Crystal Verge
WGC SCREENWRITER, STORY EDITOR, COACH
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ABOUT ME
Though I've written all my life, I committed to full time writing in 2015, after almost twenty years as a busy actor in Theatre, Film & TV. My mother tells me that when I was little, a new pencil and scribbler trumped any other gift she could think of. Things haven't changed much.
With two Movies for Television and a Short Film produced, I currently have four Feature Films optioned, in various stages of development with terrific producers and am writing an MOW for Cineflix as a gun for hire. Scroll down to check out current projects.
I've also had a number of not too shabby placements in some prestigious screenwriting competitions: 2020 Semi-finalist in The U.S. Writers Trust (Meryl Streep/Nicole Kidman supported); 2019 Quarter-finalist in the Nicholl; 2020 Finalist in the VWIFTV International Screenwriters Competition and 2018 Finalist in the Hedgebrook Women's Screenwriters Lab. One of my full length plays was a Finalist in the Nightwood Theatre Women's National Playwriting Competition and Finalist in the BC Provincial Flying Start Playwriting Competition.
My non-fiction has been featured in magazines and periodicals such as The Tyee, The National Post, Equus, Prism, Fugue, Natural Horse and Dressage Today.
In recent years I have been the Supervisor Of The Writing For Film and Television Program at InFocus Film School, Van. BC. I hold a BFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia, 2009, where I majored in Screenwriting and a Diploma in Theatre Arts from George Brown College, Toronto.
NEED STORY EDITING OR COACHING? WANT TO LEARN TO WRITE A FEATURE OR TV SERIES?
I love story editing and coaching almost as much as writing and I seem to have a knack for getting writers to the heart of their projects. Also known as a structure fiend, I am sought out by writing peers for editing and coaching on the regular. Have a project you want some help with? Shoot me an email for rates and process. See testimonials and contact info below.
PROJECTS
ONCE DEAD TWICE REMOVED
COMEDY THRILLER FEATURE
Co-Written with Maureen Robinson
IN DEVELOPMENT
Producers: Bob Munroe/Blacktop Recess, Robin Cass/Cass & Co, Robert Engleman, Yolanda T. Cochrane
LOGLINE: Twin sisters, a criminal lawyer and a yoga instructor, come up one body short after being struck by lightening on the eve of the dead twin’s career-making murder trial. Leaping into the body of her reluctant hippie chick sister, they defend the “innocent” serial killer, then must hunt him down when it’s clear he's not so innocent and the living twin is his next victim.
DEFIANT
SUSPENSE-FILLED DRAMATIC FEATURE
IN DEVELOPMENT - Producer: Sky Morfopoulos, Alana de Freitas
2021 Semi-finalist: The Writer's Lab. U.S.A. sponsored by Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman
2019 Quarterfinalist: Nicholl Fellowship
2020 Finalist: VWIFF Intl. Screenwriting Competition.
2019 Finalist. Hedgebrook Screenwriters Lab. 2019. Advisors: Robin Swicord (When They See Us) Jane Anderson (The Wife)
Inspired by my own history.
LOGLINE: A 15 yr. old girl, more comfortable with horses than
humans, brutally abused by her father, is driven to extreme
measures to bring him to justice to protect another young girl.
GIRLBAND
ENSEMBLE COMEDY FEATURE
Co-written with Maureen Robinson
IN DEVELOPMENT -
PRODUCER: Robin Cass/Cass & Co., Matt Drake, Graem Luis
LOGLINE: A woman in the throes of a mid-life crisis and a massive pot high, emails a demo video of her girl band from twenty-five years ago to the reality show The Band who are on the hunt for young emerging talent. They are chosen!
FOR THE LOVE OF GRACIE
DRAMATIC FEATURE adapted from the play of the same name written by Crystal Verge. Screenplay co-written by Crystal Verge & Roseanne Supernault
IN DEVELOPMENT -
PRODUCER: Roseanne Supernault/Next Gen Prod.
Awarded a 2021 ISO/Netflix Apprenticeship & Cultural Mentorship Grant
LOGLINE: A 28 yr. old, long-term inmate must survive a rookie Social Work student when her parole is put at risk when the student is assigned to write up her parole release.
Finalist. Nightwood Theatre’s National Playwriting Competition. Toronto Ont. 2014
Finalist. Flying Start Program. Touchstone Theatre Vancouver. 2015
Workshop & Public Reading. PHT. Vancouver BC. 2018
Workshop & Public Reading. Great Canadian Theatre Co. Ottawa. 2017. Director. Bronwyn Steinberg
Public Reading. Vancouver. 2016. Director. Marie Clements
FATAL MEMORIES
MOW
Broadcaster: LIFETIME CHANNEL
Directed by: Farhad Mann
Starring: Italia Ricci, Magna Apanowicz, Kevin McNulty
Produced by: Odyssey Media Inc.
TESTIMONIALS
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"As a writer I can count on Crystal for sound feedback on character and story for my fiction, stage plays and screenplays. She brings passion, intelligence, and good humour to her work with people and their stories. I rely on her for an honest and integrity driven reading and she always delivers."
Kathy Para, Novelist / Winner of the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize
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"Crystal has not only helped me to improve my script, but to remain accountable to those I write about. Her incisive eye and ethic advance beyond the mere acknowledgment of Canada’s unjust treatment of Indigenous Peoples: she cultivates reciprocal and respectful working partnerships between Indigenous and settler artists. As a Métis filmmaker, I feel a deep, personal responsibility to remain accountable to my community, and Crystal's work has helped me along this journey."
Wayne Wapeemukwa, Director, Luk Luk’l - Best New Feature, TIFF 2019
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"When I decided to commit to writing and produce my own theatrical work I asked Crystal for help. Ou meetings were productive, inspiring and enlightening. She asked me the right questions and was instrumental in helping me find what I truly wanted to say. This resulted in a play that the critics called
“a well crafted theatrical journey, with language that is both lucid and poetic.”
”From Away, with it's gentle laughs and deeply held secret, is an affecting look into one woman's life...a heartfelt tale that will linger long after you've left the theatre.”
Dolores Drake, Actor / Playwright
"I have referred numerous writers looking to hone their scripts or problem solve to Crystal. With an in depth understanding of structure, a talent for seeing the heart of the story and an understanding of process, she will help you get your best possible work.”
Peggy Thompson, Screenwriter (Better Than Chocolate, The Lotus Eaters) Associate Professor Emerita, UBC School of Creative Writing
It’s a specialized skill to help a writer make a screenplay the best it can be. It’s an entirely different talent to be able to make the writer the best they can be. I’ll be forever grateful to Crystal for her exceptional ability to do both.
I’ve had plenty of notes over the years from studios, producers, agents, managers, actors and more. Some of these notes have been helpful, some not so much. I sent a draft to Crystal for feedback. I expected the kind of notes I’m accustomed to — this was good, this needs more work, this plot point needs clarification, etc. Of course Crystal provided me with all of that but she went so much further. She pointed out habits and patterns in my writing that no one else had ever picked up on.
Kim Barker, Screenwriter, License To Wed (Robin Williams), All About Steve (Sandra Bullock)