Insight Productions

Insight Productions is a Canadian television production company based in Toronto, Ontario. It was established in 1970.^[1] Insight is led by CEO John Brunton.^[2]

Insight Productions

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Media Entertainment
Founded	1970; 54 years ago (1970)
Founders	Pen Densham John Watson
Headquarters	135 Liberty Street, Toronto, Ontario , Canada
Key people	John Brunton (CEO)
Parent	Boat Rocker Media (2018–present)
Website	www.insighttv.com

History

Insight Productions was established in 1970 by Penray "Pen" Densham and John Kingsley Watson.^[3]

In December 1978, John Brunton, assistant editor and director with Insight, bought the rights to the company from Densham and Watson, becoming president and CEO.^[4]

Insight has created programs in several genres (documentary, drama, sports, variety, comedy, music, reality), and has adapted to shifting tastes, technology and formats. Canadian Idol, an Insight-produced iteration of the successful international format, aired between 2004 and 2008 to record-breaking audiences.^[5]

Insight is also credited with revamping Canada's national music awards, Juno Awards. By moving the show from a theatre to an arena setting, Insight was ultimately able to take the show on the road to cities across the country.^[6]

John Brunton and Barbara Bowlby were awarded the Order of Canada in 2018.^[7][8]

The company released the documentary film Life Times Nine in 1973 for which it was nominated for two Academy Awards.^[1]

The company faces a class-action lawsuit over unpaid wages.^[9]

Recent productions include Big Brother Canada, The Amazing Race Canada, Canada's New Year's Eve: Countdown to 2021, Every Child Matters: Reconciliation Through Education, Juno Awards, Wall of Chefs, Battle of the Blades, Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind, The Launch, Canada's Walk of Fame, Top Chef Canada, I Do, Redo, The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration, and Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble. On April 13, 2021, Amazon Prime Video announced Jay Baruchel will host a Canadian version of LOL: Last One Laughing to be produced by Insight.^[10]

Filmography

Television

• Are You Smarter than a Canadian 5th Grader?
• A Russell Peters Christmas
• A Christmas Fury
• The Amazing Race Canada
• The Artistry of Torvill and Dean
• Battle of the Blades
• Big Brother Canada
• Canada Day 150
• Canada's Got Talent
• Canadian Idol
• Canada's Walk of Fame
• Canada’s New Year’s Eve: Countdown to 2021^[11]
• Canada’s New Year’s Eve: Countdown to 2022
• Deal or No Deal Canada
• Disney's Animal Kingdom: The First Adventure
• Eurovision Canada
• Every Child Matters: Reconciliation Through Education^[12]
• Falcon Beach
• Hatching, Matching and Dispatching
• Heart of Gold
• The Goods
• How to Look Good Naked Canada
• I Do, Redo
• Indigo
• It's Only Rock & Roll
• Intervention Canada
• Jamie & David: A Golden Homecoming
• Jann Arden: Live at Last
• Joni Mitchell: Painting with Words and Music^[13]
• The Jon Dore Television Show
• Juno Awards
• Kurt Browning: Ice Legends
• Kurt Browning: You Must Remember This
• Kurt Browning: Tall in the Saddle
• The Launch
• LOL: Last One Laughing Canada
• VJ Search
• Music Without Borders
• Never Ever Do This at Home
• One World: The Concert for Tsunami Relief
• Open Mike with Mike Bullard
• Project Runway Canada
• Ready or Not
• Test Pattern
• Top Chef Canada
• Saying Goodbye
• Scott Hamilton: Upside Down
• The Seán Cullen Show
• Seán Cullen Home for Christmas
• Sonic Temple
• Sponk!
• Star Racer
• Stars on Ice
• Stolen Hearts
• Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble
• The Truth About Alex
• Toller Cranston: A Tribute
• Wall of Chefs
• The Wave

Documentaries

• How to Change the World
• Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind
• The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration
• Comedy Gold: The Hilarious Story of Canadian Comedy

Digital

• Joke or Choke
• But I'm Chris Jericho!
• Damaged

References

1. "Insight Productions | Media Commons". mediacommons.library.utoronto.ca. University of Toronto. Retrieved March 28, 2020.^{[dead link‍]}
2. "John Brunton". Variety. September 11, 2013. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
3. "Insight Productions - Discover Archives". discoverarchives.library.utoronto.ca. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
4. "Insight Productions". Ontario Creates. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
5. ""Canadian Idol" | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
6. "John Brunton". Retrieved February 23, 2021.
7. General, Office of the Secretary to the Governor. "Barbara M. Bowlby". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
8. General, Office of the Secretary to the Governor. "Mr. John M. Brunton". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
9. Ahearn, Victoria (February 24, 2020). "Insight Productions faces Ontario class action lawsuit over unpaid wages - CityNews Toronto". toronto.citynews.ca. Toronto, Ontario: Citytv. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
10. Canada, Amazon. "Amazon Prime Video Announces Jay Baruchel as Host of the Canadian Edition of the Global Amazon Original Hit Format Lol: Last One Laughing Canada". www.newswire.ca. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
11. Canada's New Year's Eve: A Countdown to 2021, retrieved March 4, 2021
12. "Every Child Matters: Reconciliation through Education". Decoda Literacy Solutions. September 30, 2020. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
13. Tosoni, Joan, Joni Mitchell: Painting with Words and Music (Music), Brian Blade, Mark Isham, Greg Leisz, Joni Mitchell, retrieved March 5, 2021

External links

• Official website