The Austin Reel Change Film Frenzy is Upon Us
Last year, I participated in the production of a short documentary capturing a behind-the scenes look at the 48 Hour Film Festival in Austin. This was a contest where filmmakers were challenged with making a short film in only 2 days. The competition was fierce, and I was very surprised to see what some filmmakers are willing to go through just to win a few bragging rights. Why would anyone put themselves through a weekend of high-stress filmmaking? Because it is fun, thats why.
What if a film challenge was not only fun, but also helped a cause? When I found out that Lights. Camera. Help. and the Alamo Drafthouse were putting together another 48 Hour Film Festival devoted to making films for non-profits, I was all over it. It’s called the Reel Change Film Frenzy, and it’s right up our alley.
For the Reel Change Film Frenzy, ten video production teams are paired up with ten local non-profits to produce a completed (under 5 minute) short film, and it must be shot, edited and delivered in 48 hours. Although it is a challenge, we were allowed to meet with the nonprofit a week before, to hammer out any details and do the proper research. No filming is to be done until noon tomorrow.
Film Frenzy Timeline
- The contest will start with a kick-off happy hour for the filmmakers and nonprofits to meet the week before on Jan 5th at 5:30pm at The Highball on South Lamar.
- The contest will launch Friday, Jan 13th at noon outside the Alamo Drafthouse South. The teams will have 48 hours to write, shoot and edit their films.
- Films are due Sunday, Jan 15th at high noon at the Alamo Drafthouse South.
- Then all ten films will be shown LIVE! before an audience that same Sunday, Jan 15th at 6:30pm at the South Lamar Alamo Drafthouse.
- Three expert judges will determine the “jury prize” for the top film and the audience will determine our “audience choice” award.
Cognitive Films + Badgerdog Literary Publishing
I am proud to announce that Cognitive Films has been paired with Badgerdog Literary Publishing, a nonprofit group aiming to build literary communities in Austin. Badgerdog publishes American Short Fiction, a quarterly literary journal publishing short stories from emerging writers. Our pairing for this film festival is the perfect marriage of passionate story advocacy and video production.
Badgerdog aims to amplify the voices of the disenfranchised, the marginalized, the international, and traditional writers of all ages whose literary work should have a larger audience, whose work may not have come to the attention of, or may have been ignored by, market-driven publishing houses, and whose artistic vision can expand the vista for readers in the Americas and the world.
The frenzy begins tomorrow (Jan. 13th) at Noon at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar.
See you on the other side…
