CTV announced today from Prime Time in Ottawa the start of production on the new one-hour reality series pilot, Dream Funded: Let the Crowd Decide, produced by CTV in association with Entertainment One, Highway Entertainment, and United Artists Media Group. The pilot is the first project from Bell Media’s partnership with United Artists Media Group (a newly formed joint venture among MGM, Mark Burnett, Roma Downey, and Hearst Entertainment) and Omnicom Media Groups’ Highway Entertainment. Hosted by TSN’s James Duthie, Dream Funded: Let the Crowd Decide offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to earn up to $50,000 by pitching their untested business ideas to a crowd of 100 real consumers. Production begins today in Toronto through March 10.
“Dream Funded puts an entertaining spin on the crowd-funding phenomenon, where the crowd invests in everyday products, making dreams come true for emerging entrepreneurs while creating a feel-good show,” said Phil King, President – CTV, Sports, and Entertainment Programming. “With our partners’ stellar background in non-scripted entertainment, we anticipate the pilot will deliver high-stakes drama and real-life happy endings.”
An original take on crowd-funding, Dream Funded, puts all the power in the hands of the crowd, and in the span of one hour, makes dreams come true. In the pilot, seven budding entrepreneurs, known as the “Dreamers”, will introduce their original product to a crowd of 100 curious customers, who each have $250 to support the Dreamer and new product they feel has the most potential. Throughout the show, celebrity entrepreneur experts Amber MacArthur and Ron Tite offer advice and feedback to the Dreamers, helping to elevate their pitches to a higher professional level. At the end of the episode, the Dreamers take home all of the money invested by the crowd, up to $25,000. And to raise the stakes even higher, the Dreamer who has earned the most receives an additional $25,000.
With more than 15 years of hosting experience, Gemini and Canadian Screen Award-Winner James Duthie brings his natural charisma to the role of host of Dream Funded. One of Canada’s most respected and popular broadcasters, Duthie is the host of TSN’s extensive and award-winning hockey, Grey Cup, and Super Bowl coverage. In addition to his TSN duties, Duthie hosted two Olympic Games for CTV, is a two time best-selling author, and also hosted the half-hour CTV prime-time special with superstar Will Farrell.
Bell Media, Canada’s premier multimedia company, previously announced a partnership with United Artists Media Group and Highway Entertainment to create new television formats for Canadian and international audiences.
Dream Funded is produced by CTV in association with Entertainment One (eOne), UAMG, and Highway Entertainment. eOne’s Margaret O’Brien and Loren Mawhinney serve as executive producers as well as Stuart Coxe who is also showrunner ; Scot Cru, Dan Munday and Jim Roush are executive producers for United Artists Media Group; and Adam Ivers is executive producer for Highway Entertainment. For Bell Media, Robin Johnston is Production Executive. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production. Mike Cosentino is Senior Vice-President, Programming, CTV Networks. Phil King is President – CTV, Sports, and Entertainment Programming.
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