Short Film Codes And Conventions.pdf

1. Short Film Codes
And Conventions
By Nazim Kurt

2. Length
Short Film are considered just that -Short- with a
maximum runtime of 45 minutes .
They usually last between five and fifteen minutes.
These “Short Films” wouldn’t be considered
“Short” if they were any longer; instead , they
would be referred to as Featured Length .
Examples: Glory At Sea - Short Film / 25:43 min
Small Death - Short Film / 11:15 min
The Phone Call - Short Film / 1:16

3. Storyline
● The ability to reach such a wide range of options in terms of goal, impact, and execution makes short films one of the most
unique screenplay genres. In essence, they can accomplish a lot in a short period of time.
● The basic goal of a short film is to "hit" the major idea or intention of the screenplay as soon and efficiently as possible,
and then to wrap things up. At what rate? The simplest response is: as soon as possible. Here is some further context:
● First, a reminder of the maximum duration for short films, which is 40 minutes, according to The Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) standards. Anything above that would be categorized as a feature-length production.
However, it may be claimed that in the industry, when anyone discusses a "short film," it is generally accepted that most
short films are 15 minutes or less in length.
● Why is the short's length important? because it changes the way we see the overall narrative structure. We'll discuss that
in more detail later. The framework of the screenplay must first be decided upon, and this is a crucial decision.

4. Characters
Characters are defined because “Short Films” often stay with 2 or 3
primary characters.
Because they are “Short”, short films don’t have enough time to
establish a lasting connection with the audience . As a result, the
number of character is reduced to a minimum in short films to give
the viewers as much time as possible to connect with the characters.

5. Twist
A “Twist” is almost always present in short films; this is done to entice viewers by changing the
course of the plot .
Without a twist , a short film’s plot would be plain uninteresting and fail to draw viewers .

6. Situation
Short Films typically take a commonplace
circumstance -one to which we can all relate - and
somehow turn it upside down. This makes it possible
for the viewer to identify with the short film while
also keeping them intrigued .

7. Uses of Short Films
Short Films are frequently said to be produced more to
showcase the director’s skills than to appeal to the broader
public .
Short Films can also be used to pitch movie ideas to potential
studios for them to finance.

8. Todorov
In Short Films, Todorov’s Theory of Equilibrium is frequently used.
Everything is in equilibrium and normal.
Disequilibrium: When there is a difficulty.
New Equilibrium: The issue has been resolved , and everything is back to
normal, however there has been a noticeable difference.

9. Budget
The budget for short films is often little . This is based on the fact that
the majority of short film directors are independent and lack enough
financial support . By using only one or two locations and one or two
performers , they are able to operate on a smaller budget.
As some actors may work for free if they really enjoy the narrative ,
having a short film provides for cheap to no costs in some categories.

10. Evaluation
In order to familiarize ourselves with the short film topic, we watched and
examined a number of short films. According to what I've learned, codes and
conventions include:
● A small number of locales and settings that can be either extravagant or
simple depending on funding.
● Little amount of characters.
● Complies with or disagrees the equilibrium sequence of Todorov.
● Selling a brief story in a limited amount of time.
● Frequently leave the viewer wondering about certain components of the
story.