If you’ve always wanted the challenge of making a film in a short amount of time, here’s your chance.
The Yukon 48 Hour Film Challenge, hosted by the Klondike Institute of Art and Culture (KIAC) and the Yukon Film Society, will once again be offering filmmakers of all ages a chance to test their mettle in creating and completing a film in a 48-hour time span.
The competition begins at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 4. Participants must film, edit and submit a DV tape or Quicktime file by Sunday, Nov. 6.
There is a lot of flexibility during the challenge. Filmmakers can work individually or in teams, there is no age restriction to enter the competition and films can be any genre.
The only strict rule is that everything must be shot during the 48-hour time period; no previously shot footage allowed.
Dan Sokolowski, who is coordinator of the Dawson City International Film Festival and organizer of the Dawson side of the 48-hour challenge, says this year there is a twist. While normally the length of a film doesn’t matter, another rule has been added.
“This year, in celebration of Canada’s upcoming 150th birthday, each film must be 150 seconds, or two-and-a-half minutes, long,” he says.
The time restriction is a good exercise in filmmaking, Sokolowski says. “A shorter time limit might force a filmmaker to make different creative choices than with a longer film.”
He also points out another change this year in deference to Canada’s birthday. Each participant will pull a Canadian word out of a hat. Everyone will have something different. These words must then be incorporated into the film in whatever way the filmmaker chooses.
“It can be visual, spoken, or just show up as an object, even for one second,” Sokolowski says. “It’s up to the filmmaker.”
Screenings of all completed films will take place in Whitehorse at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre on Thursday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m., and in Dawson City in the KIAC Ballroom on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m.
A jury will decide on an overall winning film. This film will then have the honour of being screened at both the 2017 Dawson City International Short Film Festival and the 2017 Available Light Film Festival.
There is also a prize for audience favourite, voted on by both Dawson and Whitehorse screening attendees. Awards for all other films will be given out as well.
Sokolowski says he’s excited to see what filmmakers will come up with this year. He points out that last year’s Jury Prize winner, Freeze Up Melt Down by Dawsonites Francis Bouffard, Chris Clarke and David Curtis, was filmed entirely off grid on an iPhone. With the various incorporated Canadian words, as well as the 150 second time limit, who knows what will happen this year, he says.
For more information in Dawson City contact Dan Sokolowski through the Klondike Institute of Art and Culture by phone at 867-993-5005, or by email at [email protected]. For more information in Whitehorse contact Andrew Seymour at the Yukon Film Society by phone at 867-393-3456 or by email at [email protected].
