The Schoolcraft Film Challenge is a fast-paced film production competition open to the public from May 20-22. Participants will be given 48 hours to write a script and produce a short film lasting less than seven minutes (including credits). Part of what really makes the challenge exciting is the inclusion of secret elements to be announced on Friday, May 20. 

Each team is required to include a certain prop and line of dialogue that will be announced at the virtual kick-off on Friday. The event staff has supplied examples similar to what the mysterious requirements will be. If the prop is a lunch box, that simply means a lunch box must appear in the short film. Depending on each participating team’s vision, that could mean there’s a lunch box in the background of a scene or that the lunch box is crucial to the plot. There will also be a required line of dialogue. The given example is “I never knew this could be so much fun.” Thus, at some point in this hypothetical example film, that line of dialogue must be clearly heard. 

“My advice is to have fun.” said Computer Graphics Technology (CGT) Professor Jeremy Salo. “Don’t take it too seriously. Compromise with your teammates. Use the suggested schedule and pace yourself. The whole process from the kick-off with required elements till the screening and awards is only 48 hours!”

The 48-hour-challenge concludes with a fun-filled award ceremony open to the general public on May 22 at 7pm in the VisTaTech Center at Schoolcraft. Since the ceremony is a chance for filmmakers to show off their work, everyone will be excited and in good spirits which will make for an entertaining evening. 

Note that the screening is once again in person after the global pandemic and that the entrance fee for participation has been waived thanks to this year’s generous sponsors. 

All participants must be fully registered by the virtual live-kickoff at 7 p.m. on May 20. 

For more information, visit the challenge Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SchoolcraftFilmChallenge. 

Past films can be found on the associated YouTube Channel titled “Schoolcraft Film Challenge” at youtube.com/channel/UCPhpTa4SmFDTunEPm0q1skQ. 

Good luck to this year’s participants!