For 15 years, the 7-Day Shootout was part of the Knoxville Film Festival. It was a filmmaking competition where teams of filmmakers had 7 days to make a 4-7 minute short film. It was, by far, the most popular event at the Knoxville Film Festival.

When I decided to end the Knoxville Film Festival in 2022, the 7-Day Shootout ended as well. Although a new film festival in Knoxville is filling the void left by the Knoxville Film Festival, many local filmmakers have commented to me that they really miss the fun and excitement the 7-Day Shootout provided.

So, I decided to resurrect the 7-Day Shootout Filmmaking Competition as a stand-alone event in order to give filmmakers a reason to grab their colleagues and friends and make a movie.

This competition is open to EVERYONE – from the seasoned professional to the beginning filmmaker. If you register, make your film and submit it by the deadline, your film WILL be screened (along with all the others) on June 28, 2025 at the beautiful Lambert Recital Hall at the Clayton Center for the Arts in Maryville.

By the way, many of this region’s most celebrated filmmakers got their start by participating in the 7-Day Shootout. So, join the fun – you never know where it will lead!

~Keith McDaniel, founder of the 7-Day Shootout Filmmaking Competition