Call for submissions: Worldwide Shorts 2012 Screenplay Giveaway

The Canadian Film Centre's Worldwide Short Film Festival has put out a call for submissions for their 2012 Screenplay Giveaway. It's a short film screenwriting contest with a prize package of goods and services worth over $50,000.

The entry fee is $20 which you can put towards the cost of an industry panel ticket. You may submit a screenplay of no more than 40 pages that will be read by an industry jury. The deadline for submissions is 6pm on Wednesday, May 23, 2012.

This contest is open to all Canadian residents. The winner will be announced during the Awards ceremony on the last day of the festival.

The Worldwide Short Film Festival is the largest short film festival in North America. It takes place this year from June 5-10. It also runs an filmmakers symposium which provides filmmakers and those in the industry an excellent opportunity to learn and to network.

http://worldwideshortfilmfest.com/

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The CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival's Screenplay Giveaway is Back!

FILMMAKING PRIZE PACKAGE WORTH OVER $50,000

The CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival, North America's largest short film festival, is proud to announce that the annual Screenplay Giveaway is back! The competition is an opportunity for one short film screenplay, selected by a jury of Canadian industry members, to receive a prize package that provides countless filmmaking resources. The winning screenplay will be announced at the festival awards picnic on June 10, 2012.

“The Screenplay Giveaway has proven itself to be quite a success, with many of its winners having a strong life on the festival circuit,” said Eileen Arandiga, Festival Director. “The prize package offers many critical filmmaking tools to give one quality screenplay its best possible shot at becoming a fully realized, quality short film.”

Valued at over $50,000, this year's prize package includes: post-production services from Deluxe Laboratories, studio time at Cinespace Studios, Kodak film stock, a lighting and grip package from William F. Whyte International Inc., postcard and business card design by Agency 71, an insurance consultation with BFL Canada, two memberships and two programming passes courtesy of WIFT-T, legal counsel from Heenan Blaikie Barristers and Solicitors, a location support package courtesy of Location Equipment Supply Inc., story editing services by one of Canada's top story editors Marguerite Pigott, Creative Development Group Lead at Super Channel, as well as an ACTRA TIP consultation, and a consultation with CFC's Executive in Charge of Production and Post.

To be eligible, screenplays must have a director and/or producer attached. Entries will be reviewed by a team of industry readers. Selected scripts will then be put in front of a jury, who will decide the winner. The jury is comprised of: Walter Forsyth (producer, The Disappeared), Liz Janzen (former director of programming, National Screen Institute), and Kellie Ann Benz (The Shorts Report). Screenplays will be judged based on creativity, originality, quality of writing and overall story. Deadline for submissions is Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 6 pm.

The WSFF Screenplay Giveaway presents filmmakers a chance to be rewarded for the excellence of their work. Past recipients of the Screenplay Giveaway include: David Widdicombe's Wake(2011), Geoff Redknapp's Last Christmas (2010), Kate Hewlett's She Said Lenny(2009), and Dylan Akio Smith's Big Head(2008).

Screenplay Giveaway- Short Scripts Win Big Prizes!

Submit your short script and win a fantastic filmmaking package worth over $50,000! 2012's Screenplay Giveaway winner will receive:

Post Production services by Deluxe Laboratories

Studio time at Cinespace Studios

Kodak film stock

Lighting and Grip package provided by William F. White International Inc.

Postcard and business card design by Agency 71

Insurance consultation with BFL Canada’s Nellie Lindner CIP, CRM

Two (2) Programming passes  and two (2) complimentary memberships to WIFT-T

Legal counsel from Heenan Blaikie Barristers and Solicitors

Locations support package provided by Location Equipment Supply Inc.

Story editing services by one of Canada's top story editors Marguerite Pigott, Creative Development Group Lead, Super Chann

ACTRA TIP consultation with Tasso Lakas

Production consultation with Rechna Varma, CFC Executive in Charge of Production and Post

Send us your short script. If you win, we’ll give you a filmmaking package to help you with your short film! Film scripts will be judged by established working directors and filmmakers from across Canada.

Deadline for submissions is Monday, May 23rd, 2012 at 6 p.m.

The winner will be announced at the Festival awards ceremony on June 10th, 2012.

To qualify for the Screenplay Giveaway, you must:

All writers must have a director and/or producer with at least one previous credit attached to the project to submit their screenplay.

If you are a producer or director with at least one previous credit, you must have written the project or have a signed option or letter of agreement from the writer.

All submitting parties must be Canadian residents.

All submissions must pay a submission fee of $20. Payment of this submission fee is redeemable towards one Symposium ticket during the festival, or towards an equivalent discount on a Symposium or Do-It-All Combo Pass. You can pay the submission fee HERE.

NOTE: Please include a copy of the email confirming your order or a photocopy of your ticket, your Do-It-All pass, Symposium pass, or proof of entry fee payment with your screenplay.

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

In addition to your script, your Screenplay Giveaway Application must include the following:

Cover letter with contact details (name, phone number and email address) and a short 100 word synopsis of your film. NOTE: If you send a PDF of your script, please do not include your cover letter in the same document as the script: separate your cover letter from the script.

A resume of the writer(s)

A resume/CV of the producer(s) - as applicable

A resume/CV of the director(s) - as applicable

NO identifying markers - please do not list your name, production company or any other information on the title page or in the body of your script. The Screenplay Giveaway Contest is a blind read; your identity is not revealed to the judges or adjudicators.

HOW TO APPLY

Enter your script (40 pages or less) and supporting documents by mail or in person to:

WSFF Screenplay Giveaway
Canadian Film Centre
2489 Bayview Ave.
Toronto, ON
M2L 1A8

or email a PDF version of your application to: shortfilmfest@cfccreates.com, with the subject heading “Screenplay Giveaway 2012” to be eligible.

No faxes please.

Please consult the Screenplay Giveaway FAQS and checklist before submitting your entry.

FAQs ABOUT WSFF's SCREENPLAY GIVEAWAY CONTEST

I did not write the script, but I am the director/producer of the film, can I still enter the contest?
You may enter on behalf of the film, but you must provide written, original signed consent from the writer. Likewise, if you are entering a script based on a short story that the author has agreed to option, you must submit a letter of agreement from the author.

Who are the judges and how does the selection process work?
Your script will be read by several industry readers (story editors, buyers, producers, filmmakers) who will be judging it on its creativity, originality, your writing skills, and the overall story. Then selected scripts will be put in front of a jury of some of the top filmmakers in Canada who will select one winner. Judges will be announced by March 1.

Can I enter more than one script?
No, the contest mandates one script per person, regardless of the number of panel tickets purchased.

Can I enter the same script more than once?
No.

I plan to attend a Symposium panel; can I enter my script first and buy a ticket later?Yes, but to qualify for the contest, you must provide proof of Screenplay Giveaway submission fee payment. The submission fee is $20, and can be paid HERE.

How can I buy advance tickets for Symposium panels?
Tickets and passes are available online on the Symposium page. Purchases can also be arranged in person at the CFC:
call 416.445.1446 x227 for more information.

Can my entry be postmarked for the deadline?
Sorry, entries must physically arrive at the Canadian Film Centre by 6:00 p.m. on Monday, May 23rd, 2012.
Please send applications to:
WSFF Screenplay Giveaway
Canadian Film Centre
2489 Bayview Ave
Toronto, ON
M2L 1A8.

Do I have to be a Canadian citizen to enter?
The services of the Screenplay Giveaway prize are valid only in Canada and are non-transferable, therefore applicants must be legal residents of the country.

I am a selected filmmaker for this year’s festival, and my pass allows me access to Symposium for free, can I still enter the contest?
Yes, although in order to enter the Screenplay Giveaway contest, you must still pay the submission fee.  This is a means of covering basic administrative costs incurred by the contest. See Question 4 on where to purchase.

If I want to drop off my application in person, where do I go?
The Canadian Film Centre is located at 2489 Bayview Ave, south of York Mills, on the east side of Bayview. From York Mills subway station, take any eastbound 95 or 122 bus to Bayview Ave, then walk south.