LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

Making films are hard. 

Forget about the length, the script, the actors or the budget... As an actress I am telling you making films is damn hard, but fun at the same time.  That is probably the reason a bunch of us still dream of telling stories that move audiences, that shows the important of film and eventually, why not, will write our name in some sort of hall of fame...I guess the Oscars will take that credit.

Screw big budget movies, and writers that take years rewriting an idea that has been clear to everyone from the first draft, or producers that do not know how to cast an actor, or actors that have panic attacks as soon the schizophrenic director screams...ACTION. 

Forget about all that paraphernalia because you have exactly 48 hours to write, shoot, edit and score your short film in this sweet twisted festival taking place in Denver August 2-4, 2013 and is looking to produce the best short film ever.

Yeah, let’s get back to the basics and cut the BS of this business that is plagued with people with too much ego to admit that they have no idea what in hell they are doing.

This is a creative, stressful weekend where on friday night you are assigned a character, a prop, a line of dialogue and a genre, that must be included in your movie. In 48 hours you must submit your film. Next? Your masterpiece will be shown on the big screen of a local theater!

In 2013 the 48HFP will visit more than 120 cities in US and around the world, including New York, Chicago, Oregon, L.A, Nashville, New Orleans, Barcelona, Paris, Nairobi and Singapore where more than 60,000 people will be making short films. 

Since this is an international festival prizes go from trophies, local screenings to cash prizes and the possibility for the 10 best short films to be part of the Cannes Film Festival short film corner in 2014. No too bad if you feel like the whole red carpet fantasy.

But leaving all the irony behind, this is a great opportunity for everyone participating, a fun, stressful, team work, no BS, creative weekend that you will never forget.

If it is too much for you to be part of, at least go to the screenings and support this “survivor” like contest and artists in it.

By Loren Escandon.