Canadian Short Screenplay Competition

1st PLACE PRIZE: The “Golden Cinema” Award. There will be one (1) “Golden Cinema” title awarded to the screenplay deemed to be the 1st runner-up to the Grand Prize by the competition judges. This screenplay will be produced by Year of the Skunk Productions. The “Golden Cinema” title also comes with an option and purchase agreement for Two Hundred Fifty Canadian Dollars (CAD $250.00) prize.

2nd PLACE PRIZE: The “Silver Screen” Award. There will be one (1) “Silver Screen” title awarded to the screenplay deemed to be the 2nd runner-up to the Grand Prize by the competition judges. This screenplay will be produced by Year of the Skunk Productions. The “Silver Screen” title also comes with an option and purchase agreement for One Hundred Canadian Dollars (CAD $100.00) prize.

Each will be premiered (subject to availability), and entered into film festivals worldwide.

Additionally, there are ten finalist prizes:

The first finalist will receive a prize pack TBA.

A further nine finalists will each receive a prize pack TBA.

The Canadian Short Screenplay Competition,
c/o Year of the Skunk Productions
2913 Dundas Street West, Unit B
Toronto, ON M6P 1Z1
Canada

• If entering the competition electronically, print a copy of the Registration Form pdf. Please complete the form, sign and date it, scan it and have it emailed, along with a copy of your screenplay, to CSSC@yearoftheskunk.com. Entry fees for electronic submissions are payable by following the PayPal link found on the competition entry page here.
• Submissions will not be considered for competition until full entry fee has been received.
• Entry into this competition confirms each entrant s acceptance of these rules and regulations and the terms as set forth on this page.
• The Canadian Short Screenplay Competition (CSSC) is open to writers of any nationality from any country.
• Multiple authorship screenplays are acceptable.
• The entered screenplay must not have been previously optioned, sold or produced. The submitted Material must be original works, and the sole property of the Applicant(s).
• If the submitted Material becomes optioned or purchased between the time of submission and the end of the judging period that Material will no longer be eligible (entry fees are non-returnable).
• Screenplays must be: written in English language, industry standard format, no more than 15 pages in length, numbered and without the inclusion of headings or footnotes on pages and bound with 2 or 3 fasteners on plain white paper (in the case of hard copy submissions). Failure to adhere will mean that the Short Screenplay will be disqualified (entry fees are non-returnable).
• The screenplay must be no less than five-minutes and no more than fifteen minutes screen time.
• Screenplays of any genre will be considered and must be the original work of the author submitting it. Where the screenplay is based upon another piece of work it is the responsibility of the screenplay writer to obtain permission/copyright clearance from the original author.
  Screenplays based upon another work must be clearly marked as such.
• Screenplays must be submitted by the deadline and all entries may be sent by email to:
  •  CSSC@yearoftheskunk.com, or
  • by post (no hand deliveries please) to:
    • The Canadian Short Screenplay Competition, c/o Year of the Skunk Productions, 2913 Dundas Street West, Unit B, Toronto, ON, M6P 1Z1, Canada.
  • In the event of electronic submission via email, submitted screenplays will be accepted in .pdf, .doc, .rtf, or .fdr formats.
• All entries must enclose the Registration Form and the fee in Canadian Dollars. Payments must be made either by a certified cheque, postal order/money order, or debit/credit card using PayPal. All payments must be made in Canadian Dollars. Personal cheques or any other currency money order/postal order will not be accepted.
• Submissions must include Two (2) title pages. One with only the title of the screenplay entered should be attached directly to the screenplay. The second title page should include the title, the writer s name, address, phone number and Email address - if available. Please do not attach this page to the screenplay.
• The writer s name must not appear anywhere within the body of the screenplay to assure anonymity in the judging process.
• Failure to adhere will mean that the Material will be disqualified (entry fees are non-returnable).
• No additional material should be attached to the screenplay.
• Entering the competition constitutes permission to use the winners names and licenses for publicity and promotions without any additional compensation.
• The winners will be chosen by a panel of judges. The decision of the judges will be final and no correspondence nor discussion will be entered into.
• Prizes will be awarded as is. In the event of multiple authorship on a selected winning entry and the respective prizing is indivisible into equal shares, the prize will be awarded to the first applicant named on the registration form.
  No cash alternatives to any of the prizes or additional payments shall be made.
• All entrants acknowledge that neither the judges nor the sponsors or any partners mentioned here on this site or any other publication will be held responsible for any and all disputes between you and the CSSC.
• All entrants acknowledge that the final winner will be expected to make a standard form of assignment of all rights in the finished work to Year of the Skunk Productions and provide a waiver of so called moral rights.
• Year of the Skunk Productions will be the producers of the winning screenplay.
• The Competition organizers reserve the right to reject any entry for any reason at their absolute discretion.
• The Competition organizers reserve the right to appoint any director, producer to the winning Screenplay(s).
• Once submitted, no substitution or new drafts or corrected pages for screenplay entries will be accepted under any circumstances.
• Only submit one copy. Do Not Send Originals. Screenplays WILL NOT be returned under any circumstances.
• Multiple entries are accepted provided a signed entry/registration form and additional entry fees are attached with each submission. Entries without a signed Registration form and fees will NOT be entered into the competition.
• The Applicant indemnifies the Company, its affiliates, sponsors and judges of and from any and all claims, loss or liability that may be asserted against you or incurred by you or any associates, at any time in connection with said Material.
• The burden of obtaining copyright, or otherwise protecting any proprietary interests in the material, rests entirely with the Applicant.
• If confirmation of receipt is required please a send self-addressed stamped postcard with proper Canadian Postage.
  Each Competition Entrant will receive an Email notifying them of the competition results. If an Entrant does not have Email, they can check results on the Year of the Skunk website.
• Early Bird Deadline is September 29th, 2008 at 11:59PM EST. Early Bird Competition Administration Fee is $25.00 (Cdn). Final Deadline is December 31st, 2008 at 11:59PM EST. Submissions made after the Early Bird Deadline are subject to an Administration Fee of $35.00 (Cdn). All Early Bird entries must be received on or prior to the deadline in order to be eligible for the reduced rate. All Final Deadline submissions must be post-marked or electronically time-stamped on or before the Final Deadline to be considered for competition. All Final Deadline snail mail submissions must be received no later than January 19th, 2009. Competition is not responsible for lost, late, missing, incomplete or misdirected submissions. Late or incomplete submissions will be disqualified (entry fee is not returnable).
• The organizers reserve the right to amend these rules and regulations at any time by notice on website.