A Magical Realist: I Made A Movie!

Today I helped to make a movie for the 48 Hour Film Project. Basically the idea behind the project is that filmmakers sign up and then everybody is given 48 hours in which to make their films. The resulting films are shown at a mini festival where the audience votes on their favorites. Additionally, there is a separate competition where winning entries are chosen by a panel of judges on artistic merit, technical merit, and adherence to the assignment. We're in it to win it but on a personal level I was just excited to have something new and interesting to do with myself on a random Saturday.

More about the project: Our team was led by Director Amber of Black Chick Watching. She's passionate about the representation of black women in all forms of media because, as Viola Davis said "You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there." Amber saw this film project as an opportunity to make a film centered on black women so we had an all-black cast and a crew consisting mainly of women of color. I was excited to meet so many interesting folks!

I can't act and have no experience making movies, but I'm crafty so I was head of craft services. That meant I took charge of random odds and ends like: finding some props and wardrobe items, food styling for the dinner party scene, driving lots of stuff to and from the location, providing a first aid kit, fetching medicine when two crew members fell ill, and keeping the cast fed and entertained while the filming happened. I met a bunch of neat people and had a nice time. I also got only four hours sleep because I worked the night before, which I kind of regretted after the fact. Oh well. C'est la vie.