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Merit Motion Pictures

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Merit Motion Pictures
Company typePrivate
IndustryFilm and television production
Founded1988
FounderMerit Jensen Carr
Headquarters248 Princess Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3B 1M2
ProductsDocumentary
Websitewww.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]

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

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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

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Film Title Type Length Copyright Year Primary Broadcaster Co-producer Awards
Almost Almost Famous Feature Documentary 90 mins 2018 documentary Channel Lank/Beach Productions NA
Dr. Keri: Prairie Vet [Season 2] TV series 10 x 1/2 hr 2018 Animal Planet NA NA
What Trees Talk About [Int'l title: Secrets in the World's Largest Forest] Television Documentary 1 hr 2017 CBC and PBS NA NA
Dr. Keri: Prairie Vet [Season 1] TV series 10 x 1/2 hr 2017 Animal Planet NA Best Direction for Episode 1: Meet Dr. Keri at the 2018 Leo Awards
Polar Bear Town - Summer [Season 2] TV series 3 x 1 hr 2017 Smithsonian Channel NA NA
Beyond the Spectrum: A Family's Year Confronting Autism Feature Documentary 90 mins 2017 TVO Orangeville Road Pictures Audience Choice Award at the 2018 Festival Inclús
Polar Bear Town - Winter [Season 1] TV series 6 x 1 hr and 12 x 1/2 hr 2015 Smithsonian Channel and OLN NA NA
Call of the Forest: The Forgotten Wisdom of Trees Feature Documentary 90 mins 2015 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 War Television Documentary 1 hr 2014 CBC's Doc Zone NA Best History Documentary Program or Series at the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards
Slaves to Habit Television Documentary 1 hr 2014 CBC's Doc Zone NA NA
Decoding Desire Television Documentary 1 hr 2014 CBC's The Nature of Things NA Best Writing in a Documentary Program or Series at the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards
Special Ed Feature Documentary 110 mins 2013 Super Channel (Canada) Spellburg Pictures Official Selection of Hot Docs 2015
Faking the Grade [USA: Classroom Cheaters] Television Documentary 1 hr 2013 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 Disease Television Documentary 1 hr 2013 CBC's The Nature of Things NA Finalist at the 2014 Medea Awards
Conspiracy Rising Television Documentary 1 hr 2012 CBC's Doc Zone NA NA
Surviving:) The Teenage Brain Television Documentary 1 hr 2012 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 Documentary 1 hr 2012 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 Creatures Television Documentary 1 hr 2012 Bell Media Thinking Out Loud Productions NA
Are We Digital Dummies [International title: Crackberry'd: The Truth About Information Overload] Television Documentary 1 hr 2010 CBC's Doc Zone NA NA
One Ocean Interactive Digital Media NA 2010 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 Deep Television Documentary 1 hr 2010 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 Sea Television Documentary 1 hr 2010 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 Documentary 83 mins 2010 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 Documentary 1 hr 2009 CBC's Doc Zone NA Nomination for Best Original Music Score for Documentary Program or Series at the 2010 Gemini Awards
Ballet High Feature Documentary 90 mins 2009 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 Liars Television Documentary 1 hr 2008 CBC's Doc Zone NA NA
40 Years of One Night Stands Television Documentary 1 hr 2008 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 Stands Feature Documentary 90 mins 2008 Theatrical Inside Out Productions NA
Science of the Senses - Hearing Television Documentary 90 mins 2008 CBC's The Nature of Things NA NA
Science of the Senses - Touch Television Documentary 90 mins 2008 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 5 TV Series 13 x 30 mins 2008 VisionTV NA NA
Sabrina's Law Television Documentary 1 hr 2007 Global Television Network Lank/Beach Productions NA
Recreating Eden - Season 4 TV Series 13 x 30 mins 2007 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 Girls TV Series 3 x 1 hr 2006 Bravo (Canada) Vonnie VON HELMOLT Films Nomination for Best Children's or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series at the 2007 Gemini Awards
Recreating Eden - Season 3 TV Series 13 x 30 mins 2006 VisionTV NA Best Writing in an Information Program or Series (Episode 34: Gardens in the Sky) at the 2007 Gemini Awards
Recreating Eden - Season 2 TV Series 13 x 30 mins 2005 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 Masseur Television Documentary 1 hr 2004 ZDF and TVOntario Edgeland Films NA
Recreating Eden - Season 1 TV Series 13 x 30 mins 2004 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 Pill Television Documentary 1 hr 1999 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

Smudge Television Documentary 30 mins 1997 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 Science Television Documentary 1 hr 1996 Discovery Channel (Canada) NA NA
The Mayor of Odessa TV Drama 30 mins 1994 CBC Riverain Productions - Best Drama Short at the Blizzard Awards

- Gemini Award Nominee

By Woman's Hand Television Documentary 1 hr 1993 VisionTV NA NA
Niagara Falls TV Drama 30 mins 1992 CBC West End Productions NA

Programs featuring the Royal Winnipeg Ballet:

References

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  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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