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American Morning

Film Project in Atlanta Challenges Amateur Filmmakers

Aired June 25, 2002 - 09:50   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: There's a film project that's rolled into Atlanta, Georgia that challenges amateur filmmakers, moviemakers, to produce a film from scratch in 48 hours, start to finish the whole deal.

Our Bruce Burkhardt followed one team on their frantic, but artistic, journey. Check it out.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We'd like to welcome you to the very first Atlanta 48-Hour Film Project.

BRUCE BURKHARDT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It took George Lucas several years and $120 million to make "Attack of the Clones."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can do that.

BURKHARDT: These folks have two days, and maybe a few out-of- pocket expenses, like a yo-yo.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A yo-yo. We have to use a yo-yo as a prop.

BURKHARDT: Started in Washington D.C. in 2001 by a couple of independent filmmakers, the 48-Hour Film Project has since moved to New York, and now Atlanta.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, the top three.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do you like that?

BURKHARDT: Starting on this Friday evening, at 7:00 p.m. each of 22 teams has two days to write, shoot and edit a short film, anywhere from five to 12 minutes. We decided to follow one team.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "J'aime le fromage," "I like the cheese" in French.

BURKHARDT: Maxwell Guberman is heading up this small team.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Detective cop.

BURKHARDT: First step, drawing for the genre. The rules are few and simple: each team competing must be composed of volunteers only. All that being decided, it's time to create. Forty-eight hours -- go.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He doesn't give her the money. He's got in on him, but we don't know where.

BURKHARDT: At Max's apartment, he, along with brother, Angus, and other team members, brainstorm into the night.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Third scene, Angus goes and politely pursues these guys.

BURKHARDT: On Saturday morning, after just a few hour's sleep, it's time for some film making -- gorilla film making.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You guys want to attract as little attention as possible right now. All you got to do is go like this -- you're just going to go -- OK. OK, ready, and action. All right, hold up a second. It's in some kind of weird mode. One thing that surprises me about the teams that we followed is how incredibly organized we are.

Right now, that's too many bags, too many variables, too much stuff. We're losing time. So I have to get my head together here.

BURKHARDT: Here's something Spielberg doesn't have to deal with. When a couple of actors didn't show up, some impromptu casting.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And we need some good looking guys.

Are you in a hurry? Are you on your way somewhere?

We need some big, kind of tough-looking guys.

BURKHARDT: In this situation, life gives us lemons, but very special lemons, you know, neat people and stuff like that, and we're making a good glass of lemonade here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm psyched. I'm psyched.

BURKHARDT: Now a couple of hours past the halfway mark in this 48-hour odyssey, Max and company are playing beat the clock.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was a low-level panic pretty much a lot of the time, pretty much all the time. Early Sunday morning, less than 12 hours left, shooting is complete and the editing has begun.

ANGUS GUBERMAN, ACTOR: We got to decide which one is the best, this angle here.

BURKHARDT: The finished product has to be turned in by 7:30 Sunday night. A minute late, and they're disqualified. We have so little time left, we might not even have a title for this thing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have got to go. We have got to go.

BURKHARDT: A winner will eventually be declared, though there is no real prize. The reward lies elsewhere.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've also learned that I have some terrific friends who are great at what they do. We are home free. We are home free.

Very nice job, gentlemen.

(CHEERING)

BURKHARDT: Fade to black.

Bruce Burkhardt, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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