OLN and Buck Productions announced today the start of production on the new OLN series The Project. The six-part, one-hour series is currently filming in and around Tecpán, Guatemala and is set to premiere later this year on OLN. The series is developed by Rogers Media and Canadian company Buck Productions. Additional broadcast details to be announced at a later date.
Hosted by ultramarathon runner and adventurer Ray Zahab (Running the Sahara), The Project follows nine privileged young adults who believe they’ve been selected for a reality adventure in an exotic location. When they arrive at their destination in Tecpán, Guatemala, however, they quickly learn what they’ll be doing has little to do with sand, surf, and luxury. Instead, they are enlisted to give back and help a local Guatemalan charity organization build a structure for The Project Somos Children’s Village.
“The Project offers thought-provoking content for Canadian viewers in a fun doc-reality format that’s both inspiring and eye-opening,” said Claire Freeland, Director of Original Programming, Rogers Media. “This series is a great addition to the OLN prime-time lineup and reiterates our promise to delivering quality original programming.
“This is not your average reality show,” said Sean Buckley, Owner/Executive Producer, Buck Productions. “This is a completely unique format that demonstrates Buck’s focus on developing big ideas into big shows. We want to capitalize on the power of television to send a message to our viewers, and for them to walk away entertained and educated about another part of the world, and hopefully, themselves.”
The Project production team includes Creator/Supervising Producer Jim Kiriakakis (Keys to the VIP) of Buck Productions, Executive Producer Sean Buckley (Saw Dogs), Showrunner Thomas Chenoweth (Million Dollar Neighbourhood), and Simon Gebski (Deals from the Dark Side, Rich Bride Poor Bride). Claire Freeland is Director of Original Programming, Rogers Media and Marni Goldman is Production Executive for Original Programming, Rogers Media.
The Project reinforces Rogers Media’s strong commitment to original Canadian programming, which includes original series Seed and Package Deal premiering mid-season on City, and new animated prime-time series Mother Up! currently in production.
