The Fool’s 48 Short Film Project is one of VCA’s featured community events. Local teams have 48 hours to write, film, and edit a 4–7 minute film. This foolish undertaking is held over April Fool’s weekend. To add a challenge, each team draws a genre from a hat at the Friday evening kickoff event, and all teams must incorporate the same line of dialogue, prop, and location. Monday night we host the Fool’s 48 Film Showcase at the Coyote Twin Theater. It’s always a blockbuster event! Keep up with 2023 updates and notices at Fool’s 48 on Facebook.

Fool’s 48 was inspired by the Fischgaard 48-Hours Filmmaking Competition from Aberdeen, South Dakota.

AND THE SIEVERS GOES TO . . .
Each year, a panel of judges selects a Best Picture recipient and the audience votes for People’s Choice. Starting in 2023, we will be adding Best Picture by USD student team. Winners receive a cash prize and keepsake golden VHS tape. In 2022, we dubbed our golden VHS tapes “the Sievers,” in honor of a dear friend and enthusiastic annual Fool’s 48 participant, Melissa Hamersma-Sievers, who passed away in 2021.

The event kickoff will be Friday, March 31 at 5:30pm in the Coyote Gallery at 12 E. Main. At least one representative from each participating team will need to attend to receive the assigned genres and the required film elements. Teams then have only 48 hours to write, shoot, and edit a short 4–7 minute film. Films must submitted to the Fool’s 48 Google Drive folder by 6:00pm Sunday, April 2. Only films by teams that meet the deadline will be screened in the showcase.

The showcase will be held at the Coyote Twin Theater on Monday, April 3, at 7:00pm. Admission is $5 per person and tickets will be for sale starting Friday, March 31.

The VCA is exceptionally thankful to Ebsen House Productions for annual technical assistance.