FRIDAY NIGHT PREMIERES!
Theme: CLEAN SLATE aka CLASSROOM.
Criteria: Teams were given a LAB PARTNER (another team) to work on connective tissue between their films.  If a partner team was unable to complete, their connective tissue was verified through a script/treatment.

Listen to Tales from the 72 Podcast:

Upcoming Episodes:
Comatoast meets Shrug! Now Live!
Pecos Bill and the Wranglers meets Star Wipe!  June 7th
Ah Muh Face meets Crowded Elevator!   June 21st
Skinhunger meets Screenburn! July 5th

Every year filmmaking teams from across the country compete in timed film competitions like the 72 Film Fest. On each episode of Tales from the 72, we pair up two teams to chat about the fun and challenges of making a movie in a weekend. War Stories will be shared, advice will be given, and with any luck lifetime friendships will be made.

If you’ve participated in more than 3 years and want to be a part of the podcast, use contact form.

Let’s bring together all the filmmakers, writers, editors, actors and other screen artists in Frederick! Whether you’ve participated or even helped out on 72 Film Fest, or you’re a creative wanting to meet other likeminded folks, let’s make some connections and have some fun. Check the Frederick Filmmakers Meetup for casual meet ups, movie trips and more!  If you’d like to host an event, let us know and you can share to the group.

2022 HOSTS

The theme this year is: CLEAN SLATE AKA CLASSROOM.
And the criteria is …. NOTHING except TEAMWORK.
Each team was given a LAB PARTNER (another team) to work on connective tissue between their films.

The results are super fun to watch, with everything from props, characters, themes, storylines, shared worlds, and so much more connecting the films.

42 FILMS PREMIERE FRIDAY NIGHT!
6:30pm Students/Amateurs
8:30pm Amateurs/Pros
Full Film Guide and Screening Blocks below.
On Friday Night the AUDIENCE can vote for your FAVORITE PAIRING.

SATURDAY NIGHT MAIN EVENT
7pm

The FINALISTS  play alongside a brand new short with your hosts MIKAEL and AURA.
AWARD CEREMONY follows the screenings with an
AFTER PARTY at JoJos directly following Awards.

Friday or Saturday Ticket gets ya into After Party.

Tickets Available at the
WEINBERG CENTER BOX OFFICE
(buy in person at door to save online fees).
$15 One Day. $22 Both.

Come out and Celebrate Local Filmmakers at the historic Weinberg Center!

2022 JURY

This year was one of the more unique criterias we’ve had, asking teams to collaborate with other fellow teams. Some chose to have shared worlds or simple connective elements, and some even chose to share scenes and characters.

Congratulations to every team that dove in without knowing the theme, with special kudos to those who were able to turn in a film!

Now Announcing the RESULTS of 72 Film Fest 2022!
AUDIENCE CHOICE: SHRUG!
AUDIENCE CHOICE PAIRING: DOWN TO FETCH/SHRUG

Producer’s Notes:

This year was a little weird as part of the team weren’t able to help behind the scenes.  The theme was originally going to be simply “Clean Slate” – a theme that Joey McAdams had recommended years and years ago that we knew we’d eventually hit.  Basically – just say “GO” at Launch.  As such we knew we wouldn’t reveal the theme until Launch, as we didn’t want folks potentially working on their films early…so no clues.   But we knew there must be some sort of proof element.  We went through a dozen ideas and then it clicked-  Teamwork.  Make teams work together and create their own common element/criteria.  Teams could make any film they wanted but were encouraged to find something that connected their films (thematically/character/plot etc) and were optionally challenged to have a story that connected.  We doubled down on a blank chalkboard as imagery and ran with it.   It was probably the most polarizing criteria/theme since Script Fest in 2012, but it garnered a lot of fun films.  There of course was a bit more drama with teams, as it’s already challenging to make a film without relying on another team’s energy/deadlines.  But like Script Fest, dealing with other professionals outside the normal comfort zone is good training for real world difficulties.  It’s always a balancing act – creating a sandbox for folks to have fun – but also challenges them to grow and try new things.  Who knows how long 72FF will last, but maybe the years with “7”‘s in them should continue to be unorthodox.

The Mikael/Doug Story had sorta ended back in 2019, and we wanted to reinvent things a bit trying to shake off the “hosts” story that had been created all the way back in 2010.  But then 2020 (Covid) happened, and then 2021’s hybrid format created even more issues trying to pull everyone together.  Doug retired during that year – (Year 16), so 2022-  Year 17 – was all about reinvention.  We put out a casting call to replace Doug, and got some great audition tapes, but one stuck out – a past participant in the Fest – Aura.  Then we built the story around introducing Aura to the Fest behind the scenes and the Audience, while “Clark” deals badly with the loss of Doug.  We actually had a script this year, and we shot everything in two half days at the Wonder Book warehouse and improved between the lines of the script.  Mikael’s crazy movie pitch made up the bulk of the short.  It became “The Read”.