Important Information
This page is only for the teams who have signed up to the 48-Hour Film Competition
Team Representatives
Click the link and join the Wix group. It is an app or accessible through the website.
Your team members can also join. This is where you will receive announcements and reminders before, during, and after the competition.
Before The Competition
Team
Get a team of people together to help make your film. You'll need cast, writer(s), filming and postproduction crew. Work out where your base will be and make sure they know what they've committed to.
Locations
Arrange potential locations in advance. Find interesting places. Discuss with them whether you can film there on the Saturday. Let them know you'll contact them on Friday night to confirm. Get the Location Release Form signed.
Equipment
Work out what you're filming on, who is supplying it, who is doing the editing and on what. Test the equipment to make sure it works. Best practice: do a test shoot a week before, to make sure you know your workflow.
Preproduction
Catering
An army marches on its stomach - so does a film crew! Make sure you're feeding your team and have caffeine and hot drinks at the ready.
Legalities
You need to make sure all members of your team and anyone else involved with your film signs the Release Form.This can be signed digitally or physically. Print copies or make a copy to distribute. Set up a cloud folder to save the signed release forms (e.g. Dropbox, Google Drive, Box). You'll use this for submission.
Create Accounts
Set up these up in advance!
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Join the Ealing 48 Group App
Submission to Vimeo
Submission via FilmFreeway
Insurance
Picture this:
the boom swings a bit too far, a TV is knocked off a table and breaks - who pays to fix it?
you're filming in a car and there is an accident - who is liable?
the equipment is left unattended and a camera disappears - who is replacing it?
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Production Insurance is a good thing to have.
It is not a requirement, but it is strongly recommended.
If you do not already have media insurance, you can get insurance for the duration of the competition.
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Action On The Side and Busy Kiwi Productions Ltd accept no liability.
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Performance Media Insurance has a quick quote option for short periods.
(You don't have to use them, and we get no commission for suggesting them. Find a media insurer who is right for you).
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You'll likely need Equipment Insurance, Public Liability Insurance (at least £5m), and Employers Liability Insurance (which covers volunteers, meaning your cast and crew).
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Again, strongly recommended
During the Competition
Photos
Take plenty of photos during the competition! Post them to social media with #ealing48 and tag @actionontheside
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Make sure you get a team photo and a photo for your poster.
Editing
You'll speed up your workflow if your Editor is working while you're shooting - that way they can point out any shots you're missing, that you can get while you're still shooting.
Schedule
A schedule is going to to help you. Plan when you are going to do each part of the production, and set deadlines. Part of the challenge is working out when your team can catch some zzzzzz's.
Submission
Don't Panic!
Things can easily go wrong. Make sure you're exporting your video with enough time for rendering, uploading, and processing. Don't do it last minute!
Vimeo
Why Vimeo? It's easier for us to download the file and after the films are made public, we are going to add them to a Collection:
The Ealing 48 2023 Collection
FilmFreeway
FilmFreeway asks a lot of questions when you submit. You don't have to answer all of them. At a minimum, we need your film, the film's title, and a password to access the film. The rest can be added after the film has been submitted.
What happens after we submit?
YAY! Well done you!!!
We will download the films at 8pm. Don't change your film on Vimeo after you submit - if you do, you will be disqualified.
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You can update your FilmFreeway page after submission. Include your behind-the-scenes images, add a logline and synopsis, add details about your team and their roles, add a poster.
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The judges will preview the submitted films to make a shortlist of films for screening. The list of films that will be screened will be announced on Sunday 12th November.
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If your film is selected, CONGRATULATIONS! Get your tickets to the screening.
If your film is not selected, still accept our Congrats for getting it done! You can make your film public and we'll add it to the Collection on Vimeo. Do get a ticket to the screening so you can see the films at the screening.
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After the screening, all of the films can be made public, and the winners will receive their trophies!
Use FilmFreeway to submit your film to film festivals (more on that to come!)
Checklist
1 / Has everyone signed the release form?
Make sure everyone involved in the film signs the release: all cast, all crew, the locations you filmed, and anyone who made something for it.
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You may need to print copies or set it up so you can easily send it to people online. Adobe Acrobat or DocuSign are good for these. Set them up in advance.
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Here is the link to the release form.
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Get digital copies of the signed forms. These could be pdfs or jpgs (as in, take a photo of the signed document). Put them in a cloud folder. Make sure the cloud folder has access enabled for anyone with the link.
2 / Have all of your team completed the demographics form?
This can happen before the competition, during, or afterwards. Here is the link.
3 / Before Export
Does your film have good sound?
Have you credited everyone? Have you included a statement in the credits that "This film was made as part of the Action On The Side 48-Hour Film Competition, 5-7 July 2024" ?
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Have you included a 5-second lead-in that includes, white text on black background, the Film Name, your Team Name, and the Genre?
Is the film at least 5 minutes long and no longer than 7 minutes (including credits)?
Is the genre clear? Are the random elements clear?
4 / Vimeo
Has your film got a password? Has your film got downloads enabled?
5 / FilmFreeway
Have you created your profile page for the film? Have you included the Vimeo Password? Is the film's title there?
After The Competition
The AOTS Alumni Group
You and your team are welcome to join the AOTS Alumni group on Facebook. This is a group for previous participants in the AOTS Film Projects, and it's a good way to connect with our community.
Promotion
Share your behind the scenes stills, photos, and screengrabs with us in the Group App, and post them on socials, with #aots48 and tagging @actionontheside
Film Festivals
Continue to submit your film to festivals using FilmFreeway. We'll be posting further tips and tricks on distribution in the Group App. Keep us up-to-date of your successes!