One of AIM’s very own has taken home an award at this year’s 48 Hour Film Project. Michelle Osis and her team were the proud recipients of three category wins for their film A Little Bit Behind, taking out Best Film, Best Actor, and Best Writing at this year’s festival.

A little bit behind is an 8-minute mockumentary about a part-time chef called Steve Palmer and his time travelling experience. He builds a time travelling machine and goes back in time - 3 seconds back in time - and he tries everything to get back to the future. The film is directed by Paul Slater, produced by Chris Byrnes, with music by Michelle.

The 48 Hour Film Project started in 2001, explains Michelle. “Back in 2001, Mark Ruppert came up with a crazy idea; to try to make a film in 48 hours. It’s now turned out to be a worldwide event where filmmakers and their team produce a short film within 48 hours.”

All the teams around the world are given a genre to work with, a character, a line and a prop that must be incorporated in the film. This year, NSW teams had to incorporate these elements – a piece of chalk; the line 'something’s not right; a character 'Steve or Stephanie Palmer, and 'a chef'. “Our team was given the genre time travel,” says Michelle.

In NSW, the project is held in the last weekend of September, with films screened two weeks later at the Riverside Theatre in Parramatta. The judges this year were Bruce Beresford, Seth Winston, Stephen Liddell, Bob Barton and Benjamin Rose.

The 48 Hour Film Project’s mission is to advance filmmaking and promote filmmakers. The tight deadline of 48 hours puts the focus squarely on the filmmakers – emphasising creativity and teamwork skills. While the time limit places an unusual restriction, it is also liberating by putting an emphasis on ‘doing’ instead of ‘talking’.

This was the first year Michelle participated in the 48 Hour Film Festival – in fact, it was the first time she had heard of the event.

“I found it to be fun yet challenging to write music in such a short timeframe; it meant no sleep for the whole weekend,” says Michelle. “There was also no film for me to work with while I was writing the music (as it was in the process of being shot), but the producer gave me a brief - to write three uplifting, happy music tracks, a dramatic track and a victory track. The music was to then be edited into the film.”

Michelle and her team got together on the first night for a brainstorming and story writing session. “We were all involved in the process, we discussed the key elements that were to be used in the film and it just developed from there.”

The brief for the music called for a general light heartedness feel throughout, explains Michelle. “So I wrote the tracks using very simple chord progressions and melodic lines. I sketched out the ideas on piano first, then orchestrated them using instrument sample libraries such as Omnisphere, Native Instruments and Vienna Instruments in Logic.”

Michelle studied a Bachelor of Music majoring in Composition & Music Production at AIM and is considering returning to the music school to complete a Graduate Diploma. “I've enjoyed networking with students at AIM; I've met some extremely talented people and made some great friends. I've also really enjoyed composition classes, particularly exploring 20th century music with Amanda Cole and Simone East, and also comp seminar - pitching sessions with the SFS directors.”

Michelle has also just completed her Graduate Certificate in Screen Music at the Australian Film Television Radio School. “My career aspiration is to be a composer for Film and TV, and 20th century composition.”

Michelle is currently working on a couple of short films, which are keeping her quite busy. She also has a few composition projects lined up.

“I’ve always wanted to be in the music and entertainment industry, but I never really knew exactly what I wanted to do. Going to AIM really helped me find which direction to follow.”

To find out more about the 48 Hour Film Festival, visit: www.48hourfilm.com/newsouthwales