On Saturday, I got to see a movie I co-wrote (with the generous help of two other great writers) on the big screen at Buffalo’s North Park Theatre.
Let me be clear: I didn’t plan to help create a movie for the big screen in 2026, or EVER!
And the other huge part of this story? The film went from idea to fully finished in just one weekend.
I write scripts meant for TV, so I never even dreamt of sitting next to people in a movie theatre, hearing them react to lines I worked on.
It truly was an incredible weekend, not only seeing my team’s film, but also seeing films created by other people I’ve met in the Buffalo film community.
Truly, I didn’t expect or even consider whether Buffalo would have a filmmaking or writing scene when I moved here last year, and it’s been such a huge blessing to meet and connect with like-minded creatives.
So, how did I end up making a movie this year? It was all part of The 48-Hour Film Project. I’ll explain.
What is The 48-Hour Film Project?
I’d never heard of “The 48” until I went to my first Buffalo Filmmaker meetup in February, earlier this year.
I thought it must be a Buffalo thing until I looked it up, and no, it happens in 200+ cities and 45+ countries!
Teams have 48 hours to come up with a concept for a 4-7-minute film, write it, cast it, film it, edit it, and submit it.
Right before the competition begins, team leaders meet to draw the required genre(s) for their team. Each team draws two genres and must create a film that fits one or both selected genres.
Other requirements ensure nothing gets done before the official clock starts. The requirements include a specific character name and occupation, a quote, and a prop.
These requirements are the same for every team in your city (it varies from city to city, if I’m understanding correctly), and the film must include all of them, or it’s disqualified.
The films premiere the following weekend, when judges also watch to begin scoring for the awards ceremony (in Buffalo, this takes place in September).
Judges evaluate artistic merit, technical merit, and adherence to the assignment. There is also an audience award, which is determined by votes cast at the end of the film premiere screening.
Each city can determine other awards, such as best use of prop, best writing, or best directing.
How I Ended Up Doing This
I’ll be honest, when I initially heard folks talking about the 48, it didn’t sound like something for me. It sounded stressful, and honestly? Like a recipe for disaster: put a bunch of creatives in a room for two days with tough restrictions and a competitive deadline!
So, for months, I didn’t consider this something I wanted to do.
But I’ve admittedly immersed myself in local screenwriting groups, and, at the risk of sounding cheesy, it’s inspired my writing in an unexpected way, and I’ve made some incredible friends!
Just a few weeks before The 48 began, a writer in one of my writing groups mentioned he could use another person on his team.
Someone mentioned it to me and encouraged me to do it. Her argument was simple: I knew him, respected his writing, and really, being a writer for The 48 only required a late night on Friday to hammer out the script.
She had a great point. So, a few days later, I ran into my soon-to-be team members and asked if they really needed a writer. I figured if they didn’t, the universe was figuring it out for me.
But they did! And they immediately welcomed me to the team as part of Another Buffalo Production.
Although I knew one person on my team, I was a little nervous going into it; you just never know how these things are going to play out (which is part of the excitement).
But one thing that gave me comfort was that many of my team members, including the other writers (Lead Writer Ryan Zunner and Writer Angella Zelli), have participated in The 48 for several years, and they had a plan of attack for managing time and the group.
As Friday approached, I was more excited than nervous.
Friday Night: The Kickoff
The team secured D Post Studio as our meeting spot and as a potential filming spot for the weekend, which was incredible.
Even after touring the place, I don’t think I can properly put into words how insanely COOL this place is! There were several studios inside, set up for all sorts of productions.
Not only was there an entire set that looked like a house (including the outside, some roof, and a full kitchen complete with faux food), but there was also a podcasting studio and a white Cyclorama with an option for green screen draping.
Before drawing our genres or coming up with any concepts, you really don’t know what kind of set you’ll need, but D Post gave us a lot of choices in a single building. It was difficult to believe it was right on Main Street in Buffalo!
After we settled into the studio, we tuned into the live stream, where all the Buffalo team leaders were in person to draw the genres for their team. Our City Producer for The 48, Jordan Lema of Lemur Studios, also announced the required elements for the films.
Here’s how it went:
Our required genre: Workplace, Dark Comedy
Our required character: Frankie or Franklin Frow, Animal Trainer
Our required prop: A crystal
Our required line of dialogue: “It would be helpful if I could actually see it,” or “It’d be helpful if I could actually see it.”
Once the live stream was over, ideas were flying out of folks on the team! We brainstormed for about an hour before the writers broke off and put the script together.
This was my first time writing a short, so I was really shocked at how quickly the pages flew by (writing a 90-page script is so different from a 7-pager). We tapped our other team members for ideas on character names (aside from Frankie, of course) and other random bits, and we finished the script by 11:30pm.
We did a cold table read before midnight, then headed home, with a goal to report back around 8-9 on Saturday morning.
Saturday & Sunday: Filming & Editing
Although a writer’s job could be done on Friday, I wanted to be a part of whatever I could. This was my first time on a set!
Our Director, Justin Zelli, asked if I would serve as a script supervisor on Saturday, and I agreed. That meant I could see all the filming, and it was such a great experience.
We filmed everything at D Post, with several different sets in our film (office, kitchen, living room, conference room, and a heaven/hell scene), which kept us all from having to drive all over Buffalo to capture various scenes.
However, it was still a long filming day, running roughly 14 hours. But it was a lot of fun, and I feel like my screenwriting will improve as a result.
I can’t speak to what happened on Sunday, as I know we handed things off to the editors and directors, and I was able to sleep in!
I admittedly woke up sore on Sunday from… standing? Laughing? Who knows! But it was the best kind of exhausted after having a lot of fun with great people and being able to just be creative.
The deadline to submit the film was around 7 or 7:30 on Sunday evening, and we did submit on time – Wahoo!
What I Learned From Making a Movie in 48 Hours
Not to make everything a homework assignment, but I learned so much in a single weekend, including:
Creating just for the sake of it is still magical. As a Millennial (don’t hate me), I lived in hustle culture for many years, turning any and every hobby into income, if not productivity. Now, as a recovering hustler, being reminded that not everything we do has to be for money or for some lofty goal. Doing things for fun or to exercise creative muscles is worth something!
Restrictions can be positive. The genres, the required elements, the time limit; at first, this all seemed so… oppressive. Let us live! But actually, all of this worked in our favor. There’s really no time to argue over specific plot points or get too deep in a character’s backstory. As someone who is a firm believer in not getting in your own way, The 48 forces you to just keep it moving.
Filming a short still takes a long time. I VASTLY underestimated how long it would take us to film a 7-minute movie! To be fair, where would I get any sort of barometer given I’ve never made a short or been on a set?! But setting up for each scene (lighting, sound, costume changes) took a while, and doing different takes at different angles (less of an issue if you have more than one camera/person)… it all takes time.
Fact: Getting outside your comfort zone is the move. I’m no stranger to jumping out of my comfort zone; hell, I don’t even know where my comfort zone is anymore (under my comforter, probably). But it never hurts to be reminded that just going for it can turn out great, even if it doesn’t turn out how you expected.
People, for the most part, are good. As I mentioned, The 48 has all the ingredients for a proper social disaster. But, damn, I cannot say it enough: people in Buffalo are just so nice! I’ve been a part of other filmmaking communities, and it probably comes as no shock that folks in certain circles can be pretentious and rude. I’m so grateful that hasn’t been my experience here, and everyone I worked with and met throughout this process has been so kind and generous.
One Week Later: The Premiere
Not only did it feel wild to create a movie in a single weekend, but just one week later, we got to see it on the big screen!
The North Park Theatre had a red carpet with a step-and-repeat set up for professional photos, and it was so sweet to see all the filmmakers there with their loved ones to celebrate.
It was surreal to see the movie our team put together, “Claim Denied.” I loved hearing the reactions from the audience and was so proud of everyone who had a part in this film, from the sound and lighting to the editors and actors; seriously, all of it was fantastic.
Aside from seeing our film, we got to see all of the other teams’ films! Forty teams competed, and they split the movie showings between Saturday and Sunday.
I attended both days, and honestly loved all of it. I am very lucky to know some of the folks who made other films, and it was so neat watching their vision come to life!
And there were many people involved in these films that I don’t know, or at least not yet! I met so many new people after the showings and had a great time talking shop with some really talented creators.
Honestly, it’s just been such a cool, fun two weeks! I can’t say it enough.
I’m grateful to my team, Another Buffalo Production, The 48 Hour Film Project, D Post Studio, Lemur Studios, the North Park Theatre, every single person in my writer’s group, and everyone I met this weekend. Seriously!!
If you participated in The 48 in any city, I would love to hear about your experience!
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