48 Hour Film Competition award ceremony showcases students’ filmmaking talent

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Participants in Central Michigan University’s 48 Hour Film Competition got a chance to get dressed up Thursday night.

“There was a lot of work put into it, but it was a lot of fun,” Clarkston freshman Lauren Culver said after seeing her short film on screen.

Forty-eight hour film competitions have been organized all over the world in the last decade. Senior Colin Hennessy now operates the annual contest at CMU, which is open to all students from freshman to graduates.

“Anyone can enter and that gives a cool perspective on these five elements we give them,” Hennessy said in an e-mailed statement.

The films needed to include the five specific elements to ensure no teams could begin production early.

The unique interpretations of the elements resulted in five distinct shorts.

“It’s nice to see how different the films can be with five similar elements,” Andrew Hickman said. “It’s great to bring together the minds of great filmmakers in the same room and bring together some very entertaining pieces.”

Hickman, a Flat Rock senior, won best editing for his film “Unrequited Love.” Other award categories included best sound, cinematography, actor, actress, and best picture, in addition to best dressed male and female.

The five films completed in the two-day time frame were given professional review by several professionals in the field.

“I wanted to get a true professional’s opinion on the films,” Hennesy said. “They rate them in different categories like cinematography, with a point value, one being the worst and five being the best.”

About 70 people attended in formal dress, complete with hors d’oeuvres and sparkling juices.

“The competition was a great success,” Hennessy said. “A lot went into this, and we were hoping it would be this spectacular… I think this is a great experience for people going into film.

It gives them ways to improve (since) the judges usually are pretty harsh.”