Canadian Made

Canadian Made
Series logo
GenreDocumentary
Created byKevin McMahon
Theme music composerKurt Swinghammer
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes14
Production
Executive producerMichael McMahon
ProducersKristina McLaughlin
Kevin McMahon
Michael McMahon
Running time22 minutes
Production companyPrimitive Entertainment
Original release
NetworkHistory Television
ReleaseJune 1, 2012 (2012-06-01)

Canadian Made is a Canadian documentary television series about the history of Canadian invention, innovation and scientific discovery. Produced by Primitive Entertainment for History Television, the series consists of 14 episodes examining inventions, discoveries and technological developments associated with Canada.[1]

Each episode groups three subjects around a common theme and examines their historical, scientific and human stories. The program combines conventional documentary material with animation, dramatic and comedic sketches, historical recreations and computer-generated graphics.[1] Subjects range from the Wonderbra, snowmobile and Robertson screw to Canadarm, the discovery of stem cells, electronic music, standard time and the electron microscope.

The series was created by documentary filmmaker Kevin McMahon and narrated by Canadian actor and comedian Rick Miller.[2] It premiered on History Television in 2012. The production received a Platinum Award for Animation and a Gold Award for Use of Effects at the Pixie Awards.[3]

Premise and format

Canadian Made examines Canadian contributions to invention, technology and scientific discovery. Rather than organizing the series chronologically, each episode is built around a theme linking three inventions, discoveries or technological developments.[1]

The subjects encompass consumer products, transportation, medicine, engineering, communications, food, sport and scientific research. Among the inventions and developments featured are the Wonderbra, the gas mask, standard time, instant replay, key-frame animation, the Canadarm, Dextre, the pacemaker, Trivial Pursuit, the Robertson screw, the Canadair CL-215 water bomber and the NEPTUNE underwater observatory.

The series uses a mixture of documentary interviews and historical material together with animation, sketches, recreations and computer graphics.[1] Primitive Entertainment described the series as exploring the historical, scientific and human stories behind the featured inventions and using them collectively to examine aspects of Canadian culture and character.[1]

Production

Canadian Made was produced by Toronto-based Primitive Entertainment as a 14-part half-hour documentary series for History Television.[1][4] The program was included in Shaw Media's 2011–12 specialty-channel programming lineup, where it was announced as a forthcoming world premiere on History Television.[5]

Kevin McMahon created the series. Production credits include Kristina McLaughlin, Kevin McMahon and Michael McMahon as producers, with individual episodes written and directed by several Canadian documentary filmmakers.

Rick Miller served as narrator throughout the series.[2] The individual episodes have a finished running time of approximately 22 minutes, while the production was commissioned and marketed in a half-hour television slot.[6]

Episodes

The series consists of 14 episodes. Each episode focuses on three related subjects, although some segments encompass more than one closely connected invention or development.[6]

No. Title Subjects Writer/director
1 Clothing Revolutions Wonderbra; lumberjack shirt; gas mask David New
2 Snow Crossings Snowshoes; snowmobile; snowplows and puck road sensor Sean Wainsteim
3 Time Shifting Standard time; keyframe animation; instant replay David New
4 Space Explorations Canadarm; Dextre; LIDAR David New
5 Cultural Revolutions Superman; electronic music and the electronic sackbut; Trivial Pursuit Sean Wainsteim
6 Sweet Treats Maple syrup; ginger ale; chocolate bar Sean Wainsteim
7 Game Gear Lacrosse stick; hockey stick; goaltender mask Ian Ross MacDonald
8 Experimental Vehicles JetLev water jet pack; Mosquito ultralight helicopter; Uno dicycle Buffy Childerhose
9 Medical Breakthroughs Pacemaker; Blissymbolics; discovery of stem cells Dylan Reibling
10 Imperviousness Quinzhee; Canada Goose parka; Exo-Suit Michael Morrow
11 Working Watercraft Kayak; Sawfish harvester; Hibernia oil platform Su Rynard
12 Brilliant Amenities Robertson screw; plastic garbage bag; bear-resistant garbage container Annie Bradley
13 Foresting Totem poles; Charles Fenerty and wood-pulp newsprint; Canadair CL-215 water bomber Buffy Childerhose
14 Revolutionary Perspectives Electron microscope; telerobotic surgery; NEPTUNE underwater observatory Dylan Reibling

The episode numbering above follows Primitive Entertainment's distribution of the complete series.[6]

Selected episodes

Snow Crossings examines technologies developed for movement through the Canadian winter, including snowshoes and the snowmobile. The episode discusses the different forms of traditional snowshoes and the circumstances that influenced Joseph-Armand Bombardier's development of snow-going vehicles.[7]

Sweet Treats examines the histories of maple syrup, ginger ale and the chocolate bar, using food inventions as its common theme.[7]

Game Gear focuses on equipment associated with Canada's major sports and examines the historical relationship of lacrosse equipment to Indigenous traditions.[7]

Medical Breakthroughs examines the development of the cardiac pacemaker, Blissymbolics and Canadian research associated with the discovery of stem cells.[7]

Foresting examines subjects connected with Canada's forests, including totem poles, the development of wood-pulp newsprint associated with Charles Fenerty, and the purpose-built Canadair CL-215 aerial firefighting aircraft. The episode was written and directed by Buffy Childerhose.[6]

Awards

Canadian Made received two Pixie Awards for its visual production.[3]

Year Award Category Result
2011 Pixie Awards Animation Won Platinum Award
2011 Pixie Awards Use of Effects Won Gold Award

Release and availability

Canadian Made was broadcast by History Television in Canada in 2012. Contemporary Shaw Media publicity announced the program as a world premiere for the network's 2011–12 programming schedule.[5]

The complete series was subsequently released for online distribution by Primitive Entertainment. Its digital edition contains all 14 episodes with individual running times of approximately 22 minutes.[6] Primitive Entertainment continues to list the series in its catalogue.[8]

The series has also been distributed through Apple TV, where it is classified as a documentary/history program and lists Miller as its featured performer.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Canadian Made". Primitive Entertainment. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  2. ^ a b "Film & TV". Rick Miller. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  3. ^ a b "About". Primitive Entertainment. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  4. ^ "Work". Primitive Entertainment. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  5. ^ a b "Shaw Media Unveils 2011-2012 Programming Lineup For Its Specialty Channels". Channel Canada. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Canadian Made". Vimeo. Primitive Entertainment. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Canadian Made". Apple TV. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  8. ^ "Shop". Primitive Entertainment. Retrieved August 16, 2026.

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