The extracurricular event, directed by Associate Professor Frederick Lewis, begins this evening when teams are assigned a genre and a line of dialogue and props to incorporate into their productions. Their projects must evolve from concept to script to production and edited final project in just 48 hours to make contest deadline.

Ohio University faculty will judge the works, with top films awarded monetary prizes. An underclassmen award also will be given.

As co-producer, junior Traci Cameron has been busy finding the venue and defining the props, lines of dialogue and genres that will be used in this year's event.

"My co-producer, sophomore Meg Mealy, and I have been working with Frederick on this since the beginning of the school year," Cameron said.

This year, the event coincides with the filming of "Trailer Park," a feature-length production involving more than 70 of the school's students, many of whom plan to participate in this weekend's Shoot Out contest.

"Since I'm a producer for both 'Trailer Park' and 'Shoot Out,' it's been hectic, but it is all working out," Cameron said. "All in all, the two events have coexisted pretty well."

Shoot Out began in 2003 as a pilot program for Athens Video Works. Over the years, many of the films shot during Shoot Out have won awards, including "Detonate," which was named the Best Film on Campus by MTVu in 2004.

For more information about Shoot Out and the School of Media Arts and Sciences, visit www.mediaschool.ohiou.edu.