We all know that the key to any successful film shoot is in the preproduction. When you compete in the 48 Hour Film Project you can't do any sort of creative work before the official filmmaking weekend--things like writing, filming, and editing. But there are still many things that you CAN do to prepare for your big weekend, and there are three things you simply MUST do in advance if you want to have a successful 48HFP filmmaking experience.
1. Secure locations
Location, location, location -- it's the foundation for any successful business venture, and finding (and securing) the right location is DEFINITELY the foundation for a smooth film shoot.
Many a production team has scouted out the perfect location in advance only to show up on the day of the shoot to find it closed, filled with people, or otherwise unavailable to them. These are the kind of details that have to be worked out with plenty of time before shooting begins, otherwise you may find yourself location-less come shooting day.