When they aren't staff for the School of Digital Filmmaking, they arepart of The Initiative, a new production company. And when they are The Initiative what are they up to??? Check it out!

The past couple of weeks have been an exciting one for The Initiativeproduction company, who took on the 48 Hour Film Festival to producetheir first short film.

Thirty-four teams, including The Initiative, came together from allover Brisbane this last Friday 24 Oct. 2008 to the Kick-Off for the 48Hour Film Festival. Each team took turns throwing dice-shaped beachballs into the air to find out what genre they would be filming. JasonSolari, the leader of The Initiative, took to the stage and rolled"Romance".

After every team "rolled" the dice, it was time to announce the"Special Ingredients". Filmmakers, on the edge of their seat, eager tostart, listened intently while the hosts announced, "Character: HadleyJones, door to door missionary, Prop: A sock Puppet and Line ofDialogue: I'll Come Back with Answers." As soon as this was announcedthe 48 Hours began and The Initiative team bolted from their seats,eager and ready to begin the adventure.

For the rest of the night, Jason Solari and Charis Joy Jackson hunchedover their computers, writing away. When they combined theirscreenplays, the quirky romance, "The Film Company" was twelve pageslong and full of comedy.

The next day the team drove to the location, Empower Plus, a stylishoffice building, to start shooting. Filling out the team were fellow GoCentre staff: Juan Haniel Stantiago Martinez as Script Supervisor,Gwendy Carman as 1st Assistant Camera, Mark Fox as Assistant Editor,Jolene Higginson as Gaffer and Chrissy Hildebrand as Production Design.Also helping were Tony Lunnon from CCC Westside as Camera Operator andHannah Dare from Empower Plus. The cast included, Amy Fitzgerald in thelead, Kelly Arndt in the lead, co staring: Jenni Neibling, CameronRabbit, Jacob Turner, David Laverty and Ryan Hernandez. Sixteen hours,several cups of coffee and heaps of pieces of pizza later TheInitiative had the footage they needed. After releasing the patientactors, the crew had everything packed and were on their way back tothe Go Centre, by 11:30pm.

With little rest the night before, Solari and Jonathan Proby launchedinto editing mode and had a rough cut of the film done by early morningSunday. With the rest of the day to edit, the two sat at their desks,an iMac in front of each of them, sweetening the sound and colorcorrecting, while Beau Thorne made coffee and food to keep everyoneawake and Jackson made sure all the paper work was in order.

At 9pm the team drove their final cut of the film to the drop off andcelebrated with a well deserved trip to Macker's, where Gwendy Carmantreated everyone to sundaes.

They now wait for word on the nominees and are excited for theScreenings and Award Nights. "This is our first time to compete in the48 Hour Film Project." Said Solari, when asked if he thought the filmwould win, "We did it for the experience and just to have fun. If wewin, great, but we really did it for the fun."