[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] It seems film is alive and well in Salt Lake City, as last weekend teams of filmmakers from across the state participated in a two-day filmmaking frenzy called the 48 Hour Film Project. This film project takes place all over the world, and the Wasatch Front is one of many locales to produce thought-provoking, dramatic and funny works in just 48 hours.
The film project asks participants to complete a short film in two days. The filmmaking teams are all given a genre in which to base their project; this gives the set of submissions some fun variety. Films fall in a variety of categories, from sci-fi to romance. The filmmakers are also given certain characters, props and pieces of dialogue that they are required to somehow work into their pieces. This year’s characters were Gretta or Greg Maisel, the prop was a key chain and the line was “your guess is as good as mine”. The interpretations of these elements spun in many different directions and kept the audience on the lookout for their varied applications. The audience was also involved in voting for their three favorites. The standout film was a dark humor piece that involved a corpse crashing Gretta Maisel’s birthday party. It was one of many gems making up the third group of 48 Hour films to be screened at the Broadway.
It was an interesting experience to be tucked into an audience largely made up of the actors and directors of the films you are viewing. You feel almost starstruck when you look to your left and see the same actor that has just done a phenomenal job on the big screen. Not only were the people familiar, but so were the settings, with all of the films taking place largely in the Salt Lake City area. This proximity to the actors and the familiarity with the backdrops creates a strong sense of community, even for those with no background in film.
When the eleven movies had been screened, Brian Higgins, the producer of the festival, invited all the filmmakers to take front and center for a Q and A session. The brains behind the scenes seemed a bit shy at first but after a few minutes of their friends hurtling comments and questions at them from the audience, they seemed to open up and shared some insight on what participating in the project meant to them. One of the questions thrown out by the audience was about the original music featured in one of the films. When asked where one could purchase music by this local musician, the answer shouted out by the artist was “just google it”.
Seeing local artists in action is what the 48 Hour Film Project is all about. Not only is the film project an excuse to go to the hip Broadway theatre, but it is also an opportunity to see just how creative Utahns can really be. For more information and future events, visit www.48hourfilm.com.
@TheChrony[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_facebook type=”standard”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_tweetmeme type=”horizontal”][/vc_column][/vc_row]