Charlie David's Blog, page 8
July 28, 2022
Avocado Toast wins Best Comedy, Best Ensemble and Best Hair & Make-up at TO Webfest
Webseries Canada is the producer of T.O. WebFest, Canada’s premiere digital content festival. It is a multi-day festival offering engaging panels and workshops, special events, awards, public web series screenings, and more!
Every year in Toronto since 2014, Webseries Canada presents the next annual digital content festival, T.O. WEBFEST, to support, connect, promote and celebrate independent content creators from Canada and around the world.
Stars Heidi Lynch, Alexander Nunez and Perrie Voss in Avocado Toast season 2.
At the 2022 festival, Border2Border Entertainment unscripted dating series Dating Unlocked was nominated for Best Costumes and Best Hair & Make-up. The team was on a roll coming off a win for Best Cinematography at the Tuscany Webfest which was awarded to director of photography Cam Roden.
Border2Border Entertainment's scripted comedy Avocado Toast will premiere its second season on September 9th on OUTtv and a suite of other digital platforms. The millennial driven show picked up the awards for Best Comedy, Best Ensemble Cast and Best Hair & Make-up at the Toronto Webfest.
Discover and watch all the wonderful series in competition at the link below.
June 30, 2022
An Interview with Dating Unlocked Host Yaz!
Yaz, host of Dating Unlocked, shares some insights from working on the show, and shares a little dating advice!
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TELL US ABOUT THE NAME “DATING UNLOCKED”, WHAT DOES THIS TELL US ABOUT THE SHOW?
My initial thought around the show was "finally". I’m not embarrassed to admit that I absolutely love reality TV. It is such an entertaining escape from reality. The lack of queer representation here is astounding, so I was quite excited to hear that there would be one created that was about us for us. It was also a breath of fresh air to see the effort put into education alongside entertainment. I really love the little informative tidbits that come up on screen about terminology and the depth of conversation that was encouraged while filming.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS WORKING WITH THE DATERS.I have quite a bit of experience facilitating, so these interactions felt pretty natural for me to navigate! That said, I’ve never done it with studio lights and full camera crew, so that was definitely interesting and at times challenging. I totally assumed going into it that the types of intimacy (a deep chat, a make-out, a shared dance, etc) would differ not only depending on each person’s comfort, but also the potential chemistry or non-chemisty between the pairings.
HOW WERE THE DATERS CHOSEN?I was part of pre-production, so I got to see all of the dater’s videos before stepping on set. From what I learned about them, I helped create and design what the second game for each episode would look like based on what I thought the daters on that episode would resonate with. During the show you hear me say something like "as we know, people can be different online than they are in real life", and wow, that was definitely true! There were some daters that presented one way in their videos and then same to set and totally surprised and even shocked me with how different they were. So I had guesses for who would pick who based on the videos, some of which actually came true, and some of which totally didn’t. Each morning, I thought "wow, let’s see what happens with this mix of personalities today!"
DO YOU THINK THERE WILL BE A SECOND SEASON OF DATING UNLOCKED?Coming back for a second season of the show would be very, very fun. The team was absolutely incredible, the concept was cool, and the outfits I got to wear? Don’t even get me started on the outfits.
LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR OUTFITS. THE WARDROBE ON DATING UNLOCKED WAS GORGEOUS! Ha! Okay, great segue from the last question. I guess you’re getting me started on the outfits! The stylist Jess Mori wanted to incorporate my own style into the outfits so some of the pieces that you see like the black latex bra and the platform Doc Martens are from my own closet. Jess did an incredible job really nailing the vibe I wanted from just a few chats and me sharing a Pinterest board. I got to try on a bunch of outfits before filming and the ones you see on the show were the ones we chose!
DO YOU HAVE ANY FUN ADVICE FOR THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR LOVE?Oh wow, I’m flattered but I am most definitely not an expert. If anything, I’m just good at making a potentially awkward encounter a little less awkward. Based on my own experiences and work though, I would say the following:- There is really no such thing as a perfect person for you. Consider reframing to something like, a good fit for the person that you are right now. I think it takes some pressure off of the search and gives you more space to problem solve and stay curious.- Be as honest as you can from the get go about your deal breakers, non-negotiables, and your values and ethics in general.- Everyone wants that super romantic and exciting meet-cute, so why not initiate one yourself? Next time you see someone who catches your eye, take a breath, remind yourself that you are wonderful, and go for it.
June 8, 2022
Dating Unlocked Golden Sheaf and Telly Awards!
We are very excited to announce that Dating Unlocked was awarded the Golden Sheaf Award at the Yorkton Film Festival for Best Reality/Lifestyle show! The festival is the longest running film festival in North America, and the 7th longest running film festival in the world and also happens to be the hometown of Dating Unlocked producer and creator, Charlie David.
History
In 1956, Winnipeg Free Press Film Critic Frank Morris suggested that the festival needed an award to call its own. Recalling his travel from Winnipeg to Yorkton, his suggestion to the film council was based on the golden fields of wheat he drove by. And from there, the Golden Sheaf Award was born.
The Winnipeg Brass Company was commissioned to design and produce the first Golden Sheaf Award for 1958. And while the Sheaf has undergone many changes since its beginnings, including a drastic reduction in weight, it remains a staple of festival and has truly become the unique and respected image of the festival that Frank Morriss had in mind.
Adjudication Standards
Adjudication for the awards is undertaken by over seventy jurors, all of whom are industry professionals, across Canada each year. Films are adjudicated by juries set up from coast to coast, Vancouver to Halifax, and this ensures one of the most rigorous adjudication processes of any festival. (from the festival site)
Dating Unlocked also took home awards from the Tellys - the Silver for Best Online Series: Reality, and the Bronze for Best Online Webseries: Non-scripted. We are so incredibly grateful that our hard work is being recognized by the industry leadership at the Telly Awards.
What are the Telly Awards?
The Telly Awards was founded in 1979 to honor excellence in local, regional and cable television commercials with non-broadcast video and television programming added soon after. With the recent evolution and rise of digital video (web series, VR, 360 and beyond), the Telly Awards today also reflects and celebrates this exciting new era of the moving image on and offline.
The Telly Awards annually showcases the best work created within television and across video, for all screens. Receiving over 12,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents, Telly Award winners represent work from some of the most respected advertising agencies, television stations, production companies and publishers from around the world. The Telly Awards recognizes work that has been created on the behalf of a client, for a specific brand and/or company (including your own) or self-directed as a creative endeavor. (from their site)
May 29, 2022
Pat Rocco Dared and Dating Unlocked busy on film festival circuit
We are currently deep in production on the third season of DRAG HEALS, a hybrid stage workshop and documentary TV series that follows six drag artists over an intensive fifteen day workshop to build their own show. Over the course of the intensive workshops and story crafting, the participants dive deep into their personal lives to unearth lessons learned and bring them back to the audience as a gift. They are both the pirate and the pirated, the island and treasure. The resulting stories are emotional and cathartic, both for the drag artists and the audience who share in the experience.
Want to see the live performances? Drag Heals season 3 showcase will be filmed live in Toronto at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre on Thursday, June 2nd and Friday, June 3rd at 7pm. Get your tickets now at tickets.buddiesinbadtimes.com
PAT ROCCO DARED has hit the festival circuit and made quite an impression, winning BEST DOCUMENTARY at the Pride Queer Film Festival in Perth, Australia and runner up for BEST DOCUMENTARY at the OutShine LGBTQ+ Film Festival in Miami.There are a number of upcoming screenings with the next one being at the Inside Out Film Festival in Toronto.For tickets to attend the screening, and for more info, check out https://insideout.ca/toronto-films/pat-rocco-dared/
Pat Rocco Dared Festival Screenings
WINNER: Best Documentary - Pride Queer Film Festival
RUNNER UP: Best Documentary - OutShine LGBTQ+ Film Festival
Geelong Pride Film Festival
Frameline Film Festival
Merced Queer Film Festival
Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival
Muskoka Pride Film Festival
Whistler Film Festival
Merlinka Film Festival
Depth of Field International Film Festival
Cherry Grove Archives Collection Film Festival
Inside Out Film Festival
Out on Film: Atlanta’s LGBTQ Film Festival
qFlix Philadelphia
Mexico LGBTQ+ International Film Festival
DATING UNLOCKED has also been faring well as it makes it's way through the festival circuit, winning big in the categories of BEST COSTUMES, BEST MAKEUP AND HAIR, BEST SET DESIGN and of course BEST WEBSERIES at the Paris Play Film Festival! It has also won for BEST EDITING at the London International Web & Shorts Festival, and is a nominee for BEST LIFESTYLE & REALITY series at the Yorkton Film Festival. If you haven't already seen the show, be sure to click here to see options for watching all episodes! https://www.border2border.ca/dating-unlocked?utm_campaign=67843b4c-a932-494c-bd73-862f7fc79774&utm_source=so&utm_medium=lp
Dating Unlocked Festival Screenings
WINNER: Best Costumes - Paris Play Film Festival
WINNER: Best Makeup and Hair - Paris Play Film Festival
WINNER: Best Set Design - Paris Play Film Festival
WINNER: Best Webseries - Paris Play Film Festival
WINNER: Best Editing - London International Web & Shorts Film Festival
NOMINIEE: Lifestyle and Reality - Yorkton Film Festival
Queer Stories International LGBTQ Film Festival
Changing Face International Film Festival
Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival
London International Web and Shorts Film Festival
LGBTQ Unordered International Film Festival
Berlin International TV Series Film
Merced Queer Film Festival
So much to share!
We are currently deep in production on the third season of DRAG HEALS, a hybrid stage workshop and documentary TV series that follows six drag artists over an intensive fifteen day workshop to build their own show. Over the course of the intensive workshops and story crafting, the participants dive deep into their personal lives to unearth lessons learned and bring them back to the audience as a gift. They are both the pirate and the pirated, the island and treasure. The resulting stories are emotional and cathartic, both for the drag artists and the audience who share in the experience.
Want to see the live performances? Drag Heals season 3 showcase will be filmed live in Toronto at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre on Thursday, June 2nd and Friday, June 3rd at 7pm. Get your tickets now at tickets.buddiesinbadtimes.com
PAT ROCCO DARED has hit the festival circuit and made quite an impression, winning BEST DOCUMENTARY at the Pride Queer Film Festival in Perth, Australia and runner up for BEST DOCUMENTARY at the OutShine LGBTQ+ Film Festival in Miami.There are a number of upcoming screenings with the next one being at the Inside Out Film Festival in Toronto.For tickets to attend the screening, and for more info, check out https://insideout.ca/toronto-films/pat-rocco-dared/
Pat Rocco Dared Festival Screenings
WINNER: Best Documentary - Pride Queer Film Festival
RUNNER UP: Best Documentary - OutShine LGBTQ+ Film Festival
Geelong Pride Film Festival
Frameline Film Festival
Merced Queer Film Festival
Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival
Muskoka Pride Film Festival
Whistler Film Festival
Merlinka Film Festival
Depth of Field International Film Festival
Cherry Grove Archives Collection Film Festival
Inside Out Film Festival
Out on Film: Atlanta’s LGBTQ Film Festival
qFlix Philadelphia
Mexico LGBTQ+ International Film Festival
DATING UNLOCKED has also been faring well as it makes it's way through the festival circuit, winning big in the categories of BEST COSTUMES, BEST MAKEUP AND HAIR, BEST SET DESIGN and of course BEST WEBSERIES at the Paris Play Film Festival! It has also won for BEST EDITING at the London International Web & Shorts Festival, and is a nominee for BEST LIFESTYLE & REALITY series at the Yorkton Film Festival. If you haven't already seen the show, be sure to click here to see options for watching all episodes! https://www.border2border.ca/dating-unlocked?utm_campaign=67843b4c-a932-494c-bd73-862f7fc79774&utm_source=so&utm_medium=lp
Dating Unlocked Festival Screenings
WINNER: Best Costumes - Paris Play Film Festival
WINNER: Best Makeup and Hair - Paris Play Film Festival
WINNER: Best Set Design - Paris Play Film Festival
WINNER: Best Webseries - Paris Play Film Festival
WINNER: Best Editing - London International Web & Shorts Film Festival
NOMINIEE: Lifestyle and Reality - Yorkton Film Festival
Queer Stories International LGBTQ Film Festival
Changing Face International Film Festival
Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival
London International Web and Shorts Film Festival
LGBTQ Unordered International Film Festival
Berlin International TV Series Film
Merced Queer Film Festival
May 4, 2022
Dating Unlocked wins big in Paris and London
Dating Unlocked was selected for four awards at the Paris Play Film Festival which receives and selects films and webseries from all over the world. This year, Dating Unlocked was awarded Best Webseries, Best Costumes, Best Set Design and Best Hair and Make-up. We are humbled by the win in four categories and recognize all the incredible hard work and artistry that our crew put into this series to make it stand out from the crowd.
The series focusing on LGBTQ relationships and dating also won Best Editing at the London Webfest for Q1 2022.
Dating Unlocked was edited by Nic Wilson, Anna Catley, Jess Graore, Adam Seward and Dylan Ntwali. Post production supervisor was Andrew Jehan and assistant editor, DIT and colourist was Eric Metzloff.
Dating Unlocked won Best Set Design at the Paris Play International Film Festival and congratulations go out to Production Designer Hope Little, Art Director Kristina Masterson, Graphic Designer Kiki Divic and a big thank you to Neon Demon Studio.
The series that focuses on pairing LGBTQ people on dates through a series of get to know you games also picked up the award for Best Make-up and Hair in Paris and big congratulations go out to Hair Make-up Artists Andi Clifford and Rahnell Branton.
Dating Unlocked was lucky to enjoy the fashion of many LGBTQ+ and BIPOC independent designers and the incredible looks were put together by Costume Designer Jess Mori and Cathleen Calica.
We couldn't be happier with being selected as the Best Web Series at the festival. If you haven't already watched the award winning Dating Unlocked, you can dive in right now!
April 24, 2022
Getting Jewcy with Charlie David
Border2Border Entertainment president Charlie David was invited on the Getting Jewcy podcast recently and you can watch or listen to the show on YouTube or your favourite podcast platform. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikGYL1Wcjh0Charlie David is a tried and true Queer Canadian producer and has been part of LGBTQ+ media for over 2 decades. A couple of his well known credits include being a lead role in Dante's Cove and for 10 years was the host of OUTtv's gay travel guide show, 'Bump!'
He is the founder or Border2Border Entertainment in Toronto, Canada and is currently working on multiple productions. His most recent project, Dating Unlocked, debuted this year and a 2nd season is in the works!
Charlie opens up about his earliest days and memories as a child and the key moments that led him to his start in performing arts. This includes his coming out journey and establishing his community of folx that evolved into the career he now flourishes in.
He lives in Toronto with his partner and fur baby, and also opens up about how they met and became the partnership they are today.
There are Jewcy nuggets for all demographics that are sure to leave you inspired to keep pursuing your goals and dreams!
Charlie's Links:
Instagram (@mrcharliedavid) - https://www.instagram.com/mrcharliedavid/?hl=en
Website - https://www.border2border.ca/
Getting Jewcy Links:
Instagram (@getting_jewcy) - https://www.instagram.com/getting_jewcy
Facebook (@gettingjewcy) - https://www.facebook.com/gettingjewcy/
Listen to our podcast - https://gettingjewcy.buzzsprout.com/
Website - https://www.gettingjewcy.com/
April 22, 2022
Border2Border Entertainment Awarded IPF Funding for Scripted Series “Well Versed”
April 22, 2022
Border2Border Entertainment is thrilled to share that the Independent Production Fund and Canadian Media Fund Board of Directors has approved financing for their comedic short series (6x 20 min) entitled Well Versed, as part of the 2022 Development Packaging Program. The series is produced by Charlie David, written by Alexander Nunez, and story edited by Izad Etemad. It is aimed at the LGBTQ+ community and its supporters, allies and advocates.
Synopsis: Mason Fynn is a matchmaker with an impressive success rate, and the creator and host of “Well Versed”: a wildly popular podcast for which listeners get answers to questions on sex, dating, and relationships.
If he could just follow his own advice, he’d have the man of his dreams. Unfortunately, Mason has no such luck — his personal life is a tragic disaster. A crazy ex fiancé, crazy client cases... To top it all off, he can’t stop meddling in his friends’ love lives. Can Mason stop getting in his own way before he taints his budding love empire past the point of no return?
Along for the ride are his best friends: Georgia, who refuses to admit she has commitment issues; and Ben, who is riddled with anxiety when it comes to the dating front. They help one another navigate the wild world of LGBTQ+ dating, despite a truckload of friction along the way.
Each episode we meet a new client that Mason must match, while balancing his own messy private life. These clients and their stories reflect various topics about queer dating, love, and sex.
April 19, 2022
The IPF Board of Directors has approved financing for twenty (20) scripted short-form series as part of the 2022 Development Packaging Program. These are series which are being developed for exploitation primarily on digital platforms and channels. Thirteen (13) of the approved series are in English and seven (7) are in French.
The IPF and Canada Media Fund are providing a combined investment of roughly $600,000 for these projects and will also provide consultation advisory services to producers.
The Development Packaging Program is designed to support the development of high quality, Canadian, original, scripted short-form series.
One hundred and twenty-nine (129) eligible projects were submitted from across Canada – 105 English language, 24 French language. Applications were received from 8 provinces. 30+ evaluators analyzed and rated the projects providing a wide range of perspectives.
Evaluators looked for originality, quality of written creative materials, the experience of story editor or development executives and their commitment to the project, the proposed budget, and the overall potential for success.
Both new talents and experienced digital production companies are represented with a wide range of genres for both children’s/youth and adult demographics, including comedy, drama, horror, musical, mystery, thriller and two animated series!
IPF Chair Emilia King commented: “The IPF is thrilled to support this year’s next wave of creators in the development of their projects. There is so much talent in Canada, and it’s our continued privilege to be part of these creators’ journeys. We cannot wait to see these stories come closer to being realized!!”
“The CMF is delighted to partner with IPF to fund the development of these 20 high quality, original, scripted short-form series,” said Valerie Creighton, President and CEO, CMF. “Congratulations to the talented teams who submitted a funding application. We look forward to seeing the results of your hard work.”
The following productions are the recipients of the IPF 2022 Development Packaging Program:
BreakawayGenre: DramaProduction Company: Studio 104 EntertainmentProducer: Mike JohnstonWriter: Jenny Lee-GilmoreStory Editor: Marc Adams
Degrees of SeparationGenre: Comedy, Mystery/ThrillerProduction Company: Fae Pictures Inc.Producers: Shant Joshi, Eva GrantWriter: Eva GrantStory Editor: Eva Thomas
En onde avec OvideGenre: AnimationProduction Company: COLGRAMProducer: Sophie MontmagnyWriter: Émil Baroon, Pablo TuduriStory Editor: Sébastien Landry
Everyone But MeGenre: Comedy, DramaProduction Company: Brightlight Pictures Inc.Producer: Aaron AuWriter: Lelinh DuStory Editor: Emily Alden
Fan ClubGenre: Comedy, DramaProduction Company: Second Adolescence ProductionsProducer: Lola Gafaar, Fonna SieduWriter: Jahnelle Jones, Kat KhanStory Editor: Jabbari Weekes
Finding GreenGenre: Comedy, DramaProduction Company: Bone Vault Inc.Producer: Heidi LynchWriter: Jonathan BrentStory Editor: Cosima Herter
Hello CharlieGenre: Comedy, DramaProduction Company: Shaftesbury Inc.Producers: Scott Garvie, Christina JenningsWriter: Sharron MatthewsStory Editor: Dillon Taylor
IndigeniusGenre: ComedyProduction Company: Firediva Productions Inc.Producers: Joy Haskell, Rebeka HerronWriter: Joy HaskellStory Editor: Andrew Carr
It Doesn't ShowGenre: Comedy, HorrorProduction Company: Puppet UpProducers: Bronwyn SzaboWriter: Bronwyn SzaboStory Editor: Roselynn Akulukjuk
J'adore le jusGenre: ComedyProduction Company: Casadel FilmsProducer: Patrick Francke-SiroisWriter: Alec PronovostStory Editor: Rafaële Germain
Je t'aime LoulouGenre: ComedyProduction Company: Couzin FilmsProducer: Ziad ToumaWriter: Rabii RammalStory Editor: Stéphane Moukarzel
La dernière communionGenre: ComedyProduction Company: Roméo et FilsProducer: Martin HenriWriter: Eli Jean Tahchi, Myriam FarsaouiStory Editor: Marie-Josée Ouellet
Out In The ColdGenre: Mystery/Thriller, DramaProduction Company: Too Many Words Inc.Producer: Olga ZimanWriter: Geordie SabbaghStory Editor: Mika Collins
PurgatorioGenre: Comedy, MusicalProduction Company: SPORTProducer: Johannie DeschambaultWriter: Félix Brouillet-DesrosiersStory Editor: Alexandre Pelletier
Second Chance, Hina!Genre: Comedy, DramaProduction Company: Lifesketch Media Inc.Producer: Shazia JavedWriter: Shazia JavedStory Editor: Jill Golick
Tales From the B_SideGenre: Comedy, MusicalProduction Company: Fenton & Smordin PicturesProducers: Kate Fenton, Breann SmordinWriters: Tricia Black, Caitlin EnglishDevelopment Executive: JP Laroque
TantieGenre: ComedyProduction Company: Cayenne MédiasProducer: Luc Lainé, Neegan Trudel, Orlando ArriagadaWriter: Laetitia AngbaDevelopment Executive: Louis-François Grenier
ToqaqGenre: Live Action YouthProduction Company: Zone3Producer: Frédérique TraversyWriter: Dave JennissStory Editor: Alexia Bouchard-Craig
Two Rivers: A Métis StoryGenre: Animation, Historical DramaProduction Company: Hammer & TongProducer: Sean RonanWriters: Jordan Waunch, James KingstoneStory Editor: Adam Hussein
Well VersedGenre: ComedyProduction Company: Border2Border EntertainmentProducer: Charlie DavidWriter: Alexander NunezStory Editor: Izad Etemadi
March 15, 2022
Interview with "Dating Unlocked" Director Sam Coyle
Sam Coyle is a film director, writer, and producer known for choosing edgy projects. She continues to develop her vision to create unique stories that reflect strong female perspectives with a focus on challenging the norm and highlighting the weird and amazing of the underrepresented. Her work is told with a great sense of empathy and fervour, which brings her films to life through a feeling of naturalism mixed with a subtle, dream-like balance, dipping into the characters’ minds to better understand their perspectives.
________________
Tell us about the name “Dating Unlocked”, what does this tell us about the show?
The conceit of the show is ‘Unlocking’ a second date with your chosen match. There is a physical door that the main dater unlocks at the end of each episode, where the chosen match has the option to choose a second date with the dater. So, you’re not sure if they will or won’t be behind the door - cue drama!
For me, there is also a deeper meaning of the idea around ‘Unlocked’. It’s about unlocking and opening up the traditional understanding of dating. Our show takes a deep dive into all aspects and interests within the queer dating experience, unlocking and expanding preconceived ideas that everyone is looking for similar things/types of people when dating.
Directing a movie, a show or a series one must first come up with a concept or feel for the show, tell us about your creative process that coalesced into “Dating Unlocked”.
I was first drawn to all of possibilities of the types of dating matches we could explore in the show. It was something I hadn’t seen before, so I was eager to collaborate with Charlie and Patrick (the creators), who already had a wonderful concept. I really wanted to shake up the format and explore areas that are sometimes a bit too taboo for mainstream TV but are so common in the LGBTQ2S+ community. Style and tone is always important in the work I do, and I wanted to bring that to the reality setting as well. We wanted the show to feel edgy, sexy, pop-y and safe, so we worked with our team to create that exact environment from the set design and make-up to the wardrobe and shooting style.
The host of the show caries the show quite well and is not phased by the different antics of the person wanting to find a date and those who are contestants. Tell us about your choice?
When auditioning for the host, I knew I didn’t want to go the traditional avenue with someone who’s more formal or speaks in a presentational way - we’ve all seen that before. Dating is vulnerable and dating on TV is even more so; I really wanted someone who is grounded, naturally charismatic, and knowledgable about the topics we wanted to discuss. Yaz ended up being that and so much more. Yaz is a dedicated educator in the queer community and works in both the intimacy and BDSM sectors. They absolutely killed the host role by making the daters feel at ease, asking questions to open them up, making them laugh, and sharing their vast knowledge along the way.
There is a broad range of contestants on the show and they cover a range of the LGBT+ community, tell us what you can about the screening process of those wanting a date and those who are on there to be chosen. How would you define the who, what and why you are looking for in the contestants?
I watched A LOT of videos for the casting process and there were so many great people that it was really hard to make selections. What it came down to most for me was their personalities; did they seem kind and fun. Also, because we had so many different themes for the episodes I had to focus on matches; did their interests align, did they have similar hobbies or kinks etc. I really wasn’t interested in looks - although we had some really hot daters on the show - but representation was at the forefront in the casting process. I wanted the viewer to feel represented in the cast. There are so many different type of humans in our world that don’t always get reflected on our TVs, and the queer community is so inclusive with gender, body-types, race, and sexual exploration that I wanted that highlighted in the daters we brought on.
Do you think there will be another season? Why?
Yes, of course! It’s one of the first of its kind. A fully queer dating show that is sexy, fun and teaches you about others’ interests. What’s not to want more of?
Border2Border Entertainment and you have been part of making a few shows together. What is that working relationship like and what should we look out for in 2022/2023?
It’s been so fun working with Border2Border. Charlie has shown complete trust in me creatively which allows our projects to flourish, and we are constantly seeing how we can push boundaries and dig deeper into queer narratives. We have season two of a show we did together, Avocado Toast on OUTtv, coming out soon, which has been taking up most of our time, but I am excited to see what we work on next.
Do you have any fun advice to those who are looking for love…besides being future contestants of the show?
Fun advice? Oh gosh, I don’t know. Try the dating app Feeld out, I’ve had some fun on there ;)
But also, just try being as authentically you as possible, it’s a waste of time trying to be anything else. Don’t worry about impressing anyone, if they don’t see you for all the wonderful things you already are then it’s not worth it.
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January 4, 2022
Dating Unlocked is our big gay Valentine to the world
This Valentine’s Day, Border2Border Entertainment announces its exciting new reality series, Dating Unlocked, following daters in the LGBTQ2S+ community as they compete for the chance of true love.
Toronto, ON – January 4, 2022
Border2Border Entertainment presents its brand-new reality series Dating Unlocked following daters in the LGBTQ2S+ community as they compete for the chance of true love. The show will make its worldwide premiere on February 11, 2022, on OUTtv and Vimeo.
In Dating Unlocked, hopeful romantics from the LGBTQ2S+ community move beyond curated social media and dating profiles to find love in real life, and potentially share the key to their hearts. From the traditional to more radical, there are daters from all walks of life who share the same goal - to find a hook-up, a date or their one and only.
In each episode, the lead dater selects someone they’d like to continue the romance with – by choosing between three prospective dates. To assist these love seekers in creating a connection with the lead dater, each episode involves games, activities and intimate moments tailored to showcase their personalities and interests. After weighing their options, the lead dater extends a secret invite for a second date. Will the chosen person unlock those fuzzy, flirty feelings and show up or leave them alone behind the door? There is only one way to find out!
“Dating Unlocked is a reality series featuring LGBTQ people, who despite the evergreen popularity of the dating format, are often excluded from or tokenized in the storytelling, reinforcing old ideas that queer people are not deserving of love or relationships – traditional or otherwise.” said creator and producer Charlie David.
“Changing that story is really important to me and my partner, Patrick Ware and on a road trip from Toronto to Montreal we developed the concept for the show. We decided to release Dating Unlocked in February when we’re all surrounded by heteronormative imagery of love. For a very long time, Patrick and I didn’t always feel comfortable holding hands walking down the street, booking a couples’ spa day, or requesting one bed and not two when checking into a hotel."
"Even living in a progressive country like Canada, gay marriage only became legal in 2005 when I was 25 years old, so there’s all those formative years prior feeling like an unequal member of our society. We want to make sure Valentine’s Day and the whole month of February is a time for LGBTQ lovers too and Dating Unlocked shows that love, dating and relationships are for everyone in society – including those that don’t fall into the majority. We have an incredible cast and crew working on this show and our goal is to engage the hearts and minds of our audience by amplifying the stories of those who have previously felt unseen or alone. Dating Unlocked is our big gay Valentine to the world.”
Dating Unlocked is created and produced by Charlie David and Patrick Ware, directed by Sam Coyle (AVOCADO TOAST THE SERIES, HAZY LITTLE THING), and hosted by Yaz Harris.
About Border2Border Entertainment
Border2Border Entertainment produces and promotes award-winning, critically acclaimed film, television and digital projects for the LGBTQ+ audience. Dedicated to making each production experience enjoyable for our artists, business and broadcast partners, co-workers, and ultimately our audience. Our ongoing relationships with TV networks, film festivals and digital platforms keep our content in demand making our home-grown Canadian content watched by millions around the globe.
About OUTtv
OUTtv is the world’s first and Canada’s only national LGBTQ+ television network and streaming services. Home to a compelling mix of inclusive, queer-focused content from comedy to drama, documentaries, reality and award-winning movies. OUTtv is dedicated to telling stories by and for the community, with a library of over 3000 hours of LGBTQ+ content including more than 600 hours of original programming, making OUTtv the world’s leading provider of queer content. Originals include The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, TheWhole Package, Trixie Mattel: Skinny Legend, Never Apart TV, My Trans Journey and the documentary strand OutSpoken. OUTtvis the license holder for the Canadian broadcasts of Emmy-award winning RuPaul’s Drag Race, House of Drag, Naked Attraction and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. OUTtvGo is OUTtv’s streaming platform where subscribers can stream their favorite series and movies and discover new content exclusive to the service. OUTtvGo is available for iOS and Android devices, Apple TV, Roku and on web browsers. OUTtv is also available in Canada as an Amazon Prime Video Channel and an Apple TV Channel. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @OUTtv or visit the website to learn more at outtv.ca.
For more information, please visit:
,https://www.border2border.ca/dating-unlocked
Available for Interviews:
Charlie David
Sam Coyle
Yaz Harris
To view the trailer, please click ,here Screeners are available upon request
For media interviews and inquiries, please contact:
Project Four Public RelationsAmira de Vera,amira@projectfourpr.com 647-865-1804
