Canadian film and television director Paul Lynch (No Contest, Bullies, Prom Night) has signed a non-exclusive six-picture deal with new Ontario production company Crystal Films to coproduce and direct six ‘Canadian content’ feature films over the next three years.

Crystal partners Randy Butcher, Brian Groh, Jeff Preitauer and Bob Tuli are planning to begin production on the comedy/drama Fat Chance this coming March.

Fat Chance tells the story of an overweight woman’s wager with her slim sex-shop coworkers as to who can be the first to snag a date with an attractive delivery man. Penned by Shirley McCann, Fat Chance received script development money from The Harold Greenberg Fund.

Tuli says they are hoping to cast the Cancon dramedy when Lynch returns from New Zealand in December where he is directing an episode of Xena: Warrior Princess.

The funding for Crystal’s first feature will be entirely private, says Tuli, who estimates the budget at around $800,000.

Crystal is also accepting script submissions with a one-page synopsis with a signed general release.