Why are you making shorts, not features?!

[Jeremy]

Hey man I'm up for making features but it's really the logistics, money and time like everyone has said.

Of course it does make sense, I mean, how much money can you make from a short film? It's gonna be easier to get work if you can show a good feature you made rather than a short. After all isn't that why we do this?

The longest project I've done was a 15 minute documentary in Thailand, I co-produced and edited.

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http://www.geocities.com/futureinfilm

[Curtin-Parloe]

I'm doing shorts because then I can blag actors and crew. It's one thing persuading them to stand about for a few hours with only a butty in return, but with a 16 week shoot or whatever, it's a bit more tricky.
It's also much easier to shoot when you have a job. You can only do so many weekends until your wife gives you a slap
Thirdly, I can write shorts at the drop of a hat (in fact, while I've been writing this message I've written 3 shortss ) whereas a feature script is still eluding my sweaty mind.

I don't know about the "Not needing a story" idea, though. To get a really good short, I reckon it should have a great story to begin with. Otherwise it won't get remembered - I've been reading about some directors who got hired for features based on shorts.

Oops, another short written

Paul

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BAD EYE - Coming Soon www.curtin-parloe.co.uk/badeye Curtin Parloe 2001

[Chance1234]

i do like the way Mods original Post has this "surely a feature cant be that hard" sub text.



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who shoots on DVCAM and is proud of the fact

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Public5ylac/files/

[Mods]

I understand animations are a different cup of dandelion & burdock. I've made some LEGO animations and they take ages.

As for feature films, so far i've only made 20 minute ones. 20 minutes of footage is 5 to 7 hours filming, but its worth it, and fun.

Thats the thing I think helps. Passion. If you get bored, you're going to get a crap feature.

I've done shorts, but I'd rather sit and watch something that resembles a movie, not Video Nation or You've Been Framed.

In saying that, I advise you all to make your own version of You've Been Framed, its good fun

My team are only ever assed to do one day of filming rather than a weekend, and as the camera battery only last about 8 hours we always end up with movies the same length, 20 minutes, lol.


Mods

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Mark "Mods" Lovegrove

[Chance1234]

sorry mods, 20 minutes is a long way off from beign classed as a feature




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who shoots on DVCAM and is proud of the fact

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Public5ylac/files/

[twister!]

Did anyone here enter the FilmFour/Orange Short Film Prize competition?

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[Curtin-Parloe]

PAUL:
I have.
Paul leans in urgently.
PAUL:
Why? Have you heard something?

cheers

paul

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BAD EYE - Coming Soon www.curtin-parloe.co.uk/badeye Curtin Parloe 2001

[twister!]

No, I haven't heard anything yet either...

Apparently, thery're supposed to be sending out letters to everyone that entered confirming receipt of entry. They seem to be taking their time

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[Rar]

I know this is an old topic, but I'm new.

I have never made a short film, but in a few months time I plan to make a feature film. The way I see it, the amount I learn from making this one feature film will be equivalent to making ten short films. And in the unlikely event that the film isn't completely pants, I might have something that can get distribution.

Don't get me wrong, I love short films. Some stories can only be told as a short film.
I know you can use short films to experiment with visuals and sounds and rythms of a film. But the films I want to make involve a lot of character and story development that cannot be achieved with the medium.

A lot of us own our own filming and editing equipment (camcorders and computers), therefore the extra cost of a feature isn't that much more, mostly spent on tapes and travel expenses.

I want to make feature films, so I'm gonna learn by making feature films.

PS. Any London based people out there who wanna make films contact me. [email protected]



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[steven_craig]

there is a problem here i think...
short movie and short feature
there is a difference!

short movies drop the audience in at a specific moment in time in the main characters life and gives up a lot of establishing action to get to the nitty gritty...whereas a short feature will condense all narrative that would go into a feature, into a movie of about 5 mins long...

also i know that if by some fluke my stuff gets recognised then the festival organisers will be more likely to show a 5 min short than a 20min "feature" remember...

"a good director can tell a story in 5mins, a excellent director can do it in 90seconds"

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Dead girl's dont say no!