Krystin Cline

First things first!

Have you ever heard of the 48 Hour Film Project?

If your answer is YES, kudos to you!

If not, the best way to describe it is a whirlwind weekend of tight deadlines, a love of the craft of filmmaking, an appetite for team building and bonding and a love for creativity. What more could film aficionados ask for? Oh, there’s also a screening on the “big screen” for each team soon after the weekend of filming!

In 2015, over 130 cities will compete in the Worldwide 48 Hour Film Project from Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas!

How does it work? A team is formed and over one weekend, a short film (under 8 minutes, including a minute of credits) is written, filmed, edited and submitted within 48 hours! You might be saying “Are you kidding me”? NO, this is really how it works!

What’s the procedure? On Friday evening, in an orderly fashion, each team randomly picks a “genre”, (in San Diego there was a giant “plinko board” that teams took turns at), after which all teams are assigned the same line, character and prop that MUST be included in their film. For this 48 Hour Film Project. We’ll get to Team XX ‘ challenge soon!

Read more about the San Diego 48 Hour Film Project, which took place July 24-26, 2015. The event is Produced by Duane Trammell and Robyn Sarvis, and the website includes information about the Project, the film “Premiere” Screenings August 10-13, the “Best Of” Screenings and the wrap party August 22nd.

Producer/Director Sue Vicory, of Heartland Films (www.suevicory.com, Sue Vicory, IMDB Link) formed, Executive Produced and Directed the first “all-female” 27 member “Team, XX” film titled “Down Stage” for the 2015 San Diego 48 Hour Film Project.

Executive Producer/Director of Team XX film “Down Stage”- Sue Vicory

“Down Stage”, a Holiday Film, will screen with 12 other film entries in Group A at 6:30 p.m., plus about 13 films in Group B at 9:00 p.m. at Reading Cinemas Gaslamp 15 on 701 5th Ave. in the Downtown Gaslamp District of San Diego (92101) on Monday, August 10, 2015. Tickets are $15 for the “Premiere” Screenings and $20 for the “Best Of” screenings. Tickets

Like Team XX on Facebook, Follow Team XX on Twitter (@teamxxsd) and Instagram (@teamxxsd)

Team XX Poster for “Down Stage” Design by Holly Rone

: Team XX at the Horton Grand Theatre. Photo by Nannette DeRobertis

Vicory had several “bonding” meetings with most of the 27 members of the cast and crew (mostly from Southern California) a few weeks before the actual filming weekend. One such meeting had the 10 actresses, performing in a “mock talent show” audition which featured a variety of techniques, such as monologues, singing, dancing and improv.

With Vicory and a few Team XX’ers present, Team XX Assistant Director Jen Allen drew the genre “Holiday Film” for Team XX at the “kickoff” event at Liberty Station on Friday evening, August 24. The designated line for all teams was “Sometimes that’s (or that is) all you need”, the prop to be used was a “flashlight” and the character was to be either “Alan or Alice Downing, a Coach”.

Team XX writers included Sariann Monaco, Talia Pauletti and Holly Rone. The multigenerational writing team cranked out the “Down Stage” script about Mother’s Day within a few hours from Friday evening into Saturday early morning at Vicory’s seaside condo.

Down Stage WRiting Team Left to right: Talia, Holly Rone, Sariann MOnaco — Down Stage Writing Team Left to right: Talia Pauletti,, Holly Rone, Sariann Monaco Photo by SJF Communications

The script was sent digitally to the cast.

Actresses included: Jess Antrobus, Isabel Canzoneri, Jody Catlin, Nancy DeMars, Emmy Farese, Susan Farese, Cat Forrest, Lori Jones, Sariann Monaco, and Holly Rone. Feel free to click on each name and photo.

Jess Antrobus: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm7446240/

Isabel Canzo: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm6553778/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Jody Catlin: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0146198/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Nancy DeMars: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4810368/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Emmy Farese: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2508261/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Susan Farese: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2653515/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Cat Forrest: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3192745/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Lori Jones: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm6097831/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Sariann Monaco: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5616823/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Holly Rone: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3420155/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

The crew included: Sue Vicory: Executive Producer/Director; Lori Jones: Producer, Jen McCleary: Assistant Director; Maidy Morhous: Production Assistant. Amanda Niles: Sound; Angela Wong: Director of Photography; Kymberrly Scott: 2nd A.D.; Krystin Cline: 2nd Camera; Tamara Ilich: Gaffer; Cara Myers: Editor; Natalie Lauer: Production Assistant; Danni Michele: Animation; Nannette DeRobertis: Photographer; Sariann Monaco: Writer; Talia Pauletti: Writer; Holly Rone: Writer; Corrinne Smith: Communications; Pamela Weigelt: Massuese; Miranda Muse: Massuese; Lisa Wintersdorff: Makeup; Crystle Orantez: Hair; Susan Farese: Public Relations. Special Thanks to SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) and Derek Johnston at the Horton Grand Theatre.

Team XX filmed Down Stage at the Horton Grand Theatre throughout Saturday, August 25th. In the meantime, editor Cara Myers began the editing process from her hotel suite at the Horton Grand Hotel as soon as Saturday’s footage became available and into Sunday with only one “pickup” of a voiceover on Sunday morning. Serendipitously, the “7 minute 29 second” completed film, “Down Stage” was turned in to the 48 Hour Film Project at 7:29 p.m.

Some members of Team XX at tour of the Horton Grand Hotel

"That's a Wrap"- Team XX after filming at the Horton Grand Theatre (with Derek Johnston) — “That’s a Wrap”- Team XX after filming at the Horton Grand Theatre (with Derek Johnston)

I asked Sue Vicory about her experience with Team XX and the 48 Hour Film Project. Vicory stated “The passion within this group was palpable. We each brought our A Game to the production. Collaboration is a natural strength for women and it shows up clearly on the screen of our first film, “Down Stage”.

Down Stage will have a Premiere Screening with over 20 other films on Monday, August 10th at starting at 6:30 at the Reading Cinemas Gaslamp 15, 701 5th Ave. San Diego, 92121. Here is the Ticket Link. Note: You must purchase tickets online, there will be no ticket purchases at the theatre.