Two days with little sleep and lots of creativity paid off for Style Weekly’s Brandon Reynolds.

The newsmagazine’s arts and culture editor was part of a team competing in Richmond’s first 48 Hour Film Project (48HFP). The competition, which is part of an international project, gives teams 48 hours to write, shoot, edit and finesse a four- to seven-minute film.

The project, which started six years ago in Washington, D.C., has spread to more than 60 cities worldwide, from Brisbane to Tokyo, and just this year made it to Richmond, a two-hour drive from the original.

Brandon’s team, TheBranchingFilms, consisted of 44 crew members, writers, directors and crew. It was one of 37 makeshift production companies to tackle the heart-pounding competition. Teams gathered on Friday evening, July 27, to draw a film genre from a hat. The finished product – an original, edited film – was due exactly 48 hours later.

The team’s film, “Decisive Moment,” which Brandon helped write, was shown during a special public screening Aug. 4. Not only did it win audience favorite, but also first prize – and a number of other awards. With the distinction of “Best Film,” the entry goes on to compete with the other 59 cities for the international title.

You can watch the film here