Bite TV comedy web series deadline: April 15, 2013

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Toronto’s Bite TV is looking for the next hit web series and has launched the Bite TV Comedy Web Series Competition.

“If you are a comedy creator, digital content developer, producer or just someone with a great idea we want to hear from you! This is your chance to get a development deal to produce a comedy web series pilot for Bite.ca.”

Up to 100 lucky people can upload a 5-minute video pitch for their comedy web series idea. Three finalists will be invited to pitch in person in May.

Your pitch should answer these questions:

  • Who are you?
  • Who is your audience?
  • Have you already established an audience/fan base?
  • Where did the idea come from?
  • Why should Bite pick you?

The deadline is Monday, April 15, 2013. See Bite.ca for the application form.

My take: Here’s another example of the expanding mediascape. No longer are development deals only for movies and TV. If you’ve got a comedy thing happening, read the legal details and consider this.

CBC’s Short Film Face Off Deadline: March 27, 2013

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The CBC is returning with the third instalment of its short film reality TV competition: the Short Film Face Off.

“To be eligible for consideration, films must be under 12 minutes in length, must have been completed in the past two years, and must not have been broadcast previously on network television. We are looking for comedies and dramas. Music videos and documentaries are not eligible.”

Selected filmmakers will be invited to Halifax for tapings in mid-May in front of a live studio audience.

The Grand Prize is $30,000 from Telefilm and $10,000 in equipment rentals from PS Production Services.

See all the details here.

My take: If you like reality TV, you make short films, you’re personable and you have a thick skin, why not submit one of your masterpieces? Besides the national exposure, the prize is not too shabby.

Congratulations to the first finalists of Telefilm’s Micro-Budget Production Program

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Finally Telefilm is trying something new.

Recognizing that the current system is tilted against up-and-coming talent, last year they announced the Micro-Budget Production Program.

Each of 25 partners across the country nominated one of their recent students or new members for funding to produce their first features.

Eight finalists have just been announced.

“Telefilm will contribute $120,000 in funding per project. Finalists must use this contribution to produce, distribute and promote a feature-length film for release to the general public within 15 months of signature of the Telefilm contract, via one or more distribution platforms, with special emphasis on digital media.”

Congratulations to all and especially to Maureen Bradley of Victoria. In 2008, I worked with Maureen on an application to the NSI’s Features First program for her project Dry.

You can see all the winners here.

My take: I’m extremely excited by this development. I’m looking forward to at least one of these projects becoming a runaway success. Wouldn’t that upset the apple cart!

CineCoup goes public and why you should care

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CineCoup just went live and you should care.

I blogged about CineCoup.com last November and last week it opened to the public with 90 projects, each vying for $1,000,000 and guaranteed screenings at Cineplex.

CineCoup is applying the tech accelerator model to film-making in Canada. Over the next three months, they’ll be challenging the teams to complete a number of ‘missions’ which the public will then rate.

That’s right — you’ll decide the fate of the filmmakers.

This is a fresh model for film financing in Canada. Other than direct crowd-funding, I don’t know of anything else here that shifts the power from industry insiders to the general public. After all, why not ask the audience directly what it wants to see, rather than leaving that decision to committee after committee?

My take: Sign up! Visit CineCoup often. Watch and rate the trailers. Add projects to your watch lists. Follow along for the next few months. Get involved.

Disclosure: I’m providing some production management services to Transmission by Tyler Moore and Clay Bartel.

A shining example of collaborative filmmaking

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Today is Pink Shirt Day. We wear pink to show we stand up to bullying.

“…on February 27, 2013 we encourage all of you to wear something pink to symbolize that we as a society will not tolerate bullying anywhere.”

Giant Ant Studios of Vancouver teamed up with spoken word poet Shane Koyczan and almost 90 animators to create something special.

“86 animators and motion artists donated their time and brought their unique styles to 20 second segments that we threaded into one fluid voice. This collaborative volunteer effort demonstrates what a community of caring individuals are capable of when they come together.”

Please watch on Vimeo or Youtube and share.

My take: This is a shining example of collaborative filmmaking.

How to get your short to Cannes

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Telefilm Canada is currently accepting submissions for Not Short on Talent.

Not Short on Talent will showcase Canadian short films in the Marché du Film at the Cannes Film Festival.

See the Eligibility, Submission Guidelines and Selection Process. The deadline is March 1, 2013.

“The selection of shorts will be done by Danny Lennon, a well-known programmer on the festival circuit and founder of Prends ça court!, who will look for quality and diversity, as well as an appropriate regional balance. Priority will be given to films that have never been presented in public (world premieres).”

My take: Go for it! Danny Lennon is extremely well regarded and Cannes is Cannes!

Short Circuit Deadline Extended to Friday, February 22, 2013

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CineVic has extended the deadline for submissions to the Second Annual Short Circuit Short Film Festival to Friday, February 22, 2013.

Short Circuit will unspool in Victoria, British Columbia in the beautiful VIC Theatre on Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20.

“Filmmakers from British Columbia, the Yukon, Alaska, Washington, and Oregon are invited to submit narrative, experimental, or documentary short films (under 20 minutes) that have been completed after January 1, 2011 to the second annual Short Circuit Festival. Submissions must be sent as DVD screeners or password protected online sites. If accepted, presentation copies must be sent to Short Circuit as HDCam, 16mm, 8mm, or a ProRes 422 file. Filmmakers may also pay their fees using Paypal sending $15 to director@cinevic.ca“

My take: What are you waiting for? If you’re a Pacific Northwest filmmaker, submit your work ASAP!

Disclaimer: I sit on the CineVic Board of Directors and the Short Circuit Jury.

Support Canadian Film? Wanna make $7,500?

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The Canadian Film Centre has announced the latest incarnation of The REEL Challenge Contest:  Celebrating the Movie and Television Industry at Work: Behind the Scenes.

Make a sixty second (or less) short or PSA, upload it and get a chance to win.

Up for grabs are two prizes of $7500 each, in the categories of the most innovative and dynamic animation or comedy.

The deadline is February 15, 2013.

My take: If you have a killer concept, go for it! I predict less than 100 entries in each category, so your odds are good! Remember, there will be less animations than comedies.

Seed&Spark: an innovative take on crowdfunding, audience building and dissemination

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Those New Yorkers continue to innovate!

Seed&Spark has put a couple of twists on crowd funding:

  1. Rather than pitching for a sum of money, they ask filmmakers to create a ‘gift registry’ of the things they need to make their movie; and then patrons can give cash OR lend the items.
  2. You get green lit at 80% of your goal.

This is a cool idea for towns that might be resource-rich but cash-poor. It also might get people more ‘invested’ in your project, helping to build your audience. They say:

“We started Seed&Spark because we want to make films but we wanted a healthier environment in which to make them. We believe that the art of storytelling is about expanding imagination, shining a light on the world inside and deepening empathy for the world outside. In the current political and economic climate where many consider the arts a luxury, we believe artists are responsible for teaching their audiences why they are essential. Films are not just art, they are business ventures. They require the seed of an idea and the sparks of human and capital investments to bring them to life.”

Seed&Spark is also an online film streaming site. Earn between 20 and 80 cents for each view of your short, three times that for features.

Between now and February 15, 2013, they’re selecting the next dozen projects to launch on the site.

See their video; read their guidelines.

My take: I love the concept and the curated aspect to this. It’s film specific which differentiates it from every other crowdfunding platform out there. The challenge will be to scale it up. The lending option seems to keep it local; can this work for projects in other cities or countries?

NYC Indies Adopt Tech Accelerator Model

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Hot on the heels of CineCoup in Vancouver, Dogfish Pictures in New York has announced the Dogfish Accelerator.

Both groups plan to use the successful tech business accelerator model to attract, mentor and launch indie film teams (and their projects). Whereas CineCoup will do this publicly using social media, the Dogfish Accelerator will stick to the tech model more closely.

Scheduled for this summer in Brooklyn, the Dogfish Accelerator will seed each company with $18,000, give them office space and mentor them for three months. They say:

“We will choose great producers who are proposing innovative opportunities and business ideas that support a highly creative and artistic idea. It’s about the team.”

C’mon, what’s the catch?

“For once, there is no catch. We want a healthier industry for indie film and this is our way to do it. Dogfish Accelerator and its mentors, service providers, and partners are all people who enjoy helping indie film. We recognize how important support is for one another and are willing to give our time and effort to you.”

My take: if you’re developing a film project and you’ve got a place to crash in New York for three months this summer, you should go for this!