Crazy8s 2023
Crazy8s
2023
Crazy8s is an 8-day talent incubator and filmmaking challenge that provides funding and support to emerging filmmakers to help them produce a three-minute short film.
40 quarter-finalists are chosen to pitch in person to a jury of industry professionals.
12 semi-finalists workshop their script with a professional story editor.
6 finalists/winners receive $1,000 and a production package provided by sponsors in the local production community with everything they need to make their short film in just 8 days.
Finished films are screened at a gala event to the who’s who of the Vancouver film industry.
It’s fast! It’s fun! It’s Crazy!
Films
Gala Screening + Afterparty
CRAZY8S 2023 GALA SCREENING + AFTERPARTY
CRAZY8S IS PRESENTED BY DGC-BC
April 15, 2023
Screening: The Centre – Door: 6:00 pm / Show: 7:00 pm
Afterparty: Science World – 9:30 pm
This is the night to watch the first screening of Crazy8s’ newest short films, celebrate the achievements of the aspiring filmmaker teams from this year with an afterparty, and mingle with the who’s who of Vancouver’s film industry.
Crazy8s Film Society is proud to present this celebration of 6 new short films made in just 8 exhilarating days at our annual Crazy8s 2023 Gala Screening at The Centre in Vancouver.
Following the Gala Screening, head over to Science World for our “Through The Looking Glass” inspired Afterparty – Vancouver’s largest film and television industry party! Walk the red carpet, partake in specialty cocktails or something cold from our bars, and hit the dance floor spun by top-notch DJs. Triple O’s will be open and offering their full menu. Come celebrate with us!
Crazy8s 2023 Gala Event Photos are in our Crazy8s Facebook Page Albums, tag yourself and your friends!
Crazy8s 2023 Gala Program Guide – Read it online
Juries + Story Editors
2023 Juries
Video Pitch Jury
For Top 40 Quarter-Finalists
Live Pitch Jury
For Top 12 Semi-Finalists + Top 6 Finalists
2023 Story Editors
Story Editors
For Top 12 Semi-Finalists
Selected Projects
Top 6 Finalists
In alphabetical order by project title:
| Project Title | Genre(s) | Synopsis | Director(s) | Writer(s) | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hellmark | Comedy | An ex-Hallmark protagonist fights to save the happy ending she thought she'd already achieved. | Jessica Lauren Doucet | Jessica Lauren Doucet | Eloise Cameron Smith |
| I Can't Go On | Horror | An alienated young woman discovers a body in her apartment elevator, left to fester under the heels of her unconcerned neighbours. | Brenna Goodwin-McCabe | Brenna Goodwin-McCabe | Dominique Roy |
| Meditation 4 Black Women | Drama/Dance | Four black women, with seemingly unrelated lives, meditate on race and how the love of their identity saved a young Black boy. | Rukiya Bernard | Rukiya Bernard | Teana-Marie Smith, Mariam Barry, Jessie Anthony, Andy Hodgson, Rukiya Bernard |
| High End Dying (fka Michelin Scars) | Surreal Horror | An elite-level chef literally puts herself into her craft, as her attempt to impress a famed food critic descends into a bloodbath. | Helen Liu | Jordan Symes | Nancy Kamar, Melanie Germain, Moheb Jindran |
| Passiflora (fka Passion Fruit) | Surreal Drama | In a modern retelling of Brazilian folklore, nervous and insecure Theo discovers love for the first time at a fantastical, avant-garde party. | Gabriel Souza Nunes | Carolyn Woolner, Gabriel Souza Nunes | Aries Ceta, Elaine Yan |
| ZIP | Horror | On her 16th birthday, singer-songwriter Melody awakens with a zipper sewn to her mouth. A story about the voiceless, who must fight to be heard. | Ava Maria Safai | Ava Maria Safai, Syd Castle | Nicco Graham, Christopher Cook, Mandana Mehrghorbani, Ava Maria Safai, Caylee Watrin, Brook James |
Top 12 Semi-Finalists
In alphabetical order by project title:
| PROJECT TITLE | GENRE | SYNOPSIS | DIRECTOR(S) | WRITER(S) | PRODUCER(S) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hellmark | Comedy | A former Hallmark protagonist searches for her lost lover on a quest to save her happy ending from the factory that created her. | Jessica Lauren Doucet | Jessica Lauren Doucet | Eloise Cameron Smith |
| High Heels | Drama/Dance | Set in the historic multimedia Rio Theatre in Vancouver, a young, hotshot (and knows it) dancer loses her headliner spot to an elderly showgirl legend and plots to upstage the unlikely rival. | Tonya Kay | Tonya Kay | Teddy Yonenaka |
| I Can't Go On | Horror | An alienated young woman discovers a body in her apartment elevator, left to fester under the heels of her unconcerned neighbours. | Brenna Goodwin-McCabe | Brenna Goodwin-McCabe | Dominique Roy |
| Lilac | Drama | During a war between India and Pakistan, an Indian boy and a Pakistani girl strike a forbidden friendship in Canada. | Prakrit Kamra | Prakrit Kamra | Melanie Vizuete |
| Meditation 4 Black Women | Drama/Dance | Four black women, with seemingly unrelated lives, meditate on race and how the love of their identity saved a young Black boy. | Rukiya Bernard | Rukiya Bernard | Mariam Barry, Teana-Marie Smith, Andy Hodgson, Jessie Anthony |
| Michelin Scars | Surreal Horror | An elite level chef literally puts herself into her craft, as her attempt to impress a famed food critic descends into a bloodbath. | Helen Liu | Jordan Symes | Melanie Germain, Nancy Kamar, Vivian Davidson-Castro |
| My Fat Came Alive | Horror RomCom | After a woman is fat-shamed in front of her crush, she tears the fat off her body and sculpts her ideal figure... but the fat comes alive and tries to reunite with her body at all costs! | Jaymee Mak, Kevin Ang | Jaymee Mak, Kevin Ang | Lead Producer Dominic Dobrzensky, Producer Nicolas Ayerbe Barona |
| Passion Fruit | Surreal Drama | In a modern retelling of Brazilian folklore, nervous and insecure Theo discovers love for the first time at a fantastical, avant-garde party. | Gabriel Souza Nunes | Carolyn Woolner, Gabriel Souza Nunes | Emily Poulin |
| Rubble | Drama | A small town's first escalator brings unexpected hope to a dedicated Muslim dad and his children. | Mostafa Shaker | Mostafa Shaker | Adrian Neblett |
| The Life You Save | Drama | In the dead of night, a young woman tries to hitchhike across state lines, seeking to reclaim her future, but will her ride be friend or foe? | Julie Bruns | Julie Bruns | Anaïsa Visser |
| Wah Lau | Dramedy | When Ava's mother Soo Pek is expelled from her retirement home for starting a fight club, Ava takes her in, forcing her to face how small her life has become. | Tanya Jade | Tanya Jade | Producers Camille Hollett-French, Christina McInulty, Consulting Producer Amanda Konkin |
| ZIP | Horror | On her 16th birthday, singer-songwriter Melody awakens with a zipper sewn to her mouth. A story about the voiceless, who must fight to be heard. | Ava Maria Safai | Ava Maria Safai, Syd Castle | Nicco Graham |
Top 40 Quarter-Finalists
In alphabetical order by project title:
| TITLE | SUBMITTER |
|---|---|
| A Great Opportunity | Saba Kira |
| A Reminder | Chelsey Moore |
| Amber | YooRa Kang |
| Animals | Naomi King |
| Atash (Fire) | Donia Maria Kash |
| Bad Physio | Rosie Choo Pidcock |
| Bend Application | Breanne Williamson |
| Beyond Blood | Vibrant House Productions |
| Boyfriend Material | Stacy Kerr |
| Dante's Door | John-David Hutchison |
| Day Pass | Matthew Kevin Anderson |
| DIS/EASE | Ty Javos |
| Dougie Dog | Montgomery Burt |
| Funny Business | Lizzi Pedersen |
| Hellmark | Jessica Lauren Doucet |
| High Heels | Tonya Kay |
| I Can't Go On | Brenna Goodwin-McCabe |
| Josephine | Aidan Timm |
| Journeyman | Max Humphreys |
| Les Buiserables | Lucy McNulty |
| Licious | Jericho Cabinas |
| Lilac | Prakrit Kamra |
| Lilith | Sarah Angelle |
| Long White Line | Shane Leydon |
| Main Character | Jaenna Cali |
| Meditation 4 Black Women | Rukiya Bernard |
| Michelin Scars | Helen Liu |
| My Fat Came Alive | Jaymee Mak |
| Our Brother Vincent | Cassandra Sawtell |
| Passion Fruit | Gabriel Souza Nunes |
| Pomelo | Tristan Alexander Jacob Miura |
| Qi Pao | Kenneth Tynan |
| Rubble | Mostafa Shaker |
| Star-Crossed | Jonathan Joseph Wilde |
| The Life You Save | Julie Bruns |
| This Place | Veenu Sandhu |
| Wah Lau | Tanya Jade |
| Waves (For Ryan) | Rachel Kwan |
| Wrestling With Love | Ana Ward |
| ZIP | Ava Maria Safai |
How to Apply
Apply to Crazy8s 2023
Register and submit your short film idea in a three-minute video pitch and you could be one of the six winners to make your film through Crazy8s!
Online Submissions
Please submit applications online at FilmFreeway.
Crazy8s accepts all genres of live action, scripted short film pitches including drama, comedy, science fiction, horror, fantasy, musical, etc. We do not accept animation or documentary pitches.
Submission Deadline: October 19, 2022 at 11:59pm
Registration Fees:
- $50 CAD: Sept 6 – Sept 16
- $60 CAD: Sept 17 – Oct 19
The Crazy8s Film Society believes in equality, diversity, and inclusive community. The Crazy8s Program welcomes contributions from all, and is not limited to, people of varied age, culture, ethnicity, gender, gender-identity, language, race, sexual orientation, and religious views.
Virtual Info Session & Pitching Workshop
Date: September 24, 2022
Attending this session will provide tips and how-tos of how to make a great Crazy8s submission.
Crazy8s team members and alumni will be in attendance and are available to answer questions about the program and application process.
Awards & Prizes
- $1,000 Cash
- Over $50,000 In-Kind Sponsorship for Professional Gear/Services
- Professional Colour Timing + Sound Mixing
- Professional Story Editing
- Professional Casting Services
- Production Insurance
- A percentage of Location Permit Fees Waived
- Professional Directing/Producing/Post-Production Mentorship
- …and more
Rules & Regulations
By submitting a project for consideration to Crazy8s, you hereby acknowledge that you have read, understand and agree to all of the following terms and conditions (the “Rules and Regulations”).
The Rules and Regulations are subject to all federal, provincial, regional and municipal laws, regulations, rules, and restrictions (collectively, the “Requirements”), including those relating to COVID-19 and public health and safety and welfare.
The Rules and Regulations may be updated, supplemented, and/or amended at any time by Crazy8s in order to comply with the Requirements. All dates, deadlines, events, and schedules set forth herein are subject to change, postponement, and/or cancellation due to circumstances relating to COVID-19.
All applicants, cast members, writers, directors, producers, and crew members shall comply at all times with the Requirements and any other rules, requirements established by Crazy8s throughout all stages of their participation in the Crazy8s Film Program, including in all pitch, editing, and production activities.
The Crazy8s Film Program is run by the Crazy8s Film Society, a BC-based non-profit society.
The Crazy8s Program was developed to build the domestic film industry in British Columbia by providing support to Canadian filmmakers and their teams to make professionally produced short films. The mission is to find and build talent, teams, and community. Crazy8s aims to continue to expand the exposure of the films to international film festivals and markets.
Crazy8s Film Society believes in equality and community. The Program welcomes contributions from all and is not limited to people of varied age, culture, ethnicity, gender, gender-identity, language, race, sexual orientation, and religious views.
Eligibility
It is a requirement of Crazy8s that ALL of the Writer(s), Director(s), Producer(s), and either the 1st or 2nd Lead Actor must be Canadian citizens or Permanent residents of Canada, and must also be residents of British Columbia.
Applicants must be at least 19 years of age. Full-time time high school students are not eligible to apply. Post-secondary students are eligible to apply but should be aware that the time commitment for winners is heavy and may not be compatible with full-time studies.
Writers, Directors, or Producers of a project are eligible to apply for Crazy8s.
The Writer may also be the Director, or the Writer may also be the Producer. However, the roles of Producer and Director must be filled by different people.
Directors may take a Producer credit but cannot be the lead Producer on the project.
Past Crazy8s Directors may not re-apply as Directors, but can work on Crazy8s films in other roles, including Lead Producer for subsequent years.
Film concepts must be based on an original idea. Chain of Title documentation will be required proving that applicants have the rights to tell the story. If the short film concept is based on a real person, real event, a short story, a poem, a play, or any other original work, it is essential to have written permission from the person who created the original concept. This includes other people’s work that inspired the current developing short original film.
Applicants are free to adapt any work that is currently in the public domain, which includes work created by people who have been dead more than 50 years.
The full run time of all completed Crayz8s short film projects must be at least 5 minutes in length, but shall not exceed 12 minutes in length, including on-screen credits. This translates into approximately 5-10 pages of script and is not negotiable.
Applicants are ineligible to apply to Crazy8s if they have worked for Crazy8s Film Society in the year preceding the present application.
Canadian Certification
In addition, the project must meet CAVCO’s Canadian Production guidelines, which states that the production must have 6 out of 10 Canadian content points as follows:
- 2 Points Director (must be Canadian or Permanent Resident)
- 2 Points Writer (must be Canadian or Permanent Resident)
- 1 Point Lead Actor (either 1st or 2nd lead must be Canadian or P.R.)
- 1 Point 2nd Lead Actor
- 1 Point Cinematographer
- 1 Point Production Designer
- 1 Point Editor
- 1 Point Music Composer
Each team is responsible for making the CAVCO application or CRTC and application immediately after the Public Screening and Gala.
Video Pitch Phase
At least one Writer, Director or Producer must participate in the video pitch.
Video pitches longer than 3 minutes will not be accepted. The pitch should contain the beginning, middle and end of the story. See submission guidelines for more information.
Each video pitch must start with a slate containing the name of the project and name of the Director, Writer and Producer, (if Producer is attached at the time of application). Please mention any other roles that the jury should need to know. Eg: Proposed Lead Actor, Cinematographer, Editor etc.
A Director and a Writer must be attached to the project by the time the project is pitched to the in-person pitch jury.
In Person Pitch Phase
If you are selected as a semi-finalist you will be contacted by Crazy8s Films on or by Society Nov. 23 to schedule a time to pitch in-person to a jury of industry professionals on either Nov. 28 or 29.
Note: In-Person Pitches may become On-Line Pitches if warranted due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Invited filmmaker(s) will have 5 minutes to pitch their story and themselves to the jury, followed by 5 minutes for questions.
No reels are permitted as part of your in-person pitch – this is primarily a verbal pitch. Invited filmmakers are asked to bring a short synopsis of their project and a bio of the director printed on a single page.
The Director must be present for the in-person pitch. If the Director cannot attend, they must be available by visual conference (Google, Zoom, Skype, Facetime etc.)
If a project is selected to move forward to the In-Person Pitch Phase, a Producer must be secured no later than January 11, 2021.
Script Editing Phase
The 12 semi-finalists who are selected to go into the story editing phase will be required to sign a legal disclaimer stating that their film concept is based on an original idea. If it is not, filmmakers will need to provide a document showing they have the rights to adapt the original idea. This must be presented on the script editing day.
Once selected the writer, producer, and director will need to sign a Transfer of Rights Agreement with the Crazy8s Film Society before going into production.
The Top 12 semi-finalists will be appointed an industry professional Script Editor who will work with the project until the delivery of the final script to the Crazy8s Jury. The Script Editor may continue on with the project if it is given one of the Top 6 spots and goes into production.
Final Selected Projects / Top 6 Teams
Applicants will deliver a final script, with a minimum of 5 pages and a maximum length of 10 pages, in an industry standard script format. The Crazy8s Jury will read and evaluate the scripts and choose the final Top 6 projects that will go into production.
The Top 6 Teams will receive upwards of $50,000+ in camera, lighting and grip packages, $1000 cash, and mentorship throughout the duration of the production and delivery of their final films. Director Mentors, Producer Mentors and Script Editing Mentors will be supplied. Post Production Mentorship will also be available.
The Top 6 Projects and their teams are required to attend a variety of production workshops leading up to the production of their films. See schedule for mandatory dates.
Final films will be delivered to Crazy8s Film Society at 6:00pm on February 26, 2021.
The finished films will then be shown at a Gala Screening and Afterparty slated for May 1, 2021. The Gala Screening and Afterparty may be postponed, cancelled, rescheduled, conducted online, or subject to restrictions on attendance due to COVID-19 concerns or to comply with the Requirements.
Copyright
The Crazy8s Film Society will own the finished films, but filmmakers are encouraged to screen their films at international film festivals and use the film to promote themselves as filmmakers. The filmmakers are responsible for film festival entry fees.
Filmmakers will retain the rights to produce sequels, feature films, television series, web series, or any other production based on their Crazy8s short films.
The Crazy8s Film Society will work to sell the finished films on DVD, to broadcasters, and through various other distribution methods. But we also encourage the filmmakers to take an active hand in the distribution of their films.
Royalties
A percentage (50%) of the net proceeds after expenses from all sales will go to the Filmmaker(s) as a royalty. It is up to the team to decide how that Royalty will be split amongst the team members, but it is advised that the Writer, Director, and Producer share any royalties received. Filmmakers can keep 100% of film festival cash awards.
Performers will also see a royalty from gross sales, administered through the Union of BC Performers.
The Crazy8s portion of distribution proceeds go back into the Society to help pay for future events.
Schedule
- Sept. 28, 2020 – Online Registration Starts
- Oct. 18, 2020 – Pitch Workshop / Registration Info Session
- Oct. 28 – Deadline for Registration, including Video Pitches – Due by 11:59 pm
- Nov. 23 – Top 40 pitches announced
- Nov. 28 & 29 – In-person pitches (Director must attend, or be available by phone or Zoom)
- Dec. 1 – Top 12 Teams Announced
- Dec. 13 – Story Edit Day (Writer, Director, and Producer must attend)
- Jan. 11, 2021 – Final Scripts Due
- Jan. 19 – Top 6 Announced
- Jan. 23 – Production Workshop #1
- Feb. 6 – Production Workshop #2
- Feb. 19 – First Day of Principal Photography
- Feb. 19-26 – 8 Crazy Days of Production and Post-Production (3 days production, 5 days post production)
- Feb. 26 – Delivery of finished films due at 6 pm
- May 1 – Crazy8s 2021 Gala Screening & Party (TBC)
- May 22 – Film Festival/ Distribution Workshop
Note: Any of the foregoing dates and/or events may be postponed, cancelled, rescheduled, conducted online, or subject to restrictions on attendance due to COVID-19 concerns and health and safety.
General Conditions
Crazy8s Film Society reserves the right, in its sole and unfettered discretion, to cancel, postpone, or reschedule any or all of the Crazy8s Film Program or any events or activities associated therewith, due to COVID-19 concerns or in order to comply with the Requirements.
Applicants and their crews hereby release, defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Crazy8s Film Society, its members, directors, employees, and personnel from any and all claims, liabilities, costs, expenses, and damages for any and all damage, loss or liability (including, without limitation, claims arising from negligence, or relating to personal injury, property damage, illness, and wrongful death) suffered as a result of, in connection with, or arising from their participation in the Crazy8s Film Program or any events or activities associated therewith including as a result of exposure to COVID-19 from any other individual participating in or associated with the Crazy8s Film Program.
Applicants and their crews further release, defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Crazy8s Film Society, its members, directors, employees, and personnel from any and all claims, liabilities, losses, costs, expenses, and damages due to the cancellation, postponement, or rescheduling of any or all of the Crazy8s Film Program at any time for any reason, including due to COVID-19 concerns or if required to comply with the Requirements.
By applying to the Crazy8s Film Program each applicant and their team consents to Crazy8s Film Society their names, city of residence, photographs, voice and/or image for publicity purposes in all media, without payment, compensation, or notification.
Crazy8s Film Society reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Crazy8s Film Program due to force majeure, or circumstances or situations beyond their reasonable control such as strikes, lock-outs, labour disputes, war, riot, insurrection, earthquake, terrorism, civil commotion, fire, flood, accident, storm or any other act of nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I sign up to be part of Crazy8s?
If you want to submit your film idea and have a chance to be one of the six winners to make your film through Crazy8s, you have to register in advance.
Please see the How to Apply Section for details on how to apply, including submission deadlines and registration fees, as well as a Virtual Info Session and Pitching Workshop.
What is a video pitch?
We want you to pitch your film concept to a camera just as you might pitch to a jury.
You have 3 minutes to convince us that you have a great story to tell. Infuse your passion for the story. Make our jury really excited about the short film and you making it. So feel free to include anything you think will help make your point.
Remember to include your name, roles, project logline and project title in your pitch. It’s also a great idea to explain your team’s experience. Be aware that pitches longer than 3 minutes will be disqualified!
Technical quality of the video is also not overly critical at this point – use a web cam, still camera video, kerosene-burning steam-pump activated doohickey… In other words, it doesn’t have to be a Steven Spielberg short film, however we do need to clearly be able to see you and hear you.
What should be included in my video pitch?
- A slate that includes your name(s) and role(s), and the title of your project
- This is my awesome idea (the concept). Please include a logline at the start
- This is why I/we should be the one(s) to make it (the team and your vision)
It’s usually best to start with an introduction of who you are before you launch into telling us about your concept. Once you’ve told us about the concept, you may want to tell us about your team, or any resources you have available to you, especially if your idea is highly technical or sounds like it would be a big challenge to pull off in just 8 days. Perhaps you have music in mind to give a mood, or perhaps some visuals that you want to show that would give us a sense of your visual treatment.
Another key to a good pitch is to show your passion. You need to believe in your film and so do we!
How can video pitches be submitted?
Video pitches will be uploaded and submitted directly to FilmFreeway while completing registration.
We DO NOT use any other platform for submissions, i.e. YouTube or Vimeo, etc.
Who decides which films get to be made through Crazy8s?
There will be two panels and two rounds of judging to decide who gets to move on in the competition – one for video pitches and one for the in-person pitches.
The video pitches will be evaluated by a combination of Crazy8s staff, former Crazy8s filmmakers, and other industry professionals.
The 40 top video submissions will be invited to pitch in-person to a jury of film industry professionals.
Note: The jury for the in-person pitches may not have viewed your video pitches before they meet you and hear you pitch.
What will the judges be looking for from our pitch?
You will get a lot more information about this at the Crazy8s Info Session.
In general, judges will be excited to see creative ideas that are doable within the Crazy8s time frame. They want to see stand out content that helps keep Crazy8s on the map as a program which produces memorable films that boost careers and engages audiences across the globe.
Do I have to do my pitch alone, or can I have my producer/co-director/co-writer pitch with me as well?
You do not have to pitch alone. You can include any team-members who will add to your pitch.
How much time do I have to pitch?
Video Pitch
You will have 3 minutes for your video pitch. Remember video pitches longer than 3 minutes will be disqualified.
In-Person Pitch
You will have 5 minutes for your in-person pitch.
Will the jury be asking questions? Should I leave time in my pitch for this?
The jury will have up to another 5 minutes to ask you questions, and may ask you to clarify aspects of your pitch or story idea. Particularly on ambitious sounding projects, they may ask for clarification on how you would see pulling it off, so be prepared to answer questions about locations, stunts, props etc., anything that might be challenging for your film to be made in 8 days. They may also ask:
- Why do you want to participate in Crazy8s 2023?
- What is your inspiration for this story?
- Why should you be the one to tell this story? What gives you access to this story?
- We take cultural & community appropriation seriously. If your story is set in a culture or community that is not your dominant culture or community, please explain why you should be the one to tell this story? What is your plan to include filmmakers from the culture/community besides including them as representatives and/or consultants? Do you have permission from the culture/community to tell this story? Do you plan to hire production support from the culture/community?
- We support gender parity and inclusivity, what are your plans for creating a culture of equality?
- What could be a production / post production challenge and what are your plans for overcoming them?
Can we bring in video to help tell our pitch?
You can bring supplemental material but we are wanting to see how you pitch verbally and in person. You’ve got 5 minutes to pitch, and how you want to present your pitch is up to you. We will not be providing any screening equipment, so if you are wanting to show something, you will need to provide your own laptop or video screen — keep in mind that you’ve got only 5 minutes, and due to the scheduling of all the pitches, any setup time you need for the equipment will also eat into your pitch time. (We highly recommend you also have your bases covered in the chance of “technical difficulties”).
Can we bring artwork or other props to help with our pitch?
Yes, you can bring drawings or posters or other materials to help with your pitches – although it is not necessary. We just ask that you restrict your handouts to the panelists to a single letter sized page containing a short synopsis of your project and a bio of the director and/or team. The key thing to remember is that pitches will be chosen based primarily on the quality of the idea/story then on the vision for the final film. So make sure any materials you bring help to support those aspects (as opposed to a write-up on how this opportunity will really help your career).
Can I have more than one person to co-write or co-direct or co-produce my film?
We do not enforce any limitations on the number of directors or producers or writers etc. Our goal is for the participating filmmakers to make the best films possible.
Can I direct and produce my own project, or do I need a separate person for each role?
It is our experience that to pull off a successful film in just 8 days there is simply too much to do for one person to do both the job of the director and the producer. So we will be requiring you to have a separate person in each position, so that each can focus on their respective role to make the best film possible in the short time available. However, writer/producers or writer/directors are perfectly acceptable. Plus, a director can take a producer credit but not be the lead producer.
Do I need to have a producer in place to sign up to pitch my film to Crazy8s?
You are not required to have a producer in place to register to pitch your film to Crazy8s by the Registration Deadline. However, having a producer as part of your team by the time you make your video pitch can help assure the judges that you will be able to pull off the film that you are pitching, especially if the film seems ambitious for an 8-day timeframe.
And if you don’t have a producer in place by the time you are selected for an in-person pitch, you can expect the judges to ask about how you plan to find one. And you should definitely be prepared to answer questions about how you plan to approach any production challenges your film presents.
What happens next if I’m successful with my in-person pitch and I get selected as one of the 12 finalists?
The 12 finalists will be paired with professional story editors and given the opportunity to workshop their script at our story-editing workshop, before the final scripts are submitted to the in-person jury for review. Based on the strength of the final scripts, six winners will be chosen to receive a production package and other valuable support to make their films as part of Crazy8s.
And what do I get if I am selected as one of the six winners to make my film as part of Crazy8s?
If you are one of the six short film finalists, you will receive production support worth close to $50,000, mentorship, plus $1,000 cash – almost everything you will need to complete your film in just 8 crazy days. The support package includes an HD Camera, sound recording equipment, a lighting and grip package, the services of a casting director, full production insurance, free location permits for some municipalities, producer mentors, DGC BC Director Mentors, discounts on vehicle/props/costume rental, online link to all required paperwork, a binder with all required paperwork, online editing including title generation, colour correction, professional sound mix, credit support, program mentorship throughout the process and more.
What are the dates for the current year of Crazy8s?
Please refer to the Rules and Regulations section for key dates for the current year.