Just isn't going to work

There is this really cool thing (activity? program? event?) called the 48 hour film fest. There are multiple film fests that take place all over the states. If you have not participated in it, I really think you should. I have played for the last three years and it's been a blast. You do not sleep and it can get crazy.
I guess I should explain. You literally have forty-eight hours to make a film. Write it. Cast it. Film it. Edit it.  In just one weekend.

There of course are some rules. You can't start writing your movie ahead of time, and there are some precautions to help keep that from happening.
Enter the mandatories:
On that Friday at 7 p.m., your team draws a genre. You could get anything from Film de Femme to Buddy Film to Historical, Drama, Horror or even Animal. The list goes on.
Then you are given a character, (including name and characteristic - this is usually an occupation) a prop, and a line of dialogue. All of these items must be incorporated into your film.

If you know what you're doing, Friday night is spent writing, concepting and setting up locations and talent, Saturday is spent filming and Sunday is editing. One year we finished filming by 10 a.m. on Saturday. That was amazing!

So, this year, they have announced the dates. August 6-8. My birthday weekend.
The weekend I turn 30.

And while I think I'm OK with spending the first day of my 30's awake for 48 hours making a movie, I'm afraid that it just isn't to be.

Things aren't working out.

My friend Kyle, who moved to Nashville said he would come down and film for me (be the director of photography). And then he changed his mind. Which is totally cool, I'm not calling him out for that (Except that it WILL be my birthday and all!) He has instead decided to join a team that is much closer to him. At least he's still planning on playing.

I was all pumped to sit around brainstorming up some crazy story with my friend Audreya. We were going to win 'Best Writing' for sure!
Until they announced the dates and she has a conflicting wedding. A wedding that she is not only attending, but also making the cake for.
Yeah. OK, I can't really fault her for that, I mean I make cakes too.
ACTUALLY, I made this cake the same weekend as the 48 hour film fest last year! Ha! (maybe I can fault her)

AND, I was kind of hoping that we would get 'Buddy Film' and use her husband and his cop car with my husband. It would be great.

Except, he of course has to go with her to the wedding.

So, no Kyle. No Audreya.

Fine.

And I have no camera. And nobody to film it.
Oh, and nobody to edit it.
Well, maybe somebody, but we don't have any editing equipment.

And I don't really have any actors.

But I do have access to a lake location.

And I know a few kids.

And some dogs.

Because kids and dogs are GREAT to work with on film!

As it stands, my rag-tag team consists of me- who will produce (AKA put up the cash) and write.
An art director from my agency who will direct. (Yeah, I have a Director!)
And a production manager who will, um, help. Yeah. She's there, but I'm not really sure what she will do. And she has a camera. A still camera, but you know, a camera. (Oh, and it's her birthday weekend too)
And! I've talked to a local sound studio. So we will have killer sound design! Rock on!

And that birthday weekend trend? It continues. And yesterday my husband got a text from a friend trying to get all of them to throw all of us a birthday party (I share my b-day with a good friend, and another is the day before. If you're keeping count, this movie is trying to ruin 4 birthdays and a wedding. Oooooh, wouldn't that be a good movie title?)
Anyway, I just don't see this working. And that sucks. I guess I will have to settle for a birthday blowout and drinks by the pool!