BWW Reviews: A Stroller, An Inspector, A Genre, A Camera and 2,880 Minutes

It was voted "best answer," so it might be right.

According to Yahoo Answers, it takes eight months to two years to film a medium-to-big Hollywood movie.

Eight months to two years. That's 5,880-17,520 hours, or between 352,800 to 1,051,200 minutes.

Okay, now imagine you have only 48 hours (that's 2,880 minutes) to make a movie-cast it, write the script, shoot it, edit it, deliver it, and have it screened before cheering crowds at Baltimore's Charles Theater.

Of course, you don't have to imagine it, you can live it, if you're a high energy filmmaker with a masochistic streak. Just ask any of the actors, directors, editors, et al who created 51 films shown June 22-23^rd at the avante garde filmhouse at 1171 N. Charles Street (www.thecharles.com).

"There's an amazing diversity of talent, creating in and around Baltimore. There were 55 teams and 53 finished (their films)," said Rob Hatch, producer of the Baltimore and Portland 48 Hour Film projects.

On Friday, June 11^th, the participants were presented with a character (in this case, "Inspector Simon or Simone Willibaster"), a prop (a baby stroller) a line of dialogue ("Who said life is fair?") and a genre (e.g. film noir, sci-fi, drama, dark comedy, etc), all of which had to be included in the film for it to qualify. Films, 4-7 minutes in length, were due on June 13^th.

Now involving approximately 40,000 filmmakers making 3,000 films in 76 cities, including Baltimore, the 48 Hour Film Project (www.48hourfilm.com) offers local actors, as well as burgeoning new filmmakers, an opportunity to practice their craft, make connections, show their mettle and have fun. Oh, and there's some friendly competition as well, as a panel of judges recognizes a "Best Film of the City," with awards on a local level for best directing, script, cinematography, editing, acting, best use of character, of prop, of line, best music, sound design and effects.

Of course, trying to make a watchable, enjoyable, award-winning film in 48 hours has its...challenges, you might say. After the 7:15-9 p.m. screening on Wed., June 23^rd, the team leaders from each of the 13 films screened (films were screened in groups of 13 over the two day period) made such comments as:

"Couldn't find a stroller. I mean, I had a magic wand, I found a Wizard of Oz costume, but no stroller!"

 "We had three different scripts, weren't sure which to use. So we decided, why not all three? We just mixed the three scripts together."

"The shooting went smoothly. The editing...not so smoothly."

 "Evidently driving over a stroller with a car is a good way to get a flat tire."

 "We got it here, you got to see it, and that's all that really matters."

The topics of the films ranged from a tribute to 30's hard-boiled detective films, only starring children, to a man whose job was finding suitable families for pet fish, to a practical jokester time traveler, to one man's personal "rule of threes," to celebrity-wannabe host for a show about the paranormal, to bringing an alien (Centauri-Americans, sorry) home for dinner, to alien abduction...stories that made you laugh (mostly purposefully, though occasionally not on purpose), nod in thought, and sometimes just scratch your head...

...like the tale of "serial horse rapist." Ingrid Bergman meets Andy Warhol meets Roy Rogers. And then there was the baby-kidnapping storyline...performed by marionettes.

If you're looking for "Spielberg"-level quality in terms of sound, lighting, continuity (one participant quipped it's best to script your story indoors lest you be hit by an unexpected thunderstorm), you likely won't find it here, but what you will find on the big screen is a lot of talent and determination, not to mention just plain courage (the dialogue in "Crabcake for Dinner" was completely improv'd by the cast).

The 48 Hour Film project is clearly an endeavor requiring considerable creative drive and physical strength (just to stay up that long to get the job done). While I was the only person in the crowd for the screening in a jacket and tie, there's nothing wrong with that. It's young, hip, fun, funny--a wonderful way to express creativity, enhance all manner of filmmaking/acting skills, and make new friends.

The 48 Hour Film project now heads for Austin, TX (June 25-27), Albuquerque and Savannah (July 9-11), Cincinnati, Granada, Madison, Providence, Richmond, San Diego, Tampa-St. Petersburg (July 16-18), and Des Moines, Detroit and Las Vegas (July 23-25).

 

 

 

 

 

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