Mackenzie McGrath, Campus Carrier asst. arts and living editor

There’s a unique kind of thrill in knowing you have only 48 hours to create something from nothing, with no second chances and a ticking clock that never stops. Viking Fusion’s 48-Hour Film Challenge isn’t just about filmmaking, it’s about pushing limits, embracing the unexpected and discovering what can happen when a group of people come together to make magic happen under pressure. It’s a race against time, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Viking Fusion organizes the annual 48-Hour Film Challenge, which is primarily made up of Fusion staff members, although there are teams that don’t have any direct connection to Fusion. Many teams bring in individuals from outside Viking Fusion. This year, one team was composed entirely of people who had never worked as staff at Viking Fusion before; they were simply participating in the challenge, a tradition they had been part of for years. Over time, the 48-Hour Film Challenge has become a staple event. This year, there are around four teams, with each team consisting of a maximum of ten people. The production teams are carefully divided, ensuring that the members are spread across the teams in a specific and organized manner.

The 48-Hour Film Challenge is an intense competition where teams have just 48 hours to write, shoot, and edit a short film. The challenge includes a unique twist: participants must incorporate three random elements drawn at the start: a genre, a prop and a line of dialogue. The teams are given the entire weekend to pull it all together and submit their finished film by Sunday at 5:00 p.m.. This year, the genre was thriller, the prop was grapes, and the line of dialogue was “Just what the doctor ordered.” At 5 P.M. Friday, these elements were selected, and from that point on, each team had exactly 48 hours to write a script, film and edit their movie, ensuring the required elements were included. If a team fails to submit their film by the 5 p.m. deadline, they are disqualified. The films are then judged by professors from the communication department.

This year, the challenge ran from April 11th to 13th. The competition must be held on Berry College’s campus, with the film viewing taking place at McAllister Auditorium. During the challenge, all participants gather to collect the props, then break off to work on their films individually. On Sunday, everyone comes back together to watch the completed films as a collective group.

“You can film anywhere your heart desires honestly,” Katie Grace Scaramuzzo, sophomore assistant news reporter at Viking Fusion, said. “Most people stay on campus, but last year, we filmed at Walmart for a scene, and Roger Thomas shot his film in the woods at his house. It’s all about being creative with locations and what fits best for your film. Viking Fusion organizes the event, but each team figures out their own roles. In my team, we pretty much work on everything together. Writing, filming, directing, but some teams have a specific director, and camera operators.”

The competition is often appealing to students outside of the communications major because of the creativity aspect of it. Most art majors and arts-centered people in general are intrigued by the idea of creating a work in a strict time frame.

“It really forces people to push their creativity, but also in a controlled manner. You only have 48 hours and you’re within these three parameters,” Kate Powell, sophomore news reporter at Viking Fusion, said. “You have these things that you have to do and you have a very strict time frame that you have to do it in. So, it really just forces you to learn time management and also how to use that time wisely.”

The 48-Hour Film competition takes a lot of planning on the director’s part, as well as behind the scenes within Viking Fusion.  

“A lot of people probably don’t realize how much planning goes into this, especially behind the scenes,” Scaramuzzo said. “This year, we had trouble finding a weekend that worked with everything else going on—Improvathon, other shoots and just the month of March. Plus, the whole process of checking out equipment and then getting it all back to its original spot is a lot of work!”

A crowd favorite short film from the competition in past years was called “Small Town Serenade,” which Scaramuzzo was involved in.

“It was our first time doing the challenge, and honestly, we were all just figuring things out as we went,” Scaramuzzo said. “None of us had any experience with the 48-Hour Film Challenge, and half of our team were freshmen or just new to it in general, so we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. Despite that, we ended up having a really fun weekend. It was less about trying to make something perfect and more about enjoying the process together. We spent a lot of time joking around, learning from each other, and just rolling with the punches. Sure, there were a few stressful moments, but it never felt like work. It was more like just hanging out as friends, getting to know each other better, while getting to explore this world we had made up for our film. Winning Fan Favorite was a nice bonus, but honestly, it was the experience and the memories that made it worth it. I think the best part was knowing that everyone in our team, no matter how new or experienced they were, came together and just had a great time with the film.”

The 48-Hour Film Challenge is more than just a competition, it’s an opportunity for creativity, teamwork and growth. The unique blend of tight deadlines, random elements, and the necessity to adapt on the fly pushes participants to think outside the box, forcing them to make the most of their time and resources. While the challenge certainly tests their skills and abilities, it’s also a chance to build lasting memories and bonds with teammates. Whether they win an award or not, the real prize for many is the joy of the creative process, the laughter shared and the satisfaction of having pushed their limits in a supportive environment. The experience becomes something far greater than just the films, it’s a celebration of creativity, teamwork and the spirit of taking on a challenge together.