48 Hours, One Bunker, One Film: How Our Volunteers Took on Edinburgh’s Fastest Shoot
- Written by Rob Lockwood
As a long-term bunker volunteer, I've now been a key member of two bunker film-making teams – participating in the annual '48-hour Edinburgh Film-making Competition' (in 2024 & 2025). And although each of these opportunities have involved some particularly difficult challenges, and some occasional moments of 'lost motivation' – due to the demands involved - there basic impact on my life has been very positive! And I really hope that more of these opportunities occur!
In particular, these experiences have been very effective in encouraging a film-making culture within our Bunker Volunteer community... as well as a basic & proactive level of communal creativity. Which, I believe, has been productive not just for the personal development of myself and the rest of the volunteers involved....
But also in terms of nurturing another dimension to the bunker's development – particularly in terms of having positive effects on our bunker media work - and the overall communal, creative energy here (Even though, on occasion, the demands of these projects – on a group of people with limited filmmaking experience – have also at times provoked 'new tensions' !!!!)
Alas, in 2024 – we were unable to submit a film – and to a large degree this was because of my own shortcomings – as I made the mistake of getting involved in 2 separate projects – which was particularly naïve because at that time we had a significantly lower level of filmmaking experience amongst our volunteers (compared with this year). So I really needed to give me full attention to the bunker submission – but was unable to!!! (so I just spent some time editing the film – after the competition had finished – and the result is what we now have on our youtube channel – titled “Flax 'n' Kizzy”).
Consequently, I tried to learn from this experience during the recent 2025 version of the 48 hour film competition (particularly as I was the only person here with experience of this particular competition) – and I think that because this year's competition co-incided with a period at the bunker when we had volunteers here with a particularly good range of experienced video / media skills – the demands of the competition seemed much more manageable! (Which was also helped by the fact that I didn't get involved in any other project!!).
So, thanks to the key contributions made by Guz (cameraman and editor, from Chile) and Paul (writer and director, from the U.S.) we were able to experience the COMPLETE competition process – by making and submitting a film, then having the opportunity to watch it at the Cameo cinema in Edinburgh, before attending the awards night at The Caves. And I must say that, for myself personally, the actual shooting component of this process was particularly enjoyable and fulfilling. Especially after some of the frustrations of last year! And so I'd like to use this opportunity to give some real thanks – to the bunker volunteer community for responding with so much motivation and enthusiasm to my initial suggestion to participate in this year's competition!!! And I'd equally like to thank the bunker management for being so supportive - towards both of these experiences!!
In fact, for me personally, these experiences have sparked something within me – which feels particularly important (even though I'm 56 years old and starting to feel 'over-the-hill' !!). As I still nurture 'a big dream' to make an unconventional full-length film – focusing on a radical screenplay which I've developed over many years. And the opportunity to work on these 48-hour film projects has given me a particularly valuable experience – by combining some essential ingredients of a conventional professional film project – but within the unconventional parameters of a 'looser', more 'amateur-friendly' context! And within the context of my own particular, ongoing creative aspirations – this has sometimes felt a bit like finding a much-needed 'foothold' in my life!!!
In fact, this recent experience has even inspired me to start focusing on the process of initiating a different type of communal film project in Edinburgh (to be facilitated from the bunker). Which will also, potentially, involve a mixed group of filmmakers (amateur & professional, mainstream & 'experimental', Young & Old etc.) – to make a single, 24-minute film in which 1 minute of screentime will correspond with one specific hour of the day – in Edinburgh. As this kind of format is something which I've wanted to do for quite a long time. And these experiences within the 48 hour film competition have played a key role in bringing this small dream back to life, for me!!!
