The 48 Hour Film Project is a time-based moviemaking event that gives the chance for anyone to make a movie and get it screened in an area theatre. All of us, whether moviemaking professionals or hobbyists, can give a weekend to make a movie, right? Well, if we all do it on the same weekend, then we screen all those movies and then the best one of our movies gets shown alongside the best from cities around the world - well that's the 48 Hour Film Project!

This year's 48HFP is the biggest ever. We have 60 teams in Cincinnati USA's event! This means even more fun as we see what talent exists in the Queen City.

This year's judging is complete - and it was just as difficult as every previous year to pick the winners. This year’s Best of Cincinnati USA’s 48 Hour Film Project screening took place at the Showcase 18 Cinema De Lux in Springdale on Tuesday, August 7. Over 300 people joined us in that awesome venue to celebrate Cincinnati USA's best movies made in a weekend. Awards were announced, and certificates presented, immediately following the screening.

Best Use of Prop
"Brain Freeze" by WHO Productions

Best Use of Line of Dialogue
"ATM: A Time Machine" by Icon Publishing

Best Use of Character
"What the Devil?" by Top Secret Television Productions
and
"Rock Bottom" by Can't Stand Ya Productions

Best Costumes
"Quick Draw III" by The Wolf Bait Contingent

Best Makeup
Jodi Byrne from "Quick Draw III" by The Wolf Bait Contingent

Best Choreography
"Heavy Pedals" by Hey Kayla Media

Best Special Effects
"Quick Draw III" by The Wolf Bait Contingent

Best Musical Score
Mat Washburn and Rob Heiliger from "Held in Sway" by Mirepoix Pictures

Best Song
Kendall Bruns & Liz McArthur from "Hang in There" by Pizza Infinity

Best Videography
Amy Cunningham from "Held in Sway" by Mirepoix Pictures

Best Editing
Matt Davis from "Fool’s Gold" by Unitard Pictures

Best Writing
Pizza Infinity and OneTwoThree from "Hang in There" by Pizza Infinity

Best Acting Ensemble
"Hang in There" by Pizza Infinity

Best Actor
Chris Gutherie from "Purple Heart" by Team Zone

Best Actress
Jesse Thomas from "Heavy Pedals" by Hey Kayla Media

Best Directing
Russ Faust from "Held in Sway" by Mirepoix Pictures

Best Amateur Movie
"ATM: A Time Machine" by Icon Publishing

Best Movie
"Held in Sway" by Mirepoix Pictures

2007 REQUIRED ELEMENTS:
Character: Scott or Sarah Morton, Assistant
Prop: A purple object (something/anything colored purple)
Line of Dialogue: “You know what they say.”

48HFP EVENT DETAILS

KICKOFF EVENT
Media Bridges has once again offered up their facility (1100 Race Street in downtown Cincinnati) for the kickoff on July 20. The event starts at 5:30 with registration and genre drawing and culminates at 7:00 as the required elements are revealed. As we have 60 teams this year, space limitations dictate that each team should send only one representative to the kickoff.

DROP OFF CELEBRATION
Our drop off celebration location will move to Fountain Square this year. Be prepared to be interviewed on the big board as you arrive to drop off your movie! And make certain you know how to get there - the deadline is 7:30 p.m. EST on July 22! Movies turned in on Sunday after 7:30pm will be screened but will not be eligible for awards. No exceptions. All team members and interested film fans are invited to Fountain Square to celebrate your weekend of filmmaking creativity ... and enjoy a concert to kick off the Macy's Jazz Festival (with 'adult beverages'!) that will immediately follow our dropoff at 7:30pm. Bring the whole team to celebrate your creative weekend!

SCREENINGS
Screenings of all completed movies will take place at the Carnegie Visual + Performing Arts Center in Covington, KY at an all-day festival on July 28. Cost is only $10/seat, or you can buy an all-day pass for $35 - that's all 60 movies for only $7/screening! We'll have additional food and beverages available to sustain us through our full day of movie watching, so come and enjoy the best short moviemaking Cincinnati USA has to offer!

AWARDS

We have an killer production-oriented awards package this year. In addition to the $7500 top prize for the best movie internationally, the team that makes the best movie in Cincinnati USA will receive a rental package from The Camera Department, Midwest Grip and Electric and Gripmeister Lighting. Total value for Cincinnati's best movie winner - over $6000! The package includes a one day rental of either a Sony HDWF900 or Panasonic Varicam (based on availability), with an HD lens, batteries, power supply, tripod, and an HD Field Monitor from The Camera Department, up to $2000 in rentals from Midwest Grip and Electric and up to $2000 in rentals from Gripmeister Lighting.

In addition to the best movie prize, we have a best "student or amateur teams" prize, also provided by The Camera Department, Midwest Grip and Electric and Gripmeister Lighting. The best movie with the creative team (producer, director, writer, camera, editor, effects) completely comprised of non-professionals (do not support himself or herself by working in the media) receives one day rental of a Panasonic HVX-200, batteries, power supply, tripod, and an HD Field Monitor from The Camera Department, up to $1000 in rentals from Midwest Grip and Electric, and up to $1000 in rentals from Gripmeister Lighting. Total value for Cincinnati's best student or amateur entry - over $3000! And if a student/amateur entry wins the overall event then the second place student team will receive this rental package. To be eligible for the student/amateur prize teams must register with the Cincinnati USA producer as a non-professional team prior to the event.

This whole event is about making more - and better - digital cinema in Cincinnati and I am very happy that these companies are dedicated to helping make that happen. (The fine print: The winning team must supply proof of insurance to each of the sponsors and coordinate schedules for their rental.)

NETWORKING - FIND A TEAM, FIND A MEMBER

Cincinnati USA's 48 Hour Film Project is part of the "social networking" revolution. The producers have access to a database of potential cast and crew members. To make yourself available go to the 48HFP site and register yourself. We also have MySpace and Facebook accounts. Make Cincinnati USA's 48HFP MySpace Profile your friend and/or join the Cincinnati USA 48HFP Facebook Group.

For a recap of prior events, visit the 2005 Cincy USA 48HFP archive or the 2006 Cincy USA 48HFP archive.