A Fun-filled Weekend Competition That Makes Filmmaking the Ultimate Team Sport!
September 18 - 20, 2020Register Your Team
Over the course of 48 hours, filmmaking teams write, shoot, and edit a short film that features a specific location, a provided line of dialogue and a particular prop, in competition to win cash and prizes! All completed films will be screened at the Good Foundation Theatre at Fanshawe College in Downtown London on Tuesday October 20 and the winning film will be announced at the Awards Celebration and screened along with the closing film on Sunday October 25 at the Forest City Film Festival.
Each team must be accounted for in person at a bar to be determined to receive your prop, your line of dialogue, the location along with $50 downtown dollars and further details. At 8:00 pm that same night, each team will be set loose and tasked with writing, casting, shooting and editing a complete 5 to 8-minute film before 8:00 pm on Sunday.
Sound easy enough? Great! Here are some of the rules and guidelines to consider:
Each team must include a minimum of three and a maximum of five adults - not including actors.
Each Team will be given $50 downtown dollars before the competition begins to assist in incidental costs during the shooting of their film.
The FCFF will have a stable of actors available between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm Saturday September 19, so if you can’t find your own actors, ask us for assistance. Note: Actors are limited in number and availability. The FCFF will attempt to support every team’s casting needs, but this service will be on a first-come, first-serve basis WITH NO GUARANTEES, so please have casting options in mind before the competition begins.
The FCFF suggests you assign (or share in any combination) the following roles within your team:- Director: Casting, directing, maintaining a shot list
- Director of Photography: setting up shots and lighting and sound, maintaining a shot list, operating camera (any camera is acceptable but see rules below for formats)
- Producer: organizing, casting, asking permissions for shooting, helping with lighting and sound
- Writer: Writing the dialogue
- Editor: Managing and editing footage
YOU MAY ALSO ENTER AS AN INDIVIDUAL. If you do not have a team, simply register as a single, tell us what role(s) you’d like to take on from the above list and we will help build you a team from other single registrants!
All Other RulesRead all RULES & FAQ (see below) to make sure you understand what the requirements are for a successful entry into the FCFF 48 Hour Film Challenge.
- Teams must register here. Specify your TEAM NAME (get creative!) and the NAME AND CONTACT INFO (phone, email address) of the participating team member that will act as the FCFF contact.
- Only after receiving a CONFIRMATION NOTICE via email are you confirmed and cleared to compete.
- The initial submission and registration process must be completed before (Closed). Any entries submitted after midnight on (closed) will not be accepted.
- The FCFF will notify everyone by email with the specifics about where you will be required to meet for the launch of this competition. The FCFF takes no responsibility for ensuring successful communication, so be sure your contact information is correct and to check your inbox regularly!
- All teams must meet at Toboggan, 585 Richmond St. London, by (Cancelled) to receive the precise line of dialogue, the specific prop and the London location which must all be featured in your final film. Once you’ve received those details, teams can enjoy a refreshment and begin the process of writing and planning your shoot.
- The 2019 FCFF 48 HOUR FILM CHALLENGE will assemble a limited number of actors Saturday morning that will be available for any teams in need of on-screen talent. Numbers are limited, and will be made available on a first-come, first-serve basis with no guarantees that every team will get what they need, when they need it. KEEP THIS IN MIND.
- Submit your 5 to 8-minute finished film to the Convener (details TBA) by 8:00pm on Sunday September 20th.
- All accepted films will be screened (canceled) at the Wolf Performance Hall. Most prizes (see below) will be awarded that night. The overall GRAND PRIZE and OVERALL WINNER of the 2019 FCFF 48 HOUR FILM CHALLENGE will not be announced until the closing awards ceremony for the entire festival on Sunday, October from 5:30-6:30 at the Wolf Performance Hall with a cocktail party to follow.
- The winning film will also be shown before the final feature film screening on closing night.
- Best Film -
- $500 cash and a screening at the Forest City Film Festival
- Best Actor -
- $50 downtown dollars
- Best Actress -
- $50 downtown dollars
- Most Cinematic Moment -
- $50 downtown dollars
- Best Sound Design -
- $50 downtown dollars
- Best Editing -
- $50 downtown dollars
- Best Use of the Designated Prop -
- $50 downtown dollars
- Best Use of the designated line of Dialogue -
- $50 downtown dollars
- Best Story -
- $50 downtown dollars
- The Social Media Award -
- Use #FCFF48hrfilm to share your behind the scenes moments! - $50 downtown dollars
The FCFF 48 hr Challenge is a not-for-profit event. There are significant costs involved in the organization and management of the event however, and for those reasons, there is a modest entry fee. The entry fee must be paid online at the time of registration. The Tuesday screening of all accepted submissions is a “pay what you can” event to help cover the cost of our projectionist and our fantastic venue, so please pay what you can. (this may change depending on what Fanshawe wants)
Team members must be 16 or older (additional actors may be of any age with proof of consent from a parent or legal guardian). WARNING: some films screened may not be suitable for all audiences.
ANYONE. The FCFF encourages anyone of any skill or experience level to compete. This is going to be a fun and exciting event and you will come away with wonderful experiences and new insights into the process of filmmaking. Amateur, independent, professional or completely “green” filmmakers may enter. International competitors may also take part.
You can use any equipment that you have available from mobile phones, to GoPros to camcorders to fully professional rigs and any combination thereof, but all films must be submitted as an H264, MP4 file, in 1080P and in a standard film ratio such as 4:3, 16:9 or cinema wide.
YES. You need to be in London, Ontario at the specified launch location to begin the competition and for the screenings, but you are free to shoot literally anywhere on Earth that you like (as long as you have permission and observe all local laws and safety guidelines).
NOTE: Tickets to the FCFF Awards Celebration are free and are available on a first-Come, first-Serve basis, so please arrive early on the Sunday closing night (October 25). The winner of the top film Prize for this competition will be given 5 free tickets to the closing screening of the FCFF in advance and their winning film will play before the final feature shown.
Ask a QuestionAll teams must register a profile (registration to open July 1) before 7:00pm Friday September 18th. Film to be uploaded by 8:00pm Sunday September 20th
- Films must be submitted as H264, MP4, in 1080P and in a standard film ratio. (4:3, 16:9 or cinema wide)
- There will be NO REFUNDS of team registration fees.
- All team members must be 16 or older (additional actors can be of any age with proof of parental or guardian’s consent).
- Before the competition begins, each team will be issued with a series of 'obstructions' including a specific London location, a specific prop and an exact line of dialogue that must be used in your film.
- Your film can be no longer than 8 minutes including titles and credits and no shorter than 4 minutes. If your film does not meet these guidelines, it MAY still be accepted, but it will NOT be eligible for any awards.
- All films will be viewed first by the judges and if deemed unsuitable for any reason, will be disqualified. Examples of content that may be deemed “unsuitable” includes (but is not be limited to) racism, sexism, graphic sexuality, graphic violence, hate speech, victimization of any kind or any other offensive subject matter. Our judge’s decisions are FINAL.
- All footage featured must be shot within the specified 48 hours of this contest. Any films created with footage shot in advance WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.
- By submitting a film, you (The Filmmaker) must be willing to prove that you hold all licensing and copyright permission for any assets used (including actors, sound effects or music etc.). Any films in breach of copyright law WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.
- By entering this competition, you agree without opportunity to contest any of the following terms.
- The FCFF may show your film in its entirety during the Film Festival in October.
- The FCFF may show all or any portion of your film at any point beyond the 2020 festival, in any format, on any platform including (but not limited to) public screenings, online postings, broadcast and other media channels and platforms, worldwide, in perpetuity with or without notice or specific credit for the work.
- The FCFF also reserves the right to use all or any part of your film as promotional material to raise funds for future FCFF 48 hour Challenges.