Jameson, one of the biggest fans of cinema in the world of alcohol brands, is offering its consumers once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to collaborate with a Hollywood celebrity on a short movie. The brand, which has presented a bunch of initiatives related to the world of cinema (Jameson Short Film Award and John Jameson Production are just a few of them), is now inviting emerging filmmakers to visit its Jameson First Shot website and enter the competition for a chance to get Kevin Spacey cast in a short film, based on their script and directed by them.

Photo: The front page of Jameson First Shot website

For the project, the Irish whiskey brand teamed up with Kevin Spacey and his award-winning production company, Trigger Street Productions (The Social Network and 21)—they are looking for talented people of 25 years or older from America, Russia and South Africa, who will be able to make a movie with the A-list celebrity. The submission period is running from September 14 until December 31, 2011—entrants are asked to upload scripts up to seven pages long, which must be “a legendary, humorous story or very tall tale”, they will also direct their piece starring Spacey if Jameson selects them as winners. The brand will shortlist fewer than 20 finalists by January 31, ask them to provide additional materials (nominees will have to shoot a scene supplied by Trigger Street to show directing skills), and then name the winners of each of the markets on February 29.

“I want to give talented people out there a shot at reaching their goals for the first time. Jack Lemmon once said to me—‘If you’re doing well, send the elevator back down’. I’ve done incredibly well and it’s because the material I found early in my career was from first-time writers, first-time directors, first-time playwrights. If it weren’t for that talent I wouldn’t have a career,” commented Kevin Spacey.

“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 give emerging talent the opportunity to be mentored by some of Hollywood’s biggest names. It’s a truly exciting proposition and we look forward to seeing three fantastic films,” said Howard Southern, International Marketing Director, Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard.