Big Vision Empty Wallet (BVEW), the networking organization dedicated to bringing both emerging and established artists and innovators together and helping them collaborate, create and showcase their work, has teamed up with Canon to launch its first National Film Pitch Competition. The purpose of Big Vision Empty Wallet’s National Film Pitch Competition is to find the next great feature film and get it made. Canon will be awarding the Grand Prize Winner with a 30-consecutive-day HDSLR Camera and Canon EOS EF “L” Series Lens Package Rental, plus a 1-week re-shoot. The winner will also receive other free rental packages and services to help them get their film made from additional sponsors, including a Producer’s Package from Media Services/Show Biz Software, Quick Film Budget, Konsonant, Rotting Television and Daryl Eisenberg Casting. The Grand Prize is valued at over $100,000. An additional prize furnished by Media Services will be awarded to the Viewer’s Choice Winner for Best Pitch Video, selected through online voting.

When contestants submit to the competition they receive a free one-year membership to Big Vision Empty Wallet. Contestants must be residents of the United States. To submit, visit: http://www.bigvisionemptywallet.com/national-film-pitch

Participants must submit the following by January 30, 2012:

· A treatment for their dream feature film that they would make using the valuable prizes provided by the competition sponsors.

· A promotional video, trailer or scene that pitches their film.

· Bios of the creative team.

The Top 10 Finalists will be announced on BigVisionEmptyWallet.com on February 10, 2012, at which time, online voting will open to decide the online winner. The esteemed judges will give each finalist a score based on originality, style, professionalism, marketability, quality of work and so on. The Top 3 Finalists will be announced on March 1, 2012.

The Top 3 Finalists will have from March 1, 2012 – April 1, 2012 to complete the first draft of their screenplay and submit it for judging in the final round. Online voting for the best pitch video will continue throughout this time.

The judging panel will select the Grand Prize Winner, which will be announced on BigVisionEmptyWallet.com and RottingTelevision.com on May 1, 2012.

The judging panel includes:

· Russell Carpenter – Academy Award-Winning Cinematographer, Titanic

· Maureen Ryan – Producer, Academy Award-Winning Documentary Man on Wire, Project Nim

· Heather Matarazzo – Actress, Welcome to the Dollhouse (Independent Spirit Award)

· Rik Cordero – Award Winning Commercial, Film and Music Video Director

· Alex Buono – Academy Award Nominated Cinematographer, 10-year veteran Saturday Night Live

· June Diane Raphael – Writer and star of upcoming feature Ass Backwards, Writer of Bride Wars

“It isn’t our goal to simply find the next great feature film, we will also enable the winner to get their dream film made,” said BVEW co-founder Dani Faith Leonard. “The grand prize package is huge. I wish I could win it!”

“We are extremely grateful and excited to be teaming with all of our sponsors, especially Canon during the exciting launch of their brand new cameras,” said BVEW co-founder Alex Cirillo.

For more information: http://www.bigvisionemptywallet.com