Brooklyn-48 requires filmmakers to create a short film of no longer than 7 minutes within 48 hours on the premises of Castle Braid. All public areas (the roof, courtyard, gym, lobby, parking area, game rooms, empty apartments and the model room etc) are made available to teams of aspiring and established filmmakers.

Throughout the intense contest weekend, filmmakers are provided with an opportunity to collaborate and compete with other independent filmmakers ambitious enough to invest themselves in this rigorous creative process.  There are almost no rules regarding the form of accepted work or the contestants' interaction with the space.  The only directive is to interact with the space and situation in such a way that appeals to your own sense of creativity and aesthetics.  Brooklyn-48 is about unexpected developments, and filmmakers are encouraged exploit the highly unusual circumstances to the best of their film making ability.   Audience members are given the opportunity to choose the second and third place winners of the competition. Both runner-up filmmakers recieve access to the digital editing lab facilities at Castle Braid for the next six months.

The panel of judges selects the grand prizewinner and recipient of the free six-month lease, basing their decision on adherence to competition regulations, basic aesthetic quality, general creativity in engaging with the space, and interpretation of the theme.