HOW IT WORKS

  • Assemble Your Team

    Make your short film solo or assemble a team


    Your team can include any combination of roles, but you will need to designate a Team Leader who will act as the main point of contact throughout the competition.

    Participants under the age of 18 are welcome to take part but must have an adult Team Leader aged 18 or over.


  • Register Your Entry

    To take part in the challenge, complete the online registration.

    Please ensure all team details are submitted before the registration deadline.

    Registration Deadline : 2nd July 2026 at 23:59 BST

    Before registering, please make sure you have read through the festival Terms & Conditions.



  • Get Prepared

    Of course, you can wing it if you like, but you may want to start thinking about locations, equipment, props and talent before the brief is announced.

    The best films often come from teams who are ready to move the second the challenge begins.

    You are welcome to organise:

    • locations

    • cast and crew

    • costumes and props

    • equipment

    • production schedules

    before the competition starts.

    Just remember that writing, filming and editing must all take place within the official 48 hour challenge period.


  • The Competition Begins

    At 19:00 BST on Friday 3rd July 2026, the official challenge brief will be released on the 2Day Film Challenge website.

    From that moment, teams will have just 48 hours to write, shoot, edit and submit an original short film.

    Challenge Window

    Starts: Friday 3rd July 2026 at 19:00 BST
    Ends: Sunday 5th July 2026 at 19:00 BST

    Films must be between three and five minutes long, including title card and credits.


  • Submit Your Film

    Once your team has successfully registered, the Team Leader will receive the official 2Day Film Challenge brief via email on 3 July 2026.

    This email will include:
    • The official creative brief
    • Required challenge elements
    • Submission guidelines
    • A private FilmFreeway submission link

    From the moment the brief is released, teams will have 48 hours to write, shoot and edit their film before submitting it via FilmFreeway.

    All completed films must be uploaded before the official submission deadline on 5 July 2026.

  • Cross Your Fingers

    All submitted films will be reviewed by the festival team based on creativity, storytelling, technical ability and originality.

    From these submissions, a Top 20 shortlist will be announced on 10th August 2026.

    The shortlisted films will then undergo a second round of internal review, with the final Top 10 films selected to be presented to our industry judging panel.

    The Top 10 finalists will be announced on 24th August 2026.

  • Gala Final & Winners Ceremony

    The 10 shortlisted teams will be invited to our live gala screening event at LAMDA in West London on 19th September 2026.

    Finalist films will be screened to a live audience of filmmakers, judges and industry guests before the winning teams and Grand Prix winner are announced on the night.

    The gala event is designed to celebrate emerging filmmaking talent and provide finalists with the opportunity to showcase their work on the big screen.


Frequently Asked Questions

Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or reach out anytime. If you’re feeling ready, go ahead and apply.

  • Yes. You can use any camera or recording device you like.

  • Absolutely. Teams can range from solo filmmakers to a full film crew

  • Yes. You are encouraged to organise locations, equipment, cast, props and schedules in advance.

    However, writing, filming and editing must take place within the official 48 hour challenge window.

  • No. Teams are responsible for securing all necessary rights and permissions for music, footage and other copyrighted materials used within their film.

  • Films not in English must include English subtitles.

Participation Pack and Release Form Templates

Participation Pack - PDF

Release Form Templates

Title Card Template - Link

This is a title card template to be added to the beginning of your film. Simply add your Team Name, assigned Line of Dialogue and chosen Prop into the template before including it as the second five-second card in your film.

Submitting Your Signed Participation Pack & Release Forms

  1. Sign the Participation Pack PDF we've provided.

  2. Log in to your FilmFreeway account and open your project (My Projects → View Project).

  3. Scroll down to the Files & Attachments section and click Add File.

  4. Upload your signed Participation Pack and any completed Release Forms as PDFs. Please name your files clearly (e.g. Participation Pack.pdf, Talent Release.pdf, Location Release.pdf).

  5. Click Upload to save the files to your project.

48HR FILM CHALLENGE

03-05 JULY 2026

INDUSTRY LEADERS

48HR FILM CHALLENGE 03-05 JULY 2026 INDUSTRY LEADERS