By Anozie Egole

Those who are aspiring to make a career in film-making have a unique opportunity of participating in a global Short Film competition, paving way for networking with other film enthusiasts around the world, plus greater possibilities of screening their works at international film festivals.

Tagged the 48 Hour Film Project, the initiative which was started in 2001 by an American, Mark Ruppert, aims to advance filmmaking and promote filmmakers through festivals and competitions.

In the project, filmmakers from all over the country will compete to see who can make the best Short Film in only 48 hours. The winning film will go up against films from around the world for the title, “Best 48 Hour Film of 2015”.

At the unveiling of the initiative in Lagos last weekend, the City Director, Ike Nnaebue, explained the tight deadline of 48 hours, as the hanger that puts the focus squarely on the filmmakers— emphasizing creativity and teamwork.

“While the time limit places an unusual restriction on the filmmakers, it is also liberating by putting an emphasis on doing instead of talking,” he said. According to Nnaebue, the filmmakers are at liberty to choose their themes, but each team must select the genre for its movie in a random drawing 15 minutes before the start of the competition. He however noted that the teams are given a character, a prop and a line of dialogue that must appear in their film.

Nnaebue said the credibility of the project resides the judges, who consist of film and video professionals. “These judges generally have extensive experience within the field. We require these judges to be fair and impartial. Our judges donate their time and talent to rate the films.