Organisers of the hectic V 48-Hours film competition say people from all over the country are looking forward to seeing what film-makers in Queenstown and the wider region can come up with next weekend.
Otago and Southland organiser Craig Storey said the region's 56 teams -including three from Queenstown - represented a "significantly powerful group of very competitive teams", who had among their ranks a previous national winner and at least three returning local winners.
Numbers for the area were up 13% from last year, and alongside a few "noobs" [newcomers] about 65% of last year's competitors were back for more action.
"We have some veteran teams in Queenstown and ... people are looking at what's coming out of the South Island with great interest," Mr Storey said.
"They punch above their weight and really are quite resourceful."
Nationwide, the competition launches into action on Friday, May 20, at 6.55pm when teams are told the genre and compulsory elements for their films. They then have 48 hours to write, shoot and edit their one to seven-minute creations.
"There's some things you can prepare for, but still not much,"Mr Storey said.
Most teams will receive their instructions at the Logan Park High School auditorium in Dunedin, but film-makers in Queenstown receive theirs in text messages from a 48-Hours "minion" at exactly the same time and must hand their film to a justice of the peace by 7pm on Sunday.
Queenstown man Stu Rogers is this year competing in his sixth competition with a team of between eight and 12 people. He loves what he describes as "an intense 48 hours".
"The first year we entered was probably the most fun, but that year the computer managed to crash just as we made the final edit, so we were devastated."
Mr Rogers works as a skydiving photographer, and had previously gained video editing skills which had become a "fun side-project".
"And then V 48-Hours came along and provided something a little bit more serious, but still a bit of fun and a creative outlet."
He said not knowing what your genre would be was terrifying - "particularly when you draw genres like musicals" - but it was all part of the experience, just like the lack of sleep.
"Myself, I won't go to bed until about three or four on the Saturday morning writing, maybe get four hours sleep, and maybe another four the next night. It takes a lot out of you with writing and editing and driving around and trying to make the most of the available light for shooting - which is less in Queenstown."
Although the registration cut-off date had passed, Mr Storey said allowances could be made for late entrants.
"The closing date shifts from year to year so I am allowing late registrations, but they had better come packing some heat."
