Cochise 48 Is Back Again! Get Ready For This Epic Film Competition!

Cochise 48 is an annual film competition open for students and the general public in Cochise County. Competitors are given a list of criteria, and 48 hours to make a short film. This year it takes place starting March 27th, with films due and awards being given out on Sunday the 29th. Here is everything you need to know about this competition!

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The Competition

There are two divisions available for this competition, the student division, and the open division. The student division is for student's grades k-12, while the open division is open to everyone. Each Division has specific criteria that will be given out on Friday March 27th at 4 pm. The student division will be given a prompt, a prop, and a line of dialogue that's required to be in the film. The open division has an extra element that will be given out during the start of the competition.

In order to participate, all you truly need is a phone camera. You don't need any fancy equipment, just a phone and an idea. While equipment can help, there is so much you can do with modern phone technology.

Submissions are due Sunday March 29th at 4 pm, and after being submitted a panel of judges made up by industry professionals will grade the films. The awards being handed out are Best Actor, Top 3 Films in each division, and Audience Choice.

Nathan Green, a graduated Film and TV student who's participated in Cochise 48 multiple years in a row, gave me some insight into the competition from his perspective.

The time limit kind of even outs the playing field. Since there is only so much you can do in 48 hours, inexperienced film makers aren't completely left in the dust by the more experienced ones, and it gets everyone excited and focused on the same goal.

This competition gives a space and a time frame for creative minds to come up with some of their best work. People also learn new things about the film making process along the way. 48 hours may not seem like enough time to make a film, but for years the community has been coming together and proving anything is possible.

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What Makes It So Special

This competition gives people of all ages and skill levels in our community a chance to show off their creativity. Not only that, but any money made from registration and the awards ceremony will be given directly to the Buena High School Film and TV program. When you participate, either as a film maker or a viewer, you are directly supporting students learning about movie making.

Timothy Ingold, the film teacher at Buena High School is one of the great minds behind this competition. He gave me some great information about why the competition came to be.

Cochise 48 was created as a fun filmmaking opportunity for the community. It's a platform designed to support students as they pursue their artistic talents/skills. There's a student division so they can compete against their friends, but also an open division so that even after they graduate, they can come back and make more movies.

Mr. Ingold isn't the only person I talked to about this competition. Franklin, the current student president of the Buena Film/Tv program told me this-

Cochise 48 was my introduction to film making and sparked my passion, not only in front and behind the scenes, but it helped me find my creativity IN the camera.

This film competition is one of a kind because it helps support local youth looking to be a part of the industry. It also inspires the general public to get out of their comfort zone and make something they can be proud of.

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Remember, Cochise 48 is open to the general public, no matter your age. If you interested in participating signups are available on their website.