Saniyah Pullen, Contributing Writer
Every fall, the 48 Hour Film Project in Richmond hosts a horror film project — with a twist — local filmmakers only have 48 hours to plan, write, shoot and edit their original short films. The Richmond 48HFP began on Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. and ended on Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m.
The recruitment process takes place 10 weeks before the films’ creation. 48HFP hosts events during that time to connect possible participants and audition actors to form full teams, including a “how-to” event that provides information on the project and its process.
The films come with the requirement of specific elements involved in the film: a designated character, a prop and a line of dialogue.
Lisa Giles, city producer of the Richmond 48 Hour Film Project and VCU alumna, has worked with students in Virginia for over 20 years.
Giles said that 48HFP gives students the opportunity to learn about themselves as filmmakers.
“It’s the best way to put your creativity to the test, to see how you respond under pressure, being in this environment where things are going to go wrong and you have a deadline to meet,” Giles said.
Giles said that seeing participants form relationships through the event has been one of her favorite parts of producing the project for the last decade.
“I’ve seen people go from strangers to business partners, successfully creating content on their own,” Giles said. “The community is so tight-knit, and everyone is so supportive.”
Natalie Auandee, a third-year cinema student, worked as camera operator for the film “Maternal Instinct.” The film received five nominations and two awards.
“It’s two sides of the same coin,” Auandee said. “It can really benefit you to have limitations, but it can also hurt you creatively. Overall I think what people did with the requirements was so creative.”
“Maternal Instinct” followed a young woman trying to escape the household of a controlling and psychotic mother. The film won the awards “Best Use of Genre” and “Best Practical Effects.”
“Maternal Instinct” was Auandee’s first 48HFP. She expected a stressful event, but had a much calmer experience due to the crew meshing.
Ben Phan, a third-year cinema student, has participated in the 48HFP for the past two years. This year, he worked as director of photography on the film “Bleeding Me Dry.”
“In my experience, I’ve noticed that a lot of students struggle with motions of stagnation,” Phan said. “The 48 gives us the opportunity to practice decision-making skills that are so inherent to filmmaking.”
Phan said he enjoys spending time with the actors, including running through their lines and developing relationships with them.
The completed projects premiered on Oct. 17 and were voted on for awards after the screening. The films were eligible for judge awards in categories such as directing, editing and writing.
Audiences also had the opportunity to vote on their favorite film for the audience awards. All award-nominated films were screened at the following event on Oct. 25, with the award ceremony taking place after the screening. At the nomination event, films and filmmakers received recognition for their projects, with 16 films showing after receiving award nominations.
Mitch Sutfin, Best Actor Award winner for the film “Occupied,” has participated in seven 48HFP.
“Occupied” is a comedy horror film, following two characters and their experience with an enthusiastic YouTuber.
“It was the smoothest it’s ever gone for our team,” Sutfin said. “We were done shooting in pretty much 12 hours, it was a leisurely walk across the finish line instead of a full blown sprint.”
“Comeuppance,” one of the films submitted for the project, ended the ceremony with six awards.
The film, which features puppets and sculptures as its characters,received the opportunity to compete in the 48HFP’s national competition.
Lindsey West and Christopher Gehrke, co-directors of “Comeuppance,” said the film was the puppet movie of their dreams.
“I was proud of the product, hoped other people would like it, and they did,” West said. “I went into it with no expectations and came out of it super happy.”