#1108 - 33 Mill Street
Toronto, ON M5A 3R3
Web: Click here
Email: CSSC@yearoftheskunk.com
Contact: David Cormican, Founder
MovieBytes Interview: DAVID CORMICAN
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The Canadian Short Screenplay Competition, administered by Year of the Skunk Productions (Regina), and established in 2008, is the premiere script contest for short film screenplays. With over $50,000 in prizing, CSSC is the single-most competitive, prestigious, short screenplay festival in Canada open to international writers, a champion for screenwriters everywhere and a launching pad for writers' professional careers. One of the top three winning screenplays will be produced by Year of the Skunk productions and premiered at film festivals worldwide. Past productions have screened in Cannes, Worldwide Short Film Festival, Yorkton Film Festival and on television. See website for additional information.
WinningScripts Pro $10 Off Coupon
Notification: April, 2011
Over $50,000 worth in prizes.
1st Place (GRAND PRIZE): The ''Writer's Block'' Award. There will be one (1) ''Grand Prize'' title awarded to the screenplay deemed to be the overall best screenplay by the competition judges. The ''Grand Prize'' title also comes with an option and purchase agreement for One Thousand Five Hundred Canadian Dollars (CAD $1,500.00) cash prize, accreditation to attend the 2012 Yorkton Film Festival (including complimentary shuttle ground transportation from Regina airport to Yorkton and one (1) ticket to attend the Golden Sheaf Awards gala event), an Apple iPad, Writer's Block crystal award and additional prize package TBD and subject to availability from competition sponsors.
2nd PLACE PRIZE: The ''2nd Place'' Award. There will be one (1) ''2nd Place'' title awarded to the screenplay deemed to be the 1st runner-up to the Grand Prize by the competition judges. The ''2nd Place'' title also comes with an option and purchase agreement for Three Hundred Fifty Canadian Dollars (CAD $350.00) prize, accreditation to attend the 2012 Yorkton Film Festival (including complimentary shuttle ground transportation from Regina airport to Yorkton and one (1) ticket to attend the Golden Sheaf Awards gala event) and additional prize package TBD and subject to availability from competition sponsors.
3rd PLACE PRIZE: The ''3rd Place'' Award. There will be one (1) ''3rd Place'' title awarded to the screenplay deemed to be the 2nd runner-up to the Grand Prize by the competition judges. The ''3rd Place'' title also comes with an option and purchase agreement for Two Hundred Fifty Canadian Dollars (CAD $250.00) prize, accreditation to attend the 2012 Yorkton Film Festival (including complimentary shuttle ground transportation from Regina airport to Yorkton and one (1) ticket to attend the Golden Sheaf Awards gala event) and additional prize package TBD and subject to availability from competition sponsors.
Additionally, there are ten (10) finalist prizes:
Finalists will each receive One Hundred Canadian Dollars (CAD $100.00), accreditation to attend the 2012 Yorkton Film Festival (including complimentary shuttle ground transportation from Regina airport to Yorkton and one (1) ticket to attend the Golden Sheaf Awards gala event) and additional prize packages TBD and subject to availability from competition sponsors.
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David Gott's An Incandescent Light has been name the winner of the 2011/12 Canadian Short Screenplay Competition.
Jesse & Zachary Herrmann have been named co-winners of the Candiania Short Screenplay Competition for their short film script "Elijah the Prophet".
The Canadian Short Screenplay Competition has announced their top 13 finalists. One of the top three winners' script will also be produced into a short film later on this year. Last year's 2nd place script, "Minus Lara" (written by Surita Parmar), will receive its World premiere as an official selection of the Yorkton Film Festival. "Minus Lara" has also been nominated for the Golden Sheaf Ruth Shaw Award for Best in Saskatchewan.
The Canadian Short Screenplay Competition's 2008 3rd place script Rusted Pyre, written by Daniel Audet, will bow as part of Telefilm Canada's Canadian Perspectives screening series taking place during the 2011 Film Festival in Cannes.
The Canadian Short Screenplay Competition's 2008 3rd place script 'Rusted Pyre" written by Daniel Audet will have it's world premiere bow as part of the 17th annual Canadian Film Centre's Worldwide Short Film Festival May 31-June 5, 2011 in Toronto.
An interview with screenwriter Surita Parmar regarding the Canadian Short Writing Competition.
Q: What's the title of the script you entered in this contest, and what's it about?A: The script is called 'Minus Lara'. It's about a young girl browsing a department store, who comes across a seemingly magic child's synthesizer that transports her to a fantasy world reminiscent of the film 'Dr. Zhivago'. It can essentially be surmised as a brief, bittersweet, moment within a random's imagination- it attempts to be humourous through parodying the over the top elements typical of epic historical romances, but also has an emotional core.
Q: What made you enter this particular contest? Have you entered any other contests with this script? If so, how did you do?A: I had just dipped my big toe into creative writing and began entering script contests in the interest of gauging as to whether my work could stand on its own and be noticed. The parameters that competition deadlines provide added extra incentive, in that they helped me to stay disciplined during the completion and polishing process. I had heard good things about CSSC; they seemed very encouraging, personable, and supportive towards submitters, which made entering very attractive.
Minus Lara has only been entered in one other contest, where it did not place.
A: Definitely. The administrators behind CSSC are prompt, professional, and live up to their word. Which I'm sure most script competition veterans can say is quite the anomaly!
Q: How long did it take you to write the script? Did you write an outline beforehand? How many drafts did you write?A: The script was written in a day, but the polishing and tweaking process took approximately half a year. As of the present I have written three drafts.
Q: What kind of software did you use to write the script, if any? What other kinds of writing software do you use?A: I largely use Celtx, which has worked well for me thus far.
Q: Do you write every day? How many hours per day?A: I try to, but it is difficult with a full time job. On a good day I will write for several hours.
Q: Do you ever get writer's block? If so, how do you deal with that?A: Most definitely. I generally deal with it through taking a break from the piece I am writing and coming back to it after a period for a fresh perspective. Music is also an incredibly influential muse- I find that listening to songs that match the tone and feel of the piece I'm attempting to write works wonders in helping to resolve plot lines.
Q: What's your background? Have you written any other screenplays or television scripts?A: I work in architecture and have only recently began to venture into creative writing. In the past two years (since venturing into writing), I have written three feature length scripts, a handful of short scripts, and have begun to formulate a television pilot.
My first feature length script is a teen comedy-drama which has acquired a number of awards within scriptwriting competitions. The second can be summed up as a feminist version of Fight Club, and the third is a fantasy-horror script.
A: No. I was born in Alberta and have more or less settled in Toronto. I'm fundamentally a cold weather person, and am also creatively inspired by the extreme seasonal variances characteristic of most Canadian cities. For that reason, I don't plan to move to a more temperate climate any time soon.
Q: What's next? Are you working on a new script?A: I've started a fourth feature-length dramatic script but am holding off on finishing it, as I wish to focus on writing short stories for a time.
