The 48 Hour Film Project returns to Pittsburgh for a second year, with the competition taking place in early June rather than early August.

Twenty-six teams have registered so far, and organizers are hoping to sign up 48 before the cinematic scramble begins three weeks from tonight.

Filmmakers are required to write, cast, costume, direct, produce, shoot, score, edit and deliver a movie in 48 hours, and the winner will go up against films from around the world for the title of "Best 48 Hour Film of 2008."

Teams will gather at Cefalo's Restaurant and Night Club, 428 Washington Ave. in Carnegie, on June 6 to draw the elements -- genre, character, prop and line of dialogue -- they must include in their three- to seven-minute film. They will be able to leave by 7 p.m. to start the process and must deliver their finished film by 7:30 p.m. on June 8.

Films then will be screened June 17 and 18, at 7 and 9:15 p.m. both nights, at the Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, 300 Beechwood Ave. in Carnegie.

A best-of screening will be June 20 at 7 p.m. at the Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, where the awards will be announced. A free party will immediately follow at nearby Cefalo's.

Admission for each screening will be $5.

Rick Frisco, local producer of the event, said yesterday that a few new genres, along with more wild cards, are being added. The inclusion of a Pittsburgh landmark will be encouraged but not required, and the competition's scope, sponsors and prizes are being boosted.

"Nationally, they've expanded up to 65 cities, up another 12 cities from last year, and they're up to 14 international cities," Frisco said, with some films being screened at the Cannes Film Festival now under way.

In addition to attracting filmmakers, the Pittsburgh competition is drawing playwrights, stage directors and college students who want to test their movie mettle.

Registration is $155. Go to www.48hourfilm.com and click on Pittsburgh for more information or call Frisco at 412-691-1434.

In August 2007, 28 Pittsburgh teams tried, 20 completed the task on time and another five finished but were late, one due to a power outage. Winner of the first competition was "Time's Up" by Joe Serkoch of Carnegie and his team of Christopher J. Lewis, Lauren DeMichiei, Doug Verosko, Jay Hogben and Bill Ehrin.