Over and Over Qualified
WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 18 – Filmmaker Francis Abbey had made a film in his new home before he even had a bed. “I was just in the process of moving, and there was virtually nothing in the house,” he states. Abbey is a participant in the National Film Challenge (http://filmchallenge.org), an annual competition that has expanded to include several countries around the world. The competing teams are given 72 hours in which to complete a short film using an assigned genre, character, prop, and line of dialogue. Abbey's finished film, “Over and Over Qualified,” has been selected as one of 16 finalists out of over 180 entries.
Fortunately for Abbey and his team, the empty house provided an unexpected advantage. “Our character was 'Mark Shapiro, unemployed.' So we wrote that he was losing his house to explain how empty his place looked” says the filmmaker.
“Over and Over Qualified” marks Abbey's fifth effort in the National Film Challenge and, ironically, his smallest. “In the past, I had gone all out, with big casts and crews, in an attempt to win. This time around, I just wanted to have a good time and make a film we could all be proud of. So it was a surprise when this one ended up being the most successful film I've been involved with.”
This is not the first taste of success that Abbey has enjoyed. In 2006, his screenplay “Pennsyltucky”
As a finalist, Abbey's film is in contention for the Audience Award, which is determined by online voting. In the event that his film wins the $500 cash prize, Abbey intends to donate it to breast cancer research. “I have two survivors in my family, one of whom is my mother, and a third family member is currently undergoing chemotherapy. I would be very happy to make a small contribution to the cause.”
To watch and vote for “Over and Over Qualified,” go to http://filmchallenge.com/
Registration is required to ensure fairness.
