If these are indeed "emerging and established filmmakers", Canada's in fuckn' trouble. Applause for the effort, but these ads are really lame and amateurishly executed.

Given the rules of the contest, I don't think the ads were that bad for PSAs.

Here is some other reaction to the contest found on The Great Canadian Commercial Contest web site:

CHARITIES TO PICK UP HOT SPOTS

TEN GREAT CANADIAN COMMERCIAL CONTEST PSAs TO BE BROADCAST, INCLUDING THE WINNERS

Vancouver BC, June 1 - The Great Canadian Commercial Contest, the first ever fast film event for charities, is proud to announce the donation of 10 PSAs to its participating charities: Greenpeace, Variety - The Childrens Charity Of BC, Covenant House, BC SPCA and Room To Read Canada. Acquired spots include all 5 contest winners, currently viewable online at www.thegreatccc.com.

Variety will broadcast the PSA spots GOOD NEWS FOR KIDS (director: Kaare Andrews) and MY HOUSE (dir: Jonas Quastel) on TV stations across BC. "We will be working with our media partners throughout BC - Global TV, CH TV, CHBC TV and CFJC TV - to air these commercials," said Jon Stettner, Executive Director of Variety. "We were certainly pleased with winning the contest, and with the creative commercials that were produced." GOOD NEWS FOR KIDS, which was awarded Best In Show in addition to Best Variety Spot, will also be screened at all 5 theatres at Alliance Atlantis Fifth Avenue Cinemas this summer.

BC SPCA picked up 4 spots for broadcast: the Best BC SPCA Spot winner COMPANIONSHIP (dir: Colin Decker), TIED UP (dir: David Evans), GO PLAY WITH YOUR DOG (dir: David Kauffman) and WANTED (dir: various). Lorie Chortyk, General Manager of Community Relations, said that the BC SPCA was "amazed by the creativity and professional quality of the ads"; produced in 48 hours, and that they will "definitely be using them as widely as possible to promote our organization." The other charities plan to broadcast the following spots: - Best Covenant House Spot winner TURNING LIVES (dir: Zach Lipovsky); - Best Greenpeace Spot winner HUNGRY FOR CHANGE (dir: Rob McConachie); - Best Room To Read Spot winner FOR WANT OF A BOOK (dir: Tony Papa). - Room To Read also intends to air WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS WEEKEND? (dir: Keli Westgate).

The Great Canadian Commercial Contest, produced by Kryshan Randel, Ian Imrie and Martin Prihoda, began April 15-17 2005, when 45 teams of 400 filmmakers strong had 48 hours to make 30-second PSAs. Five participating charities took part in the contest (9 spots produced per charity). Compilation DVDs of all PSAs from the first annual event are available to order online at www.CineClix.com.

For more information, visit www.thegreatccc.com, or contact the Executive Producers of GCC Media Inc. at 604 640 4749. Media Contact: Kryshan Randel, 604 640 4749 or kryshan@thegreatccc.com.