The days are getting shorter. The winter nights are growing closer. There's a chill in the air. Soon it will be All Hallow's Eve, the night when ghouls, goblins and other Things That Go Bump in the Night rise out of hibernation to perform their nefarious deeds.

Here in Girona, Spain, there's not much in the way of Halloween unfortunately. However, there is a horror-themed film festival called Acocollona’t.

The festival has a 24-hour short film competition called Acocoexprés, where you have to make a short film in just 24 hours. I first entered this competition two years ago with a film called Shit Snake Toilet Terror. I didn't win anything but I was proud of my film, especially the title.

Then last year I entered a film called Playtime. I came in first place.

This year I entered with a film called Lost in Movieland. In this blog post, I'll write about my experiences making this film.

The shoot

All film shoots have setbacks, compromises and hurdles. Lost in Movieland was no exception.

The first thing that happened was that I almost missed the deadline for entering the competition. The organizers had moved all the dates forward by a couple of weeks and I didn’t know. Luckily I saw the information on their website in time.

The next problem was that I couldn't find anyone to help me make the film. I don't have any friends here in Girona and my girlfriend didn't want to help me. So I was on my own. I would have to be the cameraman, actor, editor, director and producer, all in one. Luckily again, I can do all thse things, to some extent.

The third problem was that I didn't know what the film would be about. You see, you have to wait until the day of the shoot to find out. On the day of the shoot, the organisers tell you a certain object that you have to include in the film as well as a specific line of dialogue. Then they say, "Go!" You have 24 hours to make the film.

Here I am on the day of the shoot, just after collecting the object:

This year the object was a filmstrip and the line was "ni canvis climàtics, ni hòsties, ja” (“or climate changes, or any other shit!”).

I thought, what the bloody hell can I do with a filmstrip and the line "ni canvis climàtics, ni hòsties, ja!"?

My first idea was a little man who lives on a planet with no sun or stars. It's always nighttime on his planet. Then one day a little star appears. It slowly gets closer and closer to the planet, making it warmer and warmer. This makes the man angry and he says “I don't want any more climate changes or other shit!” I don't know where the strip of film would have come into it though.

Then I had another idea. What is the filmstrip was a portal? And if it was a portal, where would it take you?

Well, maybe it would lead to a land of films. So I imagined myself inside famous films. Pulp Fiction, Fight Club, Star Wars, Aladdin. I thought, that sounds cool.

But what about the line "ni canvis climàtics, ni hòsties, ja” (“or climate changes, or any other shit!”). That had to appear in the film somewhere. My first idea was to use the movie An Inconvenient Truth. But then I had the idea to use a scene from Ice Age instead where a glacier is melting. I like that scene as it has a lot of action.

So I set up a ‘studio’ in my father-in-law’s office, which he wasn't using that day. I also borrowed a green sheet from a friend of my girlfriend (as I mentioned, I don't have any friends of my own) to use as a green screen. And I got to work.

The film

The following day, I submitted the film with ten minutes to spare. Here's the finished film:

The outcome

So, after all that work, did I win anything?

....I did! I came first place! Here's a photo of me with the other winners:

As David Bowie sang, "We could be heroes, if just for one day." I was a hero, if only a temporary one. At least, that how's I felt. People applauded me as I got up on stage and I accepted my trophy. I wish I'd prepared a better speech because all I had to say was a thank you to the organisers, the audience and my girlfriend.

I wish I'd said more. I would have said that Acocollona't means a lot to me and that it's one of my favourite things of the year now. I would have said that I hope the organisers keep the festival going. I could have said that I don't have many friends in Girona and this is one time of the year that I feel a part of something. But I didn't.

I hope you enjoy the film and I also hope that I can keep making more. My list of ideas keeps getting longer and now it's just a matter of finding the time to actually make them a reality.

And of course, Happy Halloween!