It's that time of year in Louisville when filmmaking enthusiasts from beginners to pros go head to head in 48 hours.
"We live in age where a video of a cat running along a piano keyboard can get 6 million views," said Chadwick Thomas, director of the Louisville festival. "So the idea that people still find value in sharing their stories in a communal space is inspiring."
He wasn't joking about people wanting to share their stories. Thirty teams registered for the 48 Hour Film Project in Louisville this year, and 26 of them turned their films in on time (making them eligible for the judges' awards). Only 12 of those 26 were selected by judges for awards and screening at "Best of" at Village 8. The lineup changed when two of those teams were disqualified for not meeting element requirements.
Every team gathered at Molly Mallones to draw a genre on Friday, July 24. They had 48 hours to write, shoot, edit and turn in a film between four and seven minutes long after being given the following elements that have to be included in every team's film:
- Character: Trey or Trish Balderson, a contractor
- Prop: a bowl
- Line of Dialog: "I have three words for you" or "I've three words for you"
Not including any one of these elements is cause enough for disqualification - both disqualified teams switched the word "got" for "have" in the required line of dialog.
The "Best of" screening features the films chosen for both judges' awards and audience awards. Audience members were given ballots at each of the original three screening groups on August 1 and 2, most of which sold out or very nearly sold out. The judge's picks are for awards like "Best directing," "Best Cinematography," "Best acting," and "Best Use of Prop." They will not be announced until Thursday at the theater, but the audience awards were announced today on the Louisville 48 Hour Film Project Facebook page.
The Audience Picks are:
- Boom Roasted - Working Holiday (Screening Group A)
- Chris R Productions - Like Fiction (Screening Group B)
- Team Team! - The Couch Diver (Screening Group C)
The full lineup of award-winning films is as follows (team name, film name, link is to trailer):
- Boom Roasted - "Working Holiday"
- Chris R Productions - "Like Fiction"
- Team Team! - "The Couch Diver"
Weekend Chocolate Warriors - "Tomorrow is Also a Day"- Antonio Pantoja - "Awakening"
- P for Pterodactyl - "Beat Artist"
- Contrastive Entertainment - "Rockin' Rollie"
- Creative Gene - "Meet the Baldersons"
- Omelette du Fromage - "Savior of Suburbia"
- Renegade Art Productions - "The Path to Rage"
- 4 Shots Productions - "The Wordings"
- HONORABLE MENTION: Beargrass Media - "Don't Hold Your Breath"
You can buy tickets on the Village 8 Website or at the Box office. Screenings are at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Team Pantoja (of which I was a
member) is hosting an after party and celebration at Senor Iguanas nearby on Dutchman's Lane immediately following the 7 p.m. screening. Attendees can mention "48 Hour Film Project" to get drink specials: $2.99 12 0z Lime Margaritas (frozen or on the rocks), $2 22 oz domestics and $3.99 22 oz imports. Another gathering will be hosted after the 9 p.m. screening at Molly Mallone's on Shelbyville Rd near the corner of Breckenridge Lane. The "48 Hour Film Project" drink specials are $3 wells, $4 Jim Beam and Forester and $5 Makers Mark.
Photography: Header: Amos Dreisbach, director of "Like Fiction" by team Chris R Productions stands in the long line waiting to go into a screening group at Village 8 Theaters, provided by Chadwick Thomas, director of Louisville 48 Hour Film Festival; Top Left: The Renegade Arts Productions team ("Path to Rage") stands around Jason Hoefflin to view footage on set; Top Right: Weekend Warrior Chocolates on set for their espionage film; Bottom Right: Chris R Productions on set at The Bard's Town; Bottom right: Team Pantoja ("Awakening") gathers for schedule instructions for coming scenes
