Unfortunately our site no longer supports this internet browser. Please upgrade your internet borwser in order to enjoy all the features of SOCAPA.org. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Suggested browsers:
Apple Safari
Google Chrome
Mozilla Firefox
Tap into Film
A 48 Hour Student Filmmaking Competition
SAVE THE DATE: April 28th-30th, 2017
Catamount Arts and The School of Creative and Performing Arts (SOCAPA) are excited to invite your participation in the upcoming TAP INTO FILM, 48 Hour Film Slam. Middle School, High School and College aged students are invited to join us for this exciting and educational film-focused weekend. Student participants can join with no filmmaking experience or as seasoned filmmakers to compete for up to $1000 in cash prizes.
The weekend's main event is a team competition where groups of 3-5 young filmmakers write, direct, edit and premiere a short film in just two days. In the end, a winner will be selected from each category by industry professionals for a cash prize. All scripting, shooting and editing must take place within the 48 hours, so teams must have spontaneity, time management and lots of ingenuity! Although the event is competitive, the environment is welcoming, supportive, and most importantly, fun!
Film slams provide an excellent opportunity for students to work creatively as a team. The time constraints of the event result in a hands-on experience that requires resourcefulness, flexibility, and quick thinking. Students come away with a complete short film, a network of other young filmmakers, and the confidence of having finished a seemingly impossible task in a short period of time.
TEAM REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Wednesday, April 19th
48 Hour Film Schedule
- Friday April 28th, 5pm
Opening Ceremony @ 115 Eastern Ave, St Johnsbury, VT - Sunday April 30th, 5pm
Final Films Due - Sunday April 30th, 5-6pm
Filmmaker Social and Pizza Dinner @ 115 Eastern Ave, St Johnsbury, VT - Sunday April 30th, 6:30-9pm
Film Showcase and Award Ceremony @ Fuller Hall, 1000 Main Street, St Johnsbury, VT
Public Weekend Events
- Saturday April 29th, 11am and 3pm
SOCAPA Best Short Films of Summer 2016 Screening @ Catamount Theater
Learn More - Saturday April 29th, 10am
Youth Visual Story-Telling Workshop for ages 5-7 @ More information at Catamount Arts - Saturday April 29th, 7pm
Upright Citizens Brigade @ Lyndon State College, 1001 College Road, Lyndonville, VT - Sunday April 30th, 6:30pm
48hr Film Showcase and Award Ceremony @ Fuller Hall, 1000 Main Street, St Johnsbury, VT
Be the best film in your age group to win a $500 CASH PRIZE
- All middle school teams must enroll in SOCAPA’s free 48hr Film workshop.
- Must supply your own equipment, unless enrolled in 48hr Film Workshop
Plus, win the Audience Favorite award for an additional $500 Prize!
So, be sure to invite your friends and family!
How does it work?
Attend the opening ceremony and receive a goody bag containing a required prop, location, genre, and Festival Theme to include in your film.
Write an original script employing the required items from your goody bag.
Shoot and Direct your film!
Edit your film. Add sounds and music. Export your film and deliver it to the judges.
Do it all in just 48 hours!
2017 Audience Favorite
Team: The First Takers
2017 College Winner
Team: The Midnight Animals
2017 High School Winner
Team: The Bad Boys
2017 Middle School Winner
Team: Furious4
This Year's Guest Judges
Matt is a creative filmmaker and cameraman who has worked on large format film and television productions across the globe. In 2008, Matt produced, directed and provided principle cinematography for Disney’s The Crimson Wing, a feature length documentary on flamingos in East Africa and the most nominated film of all time at the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival. Other credits include, Serengeti Symphony, The Leopard Son, and Walt Disney's Bears.
Matt has also worked as a specialist cinematographer for dramatic feature films. In 2012 he completed specialist wildlife filming in New Mexico for Hummingbird, a theatrical feature produced by Paul Webster. In 2013 he worked on Michael Bay’s Transformers franchise on the IMAX format as a Director of Photography (Iceland Unit).
Matt currently resides in Kirby, Vermont, from where he travels across the globe to film sequences for high-end wildlife television.
[IMDB]
Bess is the director/producer of the documentary film The Hungry Heart, about prescription drug crisis in Vermont. The film won the American Society of Addiction Medicine Award for outstanding media and was honored by Vermont Governor, Peter Shumlin as the film that served as a catalyst for opiate addiction awareness in the state of Vermont.
Additional award-winning documentary films by Bess O'Brien include: All of Me, an intimate look at eating disorders and body image, Ask Us Who We Are, a powerful documentary about foster care in Vermont, Journey into Courage about women in the Northern part of Vermont who survived domestic violence and sexual abuse, Where is Stephanie? about the murder of a young girl in Rutland, VT, and Here Today about Vermont families struggling with heroin in their lives. Bess O’Brien co-founded Kingdom County Productions with her husband Jay Craven in 1990. She is also the director/producer of the highly acclaimed feature film Shout it Out based on the lives of Vermont teens and the original Voices Project live musical.
[KCP.org]
Born and raised in Newark, Vermont, Ben was educated through high school at Wildridge Academy and attended Bowdoin college majoring in geology/environmental studies. After graduating, Ben worked in the Boston area as an environmental consultant for three months before quickly decided farming and the NEK were the place for him. Following his childhood dream of working the land, Ben now works with his wife Kim, operating Honest to Goodness Farm in Newark, a diversified farm producing hay, vegetables, maple syrup, and meat. Ben has four children ranging from 10-22, all of whom help on the farm in varying capacities.
Sugaring has been a right of Spring for Ben since childhood. Taking over the operation of the family sugarbush at the age of 14, slowly expanding and improving the operation from buckets to pipeline. Building a new sugar house and purchasing a larger evaporator while holding onto the wood fired tradition and flavor. Most of all, he tries to have fun with family and friends. Without good memories you have nothing.
Vermont's Northeast Kingdom
TAP INTO FILM's 48hr Student Film Slam is hosted at the Catamount Film and Arts Center in downtown St Johnsbury, in the heart of Vermont's Northeast Kingdom.
Where To Stay?
Comfort Inn & Suites is our Preferred Lodging Partner.- Rent discounted rooms at $139/night for the weekend.
- Or, go true 48hr film slam style and cram your whole crew into the same room for the same rate - max of 6 persons per room.
Also, check out these local Air BNB's:
Victorian in the North Country - $90/night, 3 bedroom, 6 guests
Quaint Priv Retreat Style Dormitory - $60/night, dormitory style, 14 guests
Catamount Arts, St Johnsbury
115 Eastern Ave, St Johnsbury, VT 05819
48HR FILM WORKSHOP
Don't know how to make a film in 48hrs - or at all? SOCAPA, The School of Creative and Performing Arts, is offering a free 48hr Film Workshop for all Middle School and High School Teams. Designed to run tandem with the 48hr Film Slam, participating Teams will be provided expert guidance in basic filmmaking by SOCAPA's experienced Filmmaking Instructors. Classes will be offered in story development, screenwriting, and camera and sound equipment use, as well as film editing and exporting in order to allow students of all experience levels to participate in the weekend event and have fun! Instructors will not lead teams during production, but will be on hand to ask story advice, field technical questions, and assist in exporting final films.
Story Development
The hardest part of a 48hr Film Slam is generating an idea. After the opening event on Friday evening, SOCAPA Instructors will provide a basic overview of three-act structure, screenwriting software and techniques for generating a story idea before teams break up to pitch ideas and write a script. Instructors will be on-hand to field questions or critique story pitches. SOCAPA wants each team to craft an amazing story, but each story should be your own - SOCAPA Instructors will guide participants toward shootable and unique stories, but will not be the main source of story ideas.
Camera and Sound Tech
Don't know how to use your equipment or want some pro tips? SOCAPA Instructors will work with teams one-on-one to familiarize participants with the equipment on Friday night. Participants will learn how to safely handle and operate their cameras and sound gear. Instructors will introduce concepts of exposure, aperture, shutter speed, white balance, audio levels and mic position in order for each team to achieve a good looking and sounding film. Instructors will be on-hand throughout the weekend event to answer technical questions or problem-solve issues teams may encounter.
Editing and Exporting
Each Team that participates in the SOCAPA 48hr Film Workshop will have a SOCAPA editing computer reserved for them at Catamount Arts' Outback Space. Each computer will be outfitted with Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut X and IMovie. SOCAPA Film Instructors will be on hand to assist with basic editing techniques, and will do their best to aid teams with any editing software each team chooses. Assistance with Film Exporting will also be provided so that all teams can submit the correct video file to the judges. SOCAPA Instructors will not be supervising the editing lab, so Team Leaders must be present at all times.
Equipment
Don't have your own equipment? Don't let that stop you! All Middle School and High School participants in SOCAPA's 48hr Film Workshop may opt to borrow a production kit from SOCAPA including an HD Camera, a tripod, a boompole and sound recording gear. Teams using SOCAPA gear will be required to go through a camera and sound tech overview before starting production to learn how to safely handle and use your equipment. Teams will be responsible for any damaged gear at the end of the event, so please be careful!Register a Team
- Teams must have at least three and no more than five members.
- Each team must have one Team Leader who is at least 21 years of age. This team member must sign a liability release form assuming all responsibility for team members under the age of 21.
- All team members under the age of 18 must have their parents sign a liability release form.
- Teams may utilize any additional volunteer help for cast and crew needs.
Event Rules
Teams
Teams must have at least three members and no more than five. Each team must have one Team Leader who is at least 21 years of age. This team member must sign a liability release form assuming all responsibility for team members under the age of 21. All team members under the age of 18 must have their parents sign a liability release form. Teams may utilize any additional volunteer help for cast and crew needs.
Equipment
Teams must bring all their own gear. Middle School and High School Teams that enroll in the SOCAPA 48hr Film Workshop may choose to be provided a basic production and editing package by SOCAPA.
Teams that choose this option will be responsible for the complete replacement value of any lost or damaged gear.
SOCAPA pack will include:
- HD Camera
- SD Card
- Boom Pole and Microphone
- Sound Recorder
- Tripod
- Reserved Editing Computer
Subject Matter
Each team will recieve the genre of their film (Drama, Comedy, Documentary, Experimental, etc.) from a goody bag provided at the opening ceremony, and will also receive a prop, a location, and a festival theme that must appear in their film. Teams will be allowed to trade genres with other participating teams, but may not trade their assigned props or locations. Use these items creatively to score more points for your film.
Length
Final films should be 1 to 3 minutes in length. All films must be written, produced, edited, exported and submitted during the 48-hour period. Films submitted after the deadline will not be screened.
Content/Legal
All films must be PG. Basically: don’t produce anything you wouldn’t want your grandmother or younger siblings to see. Prohibited content includes (but may not be limited to) drug use, sex, graphic violence, and defamatory statements. Additionally, no copyrighted materials should appear within students’ films. If any of these rules are broken, the films will be disqualified at the sole discretion of the Film Slam judges. Any assigned props/locations/themes must be used in the film.
File Format
Final submission should be H.264 .mov file. Catamount Arts will provide a thumb drive for participants to submit their films.
How to Prepare
Dress for the weather. The weather in the Northeast Kingdom is unpredictable. Be sure to check the forecast in advance and bring a wide range of suitable clothing. Bring coats with plenty of pockets and padded bags for all equipment.
Scouting locations, securing equipment and organizing additional cast & crew may all be done in advance of the festival. However, no materials may be composed or produced ahead of time.
Our Sponsors
The 48hr Student Film Slam and TAP INTO FILM's weekend events would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. Please email Jody Fried at jfried@catamountarts.org if you would like to become a sponsor.
Jeff & Melissa Burroughs
L.K. Rossi Corp.
