By Margaret A. McGurk
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The 48 Hour Film Project returns to Greater Cincinnati Aug. 6-8, when some two dozen teams will compete to write, shoot and edit the best short film in two days.

Last year, hundreds of filmmakers, professionals to beginners, took part in the event. The top winner was CIA Holes by Team Stupid Johnny, many of them veterans of the local feature Three Barbecues.

This year's contest kicks off at 7 p.m. Aug. 6. when each team will draw a character, prop, line of dialogue and genre to be used in a movie four to eight minutes long, to be delivered by 7 p.m. Aug. 8.

Completed films will be shown the following weekend at Northern Kentucky University's Greaves Hall, according to project co-founder Liz Langston.

Teams must submit entry forms, with a nonrefundable $25 fee, by July 23, but early birds have an advantage: The first 10 entries received are automatically accepted. Remaining teams are selected in a random drawing.

Download entry forms at: www.48hourfilm.com; e-mail questions to Langston at E-mail: liz@48hourfilm.com or local coordinator Shawn Adams at E-mail: shawn@redparis.com.

E-mail: mmcgurk@enquirer.com.