72 Film Fest is a film competition where teams have 72 hours to make a film: write, shoot, edit and turn in a finished film within 72 Hours. Teams are expected to make all creative choices within those 72 hours.

The Launch Party will be at Spinners Pinball Arcade 7-9pm Sept 23 and online via YouTube/Discord. Teams will get their criteria to be included in their films at the Launch Party.

Teams will make their films sep 23 9pm EST to Sep 26 9pm EST.  Turn in will be online this year.

The Fest will be at Weinberg Center Oct 8-9 and Virtual starting Oct 10th at Eventive.

We want to preserve the awesomeness of the theater experience at the Weinberg Center while also allowing non-local folks and anyone else a chance to view everything online.  Due to the changing nature of this pandemic, it seemed like the best possible option.  The Virtual Screenings will be similar to last year, with a chat component so it will be a great way for to watch it for the first time but also fun for those to treat it as an encore screening.

Weinberg Center’s current policy is Vaccination Proof or negative covid test required and Masks required in building.

A Time Based Competition where filmmaking teams have only 72 hours to write/direct/edit and score a short film based on specific criteria given out to each team. Perfect time to step up and make a movie!

On a Thursday night in September (23) Filmmakers from around the region will collect at the VIRTUAL LAUNCH PARTY and await the hosts MIKAEL JOHNSON and DOUG POWELL to take the stage and begin giving out criteria.  Teams will then have 72 hours to write/shoot/edit a short film based around that Criteria. Teams are instructed to share behind the scenes photos on Instagram, so everyone can follow along throughout the weekend. Once the films are turned in Sunday Night they are judged and the following weekend all of them Premiere on Friday Night.

No. Anyone from around the US can participate. And since the whole thing can be viewed virtual this year, you will be able to experience it all.

Registration will most likely end a week or two before Launch this year, depending on how many teams register.  Don’t wait to the last minute.

Films must be turned in between 7-9 pm Sunday, Sept 26th,ONLINE. We take a GOOGLE DRIVE or DROPBOX link. Simply right clip and “get shareable link” and send us that.  Do not add us to your Dropbox.  We must be able to download the link in it’s entirety by 9pm EST so make sure you allow ample time for uploading. Dropbox and Google may take from 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on your connect and file size.

We will accept late entries/screening copies online until Monday Night (Oct 5th) at 9pmEST. NOTE: Any film that is late, or has a screening copy turned in is ineligible for Juried awards. For

The full jury will be posted as we get closer to the Fest. We have judges that have worked in various parts of the industry both in front and behind camera. They judge various aspects of each film including the ones we recognize with awards (writing, cinematography, editing, acting etc…) as well as overall quality of the film both storytelling and technical.

Awards and Prizes are developing. Check the front page for more details.

Everything showing under one roof at the same time is one.  Or in the case of Virtual 2020 one gigantic block on Friday Night. But also our criteria is specific to the team. No two filmmakers have the same criteria. Past years we’ve given “Opposites”, two Hollywood movies to mash-up, a Science term to draw inspiration, a “fairy tale”, a polaroids, first lines of novels, and even international proverbs like “The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.”

Normally we would help you find a team, however 2020-2021 poses a unique challenge for folks wanting to join a team due to Covid 19.  While we will have places where you can potentially connect to others (FaceBook/Instagram/Discord) please recognize that folks may be reticent to bring strangers onto their crew.

Of course you can. All we ask is that you bring a legal guardian with you on the night of the Launch Party to sign the waiver forms on your behalf. Make sure your parents know that movies can range the gamut from G to R. The parent or guardian must be willing to take responsibility for your team in the same way a Team Leader would including Covid Guidelines/Requirements!

Teams can choose either 2 tickets to the physical screenings at Weinberg Center or 1 Pass to Online.

Credits do count to your total length. Your maximum time will be assigned at the Launch Party or posted online with your criteria. Please include 1 frame of black before/after your credits/film.

We ask teams to make a 10 Second Team Video where teams can announce who they are before the Fest. There are no rules except do not just put a 10 second logo and DO NOT USE COPYRIGHT MUSIC.  For examples please go to WATCH PAST ENTRIES, and view some of the more recent years.

For 2021, we will be asking you to put your Team Video before your entry, rather than turn it in to us.  We will provide a template on Friday Sept 24th and you’ll add 10 Seconds to the beginning of your film.  If you cannot make a team video this year, no worries, simply place a picture or collage of your team in the box. Full instructions will be available at Launch.

Video: 1080p Preferred File with H.264 @ 1080p / 10Mbp.
Audio Channels: two-channel stereo with Matrix embedded surround (Pro Logic or similar)
Subtitle/Captions: .srt or .vtt files 4K Not accepted in 2020.

2021 will require teams to fully upload entry and forms via Dropbox or Google Drive.  Once uploaded Click “Get Shareable Link” on the DropBox folder or “click Share then Copy Link” on a Google Drive Folder and email us that link.  Do not “share” the folder with us.

HD H264 Quicktime Mov or MP4 with AAC sound (not PCM). 1080p Preferred File with a maximum bitrate of 10-20.
4K Not accepted in 2020.
2021 will require teams to fully upload entry and forms via Dropbox or Google Drive.  Once uploaded Click “Get Shareable Link” on the DropBox folder or “click Share then Copy Link” on a Google Drive Folder and email us that link.  Do not “share” the folder with us.

Like every year we need you to have rights to your image and music. We understand not all of you are able to create music for your films, but you can team up with a local musician. There is also enough in the public domain to score your film, or you can use some Creative Commons licenses, or negotiate/purchase rights from content owners.  Submit the proper releases with your film or if purchased/Creative Commons – print out the license. Using copyrighted music may prevent you from being screened or judged including in future screenings. NOTE: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE RIGHTS TO YOUR MUSIC AS ONLINE STREAMING SITES MAY FLAG/MUTE YOUR AUDIO. Even properly attained rights will sometimes flag the online systems so we recommend you test it on YouTube with an unlisted/private link before submitting your film.

Sure. We ask that all creative elements (other than music) are created within the 72 hour period. It’s possible to use various filters and editing tricks to get some canned VFX into your movie but no filming should be done outside of the weekend. Stock Footage, like public domain music, is acceptable if all rights are attained and creative decisions are made within the 72 hours of the contest and the footage is used to accent your film and isn’t the main creative push.

You need a location release for every private property you shoot on.  We do not need releases for public property but you may need a permit to shoot there. You are not required to turn in proof of a permit.

Yes. Don’t sell yourself short, or try to game the system by cheating. Your reputation will be forever tarnished and “you’ll never work in this town again”, said some producer somewhere, but that’s pretty much how it works here too. Teams like to police each other, and if they catch you doing something, you’ll be the wrong kinda talk around the Fest.

Of Course. The film remains your own and after the 72 Film Fest screenings you can do whatever you want with it. We reserve the right to screen the version turned in at 72 Film Fest events, for promotional purposes and use it in our DVD and online compilations. Our agreement is above so you and your lawyer (or cousin that claims to be one because he’s seen almost every episode of Night Court) can go over it.  NOTE: The screening period of 72 Film Fest may have expanded this year.  Do not upload until that period is over.

Launch Party and Festival will be online this year. Links will be pushed out when we get closer to the Fest but will be available on 72Fest.com and 72FilmFest.com.

Virtual Fest will be here: https://72filmfest.eventive.org

All of the entries premiere at Weinberg Center on Friday Night in one long block and Finalists will be announced there.
Saturday Night at Weinberg will house all of the Finalists and Award Winners.

Starting Sunday all films will screen begin screening online for a few days to give everyone a chance to see everything.

https://72filmfest.eventive.org

Get Tickets Here.

The WILDPASS ($18) is your best deal as it gets you unlimited access to Friday Night Premieres Livestream ($13) and all of the On Demand Blocks ($5-10 each).

We’ll have merch this year at the Weinberg.

That’s awesome.  One way you can is to buy an extra ticket. That’ll help us and the Weinberg Center.
You can also donate a prize to one of the winners.  Contact us if you have prize ideas.
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Or if you want to donate, let us know and we’ll refer you to our fiscal sponsor.

72 Fest is made up of filmmakers and writers, some have even participated in previous 72 Film Fests and came on board after they retired their team. Formed in 2006, 72 Fest has the mission “To provide an outlet for the creative community by hosting challenges in the fields of filmmaking, stage, writing, and other arts.”