48 Hour Film Festival celebrates 10 years

This year’s V48 Hour Film Festival celebrates 10 years of frantic movie making in New Zealand.

In 2002, Auckland film buff Ant Timpson gave 40 teams of between one and 40 people a genre, a prop, and a line of dialogue to be used in the film. He then gave them 48 hours to make a movie.

This formula was so successful that a decade later 800 teams nationwide give up an entire weekend and sacrifice precious sleep, all for the honour of being the ‘best of the fest’.

But Hamilton festival manager Paul Barlow believes that the Waikato needs to pick up its game before our region brings any awards home.

“Last year’s films were, in terms of story, the worst we’ve ever had,” said Mr Barlow. “We need to start telling better stories.”

Mr Barlow has been managing the Hamilton region of the festival for seven years – organising promotions, arranging teams, and liaising with the press, police and local council.

Mr Barlow’s job, while stressful and challenging at times, gave him the chance to meet his hero Peter Jackson, who is the festival’s ‘wild-card’ judge.

He received a phone call last year from Jackson, also concerned by the quality of our region’s entries.

When asked about confirmed numbers for the event, Mr Barlow says: “Registration has been slow this year, but there’s always a last minute rush.”

Teams have until May 14 at 10am to enter, with filming from May 18-20.