Nathan Coltrane wasn’t sure it could be done.
The filmmaker, formerly of Washougal, had two days to write, film and edit a short film for Spokane’s 48 Hour Film Festival last month, and his team of 15 was struggling to meet the festival’s creative requirements. Those mandates stipulated that all submissions must be war films, have a theme centered around a make-believe concept and feature a plastic Ziploc bag and a particular line of dialogue.
“We were really having a tough time trying to fit all that criteria,” Coltrane said. “We were really close to just bagging the whole competition.”
But inspiration struck, and Coltrane spent the following two days putting together “Operation: Greenmen,” a five-minute film about a child playing with plastic Army men while imagining a real war.
o What: Nathan Coltrane’s film “Operation: Greenmen” will be shown along with other award-winning films from the 48 Hour Film Festival at the Spokane International Film Festival.
o What: Nathan Coltrane's film "Operation: Greenmen" will be shown along with other award-winning films from the 48 Hour Film Festival at the Spokane International Film Festival.
o When: 5:30 p.m. Jan. 30. Coltrane will speak about his film and take part in a question-and-answer session after the screening.
o Where: AMC River Park Square 20 theater, 808 W. Main St., Spokane.
o Cost: $10.
o Information: 888-411-7743 or spokanefilmfestival.org.
o When: 5:30 p.m. Jan. 30. Coltrane will speak about his film and take part in a question-and-answer session after the screening.
o Where: AMC River Park Square 20 theater, 808 W. Main St., Spokane.
o Cost: $10.
o Information: 888-411-7743 or spokanefilmfestival.org.
The creative block was just one worry among many during the shoot. Coltrane was forced to film over two bitterly cold days in early December, and the crew needed to take regular breaks to stay warm. “We thought that whole thing was going to end up ruining us for the 48-hour time limit,” he said.
After filming, editing and burning the film to DVD, Coltrane’s challenges mounted.
Coltrane, 24, rushed the DVD to the film festival’s office just minutes before the deadline. “We jumped out of the car while it was still moving and sprinted toward the door to get it in on time,” he said.
Coltrane’s tenacity was rewarded when his film won the festival’s Judge’s Choice Award on New Year’s Eve.
“We were definitely happy with how everything came together,” Coltrane said. “We felt like we had a pretty good story.”
It wasn’t Coltrane’s first taste of filmmaking success. He shot a commercial in late 2008 for a contest put on by Cellular South, a regional cellular phone company. He took second place in the contest, and his 60-second commercial was broadcast in some cities during the Super Bowl in early 2009.
Coltrane’s good fortunes continued when he was informed that “Operation: Greenmen” was selected to screen at the Spokane International Film Festival, which begins later this month.
The 11-day festival will show each of the winning films from the 48 Hour Film Festival, said festival organizer Pete Porter.
Porter was impressed with “Operation: Greenmen.”
“I thought it was a really clever film, really well done,” he said. “It had a really interesting way of telling the story.”
Coltrane, who now lives in downtown Seattle, was asked to speak about his film at the festival.
“Anytime I’ve ever gone to festivals, I’ve always been the person in the crowd, asking questions,” he said. “This will be my first time up on stage, having the audience ask me questions. It’s definitely going to be a new thing, but I’m excited for it.”
