This document discusses various techniques used in short films to effectively tell stories within their limited timeframes. It describes how soundtracks, ambient sounds, sound effects, and music can set scenes and manipulate audience emotions. Quick shots are used to efficiently establish plots and settings. Narration can share experiences when dialogue is not needed. Common devices like clichés, cliffhangers, and leaving questions unanswered keep audiences engaged in the short format.

2. • Meanings/ morals are
usually used as a
convention in short films.
This gives the film more
depth and purpose. For
example, in Lovefield, the
director uses tension
building music, a
stereotypical type of
music in horror films, to
give the effect that the
farmer was a bad person,
or had done something
wrong. But in fact he was
helping the lady who was
in labour. This films
message is to not judge,
as you can easily get the
‘wrong end of stick’.

3. • Soundtracks/ ambient sounds/ sound
effects are also used to set the scene
in short films, just as they are in
feature length films. By using sound
the audience is engaged into the
entire film experience, as this allows
two of the possible 5 senses to be
manipulated, vision and hearing. In
‘2am’ the score is very bizarre and
strange, which fits with the story, and
suites the character ‘the smiling man’.
This suggests to the audience that the
idea of the film is that it is abnormal.
When things all start to go wrong and
the younger male starts to run, the
music's’ pace is quickened and makes
the audience feel much more uneasy.

4. • Sound effects are also used in this film
to create a sense of realism. This is in
the form of footsteps are heard from
the smiling man in the form of steps
and also scrapes, which I believe makes
the mood a little more sinister.
• In ‘Right Place’ it uses the clatter of the
cutlery and the crockery to also relay a
sense of realism, and the persistent
taps of objects slotting into place
exaggerates the extent of his obsession.
• Ambient Sounds are used in ‘Awake’ to
relay the sense of realism in his memory
of the beach. The ambient sound of the
sea washing up against the shore,
creates the world of the beach for the
audience.

5. • Clichés are used in all forms of films
to suggest the genre of the work
presented. Using a cliché is a
convenient way to quickly establish a
certain tone of a film. For example in
Lovefield the director used the cliché
of the creaky sign and the crow to
symbolise something horrible is
about to happen. The crow itself
symbolises death, so instantly, when
we see the farmer looking shifty in
the field, we already have the idea of
death in our minds, so we instantly
think that he is a bad person. The
tattoo on his arm, of a skull also
tends to symbolise death, so this all
leads towards a negative portrayal of
the farmer.

6. • Quick Build ups are used to quickly
establish the plot. Because of the short
length of the film, the narration need to
flow at a fast pace.
• In The Gift the quick build up is used by a
short series of the shots the set the scene
for the rest of the film. The first shot is
showing a gift, so the obvious conclusion
is that he will be delivering the gift.
• The second shot is of his attire/costume,
which is the stereotypical dress sense in
Russia, or another cold country.
• And the next shot explains that he is in a
futuristic period, as the armour worn by
these two characters is not typical for the
present day.
• Using this series of shots the audience
already knows the plot of the story.

7. • The plot of a short story can be as
realistic or as imaginative as you’d
like. Therefore the idea for your
ending can be whatever you’d like.
But a common ending that many
people use is a Cliff hanger, which
keeps the audience guessing. For
example She Said, She Said, which
has the plot of a lesbian couple who
have recently split up, arguing over
who has what. It ends with both
girls wanting each other to have a
dress. Under the table they both
begin to ‘play footsie’ with a smile
on each girls face. This suggests that
they still have feelings for each
other. The film ends here with the
audience wondering if they ever do
get back together and what they do
with the dress.

8. • The beauty of a short film is
that dialogue is not always
needed. Narration helps to tell
the story. In Right Place, no
dialogue is used, just ambient
sound and a variety of shots to
allow the story to flow fluently.
Instead of dialogue narration is
used at the end of the film to
explain his inner thoughts, his
outlook on life and his
perspective upon the current
situation, this leads onto the
ending of the film where he
explains that he is happy with
his place because this allows
him to do what he feels
comfortable with. Putting
things into their rightful places.

9. • The idea of Sharing an
experience/memory in a
short film can be shown
through narration and clever
camera work. In the short
film ‘Late Bloomer’ the main
character is looking back on
his childhood, when he was
learning about sex. We learn
this as an older sounding
male is used to do the
narration and is explaining
his feelings in that situation.
As he explains his and his
classmates actions we also
see this physically from the
actors. Through this we
experience and also
understand his inner most
thoughts.