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Insight Productions
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Insight Productions is a Canadian television production company based in Toronto, Ontario. It was established in 1970.[1] Insight is led by CEO John Brunton.[2]
Key Information
History
[edit]Insight Productions was established in 1970 by Penray "Pen" Densham and John Kingsley Watson.[3]
In December 1978, John Brunton, assistant editor and director with Insight, bought the rights to the company from Densham and Watson, becoming president and CEO.[4]
Insight has created programs in several genres (documentary, drama, sports, variety, comedy, music, reality), and has adapted to shifting tastes, technology and formats. Canadian Idol, an Insight-produced iteration of the successful international format, aired between 2004 and 2008 to record-breaking audiences.[5]
Insight is also credited with revamping Canada's national music awards, Juno Awards. By moving the show from a theatre to an arena setting, Insight was ultimately able to take the show on the road to cities across the country.[6]
John Brunton and Barbara Bowlby were awarded the Order of Canada in 2018.[7][8]
The company released the documentary film Life Times Nine in 1973 for which it was nominated for two Academy Awards.[1]
The company faces a class-action lawsuit over unpaid wages.[9]
Recent productions include Big Brother Canada, The Amazing Race Canada, Canada's New Year's Eve: Countdown to 2021, Every Child Matters: Reconciliation Through Education, Juno Awards, Wall of Chefs, Battle of the Blades, Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind, The Launch, Canada's Walk of Fame, Top Chef Canada, I Do, Redo, The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration, and Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble. On April 13, 2021, Amazon Prime Video announced Jay Baruchel will host a Canadian version of LOL: Last One Laughing to be produced by Insight.[10]
In May 2018, Toronto-based Boat Rocker Media acquired a 70% majority stake in Insight Productions, with the company continuing to operate as an independent unit.[11] Boat Rocker Media would later announce a deal to acquire the remaining 30% in August 2024.[12]
On March 24, 2025, Blue Ant Media announced its intent to acquire Insight Productions from Boat Rocker Media as part of a larger reverse takeover arrangement.[13][14] As part of a reorganization in February 2026 following its purchase of Thunderbird Entertainment, Blue Ant Studios positioned Insight as one of its three main divisions (focusing on "premium" content), with its CEO John Brunton continuing to lead the studio.[15]
Filmography
[edit]Television
[edit]- A Russell Peters Christmas
- A Christmas Fury
- The Artistry of Torvill and Dean
- Canada Day 150
- Canada's Walk of Fame
- Canada’s New Year’s Eve: Countdown to 2021[27]
- Canada’s New Year’s Eve: Countdown to 2022
- Deal or No Deal Canada
- Eurovision Canada
- Every Child Matters: Reconciliation Through Education[28]
- Hatching, Matching and Dispatching
- Heart of Gold
- The Goods
- How to Look Good Naked Canada
- Indigo
- It's Only Rock & Roll
- Jamie & David: A Golden Homecoming
- Jann Arden: Live at Last
- Joni Mitchell: Painting with Words and Music[29]
- The Jon Dore Television Show
- Juno Awards
- Kurt Browning: Ice Legends
- Kurt Browning: You Must Remember This
- Kurt Browning: Tall in the Saddle
- VJ Search
- Music Without Borders
- One World: The Concert for Tsunami Relief
- Test Pattern
- Saying Goodbye
- Scott Hamilton: Upside Down
- The Seán Cullen Show
- Seán Cullen Home for Christmas
- Sonic Temple
- Star Racer
- Stolen Hearts
- Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble
- The Truth About Alex
- Toller Cranston: A Tribute
- Wall of Chefs
- The Wave
Films
[edit]| Title | Release date | Distributor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disney's Animal Kingdom: The First Adventure[30] | April 26, 1998 | Buena Vista International Television | co-production with Walt Disney Television |
| How to Save the World[31] | September 11, 2015 (United Kingdom) | Picturehouse Entertainment | co-production with MET Films[32] and BFI |
| Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind | April 27, 2019 | co-production with CBC Docs and Kinosmith Inc. |
- The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration
- Comedy Gold: The Hilarious Story of Canadian Comedy
Digital
[edit]- Joke or Choke
- But I'm Chris Jericho!
- Damaged
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Insight Productions | Media Commons". mediacommons.library.utoronto.ca. University of Toronto. Archived from the original on March 28, 2020. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
- ^ "John Brunton". Variety. September 11, 2013. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
- ^ "Insight Productions - Discover Archives". discoverarchives.library.utoronto.ca. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "Insight Productions". Ontario Creates. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ ""Canadian Idol" | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "John Brunton". Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ General, Office of the Secretary to the Governor. "Barbara M. Bowlby". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ General, Office of the Secretary to the Governor. "Mr. John M. Brunton". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ Ahearn, Victoria (February 24, 2020). "Insight Productions faces Ontario class action lawsuit over unpaid wages - CityNews Toronto". toronto.citynews.ca. Toronto, Ontario: Citytv. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
- ^ Canada, Amazon. "Amazon Prime Video Announces Jay Baruchel as Host of the Canadian Edition of the Global Amazon Original Hit Format Lol: Last One Laughing Canada". www.newswire.ca. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
- ^ Benzine, Adam (May 17, 2018). "Boat Rocker buys Insight". C21Media. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
- ^ Townsend, Kelly (August 15, 2024). "Boat Rocker to acquire full ownership of Insight Productions". Playback. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
- ^ "Blue Ant acquires Boat Rocker production assets and goes public via reverse IPO". C21media. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
- ^ Whittock, Jesse (March 24, 2025). "Blue Ant Media Going Public Through Reverse Takeover Of Boat Rocker Media; Boat Rocker Studios Set For MBO". Deadline. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
- ^ "Blue Ant Media restructures studios business following Thunderbird, Boat Rocker acquisitions". C21media. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
- ^ "Canada Gets Local Version of A&E's 'Intervention'". The Hollywood Reporter. August 2, 2011. Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
- ^ "Blue Ant Media Unveils Biggest-Ever Slate of New Original Programming for its Canadian Channels". June 27, 2018. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
- ^ "Big Brother Canada Season 3 officially announced". GlobalTV. Archived from the original on October 8, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ^ "Never Ever Do This at Home". Insight Productions.
- ^ "CTV UNVEILS THE LAUNCH, A NEW SIX-PART ORIGINAL MUSIC SERIES AND INTERNATIONAL TV FORMAT". Big Machine Label Group. April 20, 2017.
- ^ Clarke, Stewart (February 22, 2018). "Sony Prepares 'The Launch' for International Take Off". Variety. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ "CTV And Netflix Partner For Inspiring Wedding Series I DO, REDO Starring Jessica Mulroney". Pr Newswire. October 19, 2019.
- ^ White, Peter (December 8, 2020). "Vice TV Expands 'Dark Side' Franchise With Football & '90s Culture Spinoffs". Deadline. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
- ^ McCarthy, Sean L. (April 13, 2021). "Jay Baruchel to Host 'LOL: Last One Laughing, Canada' for Amazon Prime Video". Decider. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
- ^ "Cook at all Costs premieres December 16th on Netflix". Insight Productions. November 21, 2022.
- ^ "New CBC series will see 24 Canadians compete in cross-Canada obstacle competition". The Star. August 1, 2022.
- ^ Canada's New Year's Eve: A Countdown to 2021, retrieved March 4, 2021
- ^ "Every Child Matters: Reconciliation through Education". Decoda Literacy Solutions. September 30, 2020. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
- ^ Tosoni, Joan, Joni Mitchell: Painting with Words and Music (Music), Brian Blade, Mark Isham, Greg Leisz, Joni Mitchell, retrieved March 5, 2021
- ^ "Disney's Animal Kingdom: The First Adventure". Insight Produtions.
- ^ "How to Change the World". Insight Productions.
- ^ "How to Change the World". Metfilm Studio.
External links
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