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Kensington Communications

{{short description|Canadian production company}}

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|title = Kensington Communications Inc

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|label1 = Location

|data1 = Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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|label2 = Founded

|data2 = 1980 in Kensington Market, by Robert Lang

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|label3 = Executive Producer

|data3 = Robert Lang

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|label5 = Writer & Web Developer

|data5 = Allen Booth

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Kensington Communications is a Toronto-based production company that specializes in documentary films and documentary/factual television series. Founded in 1980 by president Robert Lang, Kensington Communications Inc. has produced over 250 productions from documentary series and films to performing arts and children's specials. Since 1998, Kensington has also been involved in multi-platform interactive projects for the web and mobile devices.

The company's recent productions include two one-hour science documentaries: Why We Dance, and Nature's Cleanup Crew, about the busy urban scavengers who clean up the mountains of waste humans leave behind, both for CBC's The Nature of Things and Arte. Fluid: Life Beyond The Binary, a one-hour documentary for CBC's The Nature of Things hosted by Mae Martin, in association with Gay Agenda (production company) that explores gender fluidity throughout the living world.{{Cite web |last=Mama |first=Michelle |date=Mar 27, 2024 |title=Why we prioritized hiring queer crew for an episode of The Nature of Things |url=https://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/the-nature-of-things/why-we-prioritized-hiring-queer-crew-for-an-episode-of-the-nature-of-things-1.7150903 |access-date=April 26, 2024 |website=CBC Docs}} Kensington has won a number of awards for these and other programs (see Awards section for details). Among Kensington's recent interactive projects are: the mobile app, Risk Navigator; Scopify, a mobile app which allows visitors to the Royal Ontario Museum to get an augmented experience of some of the museum's artifacts; and Museum Secrets Interactive, with web videos, games and information.

Filmography

Television Series

  • Museum Secrets{{cite web|title=Museum Secrets on History Television |url=http://www.history.ca/ontv/titledetails.aspx?titleid=252801 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111224234934/http://www.history.ca/ontv/titledetails.aspx?titleid=252801 |archivedate=2011-12-24 }} (History TV, UKTV, Historia, BBC)http://www.museumsecrets.tv/ Museum Secrets Official Site - A 22-episode series that goes into museums (e.g. the Louvre, the American Museum of Natural History, the Vatican) and looks at the stories behind the museums' artifacts. Awarded Best Factual Series at the 2014 Canadian Screen Awards.
  • Shameless Idealists (CTV) - a five-part series that profiles celebrity changemakers and social activists. Produced in collaboration with Free the Children
  • Diamond Road, 3-part documentary series produced for TVOntario, History Television, Discovery Times, ZDF, Arte and Special Broadcasting Service Australia;http://diamondroad.tv/index_tvo.php/ Diamond Road on TVO awarded best documentary series, Gemini Award.
  • City Sonic (co-produced with White Pine Pictures), 4 x 30 minutes and 20 5-minute episodes, 2009
  • 72 Hours: True Crime, 3 seasons from 2005-2007 (CBC/TLC).http://www.cbc.ca/programguide/program/72_hours_true_crime_hd/ 72 Hours: True Crime on CBC
  • Exhibit A: Secrets of Forensic Science, 5 seasons from 1997-2003 (Discovery/CTV/TLC).
  • The Sacred Balance (CBC/PBS), with broadcaster-environmentalist David Suzuki which is also accompanied by an interactive media site, Sacred Balance.com; awarded best science environment program, Houston Worldfest, Yorkton Short Film festival and many others.

One-off Documentaries:

  • Why We Dance (CBC, ARTV, Explora, SWR and Arte)
  • Nature's Cleanup Crew (CBC, ZDF, Arte)
  • The Shadow of Gold (TVO, Canal D, Arte France, SVT) - co-production with Films à Cinq, Paris
  • Champions vs. Legends (CBC, SRC, Arte, ARD, ORF) - co-production with Berlin Producers (Germany) and PreTV (Austria)
  • Risk Factor (TVO, Canal D, Knowledge Network)
  • The Equalizer (CBC, SRC, Arte, ZDF) - co-production with Berlin Producers
  • Raw Opium: Pain, Pleasure, Profits (TVO, ZDF Arte, Canal D, SBS)
  • Return to Nepal with Bruce Cockburn (documentary channel)
  • Almost Home: A Sayisi Dene Journey (CBC); awarded best Social Political documentary and Kathleen Shannon Award at Yorkton Film Festival.
  • My Beat: The Life and Times of Bruce Cockburn (CBC)
  • River of Sand (TVO/Vision); awarded best Canadian film at Vues d'Afrique film festival
  • Separate Lives (Discovery/TLC/BBC), awarded best science, environment or nature documentary, Gemini Award
  • A Place in the World (Vision/SCN); awarded Vision Humanitarian Award, Hot Docs
  • Mariposa: Under a Stormy Sky—an examination of 1960s folk music and the Mariposa Folk Festival (CTV)
  • One Warm Line—a portrait of the legendary Canadian folk singer, Stan Rogers (CBC)
  • Pacific Rim: A Park and its People (Discovery Channel's Parks Series)
  • On the Run: Growing up with Alcohol; Awarded Best Film from the National Foundation for Alcoholism Communications Awards
  • Out of the Past (TVOntario, PBS, Access Alberta)
  • Stepdancing: Portrait of a Remarried Family (CBC); Awarded 1987 Blue Ribbon in the American Film and Video Festival
  • Seeds
  • Fragile Harvest(CBC's The Nature of Things, NFB)
  • Joe David/Spirit of the Mask half-hour documentary for CBC)
  • Childhood's End (for TVO)
  • Fluid: Life Beyond the Binary (CBC's The Nature of Things)

Recognitions

=Awards=

;2014

: Canadian Screen Award, Best Factual Series, Museum Secrets (Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television) {{cite web|title=2014 Award Winner List |url=http://www.academy.ca/getmedia/61795d90-f198-406c-950f-82e5082cbbd6/2014-CSA-Winners-FULL.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151030144131/http://www.academy.ca/getmedia/61795d90-f198-406c-950f-82e5082cbbd6/2014-CSA-Winners-FULL.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 30, 2015 |publisher=Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television |accessdate=May 8, 2014 }}

: Canadian Screen Award, Best Picture Editing in an Information Program or Series, Museum Secrets (Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television) {{cite web|title=2014 Award Winner List |url=http://www.academy.ca/getmedia/61795d90-f198-406c-950f-82e5082cbbd6/2014-CSA-Winners-FULL.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151030144131/http://www.academy.ca/getmedia/61795d90-f198-406c-950f-82e5082cbbd6/2014-CSA-Winners-FULL.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 30, 2015 |publisher=Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television |accessdate=May 8, 2014 }}

;2013: Canadian Screen Award, Best Sound in an Information/Documentary Program or Series, Museum Secrets (Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television){{cite web|title=Awards Database|url=http://www.academy.ca/hist/history.cfm?categid=506004&shownum=1&winonly=0&awards=5&rtype=5&curstep=4|publisher=Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television|accessdate=Dec 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216011612/http://www.academy.ca/hist/history.cfm?categid=506004&shownum=1&winonly=0&awards=5&rtype=5&curstep=4|archive-date=December 16, 2013|url-status=dead}}

: Digi Awards, (Nomination) Best in Mobility, ScopifyROM{{cite web|title=Digi Awards - Best in Mobility|url=http://www.nextmedia3-0.com/digi-awards/digi-awards/|website=nextMEDIA|publisher=nextMEDIA3.0|accessdate=August 21, 2014|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140821155654/http://www.nextmedia3-0.com/digi-awards/digi-awards/|archive-date=August 21, 2014|url-status=dead}}

;2008: Canadian New Media Awards, Best News Information, Diamond Road Online{{cite web|title=www.bullfrogfilms.com|url=http://www.bullfrogfilms.com/catalog/droad.html|publisher=Bullfrog Films|accessdate=Dec 3, 2013}}{{cite web|title=Top 15 - 2008 Canadian New Media Awards|url=http://www.backbonemag.com/Top_Lists/Canadian-New-Media-Awards-winners.asp|publisher=Backbone Magazine|accessdate=Dec 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207065827/http://www.backbonemag.com/Top_Lists/Canadian-New-Media-Awards-winners.asp|archive-date=December 7, 2013|url-status=dead}}

: Gemini Award – Best Documentary Series, Diamond Road{{cite web|title=Canadian Screen Awards database|url=http://www.academy.ca/hist/history.cfm?categid=1012&shownum=23&winonly=0&awards=2&rtype=5&curstep=4|publisher=Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television|accessdate=December 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216012827/http://www.academy.ca/hist/history.cfm?categid=1012&shownum=23&winonly=0&awards=2&rtype=5&curstep=4|archive-date=December 16, 2013|url-status=dead}}

: Platinum Award – Best Feature Documentary, Diamond Road (Houston Worldfest){{cite web|title=2008 Worldfest Winner's List |url=http://www.worldfest.org/downloads/winnerslist2008.pdf |publisher=Worldfest Houston |accessdate=Dec 3, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220083609/http://www.worldfest.org/downloads/winnerslist2008.pdf |archivedate=February 20, 2009 }}

;2005 & 2007: Worldmedal – Docudrama, 72 Hours: True Crime (New York Festivals){{cite web|title=New York Festivals Awards Database|url=http://www.newyorkfestivals.com/main.php?p=3,1&wp=info&id=243299|publisher=New York Festivals|accessdate=Dec 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207161535/http://www.newyorkfestivals.com/main.php?p=3,1&wp=info&id=243299|archive-date=December 7, 2013|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=New York Festivals Awards Database|url=http://www.newyorkfestivals.com/main.php?p=3,1&wp=info&id=297943|publisher=New York Festivals|accessdate=Dec 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207161824/http://www.newyorkfestivals.com/main.php?p=3,1&wp=info&id=297943|archive-date=December 7, 2013|url-status=dead}}

;2004: Golden Sheaf Award – Best Documentary, Social/Political Almost Home (Yorkton Festival){{cite web|title=2004 Canadian Golden Sheaf Award Winners|url=http://www.goldensheafawards.com/files/File/winners/winners2004.html|publisher=Yorkton Film Festival|accessdate=Dec 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207175753/http://www.goldensheafawards.com/files/File/winners/winners2004.html|archive-date=December 7, 2013|url-status=dead}}

;2004: NFB Kathleen Shannon Award, Almost Home (Yorkton Short Film & Video Festival){{cite web|title=2004 Canadian Golden Sheaf Award Winners|url=http://www.goldensheafawards.com/files/File/winners/winners2004.html|publisher=Yorkton Film Festival|accessdate=Dec 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207175753/http://www.goldensheafawards.com/files/File/winners/winners2004.html|archive-date=December 7, 2013|url-status=dead}}

;2004: Platinum Award – Ecology/Environment/Conservation, Sacred Balance Show 3 Fire of Creation (Houston Worldfest){{cite web|title=Houston Worldfest Houston Winners 2004 |url=http://www.worldfest.org/downloads/winnerslist2004.pdf |publisher=Worldfest Houston |accessdate=Dec 3, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928025232/http://www.worldfest.org/downloads/winnerslist2004.pdf |archivedate=September 28, 2007 }}

;1998: Gemini Award – Science, Technology, Nature, Separate Lives (Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television){{cite web|title=Canadian Screen Awards Database|url=http://www.academy.ca/hist/history.cfm?categid=1010&shownum=12&winonly=0&awards=2&rtype=5&curstep=4|publisher=Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television|accessdate=Dec 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216011731/http://www.academy.ca/hist/history.cfm?categid=1010&shownum=12&winonly=0&awards=2&rtype=5&curstep=4|archive-date=December 16, 2013|url-status=dead}}

;1997: HotDocs – Vision TV Humanitarian Award, A Place in the World {{cite web|title=1997 Hot Docs Awards Archive|url=http://www.hotdocs.ca/archive/1997_hot_docs_awards_archive|publisher=Hot Docs|accessdate=Dec 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207193357/http://www.hotdocs.ca/archive/1997_hot_docs_awards_archive|archive-date=December 7, 2013|url-status=dead}}

;1995: Award of Excellence – Best Variety, The Biggest Little Ticket (Alliance for Children and Television){{cite web|title=Bizet's Dream and Watatow take ACT Awards|url=http://playbackonline.ca/1995/11/06/4807-19951106/|publisher=Playback Magazine|accessdate=Dec 3, 2013}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.kensingtontv.com/ Kensington Communications Inc.official site]
  • [https://www.imdb.com/company/co0101456/ Kensington on the Internet Movie Database]
  • [http://museumsecrets.tv/ Official Museum Secrets website]
  • [http://www.rawopium.com/ Raw Opium Official Site]

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Category:Film production companies of Canada

Category:Television production companies of Canada

Category:Companies based in Toronto

Category:Documentary film production companies