48 Hour Film Project

When? 18 - 20 sep. 2026
Goal? Make a FILM in 48 hours and attend its PREMIERE SCREENING!!

Movie magic comes to 48 Hour Film Project - Chicago this weekend! Teams of filmmakers will receive their genre and required elements at the Kickoff Friday, then hit the road to write, shoot and edit their short films.

It’s not too late to join the fun! Register your team now!

All completed films will screen at their WORLD PREMIERE! Plan to attend this exciting event, where this weekend’s films will be showcased.

Here are some important notes for 48HFP filmmakers:

Team Leader Agreement: This document must be filled out by the Team Leader and uploaded to the Team Dash page prior to Kickoff. Download the form here. Find upload instructions here.
Kickoff: At least one member of the team must attend the Kickoff event to receive genres and the required elements assignment.
Elements: The required elements include the character, prop and line. (Double check them here 1 hour after kickoff.)
Media: You must submit your film according to the formats listed on your Team Dashboard.
Documents: You must upload the required filmmaker paperwork on Sunday by midnight. Prepare for this and download here.
Rules: Make sure that your film complies with our Filmmaking Rules and Competition Rules. For questions, go to the FAQ.
Weekend Questions: If you have a question during the filmmaking weekend that’s not answered in the rules or FAQ, contact your city producer by phone or text. If you email or message on social media instead, you may not receive an answer in time.
Drop Off: Your film and paperwork must be uploaded to your team page on your Dash.

Be safe! Make great films! Good luck!

See you at Kickoff!

48 Hour Film Project - Chicago

The countdown to KICKOFF has begun…