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One of my goals for this summer was to be on my first non-student set, and I finally got the opportunity when I saw someone on Facebook looking for people to form a group for the Independent Film Coalition of Kansas City's (IFCKC) One Night Stand.
One Night Stand
The One Night Stand is a challenge where teams have ten hours to complete a short film that would then be screened at the Glenwood Arts Theatre that night. I'd never taken part in a timed film challege before, but I was excited to be on a set, so I jumped at the opportunity to help in anyway I could.
My team leader asked me to be editor of the film. I was a little hesistant as I'd been out of the editing game for a few years but decided to trust that my years of experience would come back when I needed them.
Our start on this film technically started the day before when we set up some of the equipment at our shooting location, a recently purchased home. This gave us crew members time to familiarize ourselves with one another as well as learn about the equipment we'd be working with. Most of my expertise is in pre and post-production, so I was happy to relearn some tips I'd forgotten from school.
The kickoff was at 8 a.m. the next moring. The One Night Stand provides teams with a prop and prompt that must be somehow included in the film. Our team was lucky to get the trophy prop to go with the over all theme of "beating the odds".
The filmmaking process for this challenge was, of course, swift. Over the course of the ten hours I was constantly being fed footage to turn into a film. This process can be stressful as too much focus on minor details can cost precious time, but I kept a level head and was able to upload the film just before the deadline.
I was happy to see all the films screened later night; it was interesting to see what the other teams (many of whom were my colleagues) were up to during the ten hours.
Due to some technical difficulties, teams were not informed of the winning films until the next day. I was elated to find that our film Onedoorland had tied for best overall film!
48 Hour Film Project
When I joined my team, I knew that we would also be going on to participate in the 48 Hour Film Project. Having become familiar with my crew, I was excited to work with them the following week.
Similarly to the One Night Stand, the kickoff for the 48 Hour Film Project revealed the genre, line of dialogue, character, and prop that each team must use in their films. Our team drew horror/heist as our genre, the line "I have just three words", the character of Bart Chandler the architect, and our prop was a lightbulb. Once kick off was finished, we headed to our location, a cabin in the woods.
Our location was perfect for a horror film, complete with taxidermied animal heads and the sweetest black cat I've ever met. That first night, we planned our plot before heading home to get a good night sleep for the long workday that was ahead of us.
This shoot was the longest I've ever been on, and this day was probably the first time I've come close to staying awake for 24 hours. We started shooting during the day and went into the wee hours of the night trying to get our stunts exactly right. Filming causes you to enter this weird time-space where minutes seem infinite and hours seem to pass in the blink of an eye.
Despite the exhaustion I felt in my body, this was still one of the most fun times I've had on a film set. Working with professionals meant that everyone seemed to be in their element, working with an efficiency that me and my peers haven't quite found yet because we're still learning. I also had fun getting to know my fellow cast and crew members. The inherent need for film to be a team effort really breeds community.
The next morning, I returned to the cabin on six hours of sleep to finish the edit alongside my director. He has at least double the experience in film that I do, so I was happy to learn and observe from his work process.
I also had the moral support of the cat I mentioned earlier, which jumped on my lap and skittered across the table as I tried to maintain my focus on editing.
My director (as well as many members of the cast and crew) complimented my editing skills, which gave me a confidence boost that I didn't know I needed. I knew that I had ample experience in Premiere Pro, but I didn't see myself as anything other than average. Working on both projects made me realize that I am much better at editing than I thought.
At about 7 p.m. that night, we finished the film. After a few exporting issues, we were able to get it in just in time. While I won't be able to attend this screening due to school conflicts, I'm excited to see how it does in the competition!
Should you try a timed film challenge?
My obvious answer is, YES! Try one of these challenges! They can be exhausting and sometimes stressful, but I found the experience very meaningful and am greatful for all the people I met. They are great chances to network and learn about on-set work without the pressure of money or grades involved.
If you'd like to get involved in a timed film challege, League of Filmmakers' parent company, Cinematography for Actors, hosts a quarterly 72 hour film challenge in Los Angeles, California which you can learn about here.
League of Filmmakers is a DBA of Cinematography for Actors Institute, a nonprofit organization recognized as tax-exempt under IRS 501(c)(3) and California R&TC 23701(d). Operating under this umbrella, League of Filmmakers exists to elevate and unite creators across all filmmaking disciplines through editorial coverage, industry resources, strategic partnerships, and professional opportunities that support independent creators at every stage of their careers.
