Crazy8s 2014 Filmmaking Competition Winners Announced

The finished films will premiere March 1st at the Gala Screening

VANCOUVER, January 17, 2014 – The Crazy8s Film Society is pleased to announce the six winning teams of their annual competition. Executive Director Paul Armstrong (who was named to the position last April) reports that since registration first opened in November, 2013, competition for the six spots in the 15th annual iteration of this popular fast filmmaking event has proven to be particularly fierce.

This year, an astounding 154 teams applied for a place in the winner’s circle – a 50% increase over the previous year! From these initial online video pitches, forty semi-finalists were chosen at the end of November to pitch their projects in person to the Crazy8s 2014 jury made up of filmmakers Dylan Akio Smith, Kaare Andrews, Nimisha Mukerji, John Bolton and Liz Levine. From these, 12 teams were chosen to move forward into the next stage of competition – intensive story editing sessions with an expert group of script doctors.

The 12 polished scripts were reviewed and heatedly debated at the final jury meeting on January 12th, and at last we can excitedly announce the six winning teams who will be making their short films with Crazy8s this year:

Bedbugs: A Musical Love Story (director Matthew Kowalchuk, writer Shauna Johannesen),
Body Language (writer/director Maéva Thibeault, producer Jon Warne),
Dial Y for Yesterday (writer/director Greg Crompton, producer Darren Borrowman),
Earthlickers (director Tony Mirza, writers/producers Justine Warrington & Alison Araya, producer Jim McKeown),
Mattress (writer/director Michelle Kee, writer Quinn Spicker, producers David Kelso &
Emma Peterson) and
Sacrifice (director Ryan Atimoyoo, writer Ryan Bright, producer Peggy Thompson).

Teams now have a few weeks to prepare in advance of their start date of February 14th. From that time, they’ll have just eight days to shoot, edit and post their films, with $1,000 cash and significant in-kind assistance generously provided by the local film community.

Created to foster support for emerging filmmakers with little or no access to funding for short films, Crazy8s has long established itself as Vancouver’s most prestigious (and longest-running!) fast filmmaking event. From its humble beginnings in 1999 (the three winning films were projected on the wall of the Alibi Room to a small but enthusiastic audience of about 50 people), Crazy8s has evolved to last year’s record-breaking turn-out of over 1,400 at our Gala Screening at the Centre for Performing Arts.

Over the years, Crazy8s has produced a remarkable 79 short films, which have played at film festivals and on television all around the world. Along the way, we have helped launch the careers of local indie luminaries such as Carl Bessai, Katrin Bowen, Kaare Andrews, Dylan Akio Smith, Cam Labine and Tracey D. Smith, among many others.

Although Crazy8s remains a cornerstone of the independent filmmaking landscape in Vancouver, we are not immune to these difficult economic times, and covering our costs remains an ongoing concern. To address these challenges, Crazy8s will be hosting a 15th Anniversary Screening Party and Fundraiser at the Rio Theatre on Thursday, January 30th at 8:00 pm. Screenings of some of your favourite films from the Crazy8s filmography will be shown, followed by a D.J. and dancing into the wee hours. Tickets are only $8 in advance and $10 at the door.

As well, Crazy8s will be launching our first-ever Indiegogo campaign, as of January 15th, where we will be seeking a minimum donation of $15.00 to mark our 15th anniversary. Find the link on our website, thanks in advance, and here’s to the next 15 successful years!

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Media Contact:
Caroline Coutts – Crazy8s Publicist
caroline@crazy8s.cc
www.crazy8s.cc
604-803-9210

Crazy8s would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors and supporters:

PRESENTING SPONSORS: Telefilm Canada, Creative BC

GOLD SPONSORS: DGCBC, IATSE Local 891

SILVER SPONSORS: Union of BC Performers, Reunion Pictures

BRONZE SPONSORS: CMPA BC Producers Branch, AFBS, IATSE Local 669, CineCoup

EDUCATIONAL SUPPORTERS: Capilano University School of Motion Picture Arts, Langara College Film Arts, UBC Creative Writing Program

KEY SUPPORTERS: Front Row Insurance, Heenan Blaikie LLP, William F. White International, Whistler Film Festival, RAW Camera, Fusion Cine, Black Tree Pictures, PS Production Services, Paramount Production Support, Canon, Pacific Backlot Services, Finale Editworks, Sequence Post, 24 Frames Film & Video, Omni Films, Side Street Post, Sharpe Sound Studios, DBC Sound, Post Modern Sound, Rukkus House, EarWorm Sound, Studio X Studios, Fresh Air Audio, Cinescope Sound, Root Chord, Lorne Lapham Sales & Rentals, Parallel Rentals, The Rio Theatre, Vancouver Film School, Precision Disk Manufacturing, Kris Woznesensky & Kara Eide Casting, School Creative, MediaCo

Crazy8s 2014 Winning Teams and Projects:

BEDBUGS: A MUSICAL LOVE STORY

Matthew Kowalchuk (Director) and Shauna Johannesen (Writer), and Sean Tyson (Producer)

Poor Tracey Polokowski! She's allergic to Mr. Pickles, the cat she's taking care of for a friend, her parents only invite her over to dinner when she agrees to cook the meal, and her gluten-free boyfriend Dale just dumped her wheat-loving ass. Her only true friends? A bevy of bedbugs. Can they help Tracey discover the greatest love of all?

BODY LANGUAGE

Maéva Thibeault (Director/Writer) and Jon Warne (Producer)

The story of a lonely man who longs for human connection but believes he has no place in the world other than the embalming room in which he works. What he discovers about the life of one young woman as he prepares for her funeral gives him the strength to push past his fears and rejoin the living.

DIAL Y FOR YESTERDAY

Greg Crompton (Director/Writer) and Darren Borrowman (Producer)

The only thing schlubby telemarketer Pete has to sustain himself through his utterly boring, mediocre life are memories of a wonderful, bucolic childhood spend with Igor, his beloved Saint Bernard. Given the opportunity, will Pete make a deal with the devil to return to happier, more innocent times? Can you really go home again?

EARTHLICKERS

Tony Mirza (Director), Justine Warrington & Alison Araya (Writers/Producers) and Jim McKeown (Producer)

In a barren post-apocalyptic future, the seven sexy Goddesses of Merkabatron descend upon a wretched Earth to convey the message that the Vibration of Love can heal all. A campy, erotic, science fiction comedy, this cinematic love child of Barbarella and Ed Wood Jr. will soon have your Titillator vibrating on a cosmic level.

MATTRESS

Michelle Kee (Director/Writer), Quinn Spicker (Writer) and David Kelso & Emma Peterson (Producers)

Under cover of darkness, the Lees discard an old mattress in a Strathcona alley, right next to a "No Dumping" sign. The next day, a near-riot breaks out in the neighbourhood when no one takes responsibility for it. Dodging rotten eggs and Molotov cocktails, it's up to the youngest member of the Lee family to do the right thing.

SACRIFICE

Ryan Atimoyoo (Director), Ryan Bright (Writer) and Peggy Thompson (Producer)

Peter Bishop will do anything to save his ailing ten-year-old daughter Mary — even if it means sacrificing the lives of "sinners" in a deluded attempt to bargain with God for his child's life. When Peter's mission of violence and misguided faith reaches a breaking point, Mary takes matters into her own hands…