Almost two years after its conception, a new program at the Canadian Film Centre is on schedule to deliver two potential new series to networks by September.

Pilots for Involuntary Muscles and The Big One - for CBC and CTV/The Comedy Network, respectively - are now in post following shooting earlier this year under CFC's TV Pilot Training program.

Conceived in winter 2005 by Kathryn Emslie, the CFC's director of film and television training, and Elana Trainoff, former manager of its TV programs, the program immerses CFC alumni in the rigors of TV series pitching and pilot production, while also introducing those new talents to broadcasters.

"TV pilots in this country were not something that were readily pursued," says Emslie. "The whole intent of this program is to try to facilitate new series going to air."

Muscles is a dark drama about vampires by director/writer Merlin Dervisevic (The Unprofessionals) and producer Paula Devonshire (Ginger Snaps: Unleashed), while Big One is a sitcom about a cable-access fishing show from writer Craig Martin and producer Lucia Piccinni.

"I had never pitched to a network before," says Dervisevic. "That was a really important thing I got out of the program - learning what a pitch was and how to conduct the pitch as well."

The program exposes new writer/producer teams who have original series concepts to the demands of real broadcasters. Participants are coached by the CFC on how to pitch a series, and take those pitches to broadcast executives. If the pilot is greenlit, the team works closely with the broadcaster to develop the project.

Brent Haynes, director of programming at Comedy, sees the program as an opportunity both to support the CFC and to find new talent.

"We are always looking for new people, and it is often difficult to get them before they become attached to other projects or head south of the border," he says.

Broadcasters are not obligated to back a series beyond the pilot.

"We'll look at this pilot and decide if we want to do more development, go to series or walk away," he adds.

Broadcasters taking part include CTV, CBC, Global, Alliance Atlantis, Comedy, The Movie Network, Movie Central, CHUM, Family Channel and YTV.

Up to three half-hour series pilots will be produced by the program each year. Out of 44 applications received, 22 went to pitch meetings with broadcasters, of which Muscles and Big One were greenlit.

Once they commit to a pilot, casters contribute $50,000 to the program, which is also supported by free goods and services from sponsors including Technicolor Creative Services, Tattersall Sound and Picture, PS Production Services, William F. White, Panavision Canada and Kodak Canada. Add it all up, and CFC says each pilot will have an on-screen value of at least $250,000. The Ontario government is also contributing funds.

To help structure and teach the program, Emslie hired Virginia Rankin (The Jane Show, ReGenesis) as executive producer in residence. She scouted the industry for feedback.

"We wanted the broadcaster to get something out of it," says Rankin. "We didn't want them to do it as a favor."

Rankin worked closely with program participants to help them hone their pitching skills, and she attended all pitch meetings.

Speed is also a crucial element of the five-month process. "One of the cornerstones of the program is fast-tracking," says Emslie.

Haynes notes that the backing of the CFC was crucial for such speedy commitment.

"Because of the various partners involved, we were able to do this faster and for a lot less money than if we took it on ourselves," he says. "Maybe next year it will need to go a bit slower."

The deadline for the next round of applications to the program is Oct. 16.

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