More than 200 people from the four corners of Iowa, spaces in between and from Missouri and Illinois, will congregate in Des Moines this weekend for the 48 Hour Film Project. Part of a nationwide competition, this is the first time the project has come to Iowa.

Headed by Bully Burhans, the idea to organize and coordinate it was a concerted effort by Bully and her sister, Thug Burhans.

“We asked 48HFP headquarters in D.C. to bring it to Des Moines. They said they needed a local producer to do it,” Burhans says.

“We chose to forego competing [in the project] and make it happen.”

Amedeo Rossi, co-owner of Vaudeville Mews, 212 Fourth St., Des Moines, is also on one of the participating teams and is providing the venue for teams to meet.

“[Vaudeville] Mews is launching on Friday between six and seven where teams will choose genres,” he says.

“It’s random, but we do get genres, a character and maybe a line.”

“There will be 12 genres: action/adventure, comedy, detective/cop, fantasy, horror, mockumentary, musical/western, mystery, romance, sci-fi, spy, superhero,” Burhans says.

“Each team gets to choose a genre at random.”

The 48 Hour Film Project takes place starting 7 p.m. Friday and ending 7 p.m. Sunday. Teams are responsible for team assembly, equipment and location scouting prior to start. Once the clock starts ticking, teams write the script, shoot, cut, score and deliver it by 7:30 p.m. Sunday. A screening will be open to the public Tuesday and Wednesday at Fleur Cinema and Caf‚, 4545 Fleur Drive, Des Moines.

On Tuesday night, there will be two screenings on two screens — both at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. and on Wednesday night, only one screen will show all films.

“It is definitely a community effort. We’re a part of the project — we believe in it, being an independent art house cinema,” says Julie Butterworth, general manager at Fleur.

Three judges will choose the winner of the project; two local film critics, Jeff Bruner of The Des Moines Register and John Pascuzzi of Channel 8 KCCI, are confirmed to judge the films.

“[Bruner’s] medium is print and my media is electronic,” Pascuzzi says.

“I have a certain criteria I’m looking for. Is there a point of view they want to share with me? Is there an emotional pay off? It’s more of the every person approach — an emotional gut feeling.”

The winner will then go on to the international competition where five judges will choose five films. The winners will then make a second 48 Hour Film.

With 23 teams numbering over 230 people in total, the competition is expected to return next year.

“It’s exciting to have all these people,” Burhans says.

“At least 10 teams will probably return next year, and we expect more teams to participate next year.”