NOTE: The following Frequently Asked Questions were written for the 2006 competition which has now closed. If you would like to enquire about future events, please contact us here.

Where will it be held at?

Once again, the ODEON at the Merry Hill Centre, Dudley was our venue. This cinema, fomerly known as UCI Cinemas, has recently been taken over by ODEON and tons of cash has been spent on the place in the last year. To anyone that entered the competition in 2005, the cinema (from the inside) is completely unrecognisable - a major transformation all for the best. The perfect venue for our competiton! I'm sure the 2006 entrants will agree it looks loads better.

How do I get to the cinema?

The Odeon is located adjacent to the main retail park at the Merry Hill Centre (Merry Hill Centre is made up of a very large mall and several retail parks). Odeon is directly opposite Kingdom of Leather and near to PC World. It is a 2-minute walk from the main bus station and around a 5-minute taxi journey to the nearest train stations (Lye and Cradley Heath). The closest main train station is at Stourbridge Junction. You will need to take a connecting bus to Stourbridge town centre to get to the main bus station (takes minutes - you could even walk it!). Many bus services run to the Merry Hill Centre from here and should take around 15-20 minutes to make the journey (by taxi around 10 minutes). The postcode for the cinema is DY5 1SY and you can use a service like Google Maps or RAC Route planner to help you find your way.

To plan your train journey visit National Rail. To plan your bus journey visit Centro. For taxi service (once near Stourbirdge) we recommend Waterfront Cars on (01384) 78781. They are a black cab service and have been providing taxi's for the Odeon for years.

Hang on! I thought more cinemas would be taking part this year?!

That was the intention but due to the merger between UCI and ODEON things are a bit up in the air at the moment and, had we waited for things to settle, it still could have been another six months or so before anything could be finalised. Rather than wait any longer ('cos we know how eager some of you are!) we are running this years event at the Merry Hill Centre but next year, there will be more cinemas on board (we promise!)

When do entries have to be returned by?

All entries must be returned to the cinema box office at any point before your 48-hours is up. So, to most people the deadline will be 9am on the Monday morning (you have exactly 48 hours to complete the challenge - the exact time of entry is written on your registration form by our staff. You must return within 48-hours of this time).

Please note, entries in person can only be returned during normal business hours. These times will be: Saturday 2nd 9am-9:30pm, Sunday 3rd 10:30am-9:30pm, Monday 4th 8:00am-10am (note shorter hours on Monday because this is the deadline!!!)

This is the preffered method of entry.

Can I send my entry via post?

Yes, but it is a little complicated. Postal entries will only be accepted if they are date stamped by the post office for either the Monday deadline (4th September 2006) or earlier (please check with your post office that they can do this).

If we cannot verify the exact time your entry was handed over, we cannot accept your entry. You must be able to prove you spent no longer than 48-hours on your film. We cannot be held responsible for entries lost in the post. We recommend those wishing to enter by post use Royal Mail Special Delivery

For special delivery services, the post office will provide you with two documents: a receipt (if not, demand one as you will need it) and also the other half of the special delivery slip. YOU MUST RETAIN BOTH. The receipt will have the date and time of your entry and the special delivery slip allows us to verify who sent the package. Remember, the time and date on your post office receipt must not exceed your 48-hour deadline. This will be deemed a fail (even if there was a massive queue at the post office!).

Should we request proof of postage from your team, you must present BOTH documents from the post office either by fax, email scan or post). We will not chase up lost entries. This is your responsibility.

Postal entries should be addressed to: The 48-Hour Movie Challenge, Odeon Cinemas, Merry Hill Centre, Brierley Hill, DY5 1SY

No postal entries recieved after Wednesday 6th September 2006 will be accepted.

What are the rules for the competition?

Click here

Can anybody enter?

Yes!

How many members are allowed per team?

As many as you want.

Do I have to register online in order to participate?

No, you can just turn up on the day but, should there be any last minute changes, signing up for our newsletter will ensure you are the first to know. All team entries are made in person, at the cinema, on the day.

Does all of my team have to go to the cinema to register?

No! In fact to keep numbers under control at the cinema we ask that a maximum of two members per team go to their participating cinema (but we won't turn any one away). The team members who come to the cinema can register their other team members without the need for them to be present.

Does it cost anything to enter?

£20 per team of which all profits go to charity.

Where exactly is my entry fee going?

Website running, documentation printing, advertising (kept to a minimum), associated set-up costs (e.g. telephone calls, license applications), cinema screen and staff hire, prize money, editing and viewing of all entries etc. and beer money for when it is all done and dusted. Whatever is left over goes to charity which last year we raised £320 for good causes. This is a non-profit event aimed at boosting the UK film industry. Any money we raise for charity is a bonus. Don't forget you are guaranteed to have your film shown on the big screen at the ODEON Merry Hill Centre providing you don't break any rules.

Is there a prize?

Yes! We have a first prize of £500* for the best film as chosen by our panel of judges.

*estimatation based on 2005

Will any money be going to charity?

Yes, all profits from the event will be going to a local charity selected by the cinema taking part. Full details of every charity that is being supported will be made available on this site as and when participating cinemas are confirmed.

Can I pay my entry fee over the Internet so you can send me my film title/genre etc. via email?

We are looking at an internet-only competition for those that can't/are too stubborn to travel, but this will be on a different date with different rules, procedures and prizes. You might as well just drive to the Midlands and take part in this years event - then it is a TRUE challenge! We will only accept payment in person on the day.

What format does my completed film need to be in?

We can only accept MiniDV and DVD in PAL format. Please ensure DVD's are authored correctly and have no region or copy-protection systems enabled nor have any menus or secret codes to access the discs! Also, DO NOT buy cheap blank DVD discs as these - even if they may play smoothly on your set-up - may not play correctly on ours. Go with a quality brand such as VERBATIM to ensure compatibility. Do not send us your master copies as entries will not be returned.

We are sorry, we cannot accept any other formats for submission. Last year though, all entries were made on either DVD or MiniDV (even though we accepted other formats at the time) so it should not be a problem to most.

Where possible, send your film entry in mutiple formats (e.g. MiniDV and DVD) so that should one format not play/goes missing/gets broken, we have a back-up without needing to contact you.

I live in..... and I have a cinema nearby. Can I register there?

Not for this years competition as the event will be held only at the ODEON (formerly UCI) cinema at the Merry Hill Centre, Dudley.. Next year though, we will provide a full list of participating cinemas.

I have some great music CD's - can I use them as a soundtrack for my film?

Yes. Providing you own all copyright permissions or have a license to use the music. You will be required to sign a release form on return of your completed film acknowledging this. This way, if you use music illegally you'll get sued rather than us.

I don't even know how to start making my own film!

Start by reading our Hints and Tips section. Also, for more detailed guides and tutorials on different aspects of film-making check out our parent site www.stormforcepictures.com

How graphic can my film be?

What kind of film are you planning on making?!! We want you to have as much freedom as possible when making your film so it can be a fluffy, family-friendly farce or it can be a violent, cheesy horror flick - the choice is yours. However, we do have licensing rules to uphold so if you choose to make a film containing sex, violence, bad language, drug-taking or criminal activity then the maximum strength it can be is for an audience of 15-years and over. This means you can pretty much put whatever you want into your film within reason. To some this is still confusing so I would recommend reading the BBFC guidelines as it explains in more detail what is/is not acceptable at the "15" category. Remember this event is meant to be about the FUN of filmmaking so putting in shocking, graphic content is not what this competition is about.

If my team is disqualified, do I get a refund?

No.

Will I be able to bring all of my friends to the screening of my film?

A certain number of friends/relatives per team will be allowed to the screening day. However, we cannot confirm any numbers as of yet. All guests would have to be over the age of 15.

Can I film at the cinema?

No. The cinema will need to open for business as usual so we can't run the risk of having 100 teams with video equipment running round the place.

What will happen once all films have been completed?

We will need approximately four weeks to edit all films into a viewable format. Once this is done, a schedule will be produced online letting you know when your film will be shown. After all screenings have taken place, there will be a prize-winners screening for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places plus several other films that we think were particularly good.

I have a comment/question/bitch about this event. Who can I contact?

Send us an email at info@48hourmovie.com We usually respond to all emails within 24-hours.

I am interested in sponsoring this event

Please contact us at info@48hourmovie.com with your details

I'm still not sure whether to enter. Do you have any footage from the 2005 event?

Of course! We have the screening montage which uses all 33 completed films or we have the raw footage of initial reactions on the day of registration. Both clips will have you gagging for this years competition!

What the hell does F.A.Q. mean?

Frequently Asked Questions!