Film and camera in hand, video production majors and actors alike will race the clock in hopes of becoming 2012’s 48-hour Shoot Out champion.
About 26 teams will be assigned movie genres ranging from comedies to westerns from a list of about 40 Friday.
“This is my last and fourth year competing, so I hope things go well,” said Andrew Thomas, a senior studying video production and captain of Ms. Shout Out Fire Productions. “But really it’s just a great opportunity. You’re forced to learn and meet new people.”
Four professors — Joe Richie, Melissa Riche, David Urano and Keith Newman — from Tennessee State University and Ohio University, respectively, will judge the contest based on relevance, script, value and performance.
“The judges can be tough but it’s great just to get recognition for your work,” said Grace Roulston, a senior studying video production and team captain of Rumble Productions. “This can be a lot of fun and you can learn a lot from the judges and the experience.”
Fellow senior, Justin Rogers, has participated all four years at OU. He said the competition gets much more difficult if a team isn’t prepared.
“My first year was pretty rough — I was ready to wow the judges (but) I had no clue what I was getting into. Last year a team didn’t even get their movie in on time and were disqualified,” Rodgers said. “It’s scary when you have no clue what you’re doing, but it gets better by the time you’re a junior and senior. That’s when it starts getting fun.”
Over the years teams competing have found ways to add a few more minutes to the clock but these tactics will not be acceptable during this year’s contest, Livingston said.
“Last year we had a problem with teams turning in blank disks at the deadline and then, when it came time to watch their video they gave us their ‘back up’,” Livingston said. “That won’t happen this year. If you turn your video in late or the first DVD doesn’t work, your done.”
The new guidelines force teams to create a game plan before producing their films.
“We just try as hard as possible to be organized and have everything planned out, like places we could potentially go to shoot or who will be our actors,” Roulston said. “But to me, winning doesn’t really matter, it’s about the experience and the recognition.”
Roulston added that she hopes more audience members will join the teams during the screening of their final products.
“It would be great if people came out,” she said. “Just so we can show them what we do and so we can see how they react.”
lf328610@ohiou.edu
What: 10th annual 48-hour Shoot Out Competition
When: (kick off) Feb. 10. 5:30 p.m. (screening) Feb. 12 6:30 p.m.
Where: (kick off) •Baker University Center 1804 (screening) •Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium
Admission: Free
