48-Hour Film Festival: Fast, cheap, and somewhat in control

Every filmmaker loves to talk,” says Angie Nemanic, producer of the 48-Hour Film Project Milwaukee chapter. “But with this, you got to actually get up and do it.” This is the essence of the 48-Hour Film Project: It's an exercise in zero-hour filmmaking, a put-up-or-shut-up for the local indie-auteur set. The rules are simple: Pick up the genre-designate assignment Friday night, and by 7 p.m. Sunday, have a four to seven minute film written, shot and edited, ready to be juried by a panel of film experts.

The Milwaukee-made films screen tonight at the Oriental Theatre. The Project happens in 80 cities across the world—from Milwaukee to Mumbai—and the local winners compete in March at the Filmapalooza event in Las Vegas, where 14 films will be selected to screen at Cannes.

Last year’s Milwaukee winners Studio Bib Simmons won with Back Woods, but it was the fantasy short Magic Pen that was screened at Cannes.

The Simmons crew has not signed up to defend its title, so this year’s Milwaukee representative is up for grabs. We’re interested in what Jay Bauman is going to bring; he took home the Audience Award last year for Das Foot, a hilarious stab at the slasher genre.

Also among this year’s frontrunners is the Smoking Magpie company, winners of the Best Writing and Best Acting ensemble awards at last year’s festival for Small Town Spy.

But a lot of this competition is luck of the draw. Teams randomly pull one of 20 genre designations—mockumentary, suspense, musical, horror, sci-fi—some of which might prove cumbersome for certain teams. Take for example 5PM Production’s attempt at film de femme, a genre made up by the festival featuring a strong female character. They’re back this year looking for redemption.