Cast, crew put on the spot

Entrants revel in tight time frame of 48-hour event

danielle nadler/ViewCohencidence Productions camera operator Erika Dysert, left, and director of photography Jace Whitten, right, film actors Amanda Ouest and Ross Alzina as they perform a scene for the short film "Missing Pieces" at a Las Vegas home on April 18. danielle Nadler/viewActors Ross Alzina, left, and Amanda Ouest act in a scene for "Missing Pieces," April 18. danielle Nadler/ViewCamera operator Erika Dysert films a scene for the short film "Missing Pieces" at a Las Vegas home on April 18. Advertisement

The dates April 17 through 19 had been circled on local filmmakers' calendars for months. It was the weekend they would have their equipment in top-notch condition, have actors and film crew in tow, and would catch little sleep to release a flood of creativity to concoct a five- to seven-minute film.

Fifty-two teams of actors, writers, producers, directors and other crew peppered the valley to capture their short films as part of the 48 Hour Film Project. Las Vegas was the first of 80 cities that the international film project will sweep through in 2009, leaving films, some award-winning others mediocre, in their wake.

On April 17, screenwriter and producer Joshua Cohen gathered with the other eager film project participants at the Las Vegas Convention Center to draw an assigned genre out of a hat. Comedy, tragedy, musical, sci-fi, western and several others were up for grabs.

Cohen, a southeast Las Vegas resident, and his team drew "buddy film." Before Cohen reached his home, the editor for the film, Richard Baldomero, told him about a scenario he was a part of a few years ago that he thought would make the perfect short film.

The two and director Forrest Olinger agreed on the skeleton of the story by 8 p.m. Then Cohen locked himself in his bedroom to write the six-page script, and he held auditions an hour later. Most the actors and crew were home by 10:30 p.m. Except Olinger, who gathered props and other equipment until 3:30 a.m.

"I love the challenge to go from nothing to tell a story in just two days," Olinger said. "It's built-in motivation."

The film, "Missing Pieces," is about a lonely widower, James Switzer, who befriends a young boy next door. The boy's mother is an alcoholic and the root of dysfunction in their home.

"It's a touching story," Ross Alzina, who plays Switzer, said between takes. "It's about observing what goes on in life and helping others out."

The team of about a dozen filmed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 18 in a home in southeast Las Vegas. They e-mailed the script and a rough version of the film to a composer in Spain, who turned around music for the film in three hours.

Baldomero edited through the night and had the film in the hands of 48 Hour Film Project producer Angela Abshier four minutes before the 7:30 p.m. deadline.

The films were shown at four screenings, April 22 and 23, at The Palms, and judged by a panel of four seasoned filmmakers. Awards will be announced within the month.

Along with an assigned genre, every filmmaker also had to incorporate three elements: a character who is an electrician named either Jane Switzer or James Switzer; a plate as a prop; and the line "just remember, you didn't hear it from me."

One team, Xenon, which drew "stoner film" as its genre, shot at a pool hall, painting Jane Switzer as a joint-puffing electrician. Another team, Sweet Potato Pie Project, which drew "mockumentary" as its genre, showed James Switzer as a cupcake addict. The team Epic Visions, which drew "sci-fi" as its genre, told a story of Jane Switzer who was transported to another time to discover a threat and attempted, but failed, to save the day.

Each film illustrated a different take on the three assigned elements, and each team faced different challenges to get there.

"All I can say is what didn't go wrong," said Scott McDougall, an actor with Epic Visions who teamed up with friends to enter their first 48 Hour Film Festival. "All we can do is move up from here."

The key to a successful short film is preparation, Cohen said. Even though the filmmakers do not know beforehand the genre they will pull or the three required elements, there still is some prep work to be done. Cohen booked a pool of 17 actors, got the OK to film at 15 different locations and had his film crew and equipment ready to roll.

Cohen, who balances his film company, Cohencidence Productions, with a full-time job in commercial real estate, said the motivation to participate in the film project is for the experience and the chance for everyone on the team to bulk up their resumes. His team will film its 10th short film this weekend, and its first feature film later this year.

"The one thing I love about the 48 Hour Film Project is it takes people from talking about making films to actually making films," Cohen said. "Let's get off our couches, grab our cameras and make something real."

The film project is for those who want to tell a story on film, but don't have the time or the money, Abshier added.

"They can do almost do anything in 48 hours," she said. "And in that short time, they can create some magic, and that's the extraordinary experience. It's this intensely creative and stressful experience."

Contact Southeast and Southwest View reporter Danielle Nadler at dnadler@viewnews.com or 224-5524.