short films

[bugger]

Please tell me what makes a decent 10 minute film, the guidelines to follow and what festivals like to see, etc. Should it have a good twist?

thanks.

[This message has been edited by bugger (edited November 01, 2000).]

[Genesius]

A good plot, an involving storyline, good actors...

Most of it is the same as a full-length film. The difference is that you need to introduce the characters faster and try to give it a definite conclusion so that the audience knows when it is over.

As for finding an audience, you could try internet-distribution (put it on one of the sites that showcases new film-talent) but then you need to reduce it to a smaller format with compression (a 200x320 MPEG rather than full VHS quality)

[Gwailofilms]

Please don't tell me it'll say "Directed by Bugger" at the end of your film...





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The future is here:-
www.gwailofilms.co.uk

[soulfilms]

i actually think that 10min shorts need to focus more on the creative aspect and not as much as plot. but that's not to say that you'll be able to get away with any old thing.

(seriously...how much plot can a 10 min short really contain? most films with developed plots take 150min average...THE THIN RED LINE took 270 min and it didn't even have a plot!)

with 10 minutes, you need to be really really anally retentive as to continuity, development and you'll need to place much more emphasis on your choices eg. actors, background props, lighting etc chose with care even the things that you think the audience may miss because 10 mins is not a long time for people to rewind and view again. make sure that everything on your set has some sort of purpose be it pragmatic or symbolistic. especially if you're going to enter it into film comps/fests. judges love hidden symbolism and meaning...makes them feel intelligent after interpreting them...

cheers!

[eddie]

I think this is all good advice. It very much depends on what your story is, on how you tell it. It could just be a glimpse into someones life, in which case you dont need to develop the characters much, just make sure that they are 3 dimensional, and know who they are, or it could be a complete story, with a beginning a middle and an end, in which case you need to introduce the characters quickly.The best short films I have seen where actually glimpses into someones life. Something odd happens to ordinary people, which you can quite put your finger on, so you have to run the film back through your mind to figure out what every thing meant. Put plenty of subtle clues into the story, that on first watching are meaningless, but once you know the ending they make sense.
Either that or you could simply go for novelty. Never underestimate the power of novelty/wackyness in a short film.
In a competition you need something that will make your film stand out from the others. This could be:
The cinematography
The acting
The story
The music
The editing
The speed of the film (10 minutes can drag, or can fly by)
How funny is it?
How tragic?
The twist at the end? How good is that.
If this is really low budget, my advice would be to work out which of these you cant do. Such as beautiful cinematography, or music, or the sets.
Whatever you CANT do well, forget about, and concentrate on something else. Make sure that ONE thing (and there are loads) really makes you stand out.
Take a look at Desperado - aside from all the hype, it is just a very ordinary shootem up gangster movie EXCEPT it is edited wonderfully.
The first 2/3rds of the film is gorgeously edited. (starts falling apart a bit after that though).

Oh, and change your name.

[stop_thief]

soulfilms...focus more on creativity than plot? Are you kidding me? If anything, a short film needs to have a much tighter plot than a feature. You're telling a story in ten minutes! Everything needs to be perfect, every shot just right, the plot flawless!

Going out and making a beautiful set means shite when you haven't a story to tell with it. I've seen many an amatuer (and professional) movie that has great scenery, characters, etc...but the plot sucks so badly, or there isn't one...that I simply could not stand it.


"make sure that everything on your set has some sort of purpose be it pragmatic or symbolistic."

How can everything have a purpose if the movie is absent of plot and basic premise?
To even start having symoblism that MAKES SENSE, you need to have built a reason for it to symbolize something in the first place: AKA PLOT AND PREMISE!

[bugger]

I get the idea now. I've been watching the shorts at "atomfilms.com". I can't believe how bad they are and the number of people who were involved in them.. Quite inspiring though -- makes you feel you can do something better.

[soulfilms]

i never said NO PLOT i just meant that you need to be tighter with EVERYTHING.

[LAmind]

The most important things to me when making a short:

1. story
2. characters
3. editing
4. cinematography
5. music

The most important things to me in a feature:

1. story
2. characters
3. music
4. editing
5. cinematography

-Ivan

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"A place for everything and everything in it's place".