Have you ever thought about making a movie but never got round to actually doing it? (hiding a camera in your bedroom when the Mrs. pops round does not count!). Well, if this is you then you are indeed a budding filmmaker in need of some motivation - step forward the 48 Hour Movie Challenge!

The 48 Hour Movie Challenge is - as its name suggests - a competition where you have just 48 hours in which to write, shoot and edit into a final cut a 5-minute masterpiece. Now in its second year, the 48-Hour Movie Challenge has inspired hundreds of budding filmmakers into action.

Of course, the 48 Hour Movie Challenge is not as easy as it seems. Things will go wrong. You will get cranky. The shit will hit the fan and clog up the motor. You may even begin to hate your friends and they may even hate you back. But at the end of the 48 hours you will rest easy knowing that just a few weeks later you will get to see YOUR MOVIE on a CINEMA SCREEN!

Yes, you read that right - ALL movies made for the competition will be screened for a private audience (providing your team didn't break any of the rules) at the cinema where you registered. Anyone that participated last year will tell you what an exciting time the screenings were. After all, at the end of it we did present a £500 prize for team Philm for their fantastic short film "Swallowing It"

So whether you're young* or old, amateur or pro, rich or poor - this competition is for you. All you need is a camcorder and bags of enthusiasm to be in with a chance of winning.

*Due to licensing requirements, only those over the age of 15 will be permitted to attend the screenings

You can tackle this challenge single-handedly or assemble the world's largest film crew - it's up to you. All you need do is register a team on the day of the competition and then off you go. But of course there is a catch...

In order to make this event a "challenge" your team will be given a few pre-determined elements that have to be used for/in your film. You will be given randomly a FILM TITLE and FILM GENRE which cannot be changed, swapped or tweaked! So whether you are given "Drunk and Disorderly" or "Exit Only" or even "Robert's Frosted Flakes" (all three titles used last year) you are stuck with it! You will also be given a line of dialogue which must be used at some point during your 5-minute movie. Unlike the movie titles which are all unique, each team will be given the same line of dialogue which will not be revealed until the day. Last year, all teams were given the line "I've never seen one that big before!" which some teams used very creatively.

So hopefully we managed to whet your appetite. The challenge at Odeon Merry Hill has now officially closed for 2006.

If you have any further questions please check out our Frequently Asked Questions section (FAQ). If the question you have is not covered there please do not hesitate to contact me via the website.

Happy Filmmaking!