Frequent Asked Questions
BE INSPIRED TO CREATE A SHORT FILM WITH TEAM WORK, HAVE LOADS OF FUN, AND ALL IN JUST 48 HOURS OF YOUR LIFE! STOP TALKING ABOUT IT AND DO IT!
From the creator of the Cannes 24 hour film challenge (2005), and the National 48 hour film challenge (2003), which produced over 488 short films making cinema history in the UK for the most short films ever produced a 48 hours period, Johnnie Oddball brings you another amazing movie challenge, and this year he has teamed up with the London Death Trap, London’s Horror Attraction on the South Bank
What is the ZOMBIE 48 Hour Film Challenge?
It's an event where you get to stop talking about making a film one day and get off your backside, get a team of mates together, and really get out there and make a film! Plus have funs doing it!!
How do I enter?
All you need to do is do a few things:
- Go and fill in this registration form here...
- Due to the postal strikes, please bring your 25 pounds entry fee on Saturday 24th when you come to collect your title and theme...
Closing date for registration forms is the 24th Oct.
What happens on the weekend?
10:00am - 24TH OCT
Turn up to the http://www.londonsdeathtrap.com on the Southbank with at least ONE MEMBER of your team to collect your random theme and title. These will be based in the style of a zombie movie. You then have to turn your theme and title into a completed and finished 3 minute short zombie film or trailer in only 48 hours.
All creativity, writing, shooting, editing, and adding of an un-copyrighted musical soundtrack must occur within that 48 hour window.
Where do I return my film once it is completed?
Teams must return their completed films to either the London Death Trap or The Movieum of London, both based in County Hall, marked for the attention of Johnnie Oddball. These must be returned before 11am.
Please note – you must put your teams name, contact phone number, theme and title on the tape. This is in case there is anything wrong with the tapes and we need another copy for screening purposes.
When will the films be screened?
The films will be screened in the Chamber Cinema at The Movieum of London on Saturday 31st October. Free tickets will be available for the cast and crew members. The Chamber is a 300 seat theatre so please get there early as we cannot guarantee that there will be any standing room on the night due to Health & Safety.
DRESS CODE
ZOMBIE COSTUMES TO BE WORN OR AT LEAST A HALLOWEEN THEMED MASK FOR ENTRY INTO THE CHAMBER
Screening starts 7:00pm sharp so have your tickets and be in the cinema no later than 7:00PM or you may miss your film
We will be screening all of the films from the challenge and then announce the Winners, which will be decided earlier in the day by the judges.
The winning film will receive a complete back catalogue of the DVD's from Lionsgate Films, and will also be featured on their website www.fright-club.co.uk.
After the screening there will be a chance to talk to your fellow film makers at the Wrap party which is being held in Bar just of the Main Foyer in the Death trap reception. All teams will be given a certificate for taking part at this stage.
What happens after?
We are looking to produce a DVD with the top twenty films from the Challenge and send one to each team who takes part, as well as the behind the scenes stuff. If you want to include some behind the screens footage of you making your zombie films then please feel free.
We will upload all of the submitted films to our YouTube 24hourfilmchallenge page for you to forward to everyone
Technical Questions
MAIN RULES
- FILMS MUST NOT INCLUDE ANY UNCOPYRIGHTED MUSIC SOUND EFFECTS OR MATERIAL WHICH YOU DO NOT HAVE COPYRIGHTS FOR ,YOU MUST OBTAIN THE COPYRIGHT RELEASES (BEFORE SUBMISSION) OR CREDIT WITH THANKS
- FILMS MUST NOT CONTAIN ANY SEXUAL VOLIENCE OR PORNOGRAPHIC CONTENT PLEASE
- WE RESERVE THE RIGHT NOT TO ACCEPT A FILM IF YOU DONT FOLLOW THESE RULES
- FILMMAKERS MUST BE OVER 18 YEARS OLD UNLESS AN ADULT IS PRESENT WHILE YOUNSTERS MAKE THE FILM
- LATE ENTRYS WILL NOT BE IN THE COMPERTITON BUT MAY STILL GET SCREENED
- ALL FILMS MUST BE IN ENGLISH (OR HAVE ENGLISH SUBTITLES)
- NO UNCOPYRIGHT FOOTAGE OR OTHER MATERIAL IS TO BE USED
On arrival each team will be given a random theme and title for their 3 minute short film (e.g. Horror, Comedy, Thriller, and Action). These will be drawn from two horror lucky dips before the start of the competition
Previous genres have included: Mocumentary, Comedy, Romance, Acton thriller, Western, Drama, plus a few spoofs.
In addition, all teams are given a title for their film, which they must incorporate in their zombie film. This title cannot be changed and must be used in full.
What equipment will I need?
 Min requirement –
- A DVCAM style camera or one of the new MINI DV Cameras (must be Mini DV format size tapes only)
- A Computer apple Mac or a Powerful PC
- Editing software i.e. (Final Cut Pro, AVID, Adobe Premier Pro, Sony Vegas)
- Standard ratio for screening 4.3 only please as we can't keep changing the settings on the projector for every film sorry (No Widescreen or 16.9 Letterbox please)
Tapes must be handed in on Mini DVtape format only, No Large size DVCam tapes, DVD’s, VHS, Betacam, Hi8 or any other format. This is a digital event do now HD cards either. All Films must be PAL formatted so we can edit them together onto two tapes for screening in the cinema on the Saturday night. Any film submitted that is not in the correct format will not be screened. Your films must include at the start your theme and title of the film and at the end with your cast n crew credits and all within the 3 minutes given. The films MUST be completely edited with your own music or un-copyrighted music/sound effects, or you have consent from owner of the music owners in writing. Please note - any tracks without copyright cleared will not be screened due to broadcasting laws. Feel free to add emails address or website details on the end of the film but all within 3 minutes.
Who are the filmmakers?
The Zombie 48 Hour Film Challenge is open to all filmmakers - from professionals, to novice and first timers in guerilla film making. Rules state that all team members (crew and cast) must be volunteers. Actors need to give their consent in writing to the director before they start shooting. Most teams have in the past consisted of filmmaking professionals and people who have done these events before. This is great for first timers as they can meet them and can ask them questions they would never have been able to ask before. We have attracted some real talent on both sides of the camera over the years. One film won best short at the London Film Festival 2004 and the 2003 winners from the 48hour event were featured on the Channel 4 website.
How long must the films be?
The films must be a maximum of 3 minutes long which including titles and credits. (Suggestions - Tighten up those films, and editors - cut in camera to save yourself time, improvise and be HARD about rushes in final cut name your footage so you don't lose it somewhere).
Which films will be on the DVD?
Every film made within the event will be entered into competition and 20 of the best films will be put onto a DVD for all the teams to keep after the event.
The awards are not just to celebrate the winning films; it’s an experience for everyone to be part of. Every team will get a team certificate and one team DVD of the top twenty shortlisted films from the event and the behind the scenes stuff and interviews if we can get it.
The films will be released to festivals all over the UK to promote the film makers films (so make sure you have your email or website details in your credits).
What cities has the 24 & 48 Hour Film challenge visited?
Johnnie Oddball created The 1st UK Film Challenge at the Curzon Cinema in London in 2002, and in 2003 the challenge was run in London, Manchester, Bristol and Edinburgh in conjunction with the UK Film Council. The event added more cities including the first European event held in Berlin in May 2004, and then it visited Bulgaria at the end of September 2004. After Paris in October 2004, it was launched at the Cannes Film Festival in 2005 at the British Pavilion. The event had 22 teams taking part from all over Europe and America.
Rocket films who took part in the 1st Cannes 24 Hour Film Challenge asked if they could run the event the following year in Cannes and have been doing so ever since. The 2005 Johnnie created the 1st Halloween 48 Hour Film Challenge (horror films only) which was held in the BFI IMAX Cinema in London's Waterloo, and in 2006 the Halloween Challenge returned to the place where it all started, the Curzon Cinema in Soho.
How is the event advertised?
By word and mouth at first as we keep it secret to only hardcore guerrilla film makers. Then event is advertised over the Internet and through press releases to film networks and forums, plus film schools, colleges, Universities, and film clubs. Plus we loads of industry film makers who just come onboard to have fun each year and help others with their films behind the scenes. We also use online filmmaking networks such as Shooting People, Talent Circle, and UKscreen and social media networks such as Facebook.
In every city, the 24 Hour Film Challenge has generated interest from local and national media networks including TV and Film. The results are streamed on the Propeller TV's Website and on our YouTube and Facebook pages. Articles have appeared in The Guardian, Scottish Times, Showreel Magazine, Camcorder Magazine and Film Maker Magazine in the USA
The launch party at the Cannes Film Festival 2005 was covered by CNN, Entertainment TV Network, and MTV.
If you have any questions or queries please send an email to Johnnie at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
In an emergency during the event please call Johnnie Oddball on 07956410193
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