2. What is a short film?
• A short film is a motion picture that has a duration of
40 minutes or less.
• When short films first started they were mostly of the
comedy genre.
• They used to considered as B movies and were the
second feature film in cinema around the 1920s.
• After the 1930s the short film industry started to go
big. By 1960 they were a regular thing on TV.
3. People who make short films
• Many independent studios create shorts to get noticed.
• Amateur film makers always try to make short films to get
noticed as well.
• Short films can do what features films cannot do. Which is
being able to take risks.
• Short films are also done by major institutions such as Pixar.
Pixar create shorts because they showcase to the audience
what latest technology they have for their productions.
4. Examples of Pixar shorts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmgvg5PF
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IYRC7g2I
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5. Raindance 7 tips for a good short film
1. The shorter the better
2. Keep the practicalities
of writing in mind.
3. Make it visual.
4. Find single moments.
5. Tell a story.
6. Engage the audience
7. Beware of cliches.
http://www.raindance.org
/7-rules-for-writing-
short-films-2/
6. Typical codes and conventions
• Low budgets
• Simple locations, less editing. CGI is hardly ever used.
• Easy to relate to protagonist
• Have twists
• Protagonists usually have situations that are real. They relate to target
audiences
• Time length is under 45 minutes, our will be 5 minutes long
• A lot of diagetic sound in contrast to non diagetic. Keeps a sense of realism
• Realistic
• Minimal titles
• Simple storyline
• Simple Mise en scene
• Diverse camera angles and shots.
