Merit Motion Pictures

Last updated
Merit Motion Pictures
Company type Private
Industry Film and television production
Founded1988
FounderMerit Jensen Carr
Headquarters248 Princess Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3B 1M2
Products Documentary
Website www.meritmotionpictures.com

Merit Motion Pictures is an independent documentary film and television production company based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It was founded by Merit Jensen Carr in 1988. [1]

Contents

Specializing in factual, multi-platform entertainment, Merit Motion Pictures has regularly produced for CBC's human interest and science/nature documentary strands: Doc Zone, The Nature of Things , and documentary Channel. The company has also collaborated with broadcasters as diverse as ZDF/ARTE, CTV, Shaw, National Geographic, PBS, Smithsonian Channel, TVO and Animal Planet.

In 2009, Merit Motion Pictures' television documentary The Secret World of Shoplifting achieved the highest audience ratings in the history of CBC’s Doc Zone, and the 4 x one-hour series One Ocean won Best Cross-Platform/New Media Program at the 2011 Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival. Their 2011 feature documentary TuTuMuch screened in Cineplex Odeon theatres across Canada and around the world.

The company's television documentary Smarty Plants: The Secret World of Plant Behaviour won Best Direction in a Documentary Program or Series at the 2013 Canadian Screen Awards, and garnered two more nominations in the categories of Best Science or Nature Documentary Program or Series, and Best Sound in an Information/Documentary Program or Series.

Carr received the Don Haig Award in 2013, presented by the Hot Docs Board of Directors as a celebration of her contributions to Canadian filmmaking, [2] and the lifetime achievement award at the Winnipeg’s Women Entrepreneur of The Year Awards in 2014.

Call of the Forest: The Forgotten Wisdom of Trees

In 2015, Merit Motion Pictures co-produced Call of the Forest: The Forgotten Wisdom of Trees, a feature-length documentary with Irish-Canadian botanist, medical biochemist and author Diana Beresford-Kroeger as its main subject. Directed, shot, edited and co-produced by Peabody Award-winner Jeff McKay (https://www.jeffmckay.org/, Fat Chance, 40 Years of One Night Stands), the documentary follows Beresford-Kroeger as she visits the world's northern forests, exploring the many benefits of trees in sustaining human and ecological well-being.

Call of the Forest was given the Nature Award at the 2016 Cinema Verde Festival, and has played at other international festivals including Festival Pariscience in 2017, and Wild & Scenic Film Festival in 2018. The film was nominated for the Rob Stewart Award for Best Science or Nature Documentary Program or Series at the 2018 Canadian Screen Awards. It also screened at independent cinemas across Canada including the Winnipeg Cinematheque, where it broke a 30-year box office record for tickets sold. A one-hour version of the film aired on TVO in 2017.

Productions

Film TitleTypeLengthCopyright YearPrimary BroadcasterCo-producerAwards
Almost Almost FamousFeature Documentary90 mins2018 documentary Channel Lank/Beach ProductionsNA
Dr. Keri: Prairie Vet [Season 2]TV series10 x 1/2 hr2018 Animal Planet NANA
What Trees Talk About [Int'l title: Secrets in the World's Largest Forest]Television Documentary1 hr2017 CBC and PBS NANA
Dr. Keri: Prairie Vet [Season 1]TV series10 x 1/2 hr2017 Animal Planet NABest Direction for Episode 1: Meet Dr. Keri at the 2018 Leo Awards
Polar Bear Town - Summer [Season 2]TV series3 x 1 hr2017 Smithsonian Channel NANA
Beyond the Spectrum: A Family's Year Confronting AutismFeature Documentary90 mins2017 TVO Orangeville Road PicturesAudience Choice Award at the 2018 Festival Inclús
Polar Bear Town - Winter [Season 1]TV series6 x 1 hr and 12 x 1/2 hr2015 Smithsonian Channel and OLN NANA
Call of the Forest: The Forgotten Wisdom of TreesFeature Documentary90 mins2015 TVO Edgeland Films- Nature Award at the 2016 Cinema Verde Film Festival

- Nominations for Best Science Television and Best Conservation Film at the 2017 Pariscience Science Film Festival

- Nomination for the Rob Stewart Award for Best Science or Nature Documentary Program or Series at the 2018 Canadian Screen Awards

Vietnam: Canada's Shadow WarTelevision Documentary1 hr2014 CBC's Doc Zone NABest History Documentary Program or Series at the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards
Slaves to HabitTelevision Documentary1 hr2014 CBC's Doc Zone NANA
Decoding DesireTelevision Documentary1 hr2014 CBC's The Nature of Things NABest Writing in a Documentary Program or Series at the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards
Special EdFeature Documentary110 mins2013 Super Channel (Canada) Spellburg PicturesOfficial Selection of Hot Docs 2015
Faking the Grade [USA: Classroom Cheaters]Television Documentary1 hr2013 CBC's Doc Zone NA- Nomination for Best Editing in a Documentary Program or Series at the 2014 Canadian Screen Awards

- Nominee of the 2013 Yorkton Film Festival

Ticked Off: The Mystery of Lyme DiseaseTelevision Documentary1 hr2013 CBC's The Nature of Things NAFinalist at the 2014 Medea Awards
Conspiracy RisingTelevision Documentary1 hr2012 CBC's Doc Zone NANA
Surviving:) The Teenage BrainTelevision Documentary1 hr2012 CBC's The Nature of Things NA- Winner of Documentary Science/Medicine/Technology at the 2013 Yorkton Film Festival

- Finalist in Documentary at the 2013 Writers' Guild of Canada Screenwriting Awards

- Nominee of the 2013 Yorkton Film Festival

- Finalist in Medical Sciences at the 2013 Jackson Hole Science Media Awards

Smarty Plants [USA: What Plants Talk About]Television Documentary1 hr2012 CBC's The Nature of Things NA- Best Direction in a Documentary Program or Series at the 2013 Canadian Screen Awards

- Nomination for Best Science or Nature Documentary Program or Series at the 2013 Canadian Screen Awards

- Nomination for the Robert Brooks Award for Documentary Cinematography at the 2013 Canadian Screen Awards

- Nominee for Best Sound in an Information/Documentary Program or Series at the 2013 Canadian Screen Awards

- Jury Award Winner at the 2013 Life Sciences Film Festival

- Biodiversity Award at the 2014 CMS Vatavaran International Environment & Wildlife Film Festival

- Nominee of the 2013 Yorkton Film Festival

Vixens and Virgins and Other Mythological CreaturesTelevision Documentary1 hr2012 Bell Media Thinking Out Loud ProductionsNA
Are We Digital Dummies [International title: Crackberry'd: The Truth About Information Overload]Television Documentary1 hr2010 CBC's Doc Zone NANA
One Ocean InteractiveDigital MediaNA2010 CBC's The Nature of Things Tactica Interactive- Best Website at the 2011 Advertising Association of Winnipeg Signature Awards

- Best Cross-Platform/New Media Program at the 2011 Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival

- 2011 Games for Change Nominee

- Nomination for Best Cross-Platform Project, Non-Fiction at the 2010 Gemini Awards

- Best Web-Based Games at the 2010 Canadian New Media Awards

- Best in Industry Award for Television: Education and Science at the 2010 New Media Awards

One Ocean: Mysteries of the DeepTelevision Documentary1 hr2010 CBC's The Nature of Things NA- Nomination for Best Science, Technology, Nature or Environment Documentary Program at the 2010 Gemini Awards

- Ocean Exploration and Adventure Award at the 2010 Blue Ocean Film Festival

- Finalist in The Wave at the 2010 North Sea Film Festival

One Ocean: The Changing SeaTelevision Documentary1 hr2010 CBC's The Nature of Things NA- Best Marine Conservation Message and Merit for Scientific Content at the 2011 International Wildlife Film Festival

- Best Marine and Earth Sciences at the 2010 Blue Ocean Film Festival

- Finalist in The Wave at the 2010 North Sea Film Festival

TuTu MUCH Feature Documentary83 mins2010 Super Channel (Canada) Vonnie VON HELMOLT Films- Winner at the 2011 Chicago International Children's Film Festival

- Winner at the 2011 China International Children's Film Festival

- Canada Perspective Showcase Selection at the 2010 Cannes Marche du Film

- Finalist in Best Film for a Teenage Audience at the 2010 Cinemagic

- Finalist in Best Documentary at the 2010 Foyle Film Festival

The Secret World of Shoplifting [International title: The Truth About Shoplifting]Television Documentary1 hr2009 CBC's Doc Zone NANomination for Best Original Music Score for Documentary Program or Series at the 2010 Gemini Awards
Ballet HighFeature Documentary90 mins2009 Bravo (Canada) Vonnie VON HELMOLT Films- Nomination for Allan King Award for Excellence in Documentary at the 2010 Directors' Guild of Canada Awards

- Nomination for Best Direction in a Performing Arts Program at the 2009 Gemini Awards

The Truth About LiarsTelevision Documentary1 hr2008 CBC's Doc Zone NANA
40 Years of One Night StandsTelevision Documentary1 hr2008 Bravo (Canada) Inside Out Productions- Best Documentary Writing at the 2010 Writers' Guild of Canada Screenwriting Awards

- People's Choice Awards at the 2010 Bay Street Film Festival

- Chris Award Honourable Mention at the 2009 Columbus Film Festival

- Golden Sheaf Award for Best Documentary (Arts & Culture) at the 2009 Yorkton Film Festival

- Golden Sheaf Award for Best Directing (Non-Fiction) at the 2009 Yorkton Film Festival

- Founders Award at the 2009 Yorkton Film Festival

41 Years of One Night StandsFeature Documentary90 mins2008TheatricalInside Out ProductionsNA
Science of the Senses - HearingTelevision Documentary90 mins2008 CBC's The Nature of Things NANA
Science of the Senses - TouchTelevision Documentary90 mins2008 CBC's The Nature of Things NA- Golden Sheaf Award for Best Science/Medicine Documentary Series at the 2008 Yorkton Film Festival

- Golden Sheaf Award for Best Research for a Documentary at the 2008 Yorkton Film Festival

Recreating Eden - Season 5TV Series13 x 30 mins2008 VisionTV NANA
Sabrina's LawTelevision Documentary1 hr2007 Global Television Network Lank/Beach ProductionsNA
Recreating Eden - Season 4TV Series13 x 30 mins2007 VisionTV NA- Best Lifestyle Series at the 2007 Gemini Awards

- Best Direction in a Lifestyle Series (Episode 51: The Lost Pears) at the 2007 Gemini Awards

- Best Lifestyle Program (Episode 51: The Lost Pears) at the 2007 Gemini Awards

Ballet GirlsTV Series3 x 1 hr2006 Bravo (Canada) Vonnie VON HELMOLT FilmsNomination for Best Children's or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series at the 2007 Gemini Awards
Recreating Eden - Season 3TV Series13 x 30 mins2006 VisionTV NABest Writing in an Information Program or Series (Episode 34: Gardens in the Sky) at the 2007 Gemini Awards
Recreating Eden - Season 2TV Series13 x 30 mins2005 HGTV (Canada) NA- Best Cinematography Overall, Non-Fiction (Episode 26: Touched by Luck) at the 2006 Blizzard Awards

- Best Direction in a Lifestyle Program or Series (Episode 16: Garden of the Gods) at the 2004 Gemini Awards

Haunts of the Black MasseurTelevision Documentary1 hr2004 ZDF and TVOntario Edgeland FilmsNA
Recreating Eden - Season 1TV Series13 x 30 mins2004 HGTV (Canada) NA- Golden Sheaf for Best Documentary Series at the 2005 Yorkton Film Fest

- Nomination for Best Lifestyle/General Interest Series at the 2004 Gemini Awards

- Silver Remi for Best Leisure & Recreation - Film & Video Production at the 2004 WorldFest Houston Awards

The PillTelevision Documentary1 hr1999 CBC's The Nature of Things NA- Woman's Health Finalist at the Time Inc. Health Freddie Awards

- Chris Award - Bronze Plaque at the Columbus Film Festival

- Nomination for Best Science Program at the Gemini Awards

SmudgeTelevision Documentary30 mins1997 TNT (TV channel) NA- Humanitas Prize - Executive Producer

- Silver Hugo at the Chicago International Television Festival

- International Emmy Award Nominee

Asking Different Questions: Women and ScienceTelevision Documentary1 hr1996 Discovery Channel (Canada) NANA
The Mayor of OdessaTV Drama30 mins1994 CBC Riverain Productions- Best Drama Short at the Blizzard Awards

- Gemini Award Nominee

By Woman's HandTelevision Documentary1 hr1993 VisionTV NANA
Niagara FallsTV Drama30 mins1992 CBC West End ProductionsNA

Programs featuring the Royal Winnipeg Ballet:

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References

  1. ↑ "Documentary - Playback". Playbackonline.ca. 2004-05-24. Retrieved 2010-05-26.
  2. ↑ "Producer Merit Jensen Carr wins $10,000 Don Haig Award at Hot Docs fest". Canadian Press, April 29, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Movies - TuTu Much". Cineplex.com. 2010-01-17. Retrieved 2010-05-26.
  4. ↑ "Tutu Much". Hoyts.co.nz. 2010-05-21. Retrieved 2010-05-26.
  5. ↑ "CTV Media Site - Bravo". Ctvmedia.ca. 2009-03-12. Archived from the original on 2011-07-27. Retrieved 2010-05-26.
  6. ↑ "CTV Media Site - Bravo". Ctvmedia.ca. 2008-10-29. Archived from the original on 2011-07-27. Retrieved 2010-05-26.
  7. ↑ Channel Canada. "Bravo announces fall programming highlights". Channel Canada. Archived from the original on 2010-02-08. Retrieved 2010-05-26.
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