When Doug Powell moved to Frederick in 2009, he wasn’t expecting to find himself at the center of one of the city’s most enduring creative traditions — an annual festival that asks participants to create a short film in 72 hours. A stand-up comedian who had been part of the Washington, D.C., comedy and improv scene, Powell arrived without a clear artistic outlet.

But an introduction to 72 Film Fest founder Clark Kline and a reconnection with performer Mikael Johnson set him on a path that would become one of the longest-running creative commitments of his life.

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