Actors' Loft Team from Royal Oak Ready to Make a Movie in 48 Hours

A team from the Actors’ Loft in Royal Oak – which offers acting classes and other services – will be among more than 60 local teams participating in the global 48 Hour Film Project, starting tonight.

The teams will set out starting Friday night to make a film within a 48-hour timeframe – given only a genre, one character, one line and a prop. All of the films will be screened next week at the Royal Oak , July 27 and July 28.

“The exciting part is you basically make a film over the weekend and in less than a week your film is showing on the big screen,” said Mike Madigan, the Detroit producer for the project.

The Actors' Loft team won the Audience Choice award last year and is participating in the project again this year.

Actors’ Loft partners George Greenough and Hugh Gall live in Royal Oak.

“For us it’s an opportunity for our students and our associates to continually work on their craft,” Greenough said.

He said participants essentially start Friday night “with a blank sheet of paper” and must develop ideas, write a script, film and complete all aspects of post-production including editing, music and credits.

“You get to experience a lot of things in a very short time frame,” Greenough said. “It is intense but it’s a very enjoyable experience.”

The Actors’ Loft office on South Main Street will be the team’s base of operations this weekend, with work starting Friday night and lasting “until who knows,” Greenough laughed. The completed film must be turned in by 7:30 p.m. Sunday – with no exceptions.

“I think most people, particularly people who are involved in this industry, are very creative people and want an opportunity to express themselves creatively. They’re all building on their experience,” Greenough said of the participants on his team. “In this business like any other craft you have to constantly hone your craft to get better.”

Tinisha Brugnone, a director and producer with the Actors’ Loft, was part of last year’s team.

“It forces people to be very creative in a short amount of time,” said Brugnone, of Warren. “It’s a very great experience. Plus being able to show the world what we can do as filmmakers in a short amount of time is a great experience as well.”

Brugnone said many of last year’s participants were first-time actors and it provided a chance to experience multiple aspects of filmmaking as well as acquire acting credits.

“I think it’s a good experience and a good thing to have under your belt,” she said. “We work as a team. That’s our goal – to work as a team and put out a nice short film in the process.”

How to view the films

When: Wednesday July 27 and Thursday July 28

Time: 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. screening blocks

Place: Landmark Main Art Theatre, 118 N. Main St., Royal Oak

Tickets: $10 per screening block, $16 for both blocks same night, $25 for all four blocks Wednesday and Thursday

Tickets can be purchased at the Main Art Theatre box office on the night of the screening, no online ticket sales available. Cash and credit cards accepted.