Olympus 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown Recap

Last night at the World Ski & Snowboard Festival (WSSF) in Whistler, B.C., over 1,500 people gathered in the Whistler Conference Centre to witness the art of filmmaking in its purest form at the Olympus 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown. Vancouver/Victoria director quartet Blue Pandas brought home the coveted Best of Show for their film "Two Guys, One Shirt". Whistler local Kyle Kileen’s film "Dawn of the Dead Season" took home the People’s Choice Award.

Wssf filmmaker showdown recap people
The infamous Kyle Kileen and his crew celebrate winning the People's Choice Award.
Over 30 teams participated in the event this year, all tasked with filming, editing and producing a three to five-minute short film within 100 kilometres of Whistler over the course of 72 hours. To level the playing field and ensure fairness, a surprise prop was incorporated for a minimum of five consecutive seconds. This years the prop was a push broom.


“Two Guys, One Shirt” is a comical look at the life of conjoined twins who’s desire to be separated takes them on a journey into the woods. There they meet an eccentric guru who promises to split them, and after an unfulfilling journey they realize the importance of what they have.

Wssf filmmaker showdown recap winner
Blue Pandas brings home 12 large for the Best of Show and their use of Olympus cameras.
“We were so relieved to win, we didn’t think we would,” says Director Ben Giesbrecht, “It was an incredible journey getting here.”


Blue Pandas took home the $7,000 cheque along with an additional $5,000 for shooting their film entirely with Olympus gear and over $4,300 dollars in Olympus gear and other prizing.

Wssf 2017 begins social
Event tickets for WSSF (including tonight's Olympus Pro Photographer Showdown and tomorrow night's Intersection) are still available and can be purchased at wssf.com. To connect with the World Ski & Snowboard Festival online, visit wssf.com, along with liking them on Facebook and following them on Twitter and Instagram.
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