Picture Box Distribution

Toronto, July 7, 2010

After picking up three seasons of the Canadian financial makeover series TIL DEBT DO U$ PART from Canada’s Picture Box Distribution last fall, CNBC has now acquired the first five seasons. This brings their total acquisition up to 104 X 30’ episodes of the popular series that follows financial wizard Gail Vaz-Oxlade as she uses tough love to help families get to the root of their destructive spending habits. The series is produced by Frantic Films in association with Canwest Broadcasting’s SliceTM.

“This is the first series CNBC has picked up from Canada and we’re happy it’s fared so well. Gail’s advice has helped countless Canadian families and now she is doing the same in the U.S., ” says Kate Sanagan, Director of Sales – Americas for Picture Box Distribution.

Picture Box has also sold the series to Discovery Asia, Zone Media in the UK, Talit Communications in Israel and TV4 in Sweden.

Picture Box Distribution is an international television sales agency and distribution company with offices in Vancouver and Toronto, Canada. The company’s purpose is to provide cost-effective and efficient distribution and marketing services to Canadian producers of factual and youth-oriented programming.

Frantic Films produces live action film, television and commercial content creating engaging and innovative scripted and unscripted programming. In addition to its many creative and business awards, Frantic has set numerous ratings records with its programs and their talented team has been recognised with numerous awards and breakthrough approaches to storytelling.

For further information, please contact:
Kate Sanagan
Partner, Director of Sales – Americas
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Picture Box Distribution’s lifestyle series ANNA AND KRISTINA’S GROCERY BAG, has sold to Beep Omnimedia in Italy. Produced by Worldwide Bag Media for W Network in Canada, Anna and Kristina’s Grocery Bag puts popular cookbooks to the test. Omnimedia have picked up 39 half hour episodes of the original version as well as the format rights. Picture Box has also sold to the series to Zeste! (FRENCH CANADA), MTV OY (FINLAND), TV PAPRIKA/CHELLO (HUNGARY), ANANEY (ISRAEL), Canal Plus (POLAND), and LiTV (SINGAPORE, THAILAND, and INDONESIA).

Gabriella Ballabio from Omnimedia said “We felt that this series brought an unusual freshness to television, an innovative way to speak to people who are interested in cooking but who aren’t professionals. We are looking forward to creating our own version for the Italian market.”

Said Kristina Matisic of Worldwide Bag “We’re thrilled by this double sale to Italy of the original version and the potential Italian format. We can’t wait to see our Italian doppelgangers in action!”

Picture Box Distribution’s lifestyle and kids programs are continuing to prove popular in the Asian and Australasian markets, with sales to Television New Zealand, Q Channel (Korea) and South East Asian’s Vision Plus Entertainment.

Programs that encourage kids to participate in fun dance and movements are making their mark in the regions. TV New Zealand recently picked up the popular preschool exercise series ROLL PLAY (104 x 4’) for their preschool block Kidzone, while Vision Plus Entertainment has bought the kids hip-hop dance program POP IT! (26 x 7’) for broadcast in Malaysia and Brunei. Both ROLL PLAY (from Sinking Ship Productions) and POP IT! (by Hop To It Productions) engage young viewers to get up, get moving and have fun!

Lifestyle program OUTLAW IN-LAWS (39 x 30’) has it’s Asian television debut on Korea’s no. 1 culture & documentary channel, Q Channel (part of the JoongAng Broadcasting Group). OUTLAW IN-LAWS, from Toronto’s Media Headquarters, features advice expert Ellie Tesher working with families to end feuds and relationship issues between in-laws.

“With these sales to New Zealand, Korea and South East Asia, Picture Box is maintaining an already strong presence in the territories, and proving to be a trusted source of quality programming for Asian and Australasian broadcasters” says Camilla Hansen, Manager of Australasian Sales. “We are excited to bring these programs to a new audience!”

Just ahead of the Realscreen Summit in February, Picture Box Distribution acquired two new series to add to their growing factual catalogue. From Worldwide Bag Media comes the new makeover series BEAUTY CALL (26 X 30’), produced for the W Network in Canada. Hosts Anna Wallner and Kristina Matisic help viewers get to the roots and results of great style. This new series joins Wallner and Matisic’s other popular series ANNA AND KRISTINA’S GROCERY BAG, also distributed by Picture Box. Also new to Picture Box is the new series about television shows called SWITCH (13 X 30’). Produced by Buck Productions for TvTropolis in Canada, this series opens the floor to a team of television aficionados and engages them in a lively discussion about a particular topic of classic television.

“We are pleased to be representing these new shows from accomplished Canadian producers.” says Kate Sanagan, Director of Sales, Americas and France. “Anna and Kristina are consummate hosts that have a lot of international appeal and SWITCH is a fun look at our favourite series from the past with great celebrity guests from those series.”

Weight loss series X-WEIGHTED continues to sell well with new sales of the fourth season X-WEIGHTED FAMILIES to Sky in the UK, TV4 in Sweden, TV Viisi in Finland and Serdy in French Canada. The series has also sold to Turner in Latin America, TVNZ in New Zealand, SBS in Belgium, SBS in the Netherlands and Discovery Health in the U.S. “This new season really ups the ante with families losing weight together. There are so many more interesting dynamics.” Says Marilyn Kynaston, Director of Sales for Europe. The series is produced by Anaid Productions for Slice Network TM in Canada.