Company Profile

2013

In January, Frantic Films merged its commercial production division with Mid Canada Production Services to become Frank Digital. The new, full-service production company produces television commercials, corporate videos and short content for advertising and marketing clients.

2012

In February, Frantic welcomes seasoned UK producer, Bernard Periatambee, as its new Vice President, Unscripted Development

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Todd & The Book of Pure Evil wins Best TV Comedy at the WGC Awards.

Princess is nominated for a Banff World Media Festival Rockie Award and a Factual Entertainment lifestyle award in Santa Monica, California.

The Frantic Films’ produced “The 13th Man” becomes the highest rated documentary ever to air on TSN with over half a million viewers tuning in on Thanksgiving Monday.

2011

The Frantic team moves to new office space in Toronto at 46 Spadina Avenue, Suite 100.

Stephanie Fast joins the company as Post Production Manager.

Frantic Films produces new seasons of lifestyle series Pitchin' In and Princess, the second season of the multiple award-winning scripted series Todd & The Book of Pure Evil and the second Don Cherry feature: Wrath of Grapes: The Don Cherry Story II and helps celebrate the return of the NHL to Winnipeg with the CBC documentary Fuelled by Passion: the Return of the Jets.

Princess and Til Debt Do Us Part sweep the Gemini awards Lifestyle categories, winning Best Host in a Lifestyle/Practical Information, or Performing Arts Program or Series for Gail Vaz-Oxlade and Best Lifestyle/Practical Information Series respectively.

The second season of Todd and the Book of Pure Evil becomes a critical favourite and cult hit –it earns eight Gemini nominations and bags a win for Best Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Program or Series, along with editing and directing awards at both the Leo and Hugo Television Awards.

NOS Energy Drink Challenge, a 4-episode short format series created for The Hive and Coca-Cola, wins two Telly Awards for Internet / Online Video and Online Program in the Sports category.

The 3rd Frantic Films production of Winnipeg Comedy Festival hits new ratings records on CBC.

The company is honoured with the Spirit of Winnipeg Award for Medium Business.

2010

Pitchin' In wins the Banff Rockie Award for Lifestyle & Information Programs. Til Debt Do Us Part was also nominated twice.

Programs that premiered this year include Pitchin' In (January, on Food Network Canada), Winnipeg Comedy Festival (January, on CBC), Keep Your Head Up, Kid: The Don Cherry Story (March, on CBC), Rocket Booster Rescue (June, on History Television & National Geographic International), Rags to Red Carpet (July, on CosmoTV/W) The Opener (August, on Food Network Canada), Princess (September, on Slice), Men with Brooms (October, on CBC) and Surviving the Future (October, on CBC).

Todd & The Book Of Pure Evil becomes the highest rated original premiere ever broadcast on Space in September.

Til Debt Do Us Part, Pitchin' In and Keep Your Head Up Kid: The Don Cherry Story receive 9 Gemini Award nominations and wins Best Photography in a Dramatic Program or Series and Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series for Keep Your Head Up, Kid.

Wheels of Change, a sponsored feature documentary on bicycles in Africa, is produced by the Branded Content department and airs in Canada on CTV. 40,000 DVD copies are also distributed at Free the Children's We Day celebrations. The documentary is funded by Cadbury Canada in support of The Bicycle Factory and co-produced with The Hive.

The NOS Energy Drink Challenge is launched on-line. The 4-episode short format series, created for The Hive and Coca-Cola, follows three contestants as they modify and race golf carts. The series and on-line community at which it is hosted is nominated for Best Use of Social Media at the Canadian New Media Awards.

2009

Frantic has 11 television shows in various stages of production and averages between 15 to 20 commercial and branded content productions in the pipeline at any given time.

The 3rd season of Guinea Pig is nominated for a prestigious Banff Television Festival Rocky Award and the company receives 2 Gemini nominations for Chef School (Best Direction in a Lifestyle/Practical Information Series) and The Disappearing Male (Best Science, Technology, Nature, Environment or Adventure Documentary Program).

Part agenda part budget binder; the 2009 Til Debt Do Us Part Life Planner, made available only at Shopfranticfilms.com, sells out.

Frantic Films animation team, led by Creative Director, Bill Stewart, contributes to Cordell Barker’s short animated film Runaway. The film, produced by the National Film Board, wins the Petit Rail d’Or for Best Short Film at the International Critics’ Week in Cannes and garners The Special Jury’s Prize at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival.

Shawn Watson is promoted to Vice-President, Scripted Programming, in the Winnipeg office.

Frantic acquires the rights to 170 hours of programming from Vancouver-based The Eyes for international distribution.

2008

Til Debt Do Us Part continues to be a huge ratings success and 6th and 7th seasons are ordered as is a 3rd season of Guinea Pig. HGTV orders a pilot for a new series, House Poor, which is later ordered to series.

Jamie Brown is honoured with the Canadian Film and Television Production Association Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Til Debt Do Us Part receives a Gemini nomination for Best Lifestyle/Practical Information Series.

Forever Changed, produced by the Commercial Division for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights wins numerous international accolades including multiple Telly Awards, a Cine Golden Eagle Award, Summit Award and a DV Award.

The Commercial Division formally rebrands as Frantic Branded Content + Commercial and expands operations to Toronto.

In December, Frantic acquires the assets of Red Apple Entertainment which includes 162 hours of completed programming and 3 shows in production. The company also consolidates its Toronto operations with the Red Apple offices.

2007

In January, the Live Action's new series Guinea Pig debuts on Discovery Channel and becomes a ratings success, garnering a second season order. OLN airs surfing doc Breakbound in the spring and Til Debt Do Us Part it is renewed for its fourth and fifth seasons.

Frantic receives its first two Academy Award nominations for Visual Effects in February, as Superman Returns and Poseidon compete in the category. Music Rising and Devil's Brigade receive a total of 3 Gemini Award nominations and Music Rising wins a Golden Sheaf Award at the Yorkton Short Film Festival for Best Documentary (Arts & Culture) and 2 Accolade Awards.

The companion website for Devil's Brigade developed by the Commercial Division is short listed for a Gemini Award. The website features a robust community element. A strategy game called Devil’s Brigade Lux, created for the site, is selected on-line as Apple's Game of the Week.

Peter Jordan’s Grey Cup Adventure produced by the Commercial Division for CBC Sports wins a Gemini Award for Best Sports Feature Segment.

The opening title sequence for Music Rising, created by Frantic’s Commercial Division, wins a Silver Telly Award for Best Use of Animation in a TV Program.

In November, Frantic’s Visual Effects division is sold to Prime Focus Group, India’s largest film and television post-production company. Frantic’s visual effects facilities in Vancouver, Los Angeles and Winnipeg are part of the overall deal.

2006

It's a busy year for Frantic VFX with the release of Superman Returns, X-Men: The Last Stand, Poseidon, Silent Hill and Idlewild.

Til Debt Do Us Part wins a Gemini Award for Best Lifestyle/Practical Information series and is ordered for two more seasons. Two other projects earn Gemini nominations: Bomber Boys: The Flying Lancaster (Best Reality Series) and the one hour documentary Ken Leishman: The Flying Bandit (Best Biography Documentary). The legal series Almost Legal airs on the Life Network. Music Rising, which details efforts to bring live music back to areas hardest-hit by Hurricane Katrina, airs to strong numbers on CTV. The living history series Devil's Brigade premieres on History Television.

Frantic is named one of Deloitte's "Technology Fast 50" winners.

In December, the company secures a $5-million equity investment from Toronto-based Priveq Capital Funds.

2005

Frantic works on the 20th Century Fox thriller Stay and the Wes Craven werewolf feature Cursed.

Live Action's first lifestyle series, Last Chance for Romance, premieres on Global Television. The living history series turn to the military for Bomber Boys: The Fighting Lancaster and the biopic Ken Leishman: The Flying Bandit airs on History Television.

On the other side of the globe, Frantic VFX opens an office in Sydney, Australia to accommodate work on Superman Returns.

2004

As Frantic begins a four-year run on Canada's Profit Magazine "100 Fastest Growing Companies", the latest instalment in the Quest series – Quest for the Sea – debuts on History Television and movie-of-the-week. Zeyda and the Hitman (starring Danny Aiello, Judd Hirsh and Mercedes Ruehl) airs on CTV.

Frantic is named as one of Canada's Innovation Leaders by the National Research Council of Canada.

2003

The VFX Division creates sequences for X2: X-Men United, The Italian Job, Paycheck, The Core, Catwoman and Resident Evil: Apocalypse.

The Live Action Division's latest living-history series, Klondike: The Quest for Gold, airs on History Television, to further rave reviews and season topping ratings.

Frantic forms its Software Division and at SIGGRAPH 2003 in San Diego, the division unveils an early version of Flood, its groundbreaking fluid dynamics software. The technology is critical in the creation of the Tar Monster for Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.

In June, Frantic announces the opening of its Los Angeles office.

At the Banff Television Festival, CEO Jamie Brown is recognized with the Lions Gate Innovative Producers Award.

Jeff Peeler assumes the role of Vice-President and Executive Producer of the Commercial Division. The move marks a major step forward for the division, ushering in a period of renewed growth.

2002

The Live Action Division's television production Quest for the Bay becomes the highest-rated series of the year for History Television.

Frantic spins out its commercial business into its own division.

2001

The feature Swordfish is released. The film features the incredible "Ventura Bank Explosion" sequence, which becomes Frantic's VFX calling card in the film industry.

The company expands with the opening of its West Coast office in Vancouver.

Frantic is named as one of Profit Magazine's "Top 50 Hottest Startups" and wins CanWest Global's I.H. Asper Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

2000

Jamie Brown moves from Credo Entertainment to become a partner at Frantic, taking on the responsibilities of CEO and Executive Producer. Fresh off the success of living-history sensation Pioneer Quest: A Year in the Real West, Brown also begins assembling the new Live Action Division.

1999

Stephen King's Storm of the Century airs on ABC in February; the project ultimately earns Frantic an Emmy nomination for its visual effects (VFX) work.

Commercial projects continue to draw attention, garnering a Blizzard Award, a Gold PROMAX Award and a Signature Award.

1998

Frantic sets its sights on the television and film industry; early projects include the creation of CGI storm effects for Stephen King's Storm of the Century.

Frantic's commercial work results in several major awards, including a Signature Award and a CanPro Award. The honours help to build the groundwork for what is to become Frantic's Commercial Division.

1997

Frantic Films is formed in Winnipeg, Manitoba as an animation company. The company makes an immediate impact with commercial clients such as Proctor & Gamble.