Kyaw Tha Hla & Jeff Clinkenbeard announce "SATO 48 - 2008" the 3rd annual film challenge where filmmakers from Springfield And The Ozarks (SATO) form teams to compete in creating a five-minute short film over the course of a single weekend - 48 hours.

The SATO 48 - 2008 challenge will take place over the weekend of Friday, April 18, 2008 through Sunday, April 20, 2008.

None of the teams will know what their film must be about until they all open, simultaneously, a secret envelope (the "Inspiration Package"), which describes the criteria of the short film.  Last year's "Inspiration Package" involved using the number "13," storylines that involved being very lucky and very un-lucky, as well as prohibiting the use of any guns -- not by sight, not by sound, and not by reference.

Once the filmmakers have received their "Inspiration Package," it is then up to each of the individual filmmaking teams to interpret the criteria, produce their 5-minute film, and deliver it within the 48-hour time limit.

All films, completed in accordance with the rules of the challenge, will be screened at The Moxie Cinema the next weekend -- Saturday, April 26, 2008, and Sunday, April 27, 2008.

In addition, the "SATO 48 - 2008 Local Selection Committee" -- made up of local civic, business, government, education, arts, media, and community leaders -- will screen every completed film, and then select ten (10) films to represent Springfield and the Ozarks for judging by the "SATO 48 - 2008 International Judging Panel".

The SATO 48 - 2008 International Judging Panel is a group of filmmaking professionals from around the world who will evaluate each film in the categories of:  direction, screenwriting, editing, art direction, cinematography, sound, music, acting, and best use of the Inspiration Package (Best Film).

The International Judging Panel's decisions will be announced at the "SATO 48 - 2008 Awards Ceremony" where the winning films will be given cash prizes, and other recognition.

SATO 48 - 2008 is open to anyone who is up to the challenge.  There is no restriction on age of the participants, size of the team, or type of equipment used (however, the finished film must be delivered as a DVD with AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS files present).

Registration will begin soon.

Filmmakers are encouraged to start now with the organizing of their team: screenwriter, director, producer, sound recordist, production assistants, etc., scouting locations, sourcing music (only music which the filmmakers have created in the 48-hour period, or music to which they hold the copyright, can be used), and securing actors (a minimum of two actors are required).

Animators may use existing models (clay, computer-generated, cut-out, etc.), but must have at least two voice performances in their film.

SATO 48 filmmakers from last year's challenge will also be headlining a panel discussion focused on "shooting well, quickly" as part of this year's 2008 Show-Me Missouri Film Festival, on Saturday, February 16, 2008.

THE ORGANIZERS:

KYAW THA HLA & JEFF CLINKENBEARD have collaborated on many projects over the past twenty-five years.  Among them, Springfield's entry in the Simpson's Movie Premiere Contest this past summer; "Ripple," starring Marcia Cross & Anthony Michael Hall, a short film which screened at the Sundance Film Festival; "Brotherly LoveS," the premiere production of Elysabeth Kleinhans' Animated Theaterworks; "The Coils of Death," a full-length comedy billed as a "giant monster movie on stage" which was Los Angeles Magazines Pick of the Month; and "A Baptist Boy Trapped In A Jewish Boys Body," a one-man show which Backstage called "beautifully funny...  perceptive...  original and intelligently witty" and was awarded a "Manhattan Association of Cabarets" award.   And, of course, the premiere of SATO 48 in 2006, and SATO 48 - 2007.

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Hlabeard Productions