Backstory
In 1999, Rick Stevenson approached the Directors Guild of Canada, BC with an idea for a filmmaking challenge that would give Directors the chance to make a free short film provided they could do it in only 8 days. Rick had seen the success of "Fly Filmmaking" at the Seattle International Film Festival and thought that a similar concept was perfect for Vancouver. Luckily, Rhonda Monteith, who was Executive Director at the time, saw the merits of the idea and committed the DGC, BC to making it happen. She, in turn, asked staffer Andrew Williamson if he would be interested in running this event.
Andrew and Rick proceeded to hammer out the parameters for this new filmmaking challenge called "Crazy8s". 8 days worked well for a busy production center like Vancouver, $800 seemed like a good amount to give the filmmakers and 800 feet of film seemed like the right length. Like writing a sonnet, the constraints would inspire the art. Andrew then got to work convincing potential sponsors that this crazy idea would work and that they should come on board.
The Vancouver film industry responded positively and in short order the three Directors were chosen. Miraculously, everything seemed to come together just in time to start the challenge.
Those first 8 days were exhilarating, stressful, crazy and intoxicating. At the end of them, we had three brand new short films! Projected on the wall of the Alibi Room for cast, crew and sponsors, everyone declared the event a success. The Vancouver International Film Festival had given us a screening venue on the last day of their schedule. While we'd been crazy making films, the screening had sold out so we played the films to an enthusiastic audience and then held an overflow screening!
People loved the films and loved the idea of Crazy8s. These films hadn't existed 8 days earlier so the audience got a real sense of the filmmaking process by talking to the Directors. (You can watch a clip of these films on this site by clicking on "Films - 1999")
2000 dawned with Andrew's belief that Crazy8s should expand to include more Directors and that it should become a digital filmmaking challenge. Being a believer in the emerging format, he worked to convince sponsors and Directors that this was the way to go.
Five Directors were chosen and provided with miniDV cameras to make their films. This changed the parameters slightly as everyone now had 8 days, $800 and 30 minutes of tape stock to shoot their films (800 feet of film was about 20 minutes of stock).
The films screened to two sold out screenings and the audiences responded to the high production value and entertainment quality of the films. Crazy8s was proving that talented Directors, committed Sponsors and some practical limitations can produce great films. Since then, the Crazy8s films have gone on to screen internationally at film festivals and to be broadcast on national TV.
In 2007, Andrew stepped down as Executive Producer of Crazy8s after leading the team for 8 years. With no one to fill the leadership void, the festival did not occur in that year.
Thankfully, a group of resourceful individuals decided to revive Crazy8s, this time as a not-for profit society. The Crazy8s Film Society was born, and in 2008, the event was resurrected. This time there were 8 films made.
Crazy8s has continued to create brand new films each year and has become an event that provides great opportunities for emerging Canadian Filmmakers. At a time when we need engaging films for Canadians by Canadians, Crazy8s is delivering.