Lights, camera, prairie: Film slam coming to Central Whidbey

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, March 24, 2026

The scenic Ebey’s Prairie will soon double as a film set as the Coupeville Creative District rolls out its revival of a Whidbey favorite.

From April 10–12, for its first year, the Coupeville Creative District will be bringing back the 50 Hour Film Slam on Ebey’s Prairie, inviting filmmakers to capture cinematic magic in one of Whidbey Island’s most beautiful landscapes.

The 50 Hour Film Slam challenges individuals and teams to shoot and edit a short film in just over two days. While new to the Creative District’s programming, the Film Slam’s history stretches back more than a decade. The event was created by Trust Board staff in partnership with the National Park Service for their centennial initiative “Find Your Park.” It was meant to celebrate Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve through storytelling, and inspire filmmakers to engage creatively with the landscape, said Julie Dougherty Winger, the director of Friends of Ebey’s.

The Friends of Ebey’s non-profit organization hosted the films as a community film festival, where films were screened, judged and enjoyed, Winger said. During this time, “EB” the alien, became a big star in the film festivals, she reminisced.

“The event ran for a couple of years and was incredibly well-received,” Winger said. “It was fun to see how differently each team interpreted the same landscape.”

Eventually the film festival took a hiatus as priorities within the group shifted, Winger noted. With the Coupeville Creative District newly established, the Friends of Ebeys approached the group about reviving the concept, which was an easy “yes” for the committee, said Lisa Bernhardt, executive director of the Pacific Northwest Art School.

The format will feel familiar to past participants, with a few notable updates. Individuals or teams of no more than six people will have 50 hours to produce a three-to-six-minute film using phones, cameras or any device at their disposal; all within the reserve. The latter detail is integral to the roots of the challenge, Winger explained.

“The landscape is such a special and inspiring place, and it naturally lends itself to storytelling,” Winger said. “We support creative engagement with the reserve in many forms. Opportunities like this can be a meaningful way for people to connect with the spirit of Ebey’s Reserve.”

Participants can be of any age, provided a team leader is at least 18. Unlike earlier iterations, there is no required element tied specifically to the reserve, leaving the theme wide-open and the creative ceiling high.

Films will be evaluated by a panel that includes committee members and others. Judges will award a $500 grand prize to the best film to meet the criteria. Along with the possibility of additional categories, a people’s choice award with a $500 prize will also be up for grabs, and could overlap with the grand prize winner.

For the Coupeville Creative District, the event checks a key box. As Bernhardt noted, the organization is required by the state to create opportunities for local artists. The 50 Hour Film Slam, she said, was an easy fit. Even if it doesn’t directly generate economic gain for all participants, it fosters something arguably more durable: a sense of creative community, greater visibility for local filmmakers and a platform to showcase their work, she said.

That sense of fun and accessibility is central to the event’s identity. Bernhardt recalls past entries fondly, including a silent film by Oak Harbor High School students poking fun at jet noise.

“It’s supposed to be fun, don’t be intimidated. You don’t have to be a professional filmmaker,” she said, referring to a particularly memorable film by a boy around the age of eight who wrote, directed, produced and starred in his own short movie.

“Just go out there, be creative and have fun,” she said.

A public screening is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. on May 29 at the Coupeville Rec Hall, where attendees can stroll a red carpet, enjoy refreshments and vote for their favorites.

Registration closes April 8 for the island-wide competition. More information about the film slam, including registration details, is available at www.coupevillecreativedistrict.org/2026-filmslam.