Launched in the USA in 2001, the 48 Hour Project gets bigger
and better with more new cities coming on board each year to host this unique
film competition in their countries. What sets this film competition apart from
others is that it is open to everybody, not just industry professionals. In its
almost 14 years of existence, the 48 Hour Film Project has spread across six
continents, in over 130 cities and has more than 60,000 people around the world
participating in this exciting annual event.
Durban is one of the new cities that was added on in 2013.
On November 8, 2014, 100 guests attended Durban’s first 48
Hour Film Project Awards ceremony at Riverside Hotel & Spa, hosted by
Durban producer Jessica Singh. Some 14 teams competed against each other in
October to complete a film in 48 hours. Nine teams submitted films on time,
with five teams coming in after the official cut off time at 19h30.
Filmmakers’ efforts were acknowledged and winners were
rewarded with prizes totalling close on R600,000 in value in the judged
categories. The judges included Sanjeev Singh (Videovision Entertainment), AB
Moosa (Avalon Cinema Group), Janet Van Eeden (Producer & Scriptwriter),
Caroline Smart (ArtSMart) and Liza Aziz (Fineline Productions).
Team BMH-2 (a Johannesburg-based team) took three awards
totalling R245,000, including Best Use of Line, Best Directing and Best Film
with their production Words. Words
will represent Durban at the Filmaplaooza in Hollywood in 2015 and will go up
against 135 other international cities that competed in the 2014 competition.
If Words is voted as one of the ten
best films at Filmapalooza, it will represent Durban at Cannes Film Festival in
2015.
Team CFAD swept up most awards of the night - five in total with
prizes amounting to R211,000, including Runner Up for Best Film for their
production The Spellbook.
Team WME won two awards to the value of R95,000. Team SQTO
Films also won two awards valued at R11,750. Team Red Fox Productions was
another team that left with two awards amounting to R11,000 and Team BMH-3 (a
Johannesburg-based team) was yet another recipient of two awards valued at
R5,500. The Audience Vote award went to Team Hakar-G Films for Glances, with the team scoring a group
prize for R5,000.
The sponsors responsible for prizes valued between R50,000
and R150,000 include the KZN Film Commission, Boston Media House, Centre for
Fine Arts Animation & Design, and Campus of Performing Arts.
Other key sponsors include Vega School of Brand Leadership,
Keyline Graphics, Broadcast Lighting, Design School of South Africa, Canon, Durban
Film Office, Durban Tourism, Suncoast CineCentre, The Paintbox, Palscreen
Printers, Ambassador Media, Crosspond Productions and Go Big Productions.
Jessica Singh aims to make this competition bigger and
better in 2015. Sponsors wanting to partner with Durban 48 Hour Film Project in
2015 are encouraged to email her on durban@48hourfilm.com
for more information on how sponsors can benefit from an association with this
international competition.
To read some of the Durban filmmakers’ experiences from the
2014 competition, visit http://www.48hourfilm.com/durban
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