Media Ranch names Horsepower 3.0 winner

Sophie Ferron

Canadian producer and distributor Media Ranch has unveiled the winner of the third edition of its Horsepower incubation initiative.

Alexandra Paquin, a Canadian film student at Concordia University in Montreal, was selected for her dating show format for millennials, which she workshopped over a four-month period with top industry mentors.

The winning format will now receive co-development funding from Quebecor Content and TF1 and Media Ranch will manage production and global distribution. Formats created by remaining candidates may also be developed and distributed.

The annual initiative is aimed at creating exportable unscripted TV formats from French Canada. Participants were tasked with developing an original format, which this year they had the opportunity to pitch to Quebecor Content and its various channels, as well as French broadcaster TF1. As part of the mentorship, participants were paired with experienced format creators.

Season one and two partners Media Ranch and Quebecor Content were also joined for Horsepower 3.0 by format accelerator La Fabrique Des Formats.

Phil Kalin-Hajdu, Media Ranch’s head of content & storytelling, provides mentorship support for the project with input from the company’s founder and president Sophie Ferron, as well as Amsterdam-based SVP, Tanja van der Goes.

Philip Kalin-Hajdu commented, “Media Ranch continues to be amazed at the caliber of the untapped emerging talent that is out there. Horsepower, even after three editions, continues to be an enriching experience and proves to be a true incubator of original and viable formats.”