Rotorua Now - 48Hours of furious film-making

On Friday night more than 20 Bay of Plenty teams of actors, writers, and film makers launched themselves into 48 hours of furious film-making.

The Vista Foundation 48Hours is New Zealand's largest guerrilla film-making competition, with teams all over NZ competing to make the best short film in just 24 hours.

The BOP launch event, hosted by Bay of Plenty Film, was held at Ignition in Grey St, Tauranga with teams gathering from 6.30pm on Friday June 14. Once health and safety and general filming instructions were completed, the countdown to the 7pm start time began.

Vista Foundation 48Hours city manager Annie Lawler giving the film makers last minute instructions before the 7pm Friday start time.

At 7pm, each team is given a film genre and a list of required elements that they must include in their films. Final entries must be submitted by 7pm on June 16.

For 2019, the genres given out to film makers are ‘the gross out or cringe comedy', ‘the opposites attract movie', ‘the secret identity movie', ‘the wrong place/wrong time movie', ‘the holiday movie', ‘the coming-of-age movie', ‘the buddy movie', ‘the science fiction movie', ‘the musical or dance movie', ‘the time travel movie', ‘the generation gap movie', ‘the nature run amok movie', and the ‘real time movie'.

The required sound, action, technical and physical elements are laughter, a double take, an overhead shot and wind.

For the ‘ultra' competitors, their film must be split screen and must have a ‘break the 4^th wall moment'.

Vista Foundation 48Hours city manager Annie Lawler also chose 'Bringing the Feels' as a special award category for the Bay of Plenty.

Each team was given a pack of V drink to keep their energy levels up over the weekend.

City manager for the Bay of Plenty 48Hours Film Annie Lawler with Ostara O Cinnseala from Nutty Mosquitos 

Vista Foundation 48Hours offered free entries for seven lucky community groups across the country and homeschool networks, primary, intermediate and high schools get a special two for one deal. In the Bay of Plenty, Team Candyfloss Clouds Productions from Te Puke won a free entry into the competition.

Alison Titulaer

Last year, Alison Titulaer from Coromandel took out the competition for the Bay of Plenty Region with the musical genre with her film ‘Manawa Bay'. She won the top award at a red carpet event held at Rialto Cinemas in Tauranga. She also won Best Female Director at the national finals.

This year, she has been announced as one of the judges.

'The 48Hours is an amazing opportunity to throw yourself into the madness and have a finished short film at the end of the weekend,” says Alison.

'It's a great way to cut your teeth as a film-maker, and the perfect place to make mistakes and try something risky. Give it a go! You've got nothing to lose, except sleep.

'We had such a great time making our film last year. We were a brand new team, so it was awesome for all of us collaborating with people we've never worked with before, and as a result some of us have worked on projects together since.

'It's great to be connected with Bay of Plenty Film and other filmmakers in the area too.

'Winning Best female Director at the national finals was such an honour, and surprise having never directed in the 48 Hours before. The whole experience certainly gave me more confidence and practice.

'I couldn't have done it without the whole team, especially our DP James for making the film look beautiful – he just missed out on winning Best Cinematographer at the national finals too!”

Team ‘Don't Eat Poptarts off the Sidewalk' - Amy Dixon, Amy Mindham, Hollie Murray and Jasmin Murray

CEO of Bay of Plenty Film Anton Steel says having Vista Foundation 48Hours in the Bay of Plenty brings a whole new community of filmmakers together.

'Bay of Plenty Film is excited both to host this event in the region and also see the great films that get cooked up over the weekend.”

The competition was open to the public and teams could enter even if they have never made a film before.

The Bay of Plenty teams will be busy filming all weekend and ensuring their films are completed and submitted by 7pm on Sunday evening.

To follow updates on winners and learn more about the finals go to www.48hours.co.nz

If you are keen to be linked to a team, contact local Vista Foundation 48Hours city manager Annie Lawler at annie@filmonaday.com

Story time on Friday night with Team Rip7ide (front to back) Andy Quinlan, Janine Westraadt, Nate Horrell, Aaron Torkil, Alexander Hallam, Suzanne Hodge and Henry Leckie-Hodge