FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: COUNTDOWN TO PRODUCTION FOR CRAZY8s 2016 FILMMAKERS The films will premiere at a Gala Screening on Saturday February 27th, to be followed by an AfterParty at Science World VANCOUVER, February 9th, 2016 – Friday, February 12th is the first of three days of production for the six determined filmmaking teams tasked with making a short film in only eight days as part of the Crazy8s challenge. Provided with $1,000 cash and significant in-kind assistance from generous industry sponsors, filmmakers will follow up production with five days of post and a delivery date of Friday February 19th at 6:00 pm. Since the six winning teams were announced on January 12th, it’s been only a few precious weeks of frenzied workdays and sleepless nights for our filmmakers. The days have flown by in a flurry of production meetings, a DGCBC Directors workshop with mentor Allan Harmon, an IATSE 669 Cinematography workshop with mentor Danny Nowak, casting with sponsor Breakdown Services/Actors Access and our eight dedicated casting directors, location scouting, rehearsals, design meetings, technical meetings and even more production meetings! As production looms, here’s how the teams are shaping up: Director Shannon Kohli is lavishly recreating the early 1900s for A Family of Ghosts, to be shot at Hycroft in Shaughnessy and at CWSB Jamestown in Langley. Star Kacey Rohl (The Magicians, Hannibal) has her work cut out for her as she is tasked with riding a horse at full gallop while wearing the constricting fashion of the time, as provided by production designer Candise Paul and costume designer Bahar Iranpour. What started out as a radio script for CBC’s The Irrelevant Show has now become Grocery Store Action Movie, a kick-ass action film parody written by and starring Peter Carlone and Chris Wilson of the very funny sketch duo Peter n’ Chris. Awe-inspiring grocery store stunts will be directed by Matthew Campbell under the watchful eye of stunt coordinator Leif Havdale, two- time UBCP Stunt Performer of the Year (for his work on Arrow). Horror/comedy I Love You So Much It’s Killing Them is up against a demanding schedule of 13 locations and a plethora of murders by lovelorn serial killer, Vivian (Alex Duncan). Make-up artist April Beer (Vault of Terror II) provides the gore for numerous onscreen deaths -- by crushing, drowning, stabbing, crossbow, hatchet, multiple knives and a giant brick. Director Joel Ashton McCarthy is trying not to panic. Director Jesse Lupini has gathered together a small army of over 60 crew to help him bring to life the dystopian vision of his sci-fi short, Iteration 1. Starring Katharine Isabelle (American Mary, Hannibal, Ginger Snaps) and Zak Santiago, the film’s ambitious visual effects will be overseen by Armand Vladau (Sin City, The Expendables) and Eduardo Parra (Furious 7, Night at the Museum). The massive set build in Mission will include a full-sized indoor tree. …2 2. Director Patrick Currie is thrilled that he will be shooting bisexual romantic comedy Meet Cute on Valentine’s Day. A sweet and sexy tribute to the fluidity of desire, the film stars Danny Mac and Brendee Green as two people who meet by chance at a wedding and have to contend with an undeniable attraction that doesn't adhere to the conventional labels of sexuality. The name Shauna Johannesen will be familiar to anyone who’s a fan of the 2014 Crazy8s hit, Bedbugs: A Musical Love Story. For that film, Shauna walked away with Leo Awards for Screenwriting and Best Female Actor in a Short Drama. With Trying, she’s flexing her directing muscles for the first time, to tell the very funny story of a couple so desperate to have a baby that they will stop at nothing to achieve their goal. For being a part of Crazy8s, each team receives $1,000 cash and a production support package that includes top-of-the-line camera, lighting and grip packages, production insurance, location permits, on-line editing, a professional sound mix and much, much more. Huge thanks to all our wonderful sponsors and supporters for making it all possible. The finished films will premiere at the Gala Screening at The Centre (777 Homer St.) on Saturday, February 27th at 7:00 pm (doors at 6:00 pm). The AfterParty that follows at Science World will include a red carpet entrance, performances by hot new band Little India (winner of both The Shore 104.3 FM’s ‘Best of BC’ and CFOX’s ‘Seeds 2014’ Competitions), sets by DJ Dubba G & DJ Ahtz and DJ Emilita, live music by Vova Bedzvin and Imi Oto, and a special performance by the dance group, Crazy, choreographed by Joel Sturrock and Jen Oleksiuk. All that, plus food, drink, and the legendary chocolate fountain! Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. More info and advance tickets can be found at http://crazy8sgala2016.brownpapertickets.com/ -- 30 -- Media Contact: Caroline Coutts – Crazy8s Publicist [email protected] (604) 803-9201 www.crazy8s.film www.facebook.com/crazy8sfilm @crazy8sfilm #Crazy8sFilms16 Heartfelt thanks to all our generous sponsors and supporters: PRESENTING SPONSORS: Telefilm Canada, Creative BC, Super Channel GOLD SPONSOR: IATSE Local 891 SILVER SPONSORS: DGCBC, Union of BC Performers, Breakdown Services BRONZE SPONSORS: CMPA BC Producers Branch, AFBS, IATSE Local 669, ACFC West, CineCoup FILM INDUSTRY SUPPORTER: Telus STORYHIVE EDUCATIONAL SUPPORTERS: Langara College Film Arts, Capilano University School of Motion Picture Arts, UBC Creative Writing Program, UBC Department of Theatre and Film, Emily Carr University of Art + Design MEDIA SPONSORS: The Georgia Straight, Yelp, Reel West, Vancouver Weekly, BC Buzz See the full list of our sponsors at http://crazy8s.film/sponsors/ 3. Crazy8s 2016 Winning Teams and Projects: A FAMILY OF GHOSTS Shannon Kohli (Director/Writer), Rob Meekison (Producer) Featuring Kacey Rohl, Mary Black, Alec Willows, Gwyneth Walsh, Chris Britton, Jordan Burtchett, Meghan Gardiner, Todd Thomson, David Bloom Born in the 1890s to an affluent family, Abigail grows up surrounded by the care and concern of her four devoted grandparents. In her twenties she falls in love with Thomas, a poor piano tutor her overprotective grandparents decide is not good enough for their darling Abigail. They may be ghosts only Abigail can see, but these ancient apparitions can still do some serious damage to her romantic prospects. GROCERY STORE ACTION MOVIE Matthew Campbell (Director), Peter Carlone and Chris Wilson (Writers), Jameson Parker, David Kaye and Ryan Silva (Producers) Featuring Chris Wilson, Peter Carlone, Caitlin Howden, Ryan Biel, Taz Van Rassel, Aaron Reid, Nima Golomniphur Alex is in the express checkout lane at the grocery store when he realizes with horror that he has forgotten the all-important crackers. With his dinner guests already on their way over, Alex must risk life and limb to achieve the impossible: locate the salty snacks before losing his place next in line. A hilarious send-up of action movie clichés created by and starring three-time Canadian Comedy Award-winning sketch duo Peter n’ Chris. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH IT’S KILLING THEM Joel Ashton McCarthy (Director/Writer), Mike Doaga (Writer), Nach Dudsdeemaytha, Marena Dix and Keli Moore (Producers) Featuring Alex Duncan, Clayton Chitty, Amelia Lyttle, Gabrial Carter, Abigail Kotyk, Rory Tucker A pitch-black comedy about Vivian, a lonely serial killer whose three loves in life are math, accounting, and killing random people. This all changes when she meets the handsome Alex, a colleague at the insurance company where she works. Now Vivian has a new lease on life and a new reason to commit her gruesome acts: she does it for Alex. But what happens when Vivian discovers that he might not be worth the effort? ITERATION 1 Jesse Lupini (Director/Writer), Lucas Kavanagh (Writer), Arshia Navabi and Mert Sari (Producers) Featuring Katharine Isabelle, Zak Santiago, Jakob Davies A young woman wakes up imprisoned in a strange white room. She has sixty seconds to solve the puzzle of how to break out of the room before she dies, only to be reborn immediately to begin again, each time joined by the shadowy impressions of her previous iterations. As times passes, the woman learns from her mistakes and at last breaks free – but what lies beyond is unspeakable. …4. 4. MEET CUTE Patrick Currie (Director/Writer), Brendee Green (Writer), Michele Picard, Michelle Morris and Yogi Omar (Producers) Featuring Danny Mac, Brendee Green, Ryan Williams, Nathan Vitte, Sean Oliver, Veena Sood, Ellie Harvie, Amy Goodmurphy When two strangers, Evan and Riley, meet at a friend’s wedding and share an unexpected first kiss, the attraction between the two of them is undeniable but decidedly complicating. With a nod to the B in LGBTQ, this is a comedy about the complexity of relationships. TRYING Shauna Johannesen (Director/Writer), Lulu Pan (Producer) Featuring Christina Sicoli, Patrick Gilmore Mid-thirties couple Ellie and Steve have been trying to get pregnant for 1 year, 2 months and 6 days. While all around them their friends are popping out babies like nobody’s business, Ellie and Steve are enduring embarrassment at fertility clinics and injecting weird substances into their butts, all the while scheduling their intimate encounters with the exactitude of a forensic accountant. Just when did having sex get so unsexy? To read more about the filmmakers, go to http://crazy8s.film/crazy8s-2016/ .