The Inland Empire 48-Hour Film Project is making headway for filmmakers in the region with a big-screen premiere

The early bird special for the Inland Empire 48-Hour Film Project is live and available until September 6th. 

Novice and experienced filmmakers are encouraged to form or join a team for the wild and sleepless weekend where you write, shoot and edit a 4-7 minute short film just 48 hours before premiering on the big screen on October 19th at a to-be-determined movie theater in the IE.  

“This year’s kickoff is on Friday, September 30th, which is the day teams will be entered into a drawing to determine their film genre and will also be given a character name, a specific prop, and a line that needs to be included in the film,” said Inland Empire producer Kevin Lyons. 

This type of competition, where teams are casting, writing a script, shooting, scoring, editing, and exporting, is not only a great space for novice filmmakers to learn but also an excellent way for professionals to grow within their craft by taking risks. 

“This competition is a great experience for amateur filmmakers to feel what it’s like to make an actual short film with limited resources. You have to maximize your time to direct the cast and crew – which indicates how things work on a real-life movie set. For professionals, it’s the perfect opportunity to test new gear, locations, and crew – if it doesn’t work out, there’s no major consequence. But if it does work out, it could be the start of a feature film or a series,” Lyons. 

For those in San Bernardino, Colton, Rialto and neighboring cities that may not have a team, a slew of Inland Empire 48-Hour Film Project networking events will be held at San Bernardino Valley College in the weeks to come. 

“For those who would like to participate in the competition, I’d suggest attending our forthcoming workshops like the IE Filmmaker Conference on September 17th at 9 AM or the 48 Hour Audition Event on September 24th at 1 PM – both in MC 142 at SBVC,” Lyons said. 

Teams should typically consist of a screenwriter, cinematographer, camera operator, a production sound mixer, an editor, and cast and crew. 

“My personal experience participating in the Inland Empire 48 Hour Film Project was valuable because I met great people I worked with outside and beyond the 48-hour competition. It grew my network and made me a better filmmaker by testing my boundaries and figuring out that we can do much in a short time. There is something about seeing a film that you created on the big screen that pumps people up; it makes you hungry for more,” concluded Lyons. 

The Inland Empire 48-Hour Film Project is open to the public, and this year’s competition is limited to 24 teams. 

The winning film will go up against films from around the world at Filmapalooza 2023 (in Los Angeles) for a grand prize and an opportunity to screen at the Cannes Film Festival 2023 Short Film Corner.

For more information, visit 48hourfilm.com/en/inland-empire-ca/48hfp/2019