Can you make a polished film in 48 hours? Seven Bob Jones High School students asked themselves this very question when they participated in the annual 48 Hour Film Project held at the Flying Monkey last Friday.

The festival challenged the competitors to create a short film in which they were provided a single line of dialogue, a character, and an object they had to visually incorporate. The team was given the genre of dark comedy. Their character was a coach, their prop was an index card, and their line of dialogue was, “Sorry my friend. No can do.”

The task of creating a short film is daunting, but doing so when pit against other teams is even harder. Patrick Brady, the film editor, said, “There were teams aged twenty and up. We were the smallest group and the youngest by a lot.”

Still, they persevered and saw the task through to completion. Brandy Panagos, Multimedia design and Publications teacher, commented, “They turned it in on time. Which honestly, I bet there were adults who didn’t turn it in on time.”

The strict forty-eight hour parameters make stress run high, especially for students who have limited schedules and curfews. With a clock ticking, the importance of staying focused is paramount. Ben Winters, who presented the competition to other students and acted as the director of the film during production, said, “It forces you to collaborate and work on a team.”

Their team included Ben Winters, Patrick Brady, Spencer Webb, Sarah-Grace Tucker, Sada Forrest, Michael Samaras, and Jeb Bushey.

There’s something emboldening about ambitious high school students who take on adults in competition. They are an inspiration to all aspiring film-makers and screen actors.

For students who enjoy film, there is a film and animation club available at Bob Jones High School. Panagos said, “The kids that I had in the past that went on to be the most successful in areas like that didn’t need a grade or an assignment or even a festival to make films. That’s just what they did.”

Though the 48 Hours are over, the competition is not. This project will conclude on April 7^th, at which time the short films will be screened openly for the public at the Flying Monkey. After the screening, viewers and competitors alike will cast votes for the film that will take home the cash and film equipment prize. The screening will begin at 7:30pm, so don’t be late and don’t forget to bring your $8 admission fee.

For more information on Huntsville’s 48 Hour Film Project, click here.

Update: Vote for your favorite film from the inaugural Huntsville 48 Hour Film Project! Voting is open until 2:00pm this Saturday April 11th. The film with the most votes is crowned the Audience Choice winner. The films can be viewed and voted on at the link!

*cough*cough*…Vote “The Note!” It’s the film with the description: “A boy seeks advice from an array of sources on what his suicide note should say.”
School wifi blocks the link, but vote when you are able!