To be truthful, I don’t know much about short films. I haven’t watched very many, so I found a video on YouTube by the creator Film Courage, which gives a simplification on how short films are often composed. Kim Adelman goes into details on the versatility of short films and how creative you can be. Here are the key notes I gathered from my research::
Keeping it simple:
Many people will attempt to write an elaborate story for a short film, however this can result in a messy and incomprehensible version of what could have been. Short films are a maximum of 40 minutes, however I only have up to around 5 minutes. So simplicity is very important. “It’s all about figuring out what story you want to tell, and then bringing it down to a simple idea,” Adeline states. According to Nick LaRover, an author for RainDance, less is more when it comes to short films. Because of their time limit, short films are also limited in the number of ideas and twists you are able to introduce. You are also limited in the structure of the story, the number of characters you can introduce.
Some stories are optimal for short films:
Despite the seemingly restrictive nature of short films, they give you the opportunity to address stories you wouldn’t be able to address in a full length film. Short films get right to the point, so writers are able to focus on one theme, one message, and stick to it. Some stories are best to be told in a short amount of time, while others can be translated to a featured film. I decided to watch some past Media student’s short films, and found Isabella Coronel’s films “Elle Qui Pleure” (2022). I actually knew Isabella two years ago from Congres, a french competition, so it was interesting to see what she produced.
I really liked this piece because it is straight to the point, and the story is simple enough that the story is easily understood in just 4 minutes. Viewers are able to easily describe the story, as a girl who travels into a painting and comforts the girl who is similar to her. This is an example of a beautiful story, which is perfect for a short period of time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHXoNvq6lhE
On the other hand, some stories are able to be extended into a full length feature film without the story becoming thinned out. Whiplash (2014) is an excellent example of that. First of all, I watched the film a few days ago and absolutely loved it. I’m a sucker for the trope of the obsessed artist, and the use of only diegetic music, no dialogue, and facial expressions was so beautifully played out in those last five minutes. However, I was surprised to learn that Whiplash was originally an 18 minute short film. Since the short film is not easily available on the internet, I watched clips of it that can be found on YouTube. Notable differences boil down to the budget. The short film used no filter or specific lighting, while the featured film used yellow and sometimes green lighting throughout the film. The dialogue was far more intense and extensive in the featured film as well.
Be mindful of your focus:
LaRover discusses how your short film should focus on one major theme, “By limiting the information you share with your audience, you can tell your story very well without watering down their experience. So, if your idea looks like it can’t be reduced to exploring one idea… it may not be suited for a short film.” They should also be focused on one major conflict or goal for the character’s relationships.
Essentially, every moment counts. When producing a short film, you must be able to think about whether every shot and every cut is getting right to the point and communicating the story as quickly and effectively as you can. “Does it start as late as it can, does it end as early as it possibly can…make sure everything that [makes it to the final cut] needs to be in there,” is how Kim Adeline simplifies this concept.
Sources:
https://youtu.be/tHXoNvq6lhE?si=ADwNlKdCmcbGR6Gk
https://youtu.be/iF3GlEaVszo?si=Dvj51Lb7_E7HCrwO
https://raindance.org/3-elements-of-short-film-structure-you-need-to-know/
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