Kelowna Film Studios is Looking for Christmas Romantic Comedy Scripts
Kelowna Film Studios is partnering with a production company that is looking for Christmas Romantic Comedies, also known as seasonal rom-coms.
What we look for in our Christmas movies:
Christmas is integral to the story not just in terms of decor or timeline
Modern takes with fresh hooks that are evergreen
Remakes of classics with new twists that can continue to withstand the test of time
Female protagonists with inspiring and aspirational careers with relatable goals and
desires that can connect with the audience.
Tonally heartfelt and grounded.
Lighthearted humour and fun but not broad comedy
Real and meaningful stakes that are not too heavy but can be "messy" in a relatable
way
Premise and characters need marketable stickiness w/ interesting hooks that compel
viewers to watch.
Based on source material - inspired by true events, real life love stories, authentic and
inclusive voices, diversity etc.
Altruistic, community minded stories, especially B and C stories, that bring out the
Christmas spirit of giving, charity, kindness, unity and forgiveness.
Uplifting/ inspirational concepts and in some cases light faith adjacent elements
Re-purposing Classic Concepts i.e. older Rom-Com & Christmas movies from 80s,
90s, early 2000s
Concepts with magic realism connected to Christmas that remain believable and
grounded.
We are not looking for:
Women relying on men or needing a man to show her what she really wants/needs
Stories that rely on deceit, infidelity or death as part of the premise, catalyst etc.
Avoid overly traditional tropes e.g. big city girl going to a small town that she’s never
been to before. (Subvert and update expectations when relying on stories with tropes.)
Avoid stories featuring music/singers, art, elaborate weddings, large renovations, exotic international destinations, too much driving, movies in movies, large casts,
social media heavy premises and elements that will date the show.
Questions that need to be answered in both logline & synopsis:
Who is the lead character and what does she want and need? (ex. she wants X but needs Y)
What happens if she doesn't get what she wants and needs - what's at stake?
Who is the male lead and what does he want and need? (Should be diametrically
opposed to female lead)
What’s the core conflict at the heart of the story between the leads?
What's the thematic story engine driving the story forward?
Script metrics:
95 pages ideal - but always under 100
Ideally 7 characters to a max of 12 characters inclusive of all speaking parts
75 scenes max
Under 10 locations - inclusive of interiors and exteriors - maximize use of one
location.
2 -3 outdoor exterior days
1 big crowd day
12-13 day shoot
What we need from you:
A "2-pager" is a concise document designed to give a reader a comprehensive overview of a project—in this case, a film or TV proposal—within just two pages. It's often used in the early stages of pitching to provide producers, distributors, or potential investors with a snapshot of the project's concept, appeal, and feasibility.
Page 1: Concept Overview and Story Synopsis
Title: Clearly state the working title of the film.
Logline: A one or two-sentence summary that captures the essence of the film.
Synopsis: A brief, engaging overview of the story, focusing on the main plot points, the central conflict, and the character's journey. Ensure it aligns with the criteria above by weaving in elements such as:
The Christmas spirit integral to the plot.
A modern, fresh hook or a new twist on classic themes.
An inspirational female protagonist with clear goals and desires.
A tone that balances heartfelt emotion with light-hearted humour.
The presence of real, meaningful stakes and community-minded subplots.
Potential for magic realism or Christmas miracles.
Page 2: Creative and Practical Elements
Characters:
Lead Characters: Brief descriptions of the protagonist and the male lead, including their wants and needs, ensuring they're diametrically opposed to create dynamic tension.
Supporting Characters: Quick sketches of key supporting characters, focusing on their roles in the story and how they contribute to the lead characters' arcs.
Setting: Description of the main locations, emphasizing how they contribute to the Christmas atmosphere and the story's tone.
Tone and Style: Elaborate on the film's tone, including its balance of drama, romance, and humour, and how the style supports the Christmas spirit and our preferences for uplifting, inspirational content.
Marketability: Discuss the unique hooks or angles that will attract viewers, including how the film stands out from typical holiday movies and its appeal to the target audience.
Feasibility:
Overview of the script metrics (e.g., page count, number of characters, scenes, locations) to demonstrate adherence to our specifications.
Brief mention of production considerations, such as the potential for maximizing location use or managing the shoot within a specific number of days.
Comparative Titles: Reference similar films or TV specials, highlighting what makes your project different and how it fits within the market trends that we are looking to exploit.
Potential Challenges and Solutions: Briefly address any foreseeable challenges in producing the film and propose practical solutions or creative ways to overcome them.
Additional Tips:
Clarity and Brevity: Ensure every word counts; the goal is to be compelling yet concise.
Alignment with Our Criteria: Tailor the 2-pager specifically to our stated preferences for Hallmark-style films, directly addressing their guidelines and expectations.
Visual Elements: If space allows and it's relevant, include small images or mood boards that convey the film's tone, setting, or aesthetic to make the proposal visually engaging.
What you can count on from us:
We will help you produce the 2-pager to get it in front of our partners, taking no ownership nor percentage of writing wages. This is for the writer only. Our goal is co-produce the film in the Okanagan, using Okanagan locations, crew, actors and post-production and we’d like to do in hand-in-hand with your script.
As producers, we will also work with you to develop the 2-pager, such as helping with points 5-8 in “Creative and Practical Elements,” since the research goes beyond script writing and into marketing and distribution.
How to get in touch:
If you have a script, a 2-pager or any questions about this process, please email us at: scripts@kelownafilmstudios.com.
We look forward to hearing from you!