Many thanks to co-founders Hamlin Grange, Cynthia Reyes and all who worked to pull together Innoversity Summit 2014 Tuesday and Wednesday in Toronto. I had the good fortune to mederate a panel of “Canadian TV Goldmakers, Haymakers, Groundbreakers, Hitmakers.” Whatever you call them, they were a blue ribbon panel: Saving Hope co-creator and showrunner Morwyn Brebner, Rookie Blue co-creator and showrunner Tassie Cameron, Flashpoint and Camp X co-creator and showrunner Stephanie Morgenstern, Blackstone co-creator and showrunner Ron E. Scott and Take 5 Founder and president John Weber, producer on a number of big budget co-pros including Vikings and The Borgias.
Credit Innoversity organizing committee member Powys Dewhurst for pulling this group together, an achievement almost as astounding as making a hit Canadian TV show. Besides sharing their insights into navigating the impossible task of making–and keeping–hit shows on the air, all five took the diversity question–central to Innoversity’s M.O.–head on. I found the two hours very illuminating, with insights shared both from the panel and many in the industry attending the session.
There were many other great panels over the two days ranging from some scoop on CBC’s The Book of Negroes from director Clement Virgo to keynotes from Rogers National VP Madeline Ziniak and Vice Media founder Suroosh Alvi. Again, hats off to all involved.
