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Shootout

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72 Hour Shootout

**Big Changes Ahead! 🚀 Film Lab is taking a break until Spring 2025 for an exciting reorg! In the meantime, the 72 Hour Shootout lives on—now licensed to the 72 Hour Film Network so the competition stays on track! 🎬🔥**

The Film Lab created the 72 Hour Shootout filmmaking competition to break glass ceilings!

For almost two decades, the Film Lab’s 72 Hour Shootout filmmaking competition (the “Shootout”), an annual, global filmmaking competition, has celebrated diversity in front of and behind the camera.  

Teams competed for access to a year of free educational and networking events, mentorships with executives at major networks, cash, prizes and the chance to have their films screened at film festivals, both nationally and internationally, and on television.  The top 50 films from the Shootout aired across the country on the tv series Film Lab Presents

The Shootout takes place in early June! Registration opens online March 1st.

The top 50 films were showcased in Film Lab’s TV series Film Lab Presents and the top 100 on AAFL TV

IMPORTANT DATES:

March 1: Registration would open online at www.film-lab.org. Register early for early bird specials and access to the Spring Filmmaking How-To Workshop Series.

The last Film Lab-run 72 Hour Shootout Launch Party was in June of 2024, live in NYC and virtual anywhere in the world: Food, drinks, swag, the last minute chances to build your Shootout teams, and the announcement of the THEME of the 72 Hour Shootout!!!!!!!!!! 

72 hours later…: All films are due and Vimeo or retransfer download links must be sent to Shootout@filmlab.org

July/August: Launch Party for the Asian American International Film Festival. The top ten Shootout films will premiere at the festival. This is a chance to meet other filmmakers and network.

July/August: Special Private Screening & Cocktail Reception in Manhattan for Judges, Sponsors and Top Three Filmmakers.

July/August: The Top Ten Films Premiere at the Asian American International Film Festival.

The top 50 films were showcased in Film Lab’s award-winning TV series Film Lab Presents in the fall!

More Press

2021 Backstage Magazine

72 Hour Shootout Archives

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

Want to see all the films?  Subscribe to our Shootout channel (for free!) here.  We’ll also do the top ten on the AAFL TV channel.  Subscribe for free here.  

The Shootout is a Registered Trademark of the Film Lab

All Rights Reserved

(c) The Film Lab

2021 – BE A HERO

https://www.asianamericanfilmlab.com/72-hour-shootout/72-hour-shootout-gallery/2021-72-hour-shootout-be-a-hero/

2020 – GOING VIRAL

https://www.asianamericanfilmlab.com/72-hour-shootout/2020-72-hour-shootout/

2019: BALANCING ACT
https://www.asianamericanfilmlab.com/72-hour-shootout/2019-72-hour-shootout/

2018:  NO MORE
https://www.asianamericanfilmlab.com/72-hour-shootout/72-hour-shootout-gallery/2018-72-hour-shootout/

https://www.asianamericanfilmlab.com/72-hour-shootout/72-hour-shootout-gallery/2017-72-hour-shootout/

2016: LOSE THE LABELS

https://www.asianamericanfilmlab.com/72-hour-shootout/72-hour-shootout-gallery/2016-72-hour-shootout/

2015

https://www.asianamericanfilmlab.com/72-hour-shootout/72-hour-shootout-gallery/2015-72-hour-shootout/

The 72 Hour Shootout is a global filmmaking competition for everyone from novices to established filmmakers. Filmmaking teams are given a common theme at the start of the Shootout (usually 8pm EST, the first Thursday of June) and then have 72 hours to write, shoot, edit, and complete short films up to five minutes in length.

For two decades, the Film Lab and the Shootout have provided a platform for faces, voices and stories too often marginalized, whitewashed or silenced by mainstream media. Registrants can obtain screen tests and mentorships from major TV networks and established industry professionals to help develop their careers and the top ten films screen at the AAI Film Festival, on the TV series "Film Lab Presents," and are promoted online via AAFL TV.

Every year, registration opens online in MARCH and the Film Lab runs a series of workshops between March and June, free for registrants, to teach basic filmmaking skills and help people network and form teams. The events are livestreamed for registrants around the globe.

The actual 72 hours of filming takes place in June with the winning films premiering at the Asian American International Film Festival in July under the auspices of and in collaboration with Asian CineVision. This program was made possible, in part, due to the generous support of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council