On February 17th, a group of talented and enthusiastic creatives will walk into Fisher Bennett Hall at 5 p.m., anxiously anticipating the 48 hours of filmmaking ahead of them. For certain participants, it will be their first time collaborating on a film from start to finish. For others, this will be the chance to embrace their passion and practice what they hope to pursue for the rest of their lives.
Kathy and Emory Van Cleve will eagerly welcome the Penn student participants to fill the room with their creative energies. There, they will be divided into teams of around seven students and will be given the guidelines and prompt before embarking on their productions. Each team will have an array of members equipped with different skill sets and backgrounds in film production, but they all have one unifying goal—to produce a film from idea to execution in only 48 hours. They'll submit their films on the evening of February 19th at 5 p.m., with screenings for audience members at 8 p.m. sharp at Platt Student Performing Arts House.
Participating teams will overcome adversities in both production and collaboration during this challenge, but the real victory will be the money raised by the Kinoki Senior Society through ticket sales and donations for the non-profit Arts Equality and its annual 10 Day Film Challenge. Arts Equality seeks to close the achievement gap in the arts professions and industry for female and minority artists and to “level the playing field in high school fine, practical, and performing arts by providing a fair and equal arts competition in a free, comprehensive competition in their area of study.”
Kinoki’s Senior President and former Street writer Hallie Brookman organized the 48 Hour Film Challenge, which is the senior society’s first philanthropic event. Hallie remarks, “It’s been a really rewarding experience being the president this year, because we are still in the process of finding our identity on campus.” The Kinoki Society has been searching for a way to give back to the entertainment community that they interact with, and Hallie thinks bringing the entertainers within the Penn community together for a thrilling challenge is the perfect way to do it.
“The process really varies," Hallie says. "Each team will probably do it in different ways. They can stay up all 48 hours to make it if they want or they might divide the work up in different ways.”
The Kinoki Society encourages all to view the amazing productions that Penn students will produce and to witness the history of Kinoki's first philanthropic event. Food and drinks will be served to audience members, and the winning teams will receive special prizes. Tickets to attend the screenings at Platt Student Performing Arts House cost $5 and will be available on the walk starting February 13th, at the door, or through contacting any current Kinoki member. Payments are accepted through cash or Venmo and any additional donations are encouraged to be made to 1(914) 874-7620 with the caption “48 Hour Film Challenge.”
