalo, CBC PR
tanya.koivusalo@cbc.ca

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REVENGE OF THE BLACK BEST FRIEND PREMIERS TODAY ON CBC GEM!

Posted on March 31, 2022 by MotionLive

REVENGE OF THE BLACK BEST FRIEND is an episodic series created, co-written, and co-produced by award-winning writer Amanda Parris that follows Dr. Toni Shakur, a self-help guru whose singular mission is to cancel the entertainment industry’s reliance on token Black characters….before she gets canceled herself.

The series stars Oluinke Adeliyi (The Porter/Akilla’s Escape), and features Ashton James, Araya Mengesha, Cara Ricketts and more!

With an all-Black writers room (!) led by writer/co-executive producer Motion (Coroner/Diggstown/The Porter), the series episodes were written by Amanda Parris (The Exhibitionists/Marvin’s Room), Keavy Lynch (Pretty Hard Cases/The Porter) and Seneca Aaron (Coroner/Nurses/Pretty Hard Cases).

Directors for the series are Jerome Kruin, Ian Keteku and Thyrone Tommy. The series is produced by iThentic, and executive produced by Amanda Parris and Julian Zotti.

In Season 1 of Revenge of the Black Best Friend we meet the self-help guru Dr. Toni Shakur, and see her work to support Black actors who have been cast as token Black characters. Begins streaming on CBC Gem on March 31!!

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INSIDE THE WRITERS ROOM…THE PORTER!

Posted on February 14, 2022 by MotionLive

Exciting times!!

It’s 1921! Friends and train porters Junior and Zeke find their unbreakable bond stretched to its limits when tragedy inspires them to take conflicting paths to a better life. Set in the roaring, jazz-filled 1920s and inspired by real events, THE PORTER follows Junior and Zeke, nurse Marlene and jazz singer Lucy, as a tragedy in the community sets them all on starkly different paths – and on a direct collision course with each other.

Premiering on CBC and BET+, the new series hits the screen on Feb. 23, 2022 – inspired by the real life drama of Black history, live and in colour.

And the creation of 2nd Season is already underway! Writer Motion (writer/Supervising Producer) joins The Porter Season 2 Writers Room, with show runners Anne Marie Morais and Damon Vignale, creator Arnold Pinnock, and writers Keavy Lynch, M.T. Diallo and Vincent Shiao with story coordinator Anika Jarrett, for the much anticipated continuation of the groundbreaking series.

Inspired by real events and set in the roar of the 1920s, THE PORTER (8×60) follows the journeys of an ensemble of characters who hustle, dream, cross borders and pursuke their ambitions in the fight for liberation – on and off the railways that crossed North America. It is a gripping story of empowerment and idealism that highlights the moment when railway workers from both Canada and the United States joined together to give birth to the world’s first Black union. Set primarily in Montreal, Chicago and Detroit as the world rebuilds after the First World War, THE PORTER depicts the Black community in St. Antoine, Montreal – known, at the time, as the “Harlem of the North.” They’re young, gifted and Black, from Canada, the Caribbean, and the U.S. via the Underground Railroad and through the Great Migration, and they find themselves thrown together north and south of the colour line, in an era that boasts anything is possible – but if change isn’t coming for them, they will come for it. By any means necessary.

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AKILLA’S ESCAPE WINS BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY CSA!

Posted on October 26, 2021 by MotionLive

CHARLES OFFICER & WENDY MOTION BRATHWAITE – Canadian Screen Award Winner for Original Screenplay | Meilleur scénario original for “Akilla’s Escape”

🎬 Due to the times, no live @thecndacademy ceremonies this year. But we got to shoot with portrait photographer @georgepimentel1 & represent for AKILLA’S ESCAPE!

Shouts to the whole @akillasescape team, cast to crew, on screen & behind the scenes, Director Charles Officer, producer Jake Yanowski & the visionary @canesugar_filmworks creating like crazy to bring this feature to life🙏🏾 And big 💙 to the glamstars ~ designer @jeannette.n.linton & @75thandbespoke on the fit, @safiyashouse on the crown & the one/only MUA @roxannedenobrega

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INSIDE THE BIPOC SHOWRUNNER BOOTCAMP!

Posted on October 26, 2021 by MotionLive

It’s an exciting time to join with over 50 writers for the inaugural SHOWRUNNER BOOTCAMP! Created by writer/executive producer Anthony Q. Farrell (Overlord and the Underwoods, The Parker Andersons/Amelia Parker, Secret Life of Boys, The Office), and presented by BIPOC TV & FILM, this groundbreaking intensive is empowering an amazing line-up of experienced TV writers to take the reigns as creative leaders.

Co-developed with writer/diversity consultant Jinder Chalmers and BIPOC TV & Film, the Showrunner Bootcamp is a timely initiative which aims to demystify the showrunning role and prepare creative talents to produce, manage and create new and relevant stories and series. The cohort includes writers such as Motion, Ian Steaman, Trey Anthony, JP Laroque, Andrea Scott and many more, training on best practices in managing and staffing writing rooms, managing production and post-production, and navigating relationships with stakeholders, production companies and broadcasters.

For more information, contact BIPOC TV & FILM, a national grassroots nonprofit organization advocating for racial equity and inclusion in Canada’s screen media industry. BIPOC TV & FILM provides career training, mentorship, job access and wellness support to creative professionals who are Black, Indigenous and/or Persons of Colour; and works in solidarity with its community and industry stakeholders to address and eliminate barriers to career entry and advancement. https://lnkd.in/g3HBkG7U

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BLACKSPACE X RADIO VOL. III – EMANCIPATION DAY 2021!

Posted on July 31, 2021 by MotionLive

BLACKSPACE X RADIO VOL. III

LIBERATE! 30 AFROFUTURE CHUNES FOR EMANCIPATION DAY! #FREEUP

A Playlist by MOTIONLIVE

This is a journey into sound – FREEDOM. The coded sonics of Swing Low’s chariot, to the Mothership’s connection, we travel the Fantastic Voyage on the Black Gold of the Sun. Spirituals to Funk, Rock, Jazz, Trap, Spoken Rhyme, over five eras of music of the Afrofuture: Hendrix to Haviah, Pharaoh to Flying Lotus & more from the 5th dimension. TuneIN to the tones of BLACKSPACE X RADIO VOL. III, your station for libration!

Emancipate! Freedom is a must! The future is Now!

TuneIN to BSX Radio Vol. I & Vol. 2 HERE

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AKILLA’S ESCAPE OPENS IN U.S. & CANADA!

Posted on June 15, 2021 by MotionLive

ORDER NOW ON VOD!!

We are so excited to announce that our feature film AKILLA’S ESCAPE releases on the big and small screens tonight!! Akilla’s Escape, directed by Charles Officer, has its theatrical release June 11th in the U.S. and June 15th in Canada!

It has been a deep and amazing journey on our road to bringing Akilla’s Escape to the screen. Thank you to everyone who has supported Akilla’s Escape at our festival runs, premiering at TIFF, and moving on to Victoria Film Festival, San Diego Film Festival and many more! Recently, it was an honour for Canesugar Filmworks and the Akilla’s Escape team to receive 8 noms (including Best Lead Actor for Saul Williams, Best Supporting Actor for Ronnie Rowe, Thamela Mpumlwana) and 5 wins at this year’s Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Feature Screenplay (Charles Officer and Wendy Motion Brathwaite) and Best Cinematography (Maya Bankovic)!

And now we hope you will join us in spreading the word about Akilla’s Escape on our opening weekend! VOTE on IMDb! VIEW at the links below! Like, Share, Follow us on Twitter and Instagram! Support our amazing cast and crew on their socials too! Host a watchparty for your film loving friends! And most of all, ENJOY!

REVIEWS ARE IN!

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER – September 12 2020 Film review by John DeFore

VARIETY – September 12 2020 Q&A with Saul Williams by Janet W. Lee

THE GLOBE AND MAIL – September 11 2020 “TIFF 2020: Charles Officer and Saul Williams take a long day’s journey into Toronto’s night with Akilla’s Escape” by Sarah-Tai Black

NOW TORONTO – September 11 2020 “TIFF review: Akilla’s Escape puts a grounded spin on the gangland thriller” by Norman Wilner”

FANSIDED – June 10 2021 Crime drama Akilla’s Escape arrives in theaters and on demand: Watch or skip? by Michael Bibbins

BLACK GIRL NERDS – June 2021 Interview with Charles Officer and Saul Williams on Greek Mythology and Black Masculinity by Maya Williams

THE FILM STAGE – May 24 2021 Saul Williams Navigates the Criminal Underworld of Toronto in First Trailer for Akilla’s Escape by Jordan Raup

DEADLINE – November 19 2020 Vertical Entertainment Acquires TIFF Drama Akilla’s Escape by Amanda N’Duka

THE WASHINGTON POST – June 11 2021 New movies to stream this week: ‘Infinite,’ ‘Awake’ and more by Michael O’SullivanLOS ANGELES TIMES – June 11 2021 Review: ‘Akilla’s Escape’ mines socio-political context of Toronto’s Jamaican community by Michael Rechtshaffen

THE GLOBE AND MAIL – June 10 2021 Akilla’s Escape is a profound, tender reworking of the crime thriller by Melissa Vincent

TV OVERMIND – June 10 2021 Why We’ll Be Watching Crime Noir Thriller “Akilla’s Escape by Tom Foster