Here comes the crazy: Crazy8s announces finalists for 2018
Six winning teams will create their short films as part of the Crazy8s moviemaking machine:
BORDERED
Director & Writer Anaïsa Visser
Producers Darren Devlin & Marco Bossow
A US Border Patrol Officer apprehends two Syrian refugees fleeing the United States into Canada and is forced to choose between his duty and his sense of compassion.
CC
Director & Writer Kailey Spear & Sam Spear
Producer Natasha Wehn
After an AI nanny attacks her employer, an investigative team must determine what caused the attack.
EXTRA-ORDINARY AMY
Director Christopher Graham
Writer Zlatina Pacheva
Producer Kris McRonney
A young girl who is unknowingly death incarnate must accept who she is in order to continue doing what she loves: dancing
GEMINI
Director & Writer Mily Mumford
Producer Phil Planta
In a very near future two VR gamers coincidentally meet in real life and through their interactions expose the dark side of virtual reality and gaming.
SHUTTLECOCK
Director & Writer Melanie Jones
Story by Melanie Jones & Rhona Rees
Producer Kristyn Stilling
Washed-up badminton star Winnie will stop at nothing to reclaim her Olympic dreams by playing a match against her former rival while a video crew documents her desperate attempt to prove glory should have been hers.
SMALL FISH
Director & Writer Maxime Beauchamp
Producer Kent Donguines
In a world where only the biggest fish in the sea survive, Laurie, an amateur painter, struggles with success as she finds herself becoming more and more like the tiny fish she puts to canvas.
These winners will receive $1,000 and a production package provided by sponsors in the local production community that includes everything needed to make a short film in eight days. The craziness kicks into high gear on February 9, when the six films go to camera.
The six films were selected from a record 228 pitches (up from 217 in 2016). From there, 40 made it to the live pitch stage, and 12 made it to the script stage. The scripts were turned in on January 2, and then the live-pitch jury reconvened on January 7 to deliberate and decide on the final six.
Live pitch jury for 2017: Zach Lipovsky, Kaare Andrews, Christine Haebler, Lawrence Le Lam, Sabrina Furminger, and Amanda Tapping.
Full disclosure: I sat on the live pitch jury this year, as did Kaare Andrews, Christine Haebler, Lawrence Le Lam, Zach Lipovsky, and Amanda Tapping. While what happens in the jury room stays in the jury room, I can tell you that we observed a helluva lot of passion and creativity over those two days in November when the 40 teams made their pitches – and if those pitches are any indication, our indie screen scene is in phenomenal shape.
The six films will premiere at a splashy gala at the Centre for Performing Arts on February 24. The gala (and its after-party) typically sells out, so grab those tickets early. Details at www.crazy8s.film.
(And if you want a taste of Crazy8s' signature craziness before then, hit up the Crazy8s/DGCBC 19-year Anniversary Fundraiser Screening at the Rio Theatre on January 25. Details here.)
