A short presentation on features of short films for A2 Media

1. Codes and Conventions
Katie Storer

2. Short films average between five to ten minutes, however there is a great variety in
length, with some short films lasting up to 40 minutes.
BUDGET
Short films are usually independent so have fairly small budgets. These
productions also rarely make profit, so often receive little to no funding. This lack
of money often results in a 'home made' or less professional feel due to lack of
equipment, however due to the democratization of technology it can be argued that
many short films show equal quality to feature length blockbusters.

3. Short films stereotypically focus on 'real life' situations, often in the romance or
drama genre. This may be because the short length of the film means the audience
need a familiar or easy to understand setting in order to relate to or become drawn
into the story.
There are usually two to three main characters within a short film, which is a result
of both the budget and length. Firstly, the fewer actors there are, the less money
being spent on their pay, costumes, hair and make-up and other vital Mise-En-
Scene. his is naturally an advantage for the production as either the money is
needed for the construction of the film or marketing, or can save the production
company money they will not earn back. The length also warrants the limited
characters, as introducing too many characters who do not have time to develop can
confuse an audience, and reduce the poignancy of the film .

4. TWIST: a common convention of shorts is having a 'twist' in the story making it more
unpredictable and interesting for an audience. The twist also helps make each short
film unique, an important aspect of the genre.
NARRATIVE ENIGMA: Hermeneutic codes and Proairetic codes are often used in the
opening of a short film and are used to create tension quickly and to engage an
audience.
EMOTIVE: a short has an emotive narrative, increasing the impact of the central
themes of the film, and often leaving the audience with a question or topic to
contemplate.
NARRATION: having a voice over is a recurring feature in shorts, as it can quickly
position the audience with a character, easily explaining thoughts and emotions. This is
ideal for getting across ideas quickly within a short timeframe.

5. Short films are rarely shown in cinemas or on television (an exception to this are
the Disney and Pixar shorts shown before their feature films), and therefore have a
much more niche audience. Therefore, a large amount of short films are accessible
for free on the internet on platforms such as Youtube. Although the internet allows
the film to reach worldwide audiences, the films do not make a profit through box-
office sales.
Film Festivals are another popular form of distribution for short films, which
enables them to reach fairly wide audiences as well as possibly win awards that
may encourage more people to view them.