This video should get you started on all you need to know about 48-hour film challenges. It was produced by filmmaker Austin McConnell who is a veteran of the SATO 48 Hour Film Challenge in the USA.
Austin offers a number of important tips perhaps the best is that you don’t need fancy kit or editing software he says, “it’s the painter not the brush” that is important. Can’t say better than that and we have had people win with films shot and edited on iPhones in the past. So stay focused on the story and your creativity but most importantly have some fun doing it.
The SATO challenge invites filmmakers from Springfield and the Ozarks (thus SATO) to form teams to create a five-minute film over one weekend. Much more challenging than DVMISSION and it makes us wonder if we are letting you off lightly with just a 2-minute film. Plus, whereas we give you obstructions, they give you inspirations which is a nice touch and suggest that are out to help their competitors whereas at DVMISSION we enjoy the torture. Which is true, we do try to make it challenging, but then that is the point. It is not supposed to be easy. Nevertheless, we do like to think that our obstructions do offer inspiration and it all comes from the inspiration offered to us by Lars Von Triers Five Obstructions (date) – if you havent seen it you should. So you are in good company. Co-incidentally SATO 48 kicks off its 13th-year anniversary bash on Friday, April 13, 2018 which makes them the same age as DVMISSION (this is our 12th competition but we took a year out to celebrate our centenary so DVMISSION is also 13 years old this year)!
So, a big shout out to our brothers and sisters in the Ozarks as we both go into our 13th year. We will be reaching out to them to wish them all the best and perhaps next year we may even send a team out there to take part.
Also, a big thanks to Austin McConnell for his fantastic film and his advice on how to survive a 48 Hour Film Challenge.
