So you want to make a music video for the upcoming Music Video Showcase, but you don’t have a song, or a band, or experience, or, well, anything. Good news: Fuel Film is on your side.

"Music videos are a very pure form of cinema,” says Fuel Film’s Jim Sposto. “If someone wants to do something experimental, that's great. If someone wants to do a narrative, that's great too." The film education and networking organization will host a 48-Hour Music Video Launch February 24-26. It will be the fourth such program, in which aspiring and experienced filmmakers get together to create a finished short film over the course of a single weekend, that Fuel Film has sponsored, but the first in which music videos were the focus. "We've traditionally had about 100 people participate," he says.

Fuel Film will pick five songs by Memphis musical artists to serve as inspiration for participant’s projects. "We're going to have as many different kinds of acts as possible—many different genres and styles,” says Sposto. “We start at 6 PM on Friday night.” First, 48-Hour participants will pitch their ideas for videos to go along with the songs. We hope we will have a couple of pitches for each song," says Sposto. "You have to come up with a concept that doesn't have to be literal, but has to be cinematic." Then, the assembly will vote on which of the ideas to use for each song. The originators of the winning ideas will become the directors of each of the five videos, other participants will fill the roles of camera, producer, actor, editor, and then they’ll be off to the races, with only two days to stage, shoot and cut a video. “The entire city will be the location,” Sposto says. "There will be lots of opportunities to be creative." The final products will screen on Sunday, March 4 at the Music Video Showcase. 

There’s no better way to learn how to make movies than to just make one, and the 48-Hour Launch programs are great learning experiences for budding filmmakers. Bands interested in getting a music video made should contact Fuel Film ASAP to have their songs considered. If you want to participate as a filmmaker, there are two different options. Act now for the early bird discount and you can get the weekend of fun and education for $30, which includes food and drink for the weekend and a ticket to the screening. For $50, you will also get an all-access VIP pass to the Music Video Showcase. If you wait, the prices will go up $10 for both levels. So send in your songs and get ready to strap on your cameras for a crash course in music video glory!