“If you’re doing well, send the elevator back down,” legendary actor Jack Lemmon once told Kevin Spacey, one of the most acclaimed actors of our day. These words served as an inspiration behind the partnering of Spacey’s Trigger Street Productions with Jameson Irish Whiskey to create the visionary Jameson First Shot short film competition, which is designed to discover talented screenwriters and directors from the United States, Russia and South Africa. The winning artist from each of the three countries will have their script made into a short film. But here’s the kicker: Each of the three shorts will be produced by Trigger Street Productions and will star two-time Oscar winner Spacey himself.

“We are delighted to be working with Kevin Spacey and Trigger Street Productions on such a unique film project,” says Howard Southern, the international marketing director for Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, which produces Jameson Irish Whiskey. “Jameson First Shot perfectly embodies our attitude towards film; whereas public perception is of a closed and exclusive world, we want to open it up and provide emerging talent with the opportunity to be mentored by some of Hollywood’s biggest names.”

Submitted scripts should be between seven to ten pages in length and be inspired by the contest’s theme: Legendary, humorous or tall tales. Submitted scripts will be narrowed down to a smaller pool by a panel of experts that includes Spacey and award-winning producer (and Trigger Street Productions president) Dana Brunetti (The Social Network, 21). The nominees will then be asked to demonstrate their directing abilities by shooting a scene provided by Trigger Street Productions. As in most tall tales, the winner strikes gold.

The deadline for entry is December 31, 2011. For full details on how to enter—and to read Spacey and Brunetti’s “Top Tips” to beginning writers—visit www.jamesonfirstshot.com.

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