The Canon First Cut Contest is Back and is Looking for Bigger, Bolder Pitches

Ready to bring your biggest, boldest, and most awesome-est short film ideas to life? Canon has announced that the company is bringing back its First Cut Contest for a second go-around, and the contest is looking for bigger, bolder, and more awesome pitches.

Following up on the success of the inaugural Canon First Cut Contest last year, this year’s version will continue with the same unique format that encourages aspiring filmmakers and creators to record short video pitch submissions for the projects of their dreams, with the opportunity to land budget and support from Canon.

Sounds intriguing, yeah? Here’s what you need to know about how to enter.

The Second Annual Canon First Cut Contest

Set to feature a chance to be flown to an exclusive premiere in Los Angeles, California, in early December, the second annual Canon First Cut Contest is looking to crown four grand prize winners who will each receive $25,000 to make their dream video project and one-on-one mentorship with a judge.

12 finalists will be selected, and each will receive an ultimate creator package with an EOS R50 V Video Creator Kit to power their journey to the premiere party in LA on December 8th, where their videos will be shown to top creators and industry insiders.

This year’s contest will feature big names in the filmmaking and creator space, including Sam Newton, Eva Gutowski, Anna Sitar, and Zach King, and Remi Parsons will host the event.

Four Categories to Consider

Quickly, before we get to the good stuff, the contest will be divided into four categories this year, each built for a different kind of storyteller. Here are the categories:

• Cinematic Narrative
• Documentary
• Action-Adventure
• Lifestyle/Vlog

Following the entry guidelines below, filmmakers and creators can choose the category that best fits their vision and matches the career they’re looking to build, with the support of Canon and a camera ecosystem that matches the different ways you might want to create.

How to Enter

Alright, now we can dive into how to enter this exciting contest from Canon.

As far as pitch contests go, this is one of the easiest to enter. All you have to do to enter is to create a short video (1 to 3 minutes) that brings your dream project to life.

Post it to Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok, tag @canonusa with #canonfirstcutcontest, and fill out the entry form on Canon’s website here. Be sure to include the category you’re submitting for.

All submissions must be entered by November 10, 2026 at 11:59pm ET.

So, good luck, and get creating, y’all.