My friend JR participated in this year's 48 Hour Film Project. The 48 Hour Film Project is just what it sounds like: teams are given a prop and a character that must be included in the film, they draw their genre out of a hat on Friday night, and they have 48 hours -- until Sunday night -- to write, film, and edit a short film.

(This year in DC, the prop was a fire extinguisher, the line was "This is absolutely the last time," and the character was Tim Tate, gay glassblower extraordinaire.)

The results, as you might imagine, are mixed, but you have to admire all these teams for trying. The top films coming out of the project are much better than you might think. I know; I saw 12 of the "Best of the 48-Hour Film Project" at the AFI theater in Silver Spring last week.

JR's team did notably well in the "Horror" genre -- one of the most difficult genres, second only perhaps to "Musical or Western." (The only other horror film in the Best Of was more of a comedy about incompetent ghosts.) Their film, "Under the Bed," about a woman and the bogeyman under her bed (or in her head?), was a creepy thing with little dialogue and lots of music to make you tense -- I actually did jump out of my seat! You can watch "Under the Bed" here.

The DC area winner (Best Film, among other honors) was "Owensville," in the family movie genre; it's a sweet and funny story about a young man who wants to be a Mormon missionary, but doesn't know how to ride a bike, and the young woman who befriends him, and has a fear of her own that she may or may not overcome with his help.

You can watch the movie on the official Owensville website.

Update: I just found out my friend Adam participated in the Atlanta 48 Hour Film Project! You can watch his movie (in which he stars!), "Washed Up," in Windows Media format or Real Player.