cineGenius just completed the Phoenix Film Foundation’s 6th annual 48 Hour Film Challenge and I must say… I need a nap. The process is fraught with tremendous highs and lows that accompany any film project, but the added time constraints ensure a mostly difficult 48 hours.
Carol on set - Hurt You, 2009
Step 1 – Pre-production:
Every part of pre-production is subject to being completely blown up once the theme is selected, and an original story is written.
The first step for a 48 hour film challenge is to find actors, and it’s tricky to cast actors for roles that don’t exist. If you cast four guys, it’s going to be tough if you select the theme of ‘strong women.’ So naturally you’ll try and cast a bland cross section of humanity. Distinctive looks like a girl that’s covered in face tattoos, or someone that is a dead ringer for the Unabomber limits the types of stories you can tell. A tip for selecting actors – never cast anyone that has a time restriction. If an actor can’t devote the entire day of filming to the project, find someone who can! You don’t want your story to be limited, or possibly left unfinished because someone had a softball game at noon.
Zacuto, one of our favorite camera accessory manufacturers, has posted a fabulous video of their 2008 camera shootout. If you’re curious about how different camera setups compare, this is a fascinating look at the variations.
What’s most insightful is that you can get great results with any of these cameras and a good knowledge of lighting, composition, camera settings, lenses, post color correction, and especially a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of your camera and your situation.
You can also check out an HD version of the video at Zacuto’s website!
Our 48 Hour Film Challenge project is called Hurt You, completed with a lot of hard work on Saturday and Sunday. Alex will post more on the details of this challenge, and challenge is not even the right word. The shoot was fun, but it was undertaken as an experiment and exercise more than anything. If you’re a conscientious filmmaker, this isn’t really something to indulge in. There are better ways to practice your craft even if you only have 48 hours. Below is a still from the film, the actual edited piece is not available yet!
Hurt You, 2009
Jason David Young and Jessica Callan star as an unhappy couple. Special thanks to The Detour in Chandler, Arizona – our friends from the Stand Up Guy web series – who allowed us to film a scene at their terrific bar & restaurant. We shot with two HVX200’s, and managed to sneak in a crane shot as well as several dolly shots and some handheld work by Carol, who acted as DP. We also worked in a neat “Guy Ritchie” style quick edit sequence. Thanks to our crew: Ellen Weiss-Iwanski, Chase Hanna, Sheila Irwin, Lisa and Alexandra Hutterer, and Richard Farmer.
Self portrait 2009. Shot in June, 2009 just west of where I live. HVX200, no additional lenses or filters. Editing and color correction done in Final Cut Pro and Magic Bullet. Music is “Dark Road” by Annie Lennox.
