DC Filmmakers Win Trip to Cannes Film Festival, Make Film, Win Contest
WASHINGTON, DC (May 17, 2016) A worldwide competition created a whirlwind of excitement for brothers Austin and Meredith Bragg and “The Big Honkin’” a team of DC filmmakers. Thanks to their success in the DC 48 Hour Film Project, they were invited to compete in a filmmaking competition, along with 24 other teams. When they won the first level in this competition (sponsored by HP, le Petit Studio and the 48 Hour Film Project) the team was tasked with creating a bicontinental short film. Things did not turn out the way they planned.
In order to make the film, the 6-person team was awarded a prize that includes round-trip airline tickets to France, lodging, a meal stipend, and a €1,000 budget for filming expenses. Half of the film was to be made in DC, with the other half filmed at the Cannes Film Festival. The DC shoot went smoothly. The competition, the HP Masters of the Short Film “Wake Up in Cannes” is a timed competition. The team had only a 3-day window in Cannes to shoot and edit the second half of their 3.5-minute film. Unfortunately their flight was delayed. They arrived 24 hours late, which put them way behind on their shoot. With no sleep at all, they took to the streets of Cannes to shoot their film.
They turned in their film on Monday. The black tie awards ceremony was held that same day. The Big Honkin’s film, “The Driver”, was selected as the Grand Prize winner. The team, delirious from having almost no sleep for 3 days, accepted the trophy, overcome by emotion. The team won an HP ZBook Studio Mobile Workstation. They also received VIP access to the red carpet premier of “Nice Guys” where they sat just a few rows from Ryan Gosling and Russell Crow. According to Austin Bragg, “We never dreamed that this would happen. It’s been crazy, fun. Exhausting, but worth it.”
For Information Contact:
Liz Langston