Premieres Tuesday, April 22 at 9:00pm ET/PT
TORONTO – April 7, 2008
Working Over Time – the newest series from Primitive Entertainment to air on History Television – is a four-part program chronicling thousands of years of history from a point of view not often explored: that of the average Canadian. The irreverent, fast-paced series follows host Jeff Douglas as he travels across the country and back in time, providing a unique, hands-on exploration of the life of the common worker throughout Canadian history.
The series will air as a four-night event from Tuesday April 22 to Friday April 25th at 9:00pm ET/PT, as part of Worst Jobs Week on History Television.
“We wanted to take a fresh approach to Canadian history,” says Kevin McMahon, a producer for the series. “To make a show that told it from the perspective of the average folks who do the hard work of nation building and get none of the credit. We also wanted to capture the many different beauties of this land and have fun doing it! We think we have succeeded. We hope viewers will agree.”
Douglas travels all over Canada, from Newfoundland to British Columbia to Nunavut. He explores dozens of jobs that were necessary to help build our great nation, some of which haven’t changed much through the centuries. Along the way, he is guided by a cast of enthusiasts and experts, many of whom still pursue these historic and important occupations.
Douglas takes on all jobs, no matter how uncomfortable, disgusting or downright dangerous they might be. He goes hunting with the Inuit, log driving with lumberjacks, cattle branding with cowboys and skydiving with search and rescue workers. While many of the jobs require a great amount of training and skill – such as chopping down a tree while balancing on a springboard – many require nothing more than a penchant for danger and a strong stomach, like grave robbing for medical cadavers or working in a 19th century sewer.
“Shooting Working Over Time was to witness first hand, the humbling skill and sacrifice of our unsung forbears,” says Douglas. “This is our heritage. We are the legacy of a strong, intelligent people who came from all over the globe to an unforgiving land to, literally, hack out a new life for themselves and for we who would follow.”
“Jeff is an important part of History Television, and we are very excited to bring another one of his great series to the channel” says Michael Kot, Vice President of Factual Content. “His enthusiastic personality and his passion for history resonates extremely well with our audience.”
Douglas has numerous acting credits in film, theatre and television, but is perhaps best known for his role as Joe Canadian in Molson’s famous I Am Canadian commercial campaign. He can also be seen as the host of two other Primitive Entertainment series, Ancestors in the Attic and Things That Move on History Television.
Working Over Time is produced by Primitive Entertainment in association with History Television, with the assistance of the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit. The show is produced by Kristina McLaughlin and Kevin McMahon, executive produced by Michael McMahon, and directed by David New and Brenda Kovrig.
About Primitive Entertainment
Primitive Entertainment is a leading Canadian production company based in Toronto and specializing in high-quality non-fiction films. The company, founded in 1990, is run by Kristina McLaughlin and brothers Kevin and Michael McMahon. Primitive Entertainment’s impressive roster of award-winning work includes: The Falls; McLuhan’s Wake; Stolen Spirits of Haida Gwaii; The Trouble with Boys; Cod: The Fish That Changed the World; I, Curmudgeon; and the series’ Things That Move. In addition to Working Over Time and the third season of Ancestors in the Attic, Primitive is currently producing Kevin McMahon’s new feature-length documentary, Waterlife for History Television and the Sundance Channel. Primitive recently completed Four Wings and a Prayer, a feature-length documentary co-produced with the National Film Board for the Documentary Channel and France 2; and a feature-length documentary by Alan Zweig entitled Lovable, for TVOntario and IFC.
About Canwest Broadcasting
Canwest Broadcasting operates two conventional television networks, Global Television and E!, and twenty-one of the country’s most popular specialty channels, including HGTV, Mystery TV, National Geographic Channel, Showcase, Slice™ and TVtropolis. Canwest Broadcasting is a division of Canwest Media Inc.
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Available for interviews:
Jeff Douglas, Host
Kevin McMahon, Producer
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