Have you ever sat down and watched a movie and said….”I can do that!”?

Well, that’s exactly what hundreds of Columbus-area residents do each year during the annual 48 Hour Film Project. Filmmaking teams gather all around the city and in a mere 48 hours, they do just that.

Each year the 48 Hour Film Project, the world’s largest film-making competition, visits nearly 90 cities challenging teams to complete an entire film from writing, casting, filming, editing and submitting in a mere 48 hours. The challenge will be hitting Columbus, Ohio from August 13 to August 15th, 2010.

This year, Columbus will be one of a record 87 cities worldwide competing in the 48 Hour Film Project. Here is the Columbus 48HFP Page.

Filmmaking teams of all levels begin at 7PM on a Friday and deliver a finished 4 to 7 minute film by 7:30PM Sunday. Each team is assigned a genre, character, prop, and line of dialogue that they must work into their film. They are responsible for putting together a cast and crew and getting equipment and anything else necessary to make a film/video in just a weekend. Any team, regardless of skill level, is eligible to participate in this competition.

“We challenge the filmmakers not only with the tight deadline, but with the last minute assignment of a film genre and required elements such as a prop and a line of dialogue,” said Mark Ruppert, co-executive producer of the 48 Hour Film Project. “We’re always eager to see the creative work that the project inspires.”

The 48 Hour Film Project is the oldest and largest timed film competition in the world.  The Project’s mission is to advance filmmaking and promote filmmakers. The tight 48-hour deadline puts the focus squarely on the filmmaking, emphasizing creativity and teamwork and “doing” instead of “talking.” The emphasis is also on building communities of local creative people – - facilitating making new connections, showcasing skills and celebrating what creativity and teamwork can accomplish in just one weekend.

Think you might be interested in joining the filmmaking fun? Check out the details below and visit the Columbus 48HFP page for more info.

Interested in becoming the next Spielberg or Streep but don’t have a team? The Columbus site (Columbus 48HFP Page) has info on a fun meetup on Wednesday, July 28th from 7 to 10 pm at the Park Street Patio for people looking for teams and teams looking for help. Can’t make that meet-up? There is also a link to list yourself for teams that are looking for members and help. Don’t be left out….check it out!

Here is how it all works:

Sign-Up
Teams sign-up at the 48HFP website and pay a $155 registration fee (early bird special of $135 until midnight July 19th).

KickOff
THE COMPETITION STARTS HERE:
8/13/2010 6:00pm (Teams Leave at 7pm)
Movie Big Shots Studio, 753 Harmon Avenue, Columbus
Teams meet here and they will be given a genre, a character, a prop and a line of dialogue that they must work into their film.

48 Hours of Film Making Bliss
Teams meet and plan the events of the next 48 hours to produce their film. Write, cast, film, edit, compose and put in a format to turn in.

The Turn-In
THE COMPETITION ENDS HERE (TEAMS SUBMIT THE FILM THEY’VE CREATED):
8/15/2010 7:30
Gateway Film Center, 1550 N. High Street, Columbus
*Films submitted even one minute late will be disqualified.

Public Screenings
All submitted films will be screened for the public at The Gateway Film Center at 1550 N. High Street on August 18 and 19 at 6:30pm and 8:30pm.

Judging
A panel of experts will judge the films and the top films will screen again at a later date. The winning film from Columbus will be in the running for top honors at an International Film Event called Filmapalooza, the 48 Hour Film Project’s annual awards. The top 12 international 48HFP films will screen at the Cannes Short Film Corner in 2011.

And the Winners Are
The Columbus Best Film is awarded a trophy, is screened at the 48HFP Filmapalooza, and receives a $1,000 camera and gear rental from OhioHDVideo to use in their next production. The Filmapalooza Grand Prize winner receives $3000 cash, filmmaking equipment, and the Grand Prize Trophy.

Last year Columbus had 36 films submitted. The overall total films submitted in all cities was an impressive 3,000 films in 76 cities.

So, what are you waiting for?  If you’ve ever sat in a theater and thought: “I could make a better movie!“ — NOW is the time to go for it!

Who knows? Your next stop just may be the red carpet.

For More Information Please Contact:

Columbus 48HFP City Producer
KC ALLEN :: columbus@48hourfilm.com
419-434-0916 or 419-722-0824

Columbus 48HFP Associate City Producer
AMBER MIKESELL :: ammikesell@yahoo.com

www.48hourfilm.com

There is a ton of art related stuff to do in Columbus this weekend!

• The Columbus Arts Festival starts today at 11:30AM and runs through Sunday at 6PM.  The festival is located in the Discovery District so while you’re there be sure to stop by the Columbus Museum of Art or check out the awesome art by CCAD students (their campus surrounds the festival).
• Saturday is the Gallery Hop in the Short North! Check out over 40 galleries and shops while walking around this awesome neighborhood. For more information visit http://www.shortnorth.org/
• Saturday is also the Short North yard sale from 9AM-3PM. So be sure to stop by and get some new treasures for your home. You can find more information about this event here: http://yardsale.shortnorthcivic.org/
• In the event you don’t want to walk around in the heat (and possibly rain) Sunday is also FREE GALLERY ADMISSION at the Wexner Center. There are some great artists featured at the Wexner right now including Mark Bradford and Zoe Strauss so be sure to make a stop before their shows are over.

I personally will be going to the arts festival and gallery hop tomorrow so if you see me out and about be sure to say hi! Whatever you decide to do have a great weekend!

Guess what happens when two life-long film lovers get together over breakfast, discuss favorite flicks and their desire for more film discussion groups here in Central Ohio?

They decide to create one on their own.

That’s the origin of the OSU Theatre and Friends Film-Discussion Group, a newly-formed University and community-based film group that sponsors film series that invite audiences to participate in post-film discussions in person and online.

Thanks to that early morning breakfast brainstorm a few months ago, Central Ohio film lovers are now in for a treat when the “Kiss Me c/Kate: 3 Great Actresses, 7 Classic Films” discussion series kicks off at the Gateway Film Center beginning Sunday, May 23rd.

The six-week series features a selection of seven films by three of the silver screen’s most talented actresses, all of whom just happen to be named Kate/Cate:

KATE HEPBURN

KATE WINSLET

and CATE BLANCHETT.

I must disclose that it was yours truly, the Flick Chick, who was dishin’ about movies at that breakfast meetup a few months ago, along with my good friend Clay Lowe. No ordinary film lover, among his many accomplishments Clay just happens to be an Associate Professor Emeritus in the Department of Theatre at OSU. He also spent eight years discussing film as co-host of “It’s Movie Time” on WCBE-FM and spent many years as the co-host and programmer for the Columbus Museum of Art Film Series.

Let’s just say, “When Kelly met Clay”, this Flick Chick knew she had found a friend and a film series was born.

As series hosts and programmers, Clay and I will briefly introduce the films and each weekly screening and post-film discussion will include special invited guests from the worlds of film, theatre, art, music, dance, education and the media.

All screenings will be held at 2 pm on Sunday afternoons at the Gateway Film Center located on the OSU campus, with the discussion immediately following. The price is $5 per show and tickets may be purchased online at the Gateway website or at the box office.

In addition to the six Sunday afternoon selections, a special one-time only Tuesday evening screening of a newly-restored The African Queen, starring Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart, will be held at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, June 1.

The series kicks off Sunday, May 23 at 2 pm with one of the greatest romantic comedies of all time, The Philadelphia Story. A wonderfully witty six-time Oscar nominee that turned star Kate Hepburn from an actress labeled “box office poison” into one of Hollywood’s most esteemed leading ladies.

Hepburn plays Tracy Lord, the perfectionist daughter of an upper class Philadelphia family who’s about to marry a charming young go-getter. But right before her big day, Tracy gets thrown for a loop by a few unexpected guests: a tabloid reporter (Jimmy Stewart) with charms of his own and her ex-husband Dexter (Cary Grant), who knows Tracy better than she knows herself.

Special first week discussion guests for The Philadelphia Story will be actress/producer Carolyna Bradford and Melissa Starker, former Arts Editor at Columbus Alive and current Sales and Marketing Manager at the Gateway Film Center.

If you truly love movies and enjoy thoughtful and engaging film discussion, make plans to see these three great Kates/Cates in action and attend the “Kiss Me c/Kate: 3 Great Actresses, 7 Classic Films” series.

Details and dates for the entire series are below:

(Click on film titles for more information)

Note: Convenient $1 parking (up to 4 hours) is available year round in the Gateway Film Center garage located right next door to the cinema on both 9th and 11th avenues.

Theater for a good cause? Count me in.

SNAP! Performance Productions is local volunteer group of singers, dancers, and actors who use their talents to raise money and awareness for Columbus charities. Over the past seven years, SNAP! has been an artistic outlet in the community to over 350 Columbus residents. This year, SNAP!’s beneficiary charity is Recreation Unlimited which is based in Ashley, Ohio and provides sport, recreational and educational programs to individuals with physical disabilities.

Next week, SNAP! Columbus will be performing their original show, Hugh Versus the Black & White, at The Lincoln Theater May 6th-8th. The storyline, song selection, vocal arrangements, choreography, set, staging, narration, and lighting design were all created over the course of 7 months and were created entirely by the cast. Hugh Versus the Black & White tells the story of a young woman separated from her true love and her quest to bring him back into her life.

Unlike a musical, Hugh is told entirely through song – singers, dancers, or both. While there is a narrator that helps push the plot along, none of the lead characters have speaking parts. The numbers this year range from rock songs (“Renegade” by Styx) to blues (“Home” by Marc Broussard) to pop (“Two is Better Than One” featuring Taylor Swift) to jazz (“El Tango de Roxanne” from Moulin Rouge).

The show runs May 6-8 with nightly performances at 8pm and a 2pm matinee Sunday, May 8. Tickets are $21 and can be purchased online here.

WIN TICKETS FROM GREATEST CITY OF ALL:
Post a comment and tell us what your favorite Columbus charity is. For a bonus entry, post a link to this article on Twitter and leave an additional comment with a link to your tweet. We’ll pick a winner on Tuesday, May 4th.

Attention art lovers! Wild Goose Creative will host a silent art auction in their creative space in Clintonville on Friday, April 30th, 2010 from 6pm to 9pm. The auction will feature artwork from students in several different majors at the Columbus College of Art and Design. Graphic Design, Interior Design, and Fine Arts students will have their talent up for grabs, for a price! There will be paintings, drawings, prints and design work. Artists, art enthusiasts and community members are invited to bid on work from Columbus’s future artists and designers!

Procedes will benefit the non-profit Wild Goose Creative business to raise funds for new audio equipment and improve facilities and events. The passion of Wild Goose Creative is to facilitate the creation of excellent, relevant, and surprising art across multiple mediums. Through events, gatherings, and use of the creative Summit Street space, the Geese embrace the tension between tradition and innovation, creating a hospitable learning environment providing a meeting point for artists and audiences alike.

The auction will also feature local foods and beverages, music, and a Derby-style Winner’s Circle photoshoot with every ticket purchased. Derby-style decorations will fill the space. Come out and purchase some great art for a great cause! For more information contact Wild Goose Creative at 614.859.WILD or email info@wildgoosecreative.com.

Do you think Columbus is one of the top destinations for art? I do! And apparently so does American Style Magazine, because Columbus is listed as one of large cities for favorite U.S. destination for contemporary art! Our neighbors to the north and south – Cincinatti and Cleveland – are nominated in the mid-size city category, so show them some love, too!

Vote here!

(And if you need more incentive to vote… one lucky voter will win a $500 travel certificate! But who wants to leave the Greatest City of All, anyway?!)

Monday, January 18, 2010
12:00 Noon – 4:00 PM at The King Arts Complex

Happy Birthday Martin! Join NBC4 WCMH TV, American Electric Power, Fifth Third Bank and Cardinal Health for the Open House birthday celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The event is an excellent opportunity for children, families and friends to see performances in the theatre, view videos, learn about the civil rights movement, participate in hands-on- art activities, view art exhibitions in the corridor and Elijah Pierce Gallery and meet new friends.

Open and Free to the public

Sponsored by:
NBC4, Fifth Third Bank, Radio One Inc. and AEP (part of the global traditions series)

Still looking for New Years eve plans? Look no further! Wild Goose Creative is presenting their third annual New Year’s Festival from December 31 – January 3rd, 2010. The festival will Feature artists from across Central Ohio; packing three days with tons of performances, food, workshops, and art.

The festival kicks off with a neighborhood party on New Year’s Eve at 9PM. 2010: The Future Is Now is a sci-fi art party, dance party, cd release, and the festival kick-off all rolled into one! The night will feature musical performances by John Reuben, and DJ Mattiburns, as well as art installations by Fuse Factory, Michael Neno, Christen Nelson, Linzi Rigsby, Maxe Smith, and more. In addition, every attendee will receive John Reuben’s newest record “Sex, Drugs, and Self-Control” with their $15 admission. Capital City Scooters also joins this neighborhood party featuring Whistling in the Dark Theatre’s Act-O-Matic and DJ Jessi Cale.

The Festival itself continues on New Year’s Day and is chock of events. Workshops include How to Build Your Own Smoker, LED Blinky-Bugs with Fuse Factory, and Book Binding with Igloo Letterpress. Performances include an original piece by Theatre Daedalus and an Improv Jam by Columbus’ funniest comedians! Concerts will feature Matt Monta & the Hot Coal Band and the Alwood Sisters. In addition, a Local Film Shorts Revue will be presented at Studio 35, followed by the Midwest premier of Improv Legends, a film by Joel Veenstra.

Wild Goose Creative is now selling tickets for the party, the New Year’s Festival, and individual events on wildgoosecreative.com. A full schedule is also available on the website.

Whether you are ready or not, the week of Christmas is at our heels.  Yes, it’s hard to believe Christmas is just about a week away!

If you are not yet in the holiday spirit, below is a list of events going on in downtown Columbus this weekend that just might help put you in the holiday mood. And if you are already are in holiday mode, these events will get you even more excited!

Since I know you will all be attending the Open Your HeART for Kids event this weekend, I thought I’d take a moment to remind you that this Saturday, December 5th, is also the Holiday Hop in the Short North!

The Holiday Hop is like a gallery hop but with added flair. Complete some holiday shopping, check out holiday themed performance art, get photos with Santa, and much, much more. This particular Hop marks the 25th anniversary of Gallery Hop!

The holiday hop is from 4PM-10PM; For more information check out the Short North Arts District website: http://www.shortnorth.org/news.asp?n=414