Julia Frankling –
Congratulations are in order for the bridge’s film writer and contributor Jess Blackwell, whose new comedy series 2Bed + Jen, has been greenlit by Bell Fibe TV1.
The six episode series, written and directed by Blackwell and husband Steve Chambers, will be set and filmed in her hometown of Hamilton. Blackwell stars alongside her cousin-in-law, Jacqueline Dewitt, as roommates navigating “the (mis)adventures of two Hamilton women struggling to survive the cost-of-living crisis. In their thirties and barely scraping by with their service-sector jobs, the cousins find their lives hilariously upended when a whimsical woman on the run bursts into their world.”
Production is scheduled to begin this fall in downtown Hamilton, with the series expected to premiere on Fibe TV1 in spring 2027.
Blackwell first joined the bridge team in 2024, writing environmental stories on behalf of the Waste Reduction Group, reflecting her long-standing passion for sustainability. She later became the paper’s film and television writer, sharing her enthusiasm for the industry.
Her journey into filmmaking began as a teenager, when she made comedy sketches with her sister and friends using a webcam, later taking a film class in high school. She initially studied criminal justice before switching to philosophy and earning a master’s degree from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), but her passion for film never faded.
Eventually she joined a talent agency’s roster as a background performer, where she worked on productions such as The Handmaid’s Tale. From there, she joined a writers circle and shortly after met her husband Steve Chambers. She then took acting classes and signed with an acting agent. Since then, the pair have written and produced numerous projects together
Blackwell later founded Lumida Productions, producing six short films under the company, along with a seventh co-production with Jenna Schaefer and Matilda Davidson that was executive produced by Paramount+ Canada’s Laura Heath Potter.
“It was a lot of self-financing and crowd funding. It’s terrifying and a risk to produce films, but rewarding,” Blackwell said of her early years as an independent filmmaker.
Her sights were always set on creating feature films and television, a determination that is paying off. Alongside 2Bed + Jen, her upcoming horror feature film, The Legacy, recently received $10,000 through the Ontario Creates Futures Forward Program.
For Blackwell, filming 2Bed + Jen in Hamilton is an opportunity to showcase a city that she loves.
“Hamilton from an outsiders’ opinion is a rough, gritty steel town. And yes, there’s some of that, like there is some of that in Toronto. But Hamilton had an incredible sense of community that I haven’t found anywhere else.”
She hopes the series will highlight Hamilton’s thriving arts and film community while offering a fresh perspective on the city. She hopes viewers will finally see Hamilton as Hamilton “a lot of stuff is shot there but it’s not being shot as Hamilton.”
The series features a queer lead character and explores her coming of age journey in her thirties.
“The 2SLGBTQIA+ community is a significant chunk of the population, as a member I believe we deserve to have more content that reflects us.”
Understandably, Blackwell will be taking a hiatus from writing for the bridge as she focuses on bringing 2Bed + Jen to the screen.
