Filmmaking Rules

On this page you’ll find all the rules in regards to the actual filmmaking. Give them a read, the last thing that you or we want is to disqualify your film. They’re here to ensure fair competition and eligibility.

These rules are more about the creative part of the 48HFP. Need something else? Check out the Competition Rules!

The 48 Hour Film Project Organizers may add to or amend these rules at any time prior to the beginning of the Official Time Period.

  1. Times

    The Four Points Film Project (4PFP) will occur World-Wide the weekend of [project:label-weekend].

    The Four Points Film Project competition period begins [project:filming-starts-date] at 7:00pm and ends on [project:filming-stops-date] at Midnight. All times are referenced to each participant’s local time zone. This is the Official Time Period.

    The participating group or team must complete its film/video work in time to upload to cinema48.com no later than 11:59 PM on Monday, November 16th. Paperwork must be uploaded no later than noon on Tuesday, November 17th.

    All submitted films will be placed online in screening groups and be eligible for Audience Choice. There will be two rounds of Audience Choice voting, with the winners from the first round competing against each other for the title of Audience Choice for the entire Four Points Film Project.

  2. Creative Process

    All creativity must take place during the Official Time Period.  Any creative work in advance of the competition weekend is prohibited. Creative work includes, but is not limited to:

    • Writing the script
    • Casting (of roles)
    • Rehearsing
    • Costume/Set Design
    • Shooting
    • Editing
    • Sound Design
    • Rendering
    • Outputting to USB drive or other media

  3. Preparation

    The only work to begin prior to the Official Time Period is:

    • Organizing Crew
    • Organizing Cast
    • Securing Equipment
    • Scouting/Securing Locations

  4. Footage

    Every frame of your film MUST contain footage shot or created in the Official Time Period. This is "core footage."

    "Supporting footage," or footage shot or created BEFORE the Official Time Period (including stock footage that is part of a special effect) may be placed over or under the core footage, as long as every frame of your film contains some amount of core footage and the assembling of the core footage with the supporting footage occurs during the Official Time Period.

    Animation, titles, and special effects can be considered core footage if it is created during the Official Time Period. (see Rule Y relating to footage created using Artificial Intelligence.)

    Supporting footage MAY NOT include people or other performers unless the supporting footage was shot during a previous 48HFP Official Time Period for a previously-submitted 48HFP film.

    Still photos are permitted as core footage. The still photos do not need to be created during the Official Time Period. Note: Still photos created outside of the Official Time Period being used in a sequence to create the illusion of motion are not acceptable as core footage, but are acceptable as supporting footage.

    You must have rights to any footage or photos used in your film. A 48HFP Materials Release is required for all materials, photos, and/or footage not created in the Official Time Period.

  5. Kickoff Event

    To be officially eligible for competition:

    • The Team Leader must e-mail to the 4PFP organizers a completed copy of the Team Leaders Agreement before the Kickoff Event. A team may not participate without submitting this agreement.
    • Each eligible team will then receive a Kickoff e-mail at 7:00pm their local time on [project:filming-starts-date]. The Kickoff e-mail will contain two genres from which to choose. Teams may choose either genre for their film. In addition, the line of dialog, character, and prop (required elements) will also be in the Kickoff e-mail.
    • Each team’s film must be in one of the two genres and all of required elements must be included for the film to be eligible for competition.

  6. Required Elements

    Each participating group will be assigned required elements that must appear in its film, such as a genre, a character, a prop and/or a line of dialogue.

    • The required Character must be seen on-screen and it must be clear--either directly shown or by context--who the required character is. The Character name does not have to be said out loud or written on-screen.
    • The required Prop must be seen on-screen. A picture of the required prop is also allowed.
    • The required Line of Dialogue must be used verbatim. It may be spoken, sung and/or written. It may be in any language, though if it is unclear that it is the required Line, there must be a translation.
    • To qualify as an Official Entry, each group's film must be in the genre it selects and must contain all required elements within the official time limit and prior to the credits.

  7. Volunteers

    All cast and crew must be volunteers.

  8. Animal Safety

    Animal safety, like cast and crew safety, is an important part of 48 Hour Filmmaking. Films that result in the death or mutilation of an animal may be disqualified.

  9. Cameras

    Any type of video or film camera may be used. There is no limit to the number of cameras.

  10. Music Rights

    Participating groups are encouraged to work with a composer and/or musicians to write and record music for the films. It is permissible for a participating group to use pre-recorded music; however, the participating group must have the rights to any music used in its film and must provide releases for all music used. As with music, pre-recorded sound effects are allowed, but you must have rights to use them.

    Note: Song parodies (i.e., use of identifiable pre-existing compositions with new or altered lyrics or music) may not be included in the film without a signed release from the composition's rights holder. This rule applies without regard to whether the song parody arguably constitutes fair use under US or international copyright law.

  11. Total Running Time

    The finished film must be a minimum of 4 minutes in duration, and a maximum of 7 minutes in duration—not including end credits. In other words, the official running time begins after the required 48HFP slates and ends prior to the end credits. The required slates and the end credits do not count towards the minimum time of 4 minutes. The film story may not be longer than 7 minutes. 48HFP reserves the right to shorten any film that exceeds the maximum length for screening purposes.

  12. Credits

    Pre-film Required Slates

    Before the finished film begins, the media should have...

    • 5 seconds of black
    • 5 seconds title card with: team name, title, genre, city, and date
    • 5 seconds title card with: This film was made for the Four Points Film Project 2024.
      www.48hourfilm.com/4pfp       OR the animated bumper (6 seconds).
    • 2 seconds of black

    Your film follows this.

    Templates for these titles and the animated bumper can be found on your Team Dashboard. It is not required to use our templates, you can create your own as long as the timing and information remains the same.

    Opening Credits

    After the 2 seconds of black, some films start with opening credits. These are not encouraged, but if you use them, opening credits are considered to be part of the film, and therefore count against the seven-minute maximum. Additionally, if your film has opening credits other than simply the film's title (for example, the names of directors, actors, etc.), you must include one of the following:

    • the text YOUR TEAM NAME presents immediately followed by a Four Points Film Project
    or
    • the text a Four Points Film Project immediately following the title of your film

    Note: a Four Points Film Project may be entirely lowercase (i.e., a four points film project).

    End Credits

    Credits at the end of each film are limited to a maximum of 60 seconds. The 60 seconds is considered additional to the length of the film, as stated above. (That is, a film may be 7 minutes long, with an additional 60 seconds of credits, for a total running time of 8 minutes.) 4PFP reserves the right to shorten any end credits that exceed the maximum length for screening purposes.

    Bloopers and/or behind the scenes are permitted during or after the end credits adhering to the 60 second maximum length.

    The end credits must include the words: This film was made for the Four Points Film Project.
    www.48hourfilm.com/4pfp

    Slates And Credits After The Competition

    For any future screenings, online or otherwise, films should retain the pre-film title card that says: This film was made for the Four Points Film Project 2024. www.48hourfilm.com/4pfp.

  13. Required Media Formats

    If your film does not conform to the submission requirements listed below, it may be disqualified. Also, if your film cannot be viewed on 4PFP equipment, it may be disqualified.

    The maximum accepted file size is 2GB.

    Your film must be submitted in one of the following formats:

    • Preferred: H.264 encoded .mp4
    • Alternate formats: self-contained Quicktime .MOV or Windows .AVI (no proprietary codecs)

  14. Submission Notes

    • The Team Leader for each registered team will receive an e-mail with instructions on how to properly submit their film. It is the responsibility of the Team Leader to ensure submission information is passed along to the team member(s) who will be performing the upload.
    • Films are submitted by uploading them to an online location.
    • We recommend that you make sound levels relatively even throughout your film.

  15. Production Documents

    Each team must secure releases for talent, crew, music and locations (and any other applicable releases), which must be turned in to the project organizers with the finished film/video. The film/video will not be eligible for competition before the Four Points Film Project Organizers receive the signed releases.

  16. Certification Statement

    The Entrant must submit a Certification Statement with his/her completed Entry, certifying adherence to all Official Rules.

  17. Eligibility

    To be eligible for the Project, Entries must be the original work of the Entrant; must not infringe third-party's rights; must be suitable for publication (i.e., may not be obscene or indecent); must not contain obscene or pornographic material; may not contain defamatory statements about any person, company, organization or entity; may not invade privacy or other rights of any person, company or entity; may not in any other way violate applicable laws and regulations; and may not contain any copyrighted elements (other than as owned by the Entrant and/or 48HFP).

    Entries containing prohibited or inappropriate content as determined by the 48HFP, in its sole discretion, to be inappropriate will be disqualified. 48HFP reserves the right to make the final determination as to which Entries are eligible. 48HFP reserves the right to refuse to screen a film or to make an announcement at the screening regarding the content of the film. 48HFP reserves the right to alter a film in order to remove or delete offensive or defamatory content.

  18. Official Film Entry

    To be certified as an Official Film Entry, each participating group's film/video production must follow all rules herein. The Four Points Film Project Organizers reserve the right to make available to the judges and for online Audience Choice voting only certified Official Film Entries.

  19. Entries Not Returned

    No Entries (media or documents) will be returned.

  20. Disqualification

    48HFP and Project Parties may, in their sole discretion, disqualify Entries deemed to be inappropriate or otherwise non-compliant.

    All participating teams (team leaders, team members and team fans) must adhere to all rules regarding filmmaking competition and online Audience Award voting.

  21. Official Winner

    All certified "Official Film Entries" are eligible to compete for the title of "Best Film" of the Four Points Film Project.

  22. Best Special Genre Film of 2024

    All Best of City Special Genre films are eligible to compete globally for the title of Best Special Genre Film of 2024. A panel of independent judges will determine the winners.

  23. Using AI (Artificial Intelligence) in Your 48 Entry

    You may use AI (Artificial Intelligence) in the creation of your film, subject to the following guidelines:

    1. You may only use AI in ways that are legal in your jurisdiction.
    2. You may not use AI to create any part of your entry prior to the Official Time Period.
    3. You must have the rights to all work including work created with AI. In other words, any AI generated material that uses copyrighted material for which the filmmaker does not have a release is not permitted. (As an example, using a screenshot from the movie Pulp Fiction to create a new image is prohibited.)
    4. Any footage created using AI is subject to both: copyright requirements and Rule D regarding footage (above). That is, not only must the filmmaker have rights to the footage, but any footage shot prior to the competition weekend, may only be used as outlined in Rule D.