Tokens (web series) explained

Genre:Comedy
Creator:Winnifred Jong
Director:Winnifred Jong
Starring:
Runtime:5-8 minutes
Producer:
  • Trinni Franke
  • Winnifred Jong
Num Seasons:1
Editor:
Num Episodes:8
Country:Canada
Composer:Chris Reineck
Cinematography:Lainie Knox
Alt Name:Tokens On Call

Tokens is a Canadian comedy web series created by Winnifred Jong and produced along with Trinni Franke. The series premiered on Facebook and YouTube on May 6, 2019. It also stayed on Binge Networks for the first season and was later sold to Urbanflix TV.[1]

Tokens follows the lives of the actors of an "on call" casting agency who are dispatched to productions in order to fulfill diversity quotas. The series stars Connie Wang, Ryan Allen and Shelley Thompson. As of October 2019, Tokens has amassed more than 500,000 combined views across Facebook and YouTube.[2] [3]

Plot

The series follows the actors of On Call Casting, a fictional agency designed to help busy production companies meet their mandated diversity quotas. Dispatcher Betty sends out whoever is on call, with the actors often finding themselves cast in the roles they least expect.

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

Guest

Episodes

Season 1 (2019)

Production

The first season of Tokens was funded through the Telefilm Talent-To-Watch program and the Bell Fund.[4] The series received additional funding through sponsorships from William F. White International and Grandé Camera (formerly Dazmo Camera).

Principal photography took place in November 2018 in Toronto.[5]

In February 2019, Tokens creator Winnifred Jong and producer Trinni Franke participated in the Prime Time Throwdown pitch competition at the 2019 Prime Time in Ottawa conference, where they were awarded in-kind marketing services to support the release of the first season.[6] The series premiered to a sold-out audience at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on May 6, 2019, the same day the first season was released worldwide on Facebook and YouTube.

Reception

Tokens has received praise for its satirical depiction of the issues of tokenism and representation in the entertainment industry. Critics have noted the cultural relevance of the show's themes, with Greg David of TV, Eh? writing "Tokens couldn’t be more timely. Or scathingly on point."[7] In a Calgary Herald review, Melissa Hank remarked that the series "tackles Hollywood diversity with grace and humour."[8] Spring Marie Cullen of Starry Constellation Magazine wrote "it's smart, it's funny and it takes a unique look at the entertainment industry," concluding that "anyone who considers themselves a dreamer, no matter what career avenue they're headed down, will find enjoyment in this series."[9] Writing for The TV Junkies, Bridget Liszewski described Tokens as "a funny, bold, tongue-in-cheek look at issues of diversity, inclusion, and representation."[10]

As of July 2020, the first season of Tokens has been selected to screen at T.O. WebFest, Minnesota WebFest, NYC Web Fest, Bilbao Seriesland, NZ Web Fest, the Asia Web Awards, Santa Monica Webfest, Bogotá Web Fest, Apulia Web Fest, Miami Web Fest, Copenhagen Web Fest, New Jersey Web Fest, Santa Monica Webfest, DC Web Fest, Seoul Webfest, and Oakville Film Festival.[11]

It boldly became the first short form series to be nominated as Best Ensemble at the 2020 ACTRA Awards, competing with Kim's Convenience, Baroness von Sketch, Anne with an E and the eventual winner, Schitt's Creek. It was nominated for four Canadian Screen Awards in 2020, where Winnifred Jong won for Best Direction, Web Program or Series.

Awards and nominations

Season 1+YearFestivalAward CategoryResult
2019T.O. WebFest[12] Diversity Story Spotlight
Minnesota WebFest[13] Best Comedy Series
Best Representation of Communities of Color
NYC Web Fest[14] Best Comedy
Best Supporting Actress (for Shelley Thompson)
Bilbao Seriesland[15] Starlet Amets (for Connie Wang)
NZ Web Fest[16] Best Ensemble (International Narrative)
Best Director (International Narrative)
Asia Web Awards[17] Best Actress in a Comedy (for Connie Wang)
Best Creator in a Comedy
Best Director in a Comedy
Best Editing (for Ben Lawrence & Gloria Tong)
Best Ensemble Cast in a Comedy
Best Screenplay in a Comedy
Best Web Series
2020ACTRA Toronto AwardsOutstanding Performance – Female (for Jessica Greco)
Members' Choice Series Ensemble
Women's Comedy Film Festival in AtlantaBest Web SeriesBest Web Series
Canadian Screen AwardsBest Writing, Web Program or SeriesBest Writing, Web Program or Series (for Winnifred Jong)
Best Direction, Web Program or Series (for Winnifred Jong)Best Direction, Web Program or Series (for Winnifred Jong)
Best Lead Performance, Web Program or Series (for Connie Wang)Best Lead Performance, Web Program or Series (for Connie Wang)
Best Supporting Performance, Web Program or Series (for Jessica Greco)Best Supporting Performance, Web Program or Series (for Jessica Greco)
Apulia Web FestBest Actress (for Connie Wang)
DC Web FestBronze Award
Seoul WebfestBest Web Series
Canadian Cinema Editors AwardsBest Editing in Webseries (for Ben Lawrence for Episode 3)

References

  1. Web site: Articles . KHTS . 2022-09-09 . It's Time To Binge On Binge Networks! . 2022-09-09 . Hometown Station KHTS FM 98.1 & AM 1220 . en-US.
  2. Web site: Tokens On Call. www.facebook.com. en. 2019-10-29.
  3. Web site: Tokens On Call. YouTube. en. 2019-10-29.
  4. Web site: 2018 5 to Watch: Winnifred Jong. 2019-10-29.
  5. Web site: How a simple misunderstanding gave rise to Winnie Jong's Tokens . Jordan . Pinto. 27 May 2019 . Playback . 2019-10-29.
  6. Web site: WATCH: Winnifred Jong's TOKENS -- The Hilarious Send-up Of Diversity Quotas. 2019-05-09. Shedoesthecity. 2019-10-29.
  7. Web site: Tokens . TV, eh? . 2019-10-31.
  8. Web site: Web series Tokens tackles Hollywood diversity with grace and humour . Calgary Herald . Melissa . Hank . 2019-06-17 . en . 2019-10-31.
  9. Web site: Web Series Wednesday – Tokens. 2019-05-22. Starry Constellation Magazine. en-US. 2019-10-29.
  10. Web site: TOKENS Makes Issues of Diversity and Inclusion Accessible to All. 2019-05-08. The TV Junkies. en-US. 2019-10-29. 2019-05-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20190508182320/https://www.thetvjunkies.com/tokens-series-piece/. dead.
  11. Web site: Tokens On Call web series. Tokens web series. en. 2019-10-29.
  12. Web site: 2019 Series. T.O. WebFest Toronto, Canada. en-US. 2019-10-29. 2019-06-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20190614221445/https://www.towebfest.com/2019-series. dead.
  13. Web site: The 2019 Minnesota Web Fest - 3rd Edition. www.mnwebfest.com. en. 2019-10-29. 2019-09-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20190922073259/https://www.mnwebfest.com/2019.html. dead.
  14. Web site: The Sixth Annual NYC Web Fest Nominations Have Been Revealed. Currinn, Jonathan. 2019-09-16. CelebMix. en-GB. 2019-10-29.
  15. Web site: Bilbao Seriesland Festival Selection Amets 2019 Bilbao Series Land. en-US. 2019-10-29. 2019-10-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20191021223351/https://www.seriesland.eus/festival-selection-amets/. dead.
  16. Web site:
    1. NZWF19 Finalists
    . 2019-10-04. NZ Web Fest. en-GB. 2019-10-29.
  17. Web site: Asia Web Awards 2019 Nominations Facebook. www.facebook.com. 2019-12-07.

External links