Lisgar Collegiate student Kevin Wang returns for the second season of the Ottawa-based children’s television show The Prime Radicals. The math-focused program produced by an Ottawa-based company has begun airing on TV Ontario for a second season, featuring three local actors and employing more than 30 Ottawa-area crew members.
Each episode revolves around two cousins, Kevin and Alanna, who use everyday arithmetic from the Ontario mathematics curriculum to solve their zany Uncle Norm’s problems. Hillcrest High School teacher Norm MacQueen, who plays Uncle Norm, says it was “really terrific” that GAPC Entertainment and TVO “were able to organize it in such a way that they shot here in Ottawa and not only took advantage of on screen talent from this area but behind the scenes as well — our crew, our set designer, our directors, assistant directors, almost everybody was local.”
Filming for the show took place in locations throughout Canada’s capital region, and has contributed to the estimated $17 million generated annually by local film and television productions for Ottawa-area economy. Senior producer Hoda Elatawi has estimated that the company hired around 40 freelancers from various trades and businesses to support in the show’s production.
“We are really excited about the producers decision to employ locals and we have been very proactive in advocating the great talent we have here in Ottawa,” says Invest Ottawa consultant Blair Patacairk. The city-funded economic development group has worked with GAPC Entertainment to ease production by rushing film permits and creating an atmosphere aimed at motivating the return of TVO’s business to Ottawa in the future.
The varying scenery of the city and its surroundings has been used as part of the argument to persuade companies to film in Ottawa. “We have the urban setting and then rural Ontario, the rolling Gatineau Hills, and suburban Ottawa,” says Patacraik. The show itself was filmed at the Shenkman Arts Centre in Orleans and a local sugar bush farm, but the cast also ventured into areas of downtown Ottawa to film some scenes.
The content of The Prime Radicals plays a major part in this economic boost because without a faithful audience the producers would not have made a second season. TVO’s head of children’s and parents’ media, Patricia Ellingson, says, “it is our only show where we have had one or two awards before the series has even aired.”
The show has won seven awards including an Accolade award for excellence in the children and family series catalogue, the Gold Pixie award and the Gold Prestige award. The Prime Radicals has received financial aid from four Canadian media funds and is now aired across the globe in places such as Singapore, Korea and in the Middle East.
“Even if we get a small audience we would be happy but I am astounded at how popular the show has been and continues to be,” says Ellingson.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story stated incorrectly that The Prime Radicals alone generated $17 million in economic activity for the Ottawa area.