After much deliberation, we are pleased to announce the Top 12 finalists who now advance to the script stage. Over the past weekend the incredible Top 40 pitched to our In-Person Jury comprised of our own Catherine Lough Haggquist, Glen Schaefer, Jem Garrard, Kaare Andrews, Katie Weekley and Zach Lipovsky. This was quite a difficult year for narrowing down the list! We seriously encourage everyone who pitched their film to keep persevering and get it made!

Here are the Crazy 8s 2016 – Top 12 Finalists!

Arranged
Director: Rohit Chokhani
Writers: Rohit Chokhani and Ashley Rose
Producer: Ashley Rose

An inter-racial couple embarks on a journey to bring an understanding of eastern traditions and western values to arrange their own wedding. How much will each family need to adapt to the others’ culture? Will they be able to coexist?

A Family of Ghosts
Director and Writer: Shannon Kohli
Producer: Rob Meekison

Even the grave can’t stop Abigail’s grandparents from ruining her love life.

Grocery Store Action Movie
Director: Matthew Campbell
Writers: Peter Carlone and Chris Wilson
Producers: Ryan Silva, David Kaye and Jameson Parker

A man on the brink of checking out realizes he has forgotten the crackers. In a race against time he will risk life and limb in an attempt at the impossible: retrieve the crackers before the person in front of him pays…

I Love You So Much It’s Killing Them
Director: Joel Ashton McCarthy
Writers: Joel Ashton McCarthy and Mike Doaga
Producers: Nach Dudsdeemaytha & Marena Dix

An unconventional rom-com told from the perspective of a serial killing accountant with a heart of gold

Iteration 1
Director: Jesse Lupini
Writers: Jesse Lupini and Lucas Kavanagh

A man must complete a series of bizarre puzzles with the help of his literal past lives, after waking up in a strange white room where his progress resets every 60 seconds

Meet Cute
Director: Patrick Currie
Writers: Patrick Currie and Brendan Green
Producer: Michele Picard

An unexpected first kiss initiates an unravelling in the lives of two strangers as they discover their undeniable attraction challenges everything they thought they knew about themselves.

Mystery Meat
Director: Jim Van Dijk
Writer: Hannah Van Dijk

When a Food Critic with the power to make or make or break her new restaurant comes for dinner, talented but anxious chef Harriet must battle her insecurities – which appear in the form of a giant pink rabbit – in order to create the perfect dish.

NPC
Director: Katherine Hill
Writer: R. Morgan Slade
Producers: Annette Reilly and Greg Delmage

After mysteriously losing out on one too many performance awards, a determined type-A desk worker must discover the truth behind her undeserving losing streak before her last chance at recognition is handed to the company’s current favourite: the office clown.

Resuscitate
Director: Chris Aitken and Denis Ogrinc
Writers: Chris Aitken and Denis Ogrinc
Producer: Rory W Tucker

Jon, an unambitious lifeguard, shocks a CPR dummy to life during his first aid training. Jon and the dummy become best friends during an adventurous afternoon and the two learn something about themselves they could not have done without each other.

Trying
Director and Writer: Shauna Johannesen
Producer: Lulu Pan

A seemingly simple decision becomes a wholly unsexy obsession for a 35-year-old high school teacher and her husband trying to penetrate the mysteries of biology and get knocked up.

Unintentional Mother
Director and Writer: Mary Galloway
Producer: Jaykaybie Brown

For an Aboriginal girl who must choose between running from her abusive father or staying as a devoted nanny, family is all about perspective.

Unlock
Directors: Orsy Szabo and Krista Rand
Writers: Alexandra Shewan, Orsy Szabo and Krista Rand

Unlock is a love story that follows Helena across Canada by train, as she retrieves a love lock and reclaims her freedom

The post Crazy8s 2016 Top 12 Finalists appeared first on Biz Books.

We are happy to share the Top 40 Finalists, as selected by the video pitch jury: Bill Hurst, Meghan Elie, Caitlin Byrnes, Paul Armstrong, Ines Eisses, and Kristyn Stilling.

Meet the Crazy 8s 2016 Top 40 Finalists!

Alphabetical by Team / Film Title

Abigail Kinch (Breathing Room)
Alayna Silverberg & Sean Tyson (The Mooner)
Andy Canete (Launey)
Antony Packer (The Trial)
Ashley Evans & Will Fitzgerald (Herculean)
Chelsey Moore & Carolyn Yonge (The Barber)
Chris Aitken (Resuscitate)
Connor Gaston & Ryan Bright (Smiley)
Darren Borrowman, Tom Belding & Bob Woolsey (Erwin)
Eric Boychuck & Lettie Costea (The Glitch)
Feet Banks (Are You Ready?)
Fiona Vroom & Jessie Fraser (Not Another Vampire Movie)
Greg Delmage & Annette Reilly (N.P.C.)
Hannah van Dijk & Jim van Dijk (Mystery Meat)
James Danderfer (Jass)
James Kingstone (Wheels on the Curb)
Jesse Lupini & Lucas Kavanagh (White Room)
Joel Ashton McCarthy & Nachapol Dudsdeemaytha (I Love You So Much It’s Killing Them)
Karen Nielsen, Christena Zatylny & Chelsey Stuyt (Perfection)
Kyle D’Odorico (Like A Thief In The Night)
Lelinh Du (You’ve Been Served)
Linda Rumney (Rehearsal)
Madeleine Davis (Transient in Stasis)
Marguerite Royer (Sky Divas)
Mary Galloway (Unintentional Mother)
Maya Saxell & Kim Oxlund (Edible)
Michael Campbell, Chris Wilson, Peter Carlone, Jameson Parker & Ryan Silva (Grocery Store Action Movie)
Natalie Goyarzu (Grasp)
Natalie Moon (Uncommon Courtesy)
Olesia Shewchuk (Sidewalk Battles)
Orsy Szabo & Krista Rand (Unlock)
Patrick Currie (Meet Cute)
Pauline Egan & Montgomery Burt (Lloyd’s Automotive)
Rohit Chokani & Ashley Rose (Arranged)
Sara Daruvala (The Chronic Blink)
Shannon Kohli (A Family of Ghosts)
Shauna Johannesen (Trying)
Tyson Laidler (East and West)
Veronika Kurz (20 Minutes to Life)
William Minsky (First Job)

The Top 40 pitch finalists will now go ahead and pitch November 27th & November 28th to our next set of judges who will select 12 teams to advance to the script stage of the competition.

The In-Person Pitch Jury:

Catherine Lough Haggquist (actor and owner of BIZ Books)

Glen Schaefer (film journalist, The Province)

Jem Garrard (director ‪#‎Crazy8sFilms‬ 15 ‘The Wolf Who Came to Dinner’)

Kaare Andrews (director and artist Marvel Comics)

Katie Weekley (producer ‘The Birdwatcher’)

Zach Lipovsky (director ‪#‎Crazy8sFilms05‬ Crazy Late)

The post Crazy 8s 2016 Top 40 Pitch Finalists appeared first on Biz Books.

What can you tell us about The Mystery of the Hungry Heart Motel and the concept for it?

Peter ‘n Chris and the Mystery of the Hungry Heart (PnCatMotHH for short) is a great extension of how Peter ‘n Chris adventures go. For me, it’s all about the adventure and also about what movies or genres we can poke fun at along the way. At some point, Chris and I were thinking about how great it would be to have a Halloween show in our roster, so we decided to give it a try!

What inspired you to choose sketch comedy and how did you develop your skills?

Vancouver doesn’t have a lot of opportunity in terms of mid-range theatre, or even professional for that matter. So I got more into it simply as a way to have something to do! As far as developing skills I would say that it comes mainly from doing it!

What are some of your most memorable sketch comedy moments?

We were in Montreal and performing at a cabaret event. The act before us was very disturbing. It was essentially this guy plugging his ‘sexy hypnosis’ show, using an obvious audience plant as his hot girl volunteer. He sounded more like a porn director than a performer, and the piece ran way too long. We followed that and were credited with ‘saving the night’ in that we didn’t make people feel sad and gross.

What are some of the biggest challenges that come with creating your own sketch comedy?

For me, its the familiar and recurring fear right before doing a brand new sketch of “oh no, is this funny at all?”

What advice would you give for someone who wants to get into sketch comedy?

Go for it! You will learn a lot about yourself very quickly, and it’s like working out, it gets easier the more often you do it. Or something. I don’t know, I don’t really work out. Does working out get easier?

Are there any books or specific authors that have been influential to you so far in your creative journey?

Absolutely, I’ve always liked The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (and most Douglas Adams stuff) because of the style of his adventures. Always absurd, full of inventive characters. Also Neil Gaiman, he’s really good at developing a mythology in his stuff, a lot of backstory and well thought out plotting.

What can you share about any future projects that are in development?

Nope. They are top secret.

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Watch Peter ‘n Chris perform their hit show Mystery of the Hungry Heart Motel and then see how well they can keep up with Pacific Theatre’s improv team when they jump on board for Side Show Comedy Improv on February 10th and February 11th, 2012. For details, please visit PacificTheatre.org.

The post The Biz Interview: Peter Carlone of Peter ‘N Chris appeared first on Biz Books.