2023 Competition Winners:

Competition Outline:

Open to filmmakers of all ages/skill levels, this competition challenges artists to write, film, edit and score an entire film within 48 hours, all while sticking to the theme of “Modernized Folktale”.

The films will be juried by a guest panel. The top 3 films will be featured on our website and the winning film will be screened on the final evening of the festival.

Dates & Deadlines:

REGISTRATION FOR 2023 IS NOW CLOSED.

There will be an in-person launch in the Digital Creator Space (Capitol Centre) on Friday, November 3rd at 6:00PM.

Teams will meet in the space to go over rules, answer questions, and assign the three elements to be used in the films. We’ll then count down to the official competition launch time of 7PM.

Contestants are welcome to stay in the Digital Creator Space until 9PM to work on pre-production for their films. The space will be open throughout the weekend with technical support present from 2PM-7PM.

The OFFICIAL DEADLINE for all submissions will be Sunday November 5th at 7PM. Any films submitted beyond the official deadline will not be eligible for prizes or ranking in the competition.

The jury panel will consider the following criteria:

Creative storytelling and script development; the level of entertainment your film offers; the direction; acting performances; the overall production quality of the project.

Every filmmaking team should aspire to create a short film that can shine independently, separate from the competition, while still adhering to all the challenge guidelines and staying on theme.

Official Rules:

• If you registered as a team, the person registering will be considered the team leader.
• All elements of film creation must be done in the 48-hour period only, including but not limited to: writing, rehearsing, costume/set design, shooting, sound work, and editing.
• The only work that may begin prior to the launch: organizing cast and crew, securing equipment, scouting/securing locations.
• All footage must be shot within the 48-hour time period of the project (no stock footage or footage created at any other time is permitted)Animation and special effects are permitted, but must be created during the 48-hour time period.
• Only original music, creative commons music, or music with documented granted permission can be used.
• Completed films must be handed in upon the completion of the 48 hours, an exact time will be given to contestants
• Completed film exports must follow the technical requirements (reference sheet will be provided via email)
• Films must be a minimum of 2 minutes and a maximum of 5 minutes long.

*Any violation of these rules will result in immediate disqualification from the competition*

Prizes:

• $100 screening fee for 1st place film
• $200 in credit towards equipment rental from N2M2L for 1st place film
• $75 screening fee for 2nd and 3rd place films
• North Bay Film Festival Pass (for top 3 films)
• N2M2L Membership ($50 value) for top 3 films
• More to be announced!

Submission Requirements:

Camera:
Any type of camera can be used for this project. There is no limit to the amount of cameras that can be used on your shoot.

Export:
File naming convention as follows:

• Title_TeamName_NBFF48_Date.mov
• Full Resolution H264 QuickTime .mov*
• Audio peaks should not exceed -2db

Slating:
Before your film begins there should be

• 5 seconds of black
• A title card reading “This film was made for the 2023 NBFF 48hr Film Competition”
• 2 seconds of black
• A title card with the film’s title and date

Credits:
Credits may run no longer than 45 seconds. The length of the credits will be considered additional to the length of the film.

Contact Us:

Have a question? Send us an email at [email protected] and we’ll be glad to help answer any questions you might have.