National Film Challenge
The National Film Challenge, the 48 Hour Film Project's sister competition, is coming on October 22nd through 25th!
Regardless of where you live, this is your opportunity to write, shoot, and edit a short film in three days. Just like in the 48 Hour Film Project, you receive a character, prop, line of dialogue, and a genre at 7pm local time, October 22nd. Then you mail the film in on October 25th.
The winning films will screen with the 48HFP City Winners at the next Filmapalooza at the Miami International Film Festival. Also, there are cash prizes for the winning films!
Registration opens on September 1st.
Check out the NFC website for more details.
Every second counts! Even when you have a whopping 72 hours to make a film.
posted August 23, 2010 | permalink
The 2010 Tour
After a tremendous start in over 40 cities, the 48HFP 2010 Tour keeps on truckin'—soon, it will be bringing its high-flying, adrenaline-fueled competition to a city near you!
With almost 90 cities on the schedule, 2010 promises to be our biggest year yet. And for the first time ever, with the addition of Casablanca, Johannesburg, and Lima, the 48HFP is going to take place on six continents!
We look forward to seeing your film!
posted July 21, 2010 | permalink
At the Cannes Film Festival
Thirteen 48HFP films have been selected to screen at the Cannes Film Festival, the most well-known film festival in the world! Our films will screen at the Short Film Corner as part of the Marche du Film. Below are the films that will screen at Palais F on Monday, May 17, at 1:30pm.
posted May 14, 2010 | permalink
The 2010 Tour Is Underway
The 2010 Tour is underway! We've already been to Boston, Breda, Dallas, Nijmegen, Singapore, and Washington, DC. Over 4,000 filmmakers have gotten their adrenaline on—and we're just getting started!
posted May 13, 2010 | permalink
What I Learned from Jason Reitman
Jason Reitman speaks at Filmapalooza
Last week I was at NAB Show in Las Vegas attending Filmapalooza, the year end competition for the 48 Hour Film Project. Over 70 films from around the world were screened, all representing the Best 48 Hour Film from each of their respective cities. I had a great time watching the films, checking out the latest video gear at NAB, and of course soaking in a little bit of the Las Vegas nightlife. But the highlight of the trip for me was watching Jason Reitman speak.
Jason Reitman is the Academy Award nominated director of films such as Juno, Thank You for Smoking, and the current release Up in the Air. He flew in to deliver the keynote speech to a room filled with filmmakers from all around the world. The experience was incredible; Reitman is a very personable speaker and talks on a level that really connects with the younger filmmaking crowd. He talked about growing up in Beverly Hills, his long journey from film to medical school and back to film, and took questions from the audience.
Here are just a few of the highlights of what I learned.
Write the bad scripts first. Reitman prefers to direct films that he has also written the screenplay for because he really knows the dialogue and flow of the script will work on camera. But he didn't always write really great stuff. It took him a long time to develop his own style of writing, and he wrote a lot of bad scripts before anything worthwhile came out. An important part of developing writing skills is to really just keep doing it--get your ideas out onto paper, find out what works and what doesn't, and begin to develop your own voice.
Work with people you like. Though Reitman is not the first person to have said this, he stands by this mantra.There are tons of talented people in the world, so don't stress yourself out by working with talented people who are a pain to work with. Reitman states it best: "Do you want to be standing next to someone you hate on that day who is incredibly talented and gifted but you want to punch in the face? No, you want someone you can talk to."
Don't go for the "cool shot." Remember that the film is about storytelling, not a showcase for your camera techniques. Reitman and his regular DP like to keep each other in check, joking with each other about the "cool shots for their portfolio" when it looks like one of them may be straying from the storytelling aspect of the film in order to get too artistic with the cinematography.
There is no excuse not to make your film. Filmmaking has never been more accessible as it is now. Reitman recalled the old days when he was starting out and everything was shot on film, making for a time-consuming and expensive editing process. Now you can find a decent digital camera in nearly every big box store or electronics retailer you walk in to. All you need is a story, a camera, and a basic editing software. Reitman himself scrounged the money for his first film by selling desk calendars to his college. He challenged the filmmakers to stop making excuses and just go out and make your film with what you have.
Watching Reitman speak was in itself worth the trip to Las Vegas. He was insightful and inspiring, as well as encouraging to all of the filmmakers present. I'll look forward to continuing to watch his great films, and will hope for that Academy Award sometime in the near future.
-- Brian Bowers, 48 Hour Film Project, Newsletter Editor
Jason Reitman speaks to a crowded room of filmmakers
Reitman with Liz Langston and Mark Ruppert of the 48 Hour Film Project
posted April 25, 2010 | permalink
Winners of the 2009 Tour
The awards for the 2009 Tour were announced on April 12th as part of Filmapalooza at the NAB Show. Some highlights:
Best Film
"Nicht nur der Himmel ist blau" by Sharktankcleaners from Berlin
Runner Up for Best Film
"The Grave Review" by Rascallion Media Group from Minneapolis
Second Runner Up for Best Film
"Rationed" by Vegan Cannibal Productions from Inland Empire
Winner of the Panasonic HD Filmmaker Showdown
"Who's the Fairest" by Rascallion Media Group from Minneapolis
Winner of the International Shootout
"Prebloc" by Bande a part from Paris
posted April 13, 2010 | permalink
Jason Reitman at Filmapalooza
Jason Reitman, director of Up in the Air, Juno, and Thank You for Smoking will be our keynote speaker at Filmapalooza. Read Jason's bio.
posted April 9, 2010 | permalink
The 2010 Tour Begins
The 2010 Tour has begun! As of March 12th, 7pm Europe time, teams of filmmakers in Nijmegen (Netherlands) are making movies in 48 hours!
posted March 12, 2010 | permalink
The Doc Challenge
The Doc Challenge is a fun and innovative competition that will push your documentary skills to the limit! Now in its 5th year, the International Documentary Challenge returns to the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in Toronto. This year's challenge takes place March 4-8, 2010 with the Hot Docs premiere of the Finalists in early May.
If you're new to the idea, it's very simple: Filmmakers from around the world are given a genre and a theme and then have 5 days to develop, produce and edit a 4 to 7 minute non-fiction film. The result is an exhilarating five days for the filmmakers, and, as the films reveal, a joy for the audiences at Hot Docs and beyond.
posted February 11, 2010 | permalink
Panasonic HD Filmmaker Showdown
Five US city-winning teams will compete in the fifth annual 48 Hour Film Project-Panasonic HD Filmmaker Showdown on the weekend of February 6, 2010.
Panasonic loan each team a Panasonic HD camera for the competition weekend. The winning team will receive a Panasonic camera to keep. Also, their film will screen at Filmapalooza at NAB in April 2010.
The participating teams are Idyl King Entertainment from Hampton Roads; Integral Arts from Washington, DC; Pro Video Bandits from Cincinnati; Rascallion Media Group from Minneapolis; and Wax Idiotical Films from Providence.
posted January 26, 2010 | permalink
Vote a Genre Off the Island
Each year we revise our list of genres, and this year we are inviting you to help! Cast a vote to get rid of a genre, and let us know which genres you really like.
Last year, our genres included Buddy Film, Comedy, Detective/cop, Drama, Fantasy, Film de Femme, Holiday Film, Horror, Mockumentary, Musical or Western, Romance, Sci Fi, Superhero, and Thriller/Suspense, as well as a few wild card genres.
This is also your chance to suggest characters, props, and lines of dialogue—pay homage to your friend, boss, or mom and name a character after them!
posted January 26, 2010 | permalink
"You Have 48 Hours" Video Project
In our 48HFP Theme Song contest we received some very fun songs. One is "You Have 48 Hours" by Bill Briare. This is a sing-along anthem with catchy words that won't leave your head—even if you want them to! It cries out to be made into a music video.
That's where you come in! We think that you, our 48HFP filmmakers, might have a good time with this. We hereby invite you to download the song, and contribute your own footage of you, your friends, animals, puppets, robots, or anything you choose singing along to this song. We'll mix the submissions together for the best music video ever and post it on our website. For details, click here.
And make sure to check out the grand prize winning "I Had A Cooler Weekend Than You" by Patrick Tyrrell! This rocking song will be used in our opening video for 2010.
posted January 26, 2010 | permalink
2010 Tour
The 2010 Tour is right around the corner! We'll be back in our regular haunts as well as adding some new cities. More details will be coming soon.
In 2010, 40,000 filmmakers in 20 countries will compete to see who can make the best short film in only 48 hours. The winning film will go up against films from around the world for the title "Best 48 Hour Film of 2010".
Stay tuned for more details!
posted January 6, 2010 | permalink
Filmapalooza
Filmapalooza is here! We're at NAB Show in Las Vegas from April 10th to 12th, 2010. Jason Reitman, director of Juno and Up in the Air will be our keynote speaker on Monday.
Who: 48 Hour Filmmakers from around the world.
What: The best 48HFP films from 2009
Where:
NAB Show
When: from April 10th to 12th, 2010
Why: Inspiration, education, networking, and fun!
We will screen all the 48HFP US and International City Winners from 2009 (76 cities!), the International Shootout winner, the Panasonic HD Showdown Winner, and more!
posted November 11, 2009 | permalink
International Shootout
On December 4-7, 48HFP teams from around the world are competing head-to-head in the International Shootout.
The winning film will screen at Filmapalooza and at the Cannes Film Festival! Click here for more details.
posted November 11, 2009 | permalink
The 2009 Tour Concludes
After 76 cities in 17 countries on 4 continents, the 48HFP 2009 Tour is complete. It's been an incredible year, filled with wild stories of amazing filmmaking.
The Best Film in each city goes on to screen at Filmapalooza (our end-of-year screening and awards extravaganza) in April 2010 in Las Vegas, and a selection of the very best films will screen at the Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner in May 2010.
Congratulations, all! We're so proud of your great work!
posted November 11, 2009 | permalink
Theme Song Contest
Announcing a competition to create the 48 Hour Film Project's new theme song!
2010 marks our tenth year, and to celebrate, we are seeking a theme song. It should express the identity and spirit of the 48 Hour Film Project, encourage filmmakers to participate, and remind people that the 48HFP is a hip and top-notch film event. It will be used in the opening trailer that plays before each of our international screenings.
We're looking for something upbeat, uptempo, and with a hook. For an example of what has worked for us in the past, check out our 2005 trailer.
Will you be the one to write our new theme song?
Click here for more information.
posted October 14, 2009 | permalink
The 2009 Tour Continues
The 48HFP 2009 US Tour is complete. With 53 US cities, 10 international cities, and over 2500 films thus far, it's been an incredible year.
17 cities remain this fall, including London, Mumbai, Paris, Seoul, and many more.
And this year, we've added new partners—the NAB Show will host Filmapalooza in Las Vegas in April 2010, and Write Brothers is providing scriptwriting software to each of our city winning teams. We also welcome back Panasonic and Rumblefish. Panasonic is providing our grand prize, a new HD camera, and Rumblefish provides great music at discounted prices.
We look forward to seeing your film!
posted August 25, 2009 | permalink
The National Film Challenge
The National Film Challenge, the 48 Hour Film Project's sister competition, returns October 23rd through 26th.
Teams from around the world will write, shoot, and edit short films in three days. Just like in the 48HFP, they receive a character, prop, line of dialogue, and a genre at 7pm local time, October 23rd. Then they mail in their films in on October 26th.
Registration is $135.
To register, click here.
Or visit the NFC webpage for more information.
Brought to you by KDHX Community Media and the 48 Hour Film Project.
posted August 25, 2009 | permalink
2009 Tour Is Underway
After a tremendous start in Las Vegas, and in the newly added cities of Breda (Netherlands) and Lisbon (Portugal), the 48HFP 2009 Tour will be bringing its high-flying, adrenaline-fueled competition to a city near you!
With more than 70 cities on the schedule, 2009 promises to be our biggest year yet, with as many as 3,000 teams!
And this year, we've added new partners—the NAB Show will host Filmapalooza in Las Vegas in April 2010, and Write Brothers is providing scriptwriting software to each of our city winning teams. We also welcome back Panasonic and Rumblefish. Panasonic is providing our grand prize, a new HD camera, and Rumblefish provides great music at discounted prices.
We look forward to seeing your film!
posted April 28, 2009 | permalink
At the Cannes Film Festival
Fourteen 48HFP films have been selected to screen at the Cannes Film Festival, the most well-known film festival in the world! Our films will screen at the Short Film Corner as part of the Marche du Film. Below are the films that will screen at the Palais on Tuesday, May 19, at 11:30am.
- "Aidan 5" by Jakson (Columbus)
- "Amaranto" by Urban Team (Rome)
- "Backwoods" by Studio Bib Simmons (Milwaukee)
- "Birthmarked for Death" by Dorkus Rainbowpants (Minneapolis)
- "A Briefcase of Love" by Ghee La Roche (Portland, Maine)
- "Four Minutes Till the End" by Team Film Classics Productions (San Antonio)
- "Fused" by thefyzz (London)
- "The Hall" by Hungry Camera Company (Toronto)
- "Moment of Silence" by Par-t-com Productions (Los Angeles)
- "An Old Scam" by Ha'amoraim (Tel Aviv)
- "Robot Love from Another World" by Pizza Infinity (Cincinnati)
- "Salam" by Indievisual Studios (Honolulu)
- "Transfert" by FatCat Films (Paris)
- "Vaakalaudalla" by New Dawn (Finland)
posted April 28, 2009 | permalink
Winners of the 2008 Tour
The awards for the 2008 Tour were announced on March 14th, 2009, at the Tower Theater as part of Filmapalooza at the Miami International Film Festival. The winners are:
Best Film, Best Cinematography
"Transfert" by FatCat Films from Paris
(FatCat Films received 5,000 USD.)
Runner Up for Best Film, Best Directing,
Best Screenplay, Best Acting, Best Editing
"An Old Scam" by Ha'amoraim from Tel Aviv
Second Runner Up for Best Film
"Aidan 5" by Jakson from Columbus
Winner of the Panasonic HD Filmmaker Showdown
"Quillions" by More Where That Came From from Denver
(More Where That Came From received a Panasonic HPX170 HD camera.)
Winner of the International Shootout
"Buying Time" by Half Baked from Melbourne
(Half Baked received 1,000 USD.)
posted March 16, 2009 | permalink
2009 Tour Kicks off in Las Vegas at NAB
48HFP has partnered with the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), and will kick off its 2009 season with the Las Vegas competition on April 17-19 at the NAB Show. NAB Show is the world's largest electronic media show covering filmed entertainment and the development, management, and delivery of content across all mediums.
Come! 48HFP filmmakers are eligible for a free exhibits-only registration. Come by the 48HFP booth (Booth C155, in the Content Pavillion in Central Hall, C-2) and meet Mark Ruppert and Liz Langston, Founders of the 48HFP! To register, click here and use special guest pass code FE01. Note: Registrations must be received by 4/17.
And, next year's Filmapalooza will be held at NAB! This is especially beneficial to 48HFP participants because it will provide exposure and access to the industry's most influential innovators and leaders.
posted January 31, 2009 | permalink
The International Documentary Challenge
You all know how to make a narrative film in 48 Hours—but can you make a documentary in five days? If so, join the International Documentary Challenge from March 5-9!
A sister competition to the 48HFP, the IDC gives filmmakers from around the world a genre (for instance, Character Study, Music, First Person) and a theme (for instance, "Change" or "Freedom"), and then they make a short nonfiction film in just five days. Finalists will premiere at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival in Toronto.
Check out the new Doc Challenge website, where you can watch films and hear directly from past participants about their experience. Early registration deadline is February 1st, with the final deadline on March 4th.
posted January 31, 2009 | permalink
The International Shootout
The Shootout has gone international! On January 24-26, 2009, 41 48HFP city-winning teams from around the world will make films that compete head-to-head.
The participating teams are:
posted January 12, 2009 | permalink
Vote for the NFC Audience Award
Voting has begun for the Audience Award for the National Film Challenge, the 48 Hour Film Project's sister competition. Over 200 teams of filmmakers made movies between October 24th and 27th and the finalists are now on the National Film Challenge website for viewing and voting.
The film with the highest rating will win $500 and screen as part of Filmapalooza at the Miami International Film Festival on March 13-15, 2009. Voting ends at 11:59pm on January 12, 2009.
Visit the National Film Challenge webpage for more information or to vote.
Brought to you by KDHX Community Media and the 48 Hour Film Project.
posted December 17, 2008 | permalink
Filmapalooza
Get out your sunglasses! Filmapalooza—the finale festival for the 2008 48 Hour Film Project—is coming to the Miami International Film Festival on March 13-15, 2009.
Who: 48 Hour Filmmakers from around the world.
What: The best 48HFP films from 2008
Where:
The Miami International Film Festival
When: March 13-15, 2009
Why: Inspiration, education, networking, and fun!
We'll screen the winning films from our seventy cities around the world, present awards, party down, and more!
posted November 12, 2008 | permalink
Panasonic HD Filmmaker Showdown
Five US city-winning teams competed in the 48 Hour Film Project-Panasonic HD Filmmaker Showdown on the weekend of November 14, 2008.
Panasonic loan each team an HPX500 HD camera with accessories for the competition weekend. The winning team will receive an HPX170 HD camera to keep. Also, their film will screen at Filmapalooza in March 2009.
The participating teams are Dorkus Rainbowpants from Minneapolis; More Where That Came From from Denver; Par-t-com Productions from Los Angeles; Sprezzatura from Washington, DC; and Studio Bib Simmons from Milwaukee.
posted November 12, 2008 | permalink
Machinima
The last city of the 2008 Tour was a virtual one—teams of filmmakers from around the world made 48HFP movies virtually on the weekend of November 15, as part of the Machinima 48 Hour Film Project.
What's Machinima? It's filmmaking in a virtual-reality environment in real-time. Read more about machinima or about the Machinima 48HFP.
posted November 12, 2008 | permalink
The Equal Exchange Invitational
The top 5 48HFP teams from Boston, Portland (Oregon), and Seattle made another 48HFP film on the weekend of September 19-22. Teams were assigned a genre, a character, a prop, a line of dialogue—and a theme of people being dangerously disconnected from their food.
On October 21, the films were screened in Boston, Portland, and Seattle to sold-out crowds, and the winners were announced. To find out the results, click here.
The participating teams were:
Bait & Tackle • Baugh Klemm's Tea Party • Bouncing Poodle Productions • Cinema Queso • Dreamers and Schemers • Glasseye • Mine Production • 911 Media • Overcast Productions • Stop Talking • Summer Villa • Tiny Mini Films • We Were Hot and We Were Hungry • We're Making a Movie
For more information, click here...
posted September 18, 2008 | permalink
The National Film Challenge
The National Film Challenge, the 48 Hour Film Project's sister competition, returned October 24th through 27th.
Teams from around the world wrote, shot, and edited short films in three days. Just like in the 48HFP, they received a character, prop, line of dialogue, and a genre at 7pm local time, October 24th. Then they mailed in their films in on October 27th.
Visit the National Film Challenge webpage for more information.
Brought to you by KDHX Community Media and the 48 Hour Film Project.
posted July 16, 2008 | permalink
At the Cannes Film Festival
For the second year in a row, the 48HFP screened at Cannes!
On Tuesday, May 20th, 48HFP films from four continents were screened as part of Cannes' Short Film Corner, including films from Amsterdam, Brisbane, Cincinnati, DC, Greensboro, Miami, Milwaukee, New Mexico, Paris, Richmond, Rome, Seattle, and Tel Aviv.
We walked on the red carpet, met filmmakers and film industry executives from around the world, watched films on the beach, and picked up a little French as well. It was lovely!
posted May 15, 2008 | permalink
2008 Tour Begins
The 2008 Tour officially began in Boston on April 4. Registration is already open for many cities.
2008 promises to be the biggest 48HFP Tour ever—more cities and more teams than ever before. We're excited to announce the addition of Athens, Edinburgh, Geneva, Mumbai, and Singapore to our list of cities.
Filmmakers in these cities and many others will compete to see who can make the best short film in only 48 hours. The winning film will go up against films from around the world for the title "Best 48 Hour Film of 2008".
Enter today! Space is limited.
posted March 29, 2008 | permalink
2007 Awards
The awards for the 2007 tour were announced on March 2nd, 2008, at the Camera 12 in San Jose, California, as part of Filmapalooza at Cinequest. The winners are:
Best Film
"TimeCatcher" by No Budget Productions from Tel Aviv
Runner Up for Best Film
"Dòn" by La Lumiere Soudaine from Rome
Second Runner Up for Best Film
"Sweetie" by Trifecta+ Entertainment from New Mexico
Best Directing
"TimeCatcher" by No Budget Productions from Tel Aviv
Best Acting (tie)
"Dòn" by La Lumiere Soudaine from Rome
"Sweetie" by Trifecta+ Entertainment from New Mexico
Best Script
"TimeCatcher" by No Budget Productions from Tel Aviv
Best Cinematography
"Room 303" by Team KC from Amsterdam
Best Editing
"TimeCatcher" by No Budget Productions from Tel Aviv
Best Film from the HD Filmmaker Showdown
"Lizzie Strata" by Integral Arts from Washington, DC
posted March 3, 2008 | permalink
Panasonic HD Filmmaker Showdown
The weekend of January 25-27, 2008, five US city-winning teams competed in the 48 Hour Film Project-Panasonic HD Filmmaker Showdown.
Panasonic loaned each team an HPX500 HD camera (with Fujinon lens, tripod plate, 4 16GB P2 Cards and an HPG10 P2 Gear) for the competition weekend. The winning team will receive an HVX200 HD camera to keep. Also, their film will screen at Filmapalooza in March.
Participating teams were The Branching from Richmond, Cinema Syndicate from Portland, Oregon, Integral Arts from Washington, DC, Team Juicebox from Seattle, and XLAJ from Houston.
posted January 25, 2008 | permalink
International Documentary Challenge
The third annual International Documentary Challenge is coming! It will take place from March 6th through the 10th, 2008.
On Thursday, March 6th, teams of filmmakers will be given a genre and a theme. Then they have just five days to shoot and edit their documentary.
Early Bird Registration is $99. Teams must register on or before February 11th to get this special rate. Afterwards, registration is $115.
The IDC is sponsored by Hot Docs, SILVERDOCS, the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, the International Documentary Association, the Documentary Organization of Canada, Film Action Oregon, and the creators of the 48 Hour Film Project.
posted January 11, 2008 | permalink
Second Life
The weekend of January 12th, 2008, the 48 Hour Film Project held its first-ever machinima competition, entirely in the virtual world of Second Life.
At the kickoff location in Second Life, thirteen teams received characters, props, lines of dialogue, and genres. 48 hours later, they uploaded their films to our server.
On Wednesday, January 16th, and Thursday, January 17th, the films were shown at the New Globe Theater, provided by our sponsor Millions of Us. They can be seen on 48.tv. And the winning film will be screened at Filmapalooza.
posted December 6, 2007 | permalink
Filmapalooza
Filmapalooza, the 48 Hour Film Project's end-of-year screening and awards ceremony, returns to Cinequest on February 29 through March 2, 2008. All fifty-five 2007 City Winners will be screened, including:
"A-Litter-A-Thon" •
"Blood Money" •
"Buddy, Buddy" •
"City Cops" •
"Consumed" •
"Cosmo of 1932" •
"Decisive Moment" •
"Disconnected" •
"Easter Bunny Super Hero" •
"Electricity: Unplugging the Myth" •
"The End" •
"A Future Simple" •
"Franz Kafka: The Happiest Man in Happy Town" •
"Held in Sway" •
"In Medias Res" •
"Interruption" •
"JoBeth" •
"A Killer's Dozen" •
"Klas" •
"Knoon Time" •
"Kumbio Takedown" •
"Laneway " •
"Last Hand" •
"Long Night" •
"Love and Sappiness" •
"Morning Sickness" •
"N Pictures" •
"Phenomenal Me" •
"Project 96B" •
"Reflections" •
"The Rise and Fall of the Adverb" •
"Science THE MUSICAL" •
"Single White Fowl" •
"Spy Glass" •
"The Spy Who Spied Me" •
"Stained" •
"Standing Reign" •
"The Stray" •
"Su Misura" •
"Sunshine" •
"Sweetie" •
"Time's Up" •
"Troubadour: A Six Minute Soap Opera" •
"Unspeakable" •
"Weeds" •
"Who Is Bert Didier?" •
"X-Day"
For more information, click here...
posted November 20, 2007 | permalink
The Fall Shootout
The weekend of November 2nd, twenty-seven city-winning teams completed films as part of the 48 Hour Film Project Fall Shootout. They received character, prop, line of dialogue, and genre by email Friday at 7pm local time and had until the post office closed on Monday to send us their film.
The teams were:
See the films on 48.tv or read more about the Fall Shootout...
posted November 1, 2007 | permalink
The National Film Challenge
The 48 Hour Film Project's sister competition, the National Film Challenge, took place on October 19th through the 22nd.
Teams from around the world wrote, shot, and edited short films in three days. They each received a character, prop, line of dialogue, and a genre on a secure website at 7pm local time on October 19th and mailed their film in on October 22nd.
Visit the National Film Challenge webpage for more information.
Brought to you by KDHX Community Media and the 48 Hour Film Project.
posted August 21, 2007 | permalink
The Visa 'Life Takes' Invitational
The Top 10 48 Hour Film teams from Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco (as selected by Visa's judges) teams made another 48 Hour Film on the weekend of September 7-9. Visa sent two people from each team to San Francisco for a special screening and awards weekend on September 29, where there was a reception for all of the teams and cash prizes for the top three films.
The top ten films were:
- "Britty First Dates" by Figers
- "Cheese Run" by JeffroGee Productions
- "Exit" by It Donned on Me
- "Ghost in the Machine" by the Tri-County Lawn Bowling Association
- "Life Takes Timing" by Subject to Change Productions
- "Rated ARRRRRRRRRRR" by Team Subsanity
- "Rock, Paper, Scissors" by Rabid Manatees
- "Terms of Use" by Team BP
- "Top Secret" by One Glass
- "Two Coins" by Team Midas
The third place film was "Exit" by It Donned on Me. The second place film was "Two Coins" by Team Midas. And the grand prize winner, walking away with $10,000, was Team BP for their film "Terms of Use"!
The 30 teams who participated were:
All Together Now • Brooklyn On Foot • Bucks Boys •
Bucky Wilson • Cultural Detritus • Cup O'Meat Productions •
CurlyHairedPeople • Dream Maker • 8-bit riot • FIGERS •
It Donned On Me • JeffroGee Productions • Montage Productions •
One Candle • One Glass • Permanent Lounge Productions •
Pyrotecnia Film Group • Rabid Manatees • Redux Productions •
Soapbox • SubSanity • Subject to Change • Team BP •
Team Midas • The TCS • This Team Is Not Yet Rated •
Time Lapse Productions • Tri-County Lawn Bowling Association •
Wilcox Films • Wunderkrafthaus
For more information, click here...
posted August 2, 2007 | permalink
Finally! T-Shirts!
That's right, we finally have t-shirts! Now you can show off for all your friends, and let them know that it only takes you a weekend to make a film.
Four styles are available, featuring our logo and our poster contest winner.
We're also selling... the 48 Hour Film Project Premium Package from Screenstyle, and the Best of the 48 Hour Film Project DVDs.
posted June 22, 2007 | permalink
Cannes Film Festival Debut!
Roll out the red carpet! A selection of the "Best of 2006" films were shown at the Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner on Thursday, May 17th, including:
- "Tooth and Nail" by Cinema Syndicate (Portland, OR)
- "Stairwell C" by Vaughn Juares (Minneapolis)
- "Skinned Alive" by Sputnik (Portland, ME)
- "Maten al Payaso" by Afafas (Miami)
- "Owensville" by Shaolin Monkeys (Washington, DC)
- "Doughboy Beware!" by Biscuits and Gravy (LA)
Filmmakers Sean McGrath, Vaughn Juares, Jeremy Koller, and John Stuhldreher were at Cannes for the screening.
In addition, eleven films made especially for Cannes made their debut. These films were made as part of a Paris invitational. Find out more information, or watch the films and vote for your favorite!
posted May 14, 2007 | permalink
New & Improved Store
Come and check out our new and improved store!We're now selling...
The 48 Hour Film Project Premium Package from Screenstyle, which includes Movie Magic Screenwriter, How to Make Your Movie Software, Screenwriter's Pad, Portable Film School, Hero's 2 Journeys DVD, and How to Pitch & Sell Your Screenplay. A $300 value for $199.
The Best of the 48 Hour Film Project on DVD, 2002-2006. Check out our "Best of the 48HFP" collections from over the years. You won't believe that some of these were made in only a weekend! $20 per DVD.
We plan to sell t-shirts soon.
posted April 23, 2007 | permalink
Partners with the Screen Actors Guild
Once again the 48 Hour Film Project has partnered with the Screen Actors Guild to allow filmmakers to use SAG members to act in their film. This is an excellent opportunity for our participants to have access to some great talent.
In the past, folks like Teller and Doug Jones have appeared in 48 Hour Films. Perhaps this is the year for Reese Witherspoon?
Click here to see what's involved in working with SAG.
For non-union actors and other crew, use the release forms found on our Production Documents page, including the Participant's Agreement, the Wrap Up Form, the Team Roster, the Certification Statement, the Liability Waiver Form, the Talent Release Form, the Music Release Form, the Materials Release Form, and the Location Release Form.
posted April 20, 2007 | permalink
Poster Contest
The 48 Hour Film Project held its first poster contest in 2007. We thank all who entered. We were very impressed by the incredibly high quality of the work that we received! There were over 50 entries and the judges had their work cut out for them.
The judges and the folks at Filmapalooza have picked their favorites. Here are the winners:
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| |
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Poster Contest Winner
by Christian Baldo |
Filmapalooza Favorite
by Emilie Drumm |
posted April 5, 2007 | permalink
Filmapalooza
On March 8th through 11th, 48 Hour Filmmakers from around the globe gathered in Albuquerque. We met each other; we watched each other's films; we met industry and film festival representatives; we competed in the Filmmakers' Olympics; we talked with Alexander Payne; and we had parties that couldn't be beat.
Awards were also announced. The Best 48 Hour Film of 2007 was "Tooth and Nail" by Cinema Syndicate from Portland, Oregon. The winner of the HD Filmmaker Showdown was "Maestro" by Bargain Basement Films from Baltimore.
posted March 12, 2007 | permalink
2006 Winners
The 48 Hour Film Project's 2006 winners were announced at a reception at Sauce in Albuquerque at the end of Filmapalooza, on March 10th, 2007.
The second runner-up was Afafas from Miami for "Maten al Payaso", in which several underworld groups plot the assassination of a nefarious gangster known only as "the clown".
The first runner-up was Milk from Seattle for "Manquer", an homage to the French New Wave, in which a bicycle is stolen from its beloved owner.
And the winner was Cinema Syndicate from Portland, Oregon, for "Tooth and Nail", in which an incumbent politician is revealed to be a vampire and must defend his seat against a family-values challenger. More awards...
posted March 11, 2007 | permalink
The 2007 Tour Begins!
Register for Washington, DC, Boston, Kansas City, Madison,
posted February 19, 2007 | permalink
Coming Soon... The 48 Hour Filmapalooza!
In 2004, we went to South by Southwest.
In 2005 and 2006, we went to Cinequest.
And in 2007, we're going to Filmapalooza!
On March 8th through 11th, 48 Hour Filmmakers from around the globe will gather in Albuquerque to meet each other, watch each other's films, meet industry and film festival representatives, and party! And you're invited!
Our Keynote Speaker: Alexander Payne
Alexander Payne, director of Sideways, About Schmidt, Election, and Citizen Ruth has been selected to be our keynote speaker! You love his films—now come hear what he has to say about filmmaking.
There will be a Q&A with him on Friday night. On Saturday morning, he will host a small discussion group with a few lucky filmmakers, including seven people with names drawn at random from among the entries received by January 31.
More information and registration this way...
posted January 30, 2007 | permalink
HD Filmmaker Showdown
Five US city-winning teams submitted on-time films to the
Panasonic loaned a HVX200 HD camera to each team for use during the competition weekend.
All five of the HDFS teams also received an
Finalists for the HD Showdown
The participants in the HD Showdown were:
| Team Name | City |
| Bargain Basement Films | Baltimore |
| Magnetoscope Pictures | Cincinnati |
| Vaughn Juares | Minneapolis |
| Cinema Syndicate | Portland, OR |
| Shaolin Monkeys | Washington, DC |
Milk from Seattle was a finalist, but was unable to participate.
posted January 19, 2007 | permalink
Fall Shootout Results
First, hearty congratulations to each and every team for your films, whether you won your city competition or not. The most difficult part of the 48 Hour Film Project is choosing the award winners. There are so many great films to choose from and you should be proud of your accomplishments.
We are proud to announce the results from the Fall Shootout. Without further ado...
Top 10 Films in the Fall Shootout
Each team will have two representatives flown to Boston for a screening and party weekend.
| Film Name | Team Name | City |
| "Toast" | GlassEye Productions | Boston |
| "Plugged" | Magnetoscope Pictures | Cincinnati |
| "72 Ounces" | Garceworks | Denver |
| "All Kinds of Evil" | Rockets GO! Productions | Little Rock |
| "El Shaket" | Afafas | Miami |
| "Tipparinos" | Vaughn Juares | Minneapolis |
| "Shush" | Anonymous | Nashville |
| "Whacked" | Sputnik | Portland, ME |
| "The Music Is In The Beer" | Genesis Films | San Diego |
| "When You Grow Up" | Milk | Seattle |
And the winner is...
Best Use of the Boston Beer Product
Magnetoscope Pictures from Cincinnati for "Plugged"
Best Film of the Fall Shootout
Vaughn Juares from Minneapolis for "Tipparinos"
posted November 21, 2006 | permalink
The Fall Shootout
Twenty-four city-winning teams participated in the 48 Hour Film Project Fall Shootout on the weekend of November 3rd. Each team received a character, prop, line of dialogue, and genre for its film by email on Friday, November 3rd, at 7pm local time and sent their films in by the end of business on Monday, November 6th. Read more about their experiences...
Participating Teams
Afafas (Miami)
Anonymous (Nashville)
Biscuits & Gravy (Los Angeles)
Bucky Wilson Presents (New York)
Cinema Syndicate (Portland, Oregon)
Cougars (Atlanta)
Fountain Films (Phoenix)
Garceworks (Denver)
Genesis Films (San Diego)
Gigantic Earth (Saint Louis)
GlassEye (Boston)
LineBenders (Fargo)
Magnetoscope Pictures (Cincinnati)
Milk (Seattle)
Philm (Louisville)
Pizza Infinity/OneTwoThree (Chicago)
Press Play Productions (Las Vegas)
Presto Video (Des Moines)
Pure Energy Productions (Greensboro)
Rockets GO! Productions (Little Rock)
Sputnik (Portland, Maine)
Team Smokey (Asheville)
Texaswood (Houston)
There is No I in TEAM! (Albuquerque)
Vaughn Juares (Minneapolis)
posted October 31, 2006 | permalink
The National Film Challenge
During the weekend of October 20-22, teams from around the globe made short movies as part of the National Film Challenge, a worldwide filmmaking competition created by the 48HFP. Read on...
posted October 12, 2006 | permalink
You're Invited to NAB New York
Come to the National Association of Broadcasters New York Conference on October 23-26! Geared to the professional production and post-production community, NAB features workshops and exhibits on cutting edge technologies and techniques.
We will screen a selection of the Best 48 Hour Films of 2006 on Wednesday, October 25th at 6pm. As part of our participation, NAB offers all 48 Hour filmmakers free Exhibits passes (regularly $125 each). Also, there is a 48 Hour Film Participant Discount of $100 off the total Post|Production Conference New York registration. It applies to the Post|Production Conference New York Full Package OR Post|Production Conference New York One Day Conference Pass.
What's Included
Whether registering for exhibits only or for a complete conference, all NAB New York participants enjoy access to over 90 exhibiting companies, plus these additional highlights:
- Opening Cocktail Reception
- Keynote Sessions
- Exhibit Floor Lunch
- Film Screenings (including the 48HFP!)
- NABEF/BEA/RTNDA Career Fair
Registering
When registering for NAB, 48 Hour Filmmakers should:
1) On the Registration Page, click on Register with a VIP exhibits Pass
2) On the Profile Page, when asked "Please indicate one category that best describes you," check the box for "48 Hour Film Participant"
3) On the Registration Category page, choose either:
- VIP Exhibits (48 Hour Flim Participant) and enter "NY11" in the space which says "Enter VIP Code." This will enable you to have a free Exhibits Pass!
-OR-
- Conference (48 Hour Film Participant) and then select from Content Creation or Business Media Forums on the next page.
(Note: The $100 Discount ONLY applies to the conference listed above. The Discount will be applied on the payment page - be sure to double check this before paying.)
posted October 12, 2006 | permalink
Brisbane and Paris
The weekend of October 6-8, we visited the last two cities on our 2006 tour: Brisbane and Paris.
posted September 13, 2006 | permalink
Final Stop on the US Tour
The 2006 National Tour is now over. Filmmakers from our final US stop, Portland, Oregon, completed their films the weekend of August 11th with screenings on Wednesday and Thursday, August 16th and 17th.
posted August 11, 2006 | permalink
We're in the Home Stretch
The 2006 National Tour is coming to a close. The weekend of August 4th, we went to Vegas, baby! And August 11-13, we go to our final US stop: Portland, Oregon—it's not too late to sign up!
75 teams of filmmakers in Des Moines and Miami made films the weekend of July 28th and premiered them this past week. Congratulations to those teams for a successful weekend of filmmaking!
posted July 28, 2006 | permalink
Count 'em! Six 48HFPs!
Asheville, Denver, Greensboro, Louisville, Nashville, and the Duke City Shootout 48 Hour Film Project in Albuquerque! Filmmakers from six cities and 177 teams across the country put their filmmaking skills to the test the weekend of July 29th.On Friday night, they received their characters, props, lines of dialogue, and genres. On Sunday night, they turned in their films. During the next week,. those films screened to enthusiastic audiences.
posted July 20, 2006 | permalink
Baltimore, Providence and San Diego
Filmmakers from 108 teams made films the weekend of July 14th in Baltimore, Providence and San Diego.
posted July 12, 2006 | permalink
Seattle Filmmakers Turn in Their Films
The 48 Hour Film Project 2006 took place in Seattle the weekend of July 7th. 22 teams completed films.
posted July 9, 2006 | permalink
Austin, San Francisco, and Los Angeles
The 48 Hour Film Project 2006 visited three cities the weekend of July 24th: Austin, San Francisco, and
posted June 26, 2006 | permalink
Chicago 48 Hour Film Project: Film Weekend Completed
Filmmakers in Chicago completed their 48 Hour Films the weekend of June 17th.
Registration is now open for Las Vegas and New Mexico. Sign on up!
posted June 18, 2006 | permalink
Four Cities!
Filmmakers in Cincinnati, Little Rock, Minneapolis, and St. Louis made 48 hour films the weekend of June 10th. That's 183 teams, or approximately 3000 filmmakers!
Registration is now open for Des Moines and Miami.
posted June 8, 2006 | permalink
The First 48HFP in Portland, Maine
Fifteen teams of filmmakers in Portland, Maine have completed their first 48 Hour Film Project! Films were made from June 2nd to June 4th. The films screened on June 6th.posted June 1, 2006 | permalink
Atlanta, Fargo, and Houston
The 48 Hour Film Project 2006 visited three cities the weekend of May 21st: Atlanta, Fargo, and Houston.
On Friday night, 73 teams of filmmakers in the three cities received their characters, props, lines of dialogue, and genres. On Sunday night, they turned in their films. In the next week, these films screened in Atlanta, Fargo, and Houston.
posted May 18, 2006 | permalink
The American Red Cross Invitational
Celebrating the Red Cross' 125th Anniversary, the 48HFP held its first ever invitational competition. The 48HFP-American Red Cross Invitational took place March 17-19. Six of the best 48 Hour teams of all time competed:
- Anomaly from Philadelphia
- Digital Tronics from Washington, DC
- 88mm from St. Louis
- Fake Wood Wallpaper from Atlanta
- Ruckus from Nashville
- Raine Pro-Co from Los Angeles
The films were 125 seconds long and related in some way to the Red Cross. Film industry professionals served as judges for the 48HFP-Red Cross Invitational. Additionally, team leaders of both the winning and first runner up films will have an opportunity for one-on-one mentoring sessions with leading Hollywood producers.
Click here to see the films and choose your favorite!
posted May 18, 2006 | permalink
Coming Back Home: Washington, DC
On May 5th through the 7th, the 48 Hour Film Project returned to the city that started it all:
The sixth annual DC 48HFP began on Friday night, when a record-breaking 100 teams of filmmakers received their characters, props, lines of dialogue, and genres.
48 hours later, they turned in their films.
From May 9th to May 12th, the films screened at the
posted May 3, 2006 | permalink
New York and Phoenix
The 48 Hour Film Project 2006 visited two cities the weekend of April 22nd:
On Friday night, 66 teams of filmmakers in the two cities received their characters, props, lines of dialogue, and genres. On Sunday night, they turned in their films. The following week, these films be screened in New York and Phoenix. Read more about the filmmakers' experiences.
posted April 19, 2006 | permalink
Boston Filmmakers Have Done It
This April 7-9, the 48 Hour Film Project 2006 visited its second city: Boston!
On Friday night, 70 teams of filmmakers received their character [G. Goforth, Competitive Eating Contestant], prop [Bicycle Pump], line of dialogue ["That's why I don't trust her anymore."], and genres. On Sunday night, they turned in their films. Screenings will take place at the Kendall Square Cinema on April 11th, 12th, 13th, 18th, and 19th.
Read what the filmmakers have to say about or get more information on the Boston 48 Hour Film Project.
posted April 10, 2006 | permalink
Philly Filmmakers Submit Their Films
The 48 Hour Film Project 2006 has kicked off in Philadelphia!
On Friday night, 24 teams of filmmakers received their genres and the below elements.
| Character: | F. Clark, cartographer |
| Prop: |
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On Sunday night, they turned in their films. Screenings took place on Tuesday and the "Best of Philadelphia 48 Hour Film Project" is part of the Philadelphia Film Festival and will be screened this Friday, March 31st.
Read what the filmmakers have to say about or get more information on the Philadelphia 48 Hour Film Project.
posted March 24, 2006 | permalink
Best Film of the 2005 48HFP
The winners of the 48 Hour Film Project 2005 were announced at a reception at the Anno Domini Gallery in San Jose on March 11th, 2006.
The second runner-up was Blue Turtles from Paris for
The first runner-up was ScatterShot from San Francisco for
And the winner was Team Last to Enter from Des Moines for
Congratulations to those teams, all of the city winners, and everyone who made a film in 48 hours!
posted March 12, 2006 | permalink
The 48 Hour Film Project at Cinequest
On Saturday, we also had the following three events at Cinequest.
The 48 Hour Film Project: Best of 2005. Sold out for the second year in a row, an audience of filmmakers and cinephiles watched the winners from the 29 cities of the 48 Hour Film Project 2005 Tour.
The HD Filmmakers' Forum. Teams who made films as part of the HD Filmmaker Challenge talked about their experience with the Panasonic HVX200 camera and showed their films.
The 48HFP Wrap Party. We partied until 2am at the Loft Bar and Grill in San Jose, and then elsewhere until 4am. A good time was had by all.
posted March 10, 2006 | permalink
We're Baaack!
Are You Ready?
The 6th annual 48 Hour Film Project starts in March. This year, we'll have more than 1000 filmmaking teams around the world competing to make the best short film in just 48 hours! We kick things off in Philadelphia on March 24. In April, we'll visit Boston and Phoenix. Registration is now open for five of our cities. More city dates can be seen on our tour page.
posted February 22, 2006 | permalink
Panasonic/48 Hour Film Project
HD Filmmaker Showdown Winner
Washington Improv Theater (WIT) won the 48 Hour HD Filmmaker Showdown with their fantasy short film, "Multiverse". "We're all still bouncing off the walls about the whole thing," said WIT's Director, Tyler Korba. The DC team was awarded a Panasonic HVX200 High Definition Camera at the 48HFP end-of-year event at the Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, California. All five of the competing teams including Cincinnati, Des Moines, Nashville and San Francisco received Avid's Mojo Accelerator and HD Xpress Software for their participation in the Showdown. They were also loaned Panasonic HVX200 HD cameras during the event weekend, which helped immeasurably in making these five beautiful HD films.
The WIT Team has competed four times in the 48HFP. Their last 48 Hour Film, Occupational Hazard, won the 2005 audience award in Washington, DC, along with awards for best direction and best film. WIT's winning HD film was shown March 11 at Cinequest. If you didn't make it to San Jose, you can see the film here.
posted February 22, 2006 | permalink
All New 48HFP Website
The all new 48 Hour Film Project website has arrived! New interactive features let 48 Hour filmmakers and film enthusiasts share information with us and with each other.
Funky New Web Features
Do you have a great idea for character, prop or line of dialogue?
Do you have 48 Hour photos from last year? Post them!
Remember that crazy sci fi film you saw last year? The one with the aliens in the video store? Now you can look it up in the 48HFP Film Catalogue! Films from 2005 are listed by team, genre, city and film title. Filmmakers can update the catalogue, adding links, contact information, and log lines for their films.
posted February 22, 2006 | permalink
New Genres
Big news! We've changed the genres this year! Mystery and Superhero have been retired for 2006 and taking their places are Drama, Silent Film, Road Movie and Holiday Film. View a complete list of 48HFP genres for 2006 here.
Disappointed that you didn't get Drama? Freaked at the prospect of making a Holiday Film? 48 Hour teams can opt to trade their film category for a wild card genre. This year's alternatives include Buddy Movie, Coming of Age Film, Family Film, Foreign Film, Martial Arts, Historical Fiction/Period Piece, Disaster Film or our newly invented genre, Film de Femme.
posted February 22, 2006 | permalink
