VisionTV's Supernatural Investigator


Toronto, January 06, 2009
Award-winning science fiction author Robert J. Sawyer hosts a new doc series that searches for the truth behind tales of paranormal phenomena World premiere Canadian doc series to debut Jan. 27 The Antichrist lives among us, preparing for the battle of Armageddon. Sunken stones off the coast of Florida point the way to the lost city of Atlantis. Mayan priests used mysterious crystal skulls to communicate with the spirit world. And the great buildings of Washington, D.C. conceal the symbols of a Masonic master plan. Crazy ideas? Maybe. But a surprising number of North Americans believe in these and other manifestations of the paranormal – from reincarnation and remote viewing to astrology and alien abduction. *Supernatural Investigator, a new documentary anthology series from VisionTV, takes a critical look at such otherworldly phenomena in an attempt to separate fact from fiction. Award-winning Canadian science fiction author Robert J. Sawyer* (Mindscan, Hominids) hosts this 17-part series, which airs on Tuesdays, starting Jan. 27 at 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT. The world premiere program airs right after I Prophesy: The Future Revealed, another new documentary anthology series from VisionTV that will also make its debut on Jan. 27. Produced for VisionTV by some of Canada’s leading independent production companies, the Supernatural Investigator documentaries bring rigorous real-life scrutiny to the murky world of paranormal phenomena. Each half-hour episode follows an expert investigator as he or she searches for the truth behind so-called supernatural happenings. These investigators – among them futurist Mac Tonnies, archaeologist Joel Palka, science writer and adventurer Jeff Warren, magician Jeremy Bennett, and musician Tara Slone – confront unearthly mysteries with a clear and critical eye: Have extraterrestrials visited this planet? Did vengeful demons hound a Canadian journalist to his death? Why did the U.S. government experiment with ESP during the Cold War? And did the world’s greatest escape artist somehow slip the bonds of death? Joan Jenkinson is the Executive Producer and concept creator of Supernatural Investigator. For more information on VisionTV programming, please visit www.visiontv.ca. Supernatural Investigator – January/February Episodes: “The Antichrist” Tuesday, Jan. 27, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT Does the Antichrist walk among us? Are we nearing the End of Days? Surprisingly, belief in the Biblical prophecies of an Antichrist remain alive and well in the 21st century. In this episode, paranormal filmmaker Michael MacDonald searches high and low for the world’s most notorious villain. Produced by Ocean Entertainment Ltd. “Life from Other Planets” Tuesday, Feb. 3, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT Are we alone in the universe? Or have we already been visited by life from other worlds? These questions burn in the mind of author and futurist Mac Tonnies (After the Martian Apocalypse: Extraterrestrial Artifacts and the Case for Mars Exploration). In this episode, Tonnies investigates the work of the SETI project (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence), debates the notion of life on other planets with a Vatican astronomer, and tracks the progress of the Mars polar mission. Produced by Ocean Entertainment Ltd. “What Killed Joe Fisher – Part One: The Trap is Set” Tuesday, Feb. 10, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT In the 1970s, Joe Fisher forged a reputation as one of Canada’s leading investigative reporters. But there was another side to him. The rebellious son of Christian fundamentalists, he grew increasingly enthralled by Eastern religions, eventually becoming a popular media expert on paranormal phenomena. While investigating the practice of “trance channeling,” he abandoned his professional skepticism, falling in love with a spirit entity named Filipa – an obsession that would lead him down a dangerous path. In the first chapter of this two-part episode, filmmaker Doug Williams investigates the strange case of Joe Fisher. Produced by Riddle Films Inc. “What Killed Joe Fisher – Part Two: The Trap is Sprung” Tuesday, Feb. 17, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT When Joe Fisher’s efforts to learn more about his spirit lover Filipa ended in failure, his life began to unravel. Convinced that he had unleashed psychic forces bent on vengeance, Fisher fled to rural Ontario – and it was there, on the rim of the Elora Gorge, that his demons, real or otherwise, may have finally caught up with him. In the conclusion of this two-part episode, filmmaker Doug Williams ponders the final fate of Joe Fisher. Produced by Riddle Films Inc. “The Crystal Skulls” Tuesday, Feb. 24, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT In the 19th century, explorers began to discover mysterious life-sized crystal skulls in Mayan ruins throughout Central America. According to legend, Mayan high priests used the skulls to communicate with the spirit world, to heal – and to kill. Scientists, however, have challenged the authenticity of these artifacts. Are they true remnants of ancient Mayan civilization, or an elaborate hoax? In this episode, archaeologist Joel Palka retraces the journey of the adventurers who first found the skulls, and seeks out an isolated tribe that still believes in their mystic powers. Produced by Paradocs. Supernatural Investigator – Future Episodes: “Remembering Past Lives” Tuesday, March 3, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT The search for evidence of reincarnation. Produced by Sorcery Films Ltd. “Seeing 9-11” Tuesday, March 10, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT Can we have precognitive dreams and visions? Produced by Elevator Films. “Remote Viewing” Tuesday, March 17, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT Science writer and adventurer Jeff Warren investigates “remote viewing,” a form of ESP that the U.S. government attempted to harness as a tool for espionage during the Cold War. Produced by Paradocs. “Hex or Hoax?” Tuesday, March 24, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT Can black magic be used to strike down our enemies? Produced by Sorcery Films Ltd. “Chaos Magick” Tuesday, March 31, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT Newfoundland-born mentalist and magician Jeremy Bennett investigates the mysterious brand of sorcery known as “Chaos Magick.” Produced by Ocean Entertainment. “The White Mountain Abduction” Tuesday, April 7, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT What happened to Barney and Betty Hill on the night of September 19, 1961? Their niece investigates the world’s most famous case of alleged alien abduction. Produced by Paradocs. “The Nightmare” Tuesday, April 14, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT Filmmaker Adam Gray pursues a malevolent entity that strikes sleepers in the dark. Produced by Paradocs. “Detour on the Road to Atlantis” Tuesday, April 21, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT Have ocean explorers found clues to the whereabouts of the lost civilization of Atlantis? Produced by Arcadia Entertainment Inc. “The Seducers” Tuesday, April 28, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT A journey into the secretive underworld of “the Seducers” – men who use a mysterious power known as NLP to lure women into bed. Produced by Elevator Films. “Hunting Houdini” Tuesday, May 5, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT Gothic rocker Tara Slone (Rock Star INXS) travels to New York City at Halloween to enter the inner sanctum of escape artist Harry Houdini’s most obsessive followers. Produced by Arcadia Entertainment Inc. “It's in the Stars” Tuesday, May 12, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT For thousands of years, astrology has influenced both Western and Eastern cultures. But can the position of the stars really influence earthly affairs? Produced by Sorcery Films Ltd. FINAL EPISODE: “Occult Architecture” Tuesday, May 19, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT Filmmaker John Wesley Chisholm asks: is there a secret master plan carved into the Masonic art and architecture of Washington, DC? Produced by Arcadia Entertainment Inc. Supernatural Investigator – The Producers Arcadia Entertainment Inc. www.arcadiatv.com Arcadia Entertainment Inc. is an Atlantic Canadian company, based in Halifax, NS, that began producing documentary programs for broadcast in Canadian and international markets in August 2001. Arcadia’s library of programs includes the long-running ocean technology series Marine Machines (airing on National Geographic International), the documentary Buried at Sea (which aired in 2008 on CBC Newsworld’s Passionate Eye), and the award-winning feature-length documentary Chasing Wild Horses (which aired on Bravo!). Currently, Arcadia is completing production on the second cycle of Go Deep for History Television and National Geographic Canada, and Aquateam for Discovery Kids Canada and YTV. Arcadia’s programs have been broadcast in over 140 countries in 26 languages. Elevator Films www.elevatorfilms.com Elevator Films is an internationally acclaimed production company specializing in bold feature documentaries on riveting subjects. Elevator productions include Stupidity, Escape to Canada and Let’s All Hate Toronto. Elevator Films is based in Quebec’s Eastern Townships. Ocean Entertainment Ltd. www.ocean.ca Ocean Entertainment Ltd. is an award-winning production company based in Halifax, NS specializing in television production, primarily series and documentaries. Ocean has co-produced two feature specials and multiple series with Chef Michael Smith for Food Network Canada, including Saturday Night, A Day in the Night of Chef Michael Smith, and five seasons of Chef at Home. Ocean has also produced the lifestyle series French Food at Home and The Food Hunter for Food Network Canada. In 2005, Ocean co-produced the paranormal series Shadow Hunter for Space, Global and CBC Atlantic. Ocean’s hour-long documentary Nightmare in Canada: Canadian Horror on Film has aired on MPIX, Movie Central and IFC. Paradocs http://nightmaredoc.com/ Paradocs is the joint effort of the Gray brothers (Graymatters) and award winning producers Paul Stephens and Eric Jordan (The Film Works). The Film Works has been producing major motion pictures for more than 20 years (Beowulf and Grendel, Love, Sex and Eating the Bones). The Gray brothers are up-and-coming filmmakers who take an adventurous approach to documentary, traveling the globe to investigate otherworldly mysteries and unexplained phenomena. Riddle Films Inc. www.riddlefilms.com Riddle Films is a Genie Award-nominated and Gemini Award-winning company committed to making high quality films and television programs in the world of the performing arts and culture. Recent productions have been broadcast on VisionTV, Bravo!, PBS, CBC, YLE and Canal+, and have screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, the Sundance Film Festival, the Rotterdam International Film Festival, and New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Sorcery Films Ltd. www.sorceryfilms.com Sorcery Films Ltd. is an innovative full-service film production company located in Halifax, NS. The company specializes in the production of entertaining, compelling documentary and lifestyle shows that question the nature of the human condition. Sorcery productions include the paranormal series Shadow Hunter and the hour-long documentary Zombiemania.

Toronto, January 06, 2009

Award-winning science fiction author Robert J. Sawyer hosts a new doc series that searches for the truth behind tales of paranormal phenomena

World premiere Canadian doc series to debut Jan. 27

The Antichrist lives among us, preparing for the battle of Armageddon. Sunken stones off the coast of Florida point the way to the lost city of Atlantis. Mayan priests used mysterious crystal skulls to communicate with the spirit world. And the great buildings of Washington, D.C. conceal the symbols of a Masonic master plan.

Crazy ideas? Maybe. But a surprising number of North Americans believe in these and other manifestations of the paranormal – from reincarnation and remote viewing to astrology and alien abduction.

Supernatural Investigator, a new documentary anthology series from VisionTV, takes a critical look at such otherworldly phenomena in an attempt to separate fact from fiction.

Award-winning Canadian science fiction author Robert J. Sawyer (Mindscan, Hominids) hosts this 17-part series, which airs on Tuesdays, starting Jan. 27 at 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT.

The world premiere program airs right after I Prophesy: The Future Revealed, another new documentary anthology series from VisionTV that will also make its debut on Jan. 27.

Produced for VisionTV by some of Canada’s leading independent production companies, the Supernatural Investigator documentaries bring rigorous real-life scrutiny to the murky world of paranormal phenomena. Each half-hour episode follows an expert investigator as he or she searches for the truth behind so-called supernatural happenings.

These investigators – among them futurist Mac Tonnies, archaeologist Joel Palka, science writer and adventurer Jeff Warren, magician Jeremy Bennett, and musician Tara Slone – confront unearthly mysteries with a clear and critical eye: Have extraterrestrials visited this planet? Did vengeful demons hound a Canadian journalist to his death? Why did the U.S. government experiment with ESP during the Cold War? And did the world’s greatest escape artist somehow slip the bonds of death?

Joan Jenkinson is the Executive Producer and concept creator of Supernatural Investigator.

For more information on VisionTV programming, please visit www.visiontv.ca.

Supernatural Investigator – January/February Episodes:

“The Antichrist”
Tuesday, Jan. 27, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
Does the Antichrist walk among us? Are we nearing the End of Days? Surprisingly, belief in the Biblical prophecies of an Antichrist remain alive and well in the 21st century. In this episode, paranormal filmmaker Michael MacDonald searches high and low for the world’s most notorious villain. Produced by Ocean Entertainment Ltd.

“Life from Other Planets”
Tuesday, Feb. 3, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
Are we alone in the universe? Or have we already been visited by life from other worlds? These questions burn in the mind of author and futurist Mac Tonnies (After the Martian Apocalypse: Extraterrestrial Artifacts and the Case for Mars Exploration). In this episode, Tonnies investigates the work of the SETI project (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence), debates the notion of life on other planets with a Vatican astronomer, and tracks the progress of the Mars polar mission. Produced by Ocean Entertainment Ltd.

“What Killed Joe Fisher – Part One: The Trap is Set”
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
In the 1970s, Joe Fisher forged a reputation as one of Canada’s leading investigative reporters. But there was another side to him. The rebellious son of Christian fundamentalists, he grew increasingly enthralled by Eastern religions, eventually becoming a popular media expert on paranormal phenomena. While investigating the practice of “trance channeling,” he abandoned his professional skepticism, falling in love with a spirit entity named Filipa – an obsession that would lead him down a dangerous path. In the first chapter of this two-part episode, filmmaker Doug Williams investigates the strange case of Joe Fisher. Produced by Riddle Films Inc.

“What Killed Joe Fisher – Part Two: The Trap is Sprung”
Tuesday, Feb. 17, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
When Joe Fisher’s efforts to learn more about his spirit lover Filipa ended in failure, his life began to unravel. Convinced that he had unleashed psychic forces bent on vengeance, Fisher fled to rural Ontario – and it was there, on the rim of the Elora Gorge, that his demons, real or otherwise, may have finally caught up with him. In the conclusion of this two-part episode, filmmaker Doug Williams ponders the final fate of Joe Fisher. Produced by Riddle Films Inc.

“The Crystal Skulls”
Tuesday, Feb. 24, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
In the 19th century, explorers began to discover mysterious life-sized crystal skulls in Mayan ruins throughout Central America. According to legend, Mayan high priests used the skulls to communicate with the spirit world, to heal – and to kill. Scientists, however, have challenged the authenticity of these artifacts. Are they true remnants of ancient Mayan civilization, or an elaborate hoax? In this episode, archaeologist Joel Palka retraces the journey of the adventurers who first found the skulls, and seeks out an isolated tribe that still believes in their mystic powers. Produced by Paradocs.

Supernatural Investigator – Future Episodes:

“Remembering Past Lives”
Tuesday, March 3, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
The search for evidence of reincarnation. Produced by Sorcery Films Ltd.

“Seeing 9-11”
Tuesday, March 10, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
Can we have precognitive dreams and visions? Produced by Elevator Films.

“Remote Viewing”
Tuesday, March 17, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
Science writer and adventurer Jeff Warren investigates “remote viewing,” a form of ESP that the U.S. government attempted to harness as a tool for espionage during the Cold War. Produced by Paradocs.

“Hex or Hoax?”
Tuesday, March 24, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
Can black magic be used to strike down our enemies? Produced by Sorcery Films Ltd.

“Chaos Magick”
Tuesday, March 31, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
Newfoundland-born mentalist and magician Jeremy Bennett investigates the mysterious brand of sorcery known as “Chaos Magick.” Produced by Ocean Entertainment.

“The White Mountain Abduction”
Tuesday, April 7, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
What happened to Barney and Betty Hill on the night of September 19, 1961? Their niece investigates the world’s most famous case of alleged alien abduction. Produced by Paradocs.

“The Nightmare”
Tuesday, April 14, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
Filmmaker Adam Gray pursues a malevolent entity that strikes sleepers in the dark. Produced by Paradocs.

“Detour on the Road to Atlantis”
Tuesday, April 21, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
Have ocean explorers found clues to the whereabouts of the lost civilization of Atlantis? Produced by Arcadia Entertainment Inc.

“The Seducers”
Tuesday, April 28, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
A journey into the secretive underworld of “the Seducers” – men who use a mysterious power known as NLP to lure women into bed. Produced by Elevator Films.

“Hunting Houdini”
Tuesday, May 5, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
Gothic rocker Tara Slone (Rock Star INXS) travels to New York City at Halloween to enter the inner sanctum of escape artist Harry Houdini’s most obsessive followers. Produced by Arcadia Entertainment Inc.

“It's in the Stars”
Tuesday, May 12, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
For thousands of years, astrology has influenced both Western and Eastern cultures. But can the position of the stars really influence earthly affairs? Produced by Sorcery Films Ltd.

FINAL EPISODE: “Occult Architecture”
Tuesday, May 19, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
Filmmaker John Wesley Chisholm asks: is there a secret master plan carved into the Masonic art and architecture of Washington, DC? Produced by Arcadia Entertainment Inc.

Supernatural Investigator – The Producers

Arcadia Entertainment Inc.
www.arcadiatv.com

Arcadia Entertainment Inc. is an Atlantic Canadian company, based in Halifax, NS, that began producing documentary programs for broadcast in Canadian and international markets in August 2001. Arcadia’s library of programs includes the long-running ocean technology series Marine Machines (airing on National Geographic International), the documentary Buried at Sea (which aired in 2008 on CBC Newsworld’s Passionate Eye), and the award-winning feature-length documentary Chasing Wild Horses (which aired on Bravo!). Currently, Arcadia is completing production on the second cycle of Go Deep for History Television and National Geographic Canada, and Aquateam for Discovery Kids Canada and YTV. Arcadia’s programs have been broadcast in over 140 countries in 26 languages.

Elevator Films
www.elevatorfilms.com

Elevator Films is an internationally acclaimed production company specializing in bold feature documentaries on riveting subjects. Elevator productions include Stupidity, Escape to Canada and Let’s All Hate Toronto. Elevator Films is based in Quebec’s Eastern Townships.

Ocean Entertainment Ltd.
www.ocean.ca

Ocean Entertainment Ltd. is an award-winning production company based in Halifax, NS specializing in television production, primarily series and documentaries. Ocean has co-produced two feature specials and multiple series with Chef Michael Smith for Food Network Canada, including Saturday Night, A Day in the Night of Chef Michael Smith, and five seasons of Chef at Home. Ocean has also produced the lifestyle series French Food at Home and The Food Hunter for Food Network Canada. In 2005, Ocean co-produced the paranormal series Shadow Hunter for Space, Global and CBC Atlantic. Ocean’s hour-long documentary Nightmare in Canada: Canadian Horror on Film has aired on MPIX, Movie Central and IFC.

Paradocs
http://nightmaredoc.com/

Paradocs is the joint effort of the Gray brothers (Graymatters) and award winning producers Paul Stephens and Eric Jordan (The Film Works). The Film Works has been producing major motion pictures for more than 20 years (Beowulf and Grendel, Love, Sex and Eating the Bones). The Gray brothers are up-and-coming filmmakers who take an adventurous approach to documentary, traveling the globe to investigate otherworldly mysteries and unexplained phenomena.

Riddle Films Inc.
www.riddlefilms.com

Riddle Films is a Genie Award-nominated and Gemini Award-winning company committed to making high quality films and television programs in the world of the performing arts and culture. Recent productions have been broadcast on VisionTV, Bravo!, PBS, CBC, YLE and Canal+, and have screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, the Sundance Film Festival, the Rotterdam International Film Festival, and New York’s Museum of Modern Art.

Sorcery Films Ltd.
www.sorceryfilms.com

Sorcery Films Ltd. is an innovative full-service film production company located in Halifax, NS. The company specializes in the production of entertaining, compelling documentary and lifestyle shows that question the nature of the human condition. Sorcery productions include the paranormal series Shadow Hunter and the hour-long documentary Zombiemania.