Ideas to Help You With Your Short Films

When researching ideas for your new short, think about the important things like theme, sound, scene, site, lighting, tools etc. But also, give a thought to timing. Although a lot of people get it spot on, there are a surprising amount of people who don't actually think about how long their 'short' is going to be. Similarly, some people get so caught up in the frame of "Got to keep it short!". This can be just as damaging.

The idea of a short film (in a nutshell) is to grab you, lead you to assume (more on this in a later post) and leave you with a feeling. Now this feeling could be varied if the director wishes it, or with planning can tunnel you into feeling something very particular. Most opt for the first as it gives the most satisfaction in a short. Now take note of what I just pointed out...

"Most opt for the first as it gives the most satisfaction in a short."

That is the essence right there! It doesn't matter if you sit through a two hour 'blockbuster' if all you can think about after is weather your left but-cheek will recover from numbness. But what if you could create a four minute work of art that gets people thinking after for two hours? Two days?

So here we have a good question. How long should a short be? The answer is not simple, but I'll try to explain my theory here...

Is your short very short? 30 seconds to 3 minutes? As long as the content is good, engaging, thought provoking then it's great. In fact leaving people thinking like there could have been more is a good indicator, it means they want more! Now you can take this very basic argument up to say thirty minutes. Then ask yourself the question again. Is the content of the same quality as the three minute version? Is it dead in the beginning but exciting towards the middle? Could you cut the end of the short off and use only that, leaving vague hints as to the characters beginning? These are all quality questions which you should be asking yourself in the cutting room. Don't be afraid to film as much as you can. After all it's the editing were talking about here, getting the story across by cutting out as much filler as possible.

There was a book I read once called 'The Elements Of Style' by William Strunk, Jr. and E. B. White. I can't remember the exact saying, but it went something like this...."Don't say something in three sentences when you can say it in one." (I'm sure someone can correct me on this )

The Elements Of Style
I believe this applies equally to the short film. Quality not quantity is your best weapon in pulling an audience in. Making them think! This is what a viewer really wants. Something to get them engaged in thought. Those are the films that stick in peoples minds weather they are shorts or full length.

All this being said, I don't want you to worry, and go the other way and make a short too short. This is your story and only you can 'feel' when it's right.

Try this exercise:-

Make a short. Say one minute. Film it, edit it, add music, the works.

Now....

Keep the same script. But extend the time to three minutes. Use filler. Same deal, add it all up and make it look nice and shiny.

Play the two movies back and note down which one you prefer. 9/10 it should be the one minute film. If not, that's not a bad thing, you can even take the task even further. Edit the movie back down a little. Maybe not as far as the one minute, aim for one and a half minutes. If you really liked the three minute version then you may find it hard to cut some pieces out. This is a good exercise however and a must for cinematographers. You will have to learn to cut pieces you really like if it makes the film better overall.

Please go ahead and try this and if you get time, post your results. Hope you found this useful. <3

Hope you liked this article, please visit me.

Andrew Barton

http://www.shortfilmideashq.com/

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Short Films: Don't Plan To Fail!

What is the definition of a short film? There appears to be some differing views on what constitutes a short film. The American Academy defines it as any film that is forty minutes or less in length. Others, including the International Film School, say it is a movie between one and fifteen minutes in duration, yet another school of thought calls it any film over three minutes long. Indeed many of the major film festivals now include films shot on mobile phones in the short film making category.

With the ready availability of good digital cameras, and yes, even cell phones, it is not beyond anybody's capability to make a short film. However, if you are considering embarking on such a project, you need to approach it in exactly the same way as if you were producing a remake of the Titanic.

Remember the old adage "if you fail to prepare, be prepared to fail"? So it is in film production, short long or epic. Check out the various websites where people upload their own masterpieces. You will be able to decide for yourself those that work and those that do not. This will help you in your own endeavours.

Start off by deciding on your subject matter, whether it is dramatic, funny, or informative; you are not making a home movie. Next, decide on your own preferred length and begin crafting your screenplay and story boards. Even if you are making a silent movie, you still need these crafts. Armed with them, you can then decide on your budget, if at all you need one.

The next step is casting. If you are using professional actors, it will make your job a lot easier. If amateur thespians, you will have to try to match their personalities to those of the characters, in order to save you a lot of time that would otherwise be wasted in bringing your characters to live through mis-matched thespians.

Do not forget to get your actors to sign a release. Professional or amateur, even family and friends, should be asked to complete one of these forms early enough, else it will be too late after the film is released or uploaded to the Internet. Similarly, if you intend to shoot on location, find out if you need permission to do so; you do not want to interrupt filming because you have not got the correct paperwork.

If you have a definite idea of what you want to achieve from your short film making, you will find it easier to achieve success. Very few film makers have the talent to improvise, and it can often end in chaos and, or bitter disappointment. Endeavour to first get the idea, and then work around it during the making of the screen play and shooting of the film.

We provide the best info about short film making and learn film making. For further details please visit the provided links.

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Is 3D A Whole New Dimension Of Making Films?

Ever since James Cameron's 'Avatar' and its widespread success, filmmakers in Hollywood are desperately trying to use the revolutionary 3D technology for a number of genres. 3D has become a natural preference for most of the animated films as well as action and sci-fi films big on action and special effects. These films are meant to be big successes with the audiences in the theaters. 3D technology has enabled people to experience hurtling effects and spaceships which seem to pop right out of the silver screens. Even Bollywood is warming up to the sensation of the Extra Dimension. Last year, we had both 'Ra One' and 'Don2' releasing in a separate 3D format in theaters.

On the surface of it, 3D technology for films seems to be big success factor for Hollywood. After 'Avatar', there have been many spectacular successes like 'Adventures Of Tintin- Secret Of Unicorn' and of course the final installments of the popular Harry Potter series. They have made sure that the movie watchers have thronged the aisles with tubs of popcorn. But there have been some glaring failures as well. Films like 'Green Hornet'. Green Lantern' and 'Clash Of The Titans' have compelled people to question the profitability in using the 3D technology for every kind of film. The animation section, however, continues to ride high.

The problem is not with the state of technology being a fashion and fad. In the past, there have been considerable introductions of technique and innovation. These continue to be inspiring for many filmmakers and directors, even as they may be termed as old fashioned. The problem is that thing- use of technology. In Hollywood, filmmakers are simply pumping cash into films with big effects but little else. This means that after a time, the 3D technology, if used so ludicrously, will no longer be a novelty. Technology benefits film-making only if it makes storytelling novel and extraordinary to the audiences. The 3D should be used for movies which can be made exciting or genuinely sensational with the use of technology.

Then again, expensive technology is not the main thing. Even inferior or cheaper technology of making films can be used effectively to make a simple but well-written film more viable to specific audiences. Think about movies like 'Paranormal Experience'. The cheaply made horror flick revels in the gritty style of its hand-held, scratchy and realistic camerawork. I-MAX technology is another thing which could be misused. In most films, no one actually notices that the action scenes have been shot with I-MAX cameras. But in well-made films like 'The Dark Knight' or 'Inception', one does feel the difference.

With the current state of indulgence, 3D would be best used if left to the hands of a few filmmakers. Martin Scorsese's latest film 'Hugo' uses the 3D cameras to shoot people and real scenarios rather than computer generated imagery. The film's is a story of childhood and innocence but it also uses 3D so as to capture the expressions, emotions and the real depth to the characters and the backgrounds. If 3D films are filmed or made in such an impressive manner, it will be a really new dimension to film-making and storytelling.

Read my review of 'Hugo' at my blog http://moviechatterbugsunlimited.blogspot.com/. Also, read other reviews at my blog as well.

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Hollywood on Producing Black Films

The political and economical reality according to filmmaker George Lucas

African American filmmakers and other prominent figures should establish a distribution system to market black films across the globe. Hollywood admits that even with an Academy Award winning name like Cuba Gooding Jr. they still don't know how to market black films, according to filmmaker George Lucas, director of "Star Wars". In a recent interview with Jon Stewart on the Daily Show, Lucas appeared as a guest promoting his new film "Red Tail", a story about the African American World War II heroes, the Tuskegee Airmen. With an all African American cast starring Cuba Gooding Jr. with R&B singer and song writer Neo, this is a Lucas film 23 years in the making and personally financed. Lucas laid out the political and economical views of the Hollywood Movie system in regards to the production and distribution of black films. He stated that he wanted to make an inspirational film for teenage boys and highlight the African American patriots that helped to make this country what it is today.

The troubling part of this interview was Lucas's story about getting the film distributed. He admits that all of the studios turned it down and expressed views that they didn't know how to market a film like this (Red Tail) because it had no 'green' in it. What did they mean by this? That there is no money in it or the fact that there were no major lead roles with white actors and therefore that no real money can be made? Lucas stated that the studios even refused to release Tyler Perry movies and referred to them as being' low budget films handled by a lower level distribution system'. He said that films like Perry's actually do pretty well but the major studios don't touch them. He said "Red Tail" actually cost him more money to make than what a Perry film earns in box office revenues. The studios believe there's no foreign market for it and that relates to 60% of their profit. Lucas said that "Red Tail" is one of the first all black action pictures ever made. This is incorrect because there are many all black action pictures that have been produced, especially some of the black exploitation films of the 1970s that starred black actors, however Hollywood just didn't embrace them. There are many that exist today that just don't make it to the big screen.

In the interview, Jon Stewart jokingly asked Lucas "Now, the scene in it when Hitler tells Cuba Gooding Jr. that he's his father?". The audience burst into laughter. Well, what are you actually saying Jon? Maybe lines like this are the real reason Hollywood don't know how to market black films. George Lucas said of the Tuskegee Airmen, "They are the true heroes of World War II" and also expressed that those who are still alive showed great emotion, came up to him with tears in their eyes, thanking him for making a film that finally recognized them.

The reality of telling our stories with integrity and depth and getting them to market is falling on the shoulders of the independent filmmakers producing them. Most black filmmakers go into debt and bankruptcy because they believe that their stories have substance, a great purpose and markets waiting to embrace them, even when Hollywood fails them. Black business owners have a responsibility, and should not only take from the consumer but give back, which most of them do. Black businesses should start supporting, sponsoring and financing African American films like never before. They will make a great contribution towards educating African Americans as well as many other ethnic groups who are clueless to the depths of the real African American experience.

I believe that there is a foreign market for African American films and those in Hollywood are just not interested in telling those stories. You know what? That's OK because the stories they do decide to tell, they seem to tell upside down anyway. If there were no foreign market for black films then why did Viacom spend 3 Billion dollars to acquire (BET) Black Entertainment Television Holdings in 2001? At the time of the BET purchase, the programming was airing in approximately 62 million African American households and watched across 14 countries. Somebody is tuning into the black experience via television. Why would EMI Publishing pay former Motown founder Berry Gordy 132 million dollars for rights to those (Motown/Jobete publishing) oldies that did extremely well in foreign countries? It certainly looks like there's a foreign market to me.

Recently Damon Diddit and Natural Langdon, independent African American filmmakers from Brownsville Brooklyn in New York City, produced a film depicting the realities of life in their community called "Bullets over Brownsville" and were invited to Berlin, Germany where the movie screened at a film festival. They also produced a reality program of that experience called the "Unglamorous Life of Filmmaking. Now, it certainly looks like there's a foreign market to me. It's very strange that George Lucas would speak out openly about the Hollywood movie system and their views when they pay him millions to make films. I wonder; is this a publicity stunt designed to get blacks into the theaters on January 20, 2012?

Black Americans need to take back control of their history and future in motion picture arts & science. They need to find ways to ensure that the African American experience is projected on the screen through the right eyes and channels.

By Surakhan

Surakhan
http://www.surakhan.net/
Surakhan- CEO Vision Surakhan Entertainment Enterprises LLC.
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Cleaning and Conditioning Old 8mm Films Before DVD Transfer

To ensure that you achieve the best film to DVD transfer, cleaning and conditioning your old film reels is necessary. Prepping and reconditioning the film takes time but will ensure the optimal transfer quality. There are several factors that affect the condition of 8mm films.

Some of the damage that your old films incurred over time may be repaired while others may be not. Inspecting your Regular or Super 8mm films before digital transfer or even before loading them on a projector is essential. Scratches and unwanted lines are common in old films but these aren't the most major challenges you encounter when transferring 8mm to DVD.

Films left too long on humid environments tend to develop molds, mildew or fungus. These microorganisms have a distinct smell and have the power to damage old films irreversibly. Usually, they start growing on the outer edges, working its way into the emulsion eventually. A growth on the outside edges is repairable but once it gets onto the emulsion, it is usually damaging enough to render the film useless.

If the fungal, mildew or mold growth is contained in the outer edges, a thorough cleaning can stop its progress before it gets to the emulsion. There are chemicals available to get rid of these microorganisms from the emulsion but it usually erases the images as well. If you got to it before severe damage has been done to it, you have to clean it up and move the film to a dryer storage area.

Shrinkage should be measured before you can have the film transferred to digital format. 0.8% to 1% shrinkage carries the possibility that your film will be further damaged if you load it on a projector. 2% shrinkage virtually renders transfer impossible even with the best labs. To measure shrinkage, a Shrinkage Gauge is used but you can also do it manually by comparing 100 frames of the film to 100 frames of new film.

Before you decide on a film transfer lab, ask them what steps they do to prepare and recondition the film. A good lab has cleaning and conditioning equipment that would perfectly work with old films as long as they are repairable. The technician should also be familiar with all the problems above.

Old films contain precious memories of loved ones are forgotten times. Cleaning and conditioning of film takes time but if you are going to spend the money to get them transferred, might as well do it right.

Play it Again Video, an on-site film transfer lab located in Newton, MA has been transferring 8mm film to DVD since 1986.

Not sure what's on your old 8mm, Super8 or 16mm film reels? Bring them in here and watch your film on our film viewer. There is no charge, no obligation, but you do need to call (617) 332-3300 to reserve the film viewer.

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Many Famous Stars Got Their Starts by Appearing in Short Films

All of the big movie stars that we are so familiar with, did not start out as huge stars, but as extras, playing very tiny parts in short films. Some of these creations are written, filmed, and produced without a budget at all. The people that create these magnificent works of art get their friends and family to act in them, and spend their own money producing the movie.

You certainly do not undertake these types of projects if you do not love what you doing and you are not going to put everything that you can into it to ensure it comes out spectacular. The subjects that these short films cover are as varied as there are stars in the sky. Of course, a few of them try to emulate what we are used to seeing coming out of Hollywood, like action films, love stories, or horror movies.

But, many other ones are about something as simple as the life a mother and daughter share together, or a family pet. In the past when these types of short films were produced very few if any people ever had an opportunity to view them. But now, because of the World Wide Web, that has all changed.

Today, there are a ton of websites where you can watch these short films online for free. Please do not be confused with the types of videos that you would see on a site like YouTube. Most of their videos are shot by amateurs, who are recording a certain period in the life that turns out to be eventful.

The short films that we are discussing here are produced by semiprofessionals, who are trying to make a name for themselves in the entertainment industry. They each have a beginning, middle, and an end, as well as some kind of plot. With some of the less sophisticated ones, it might be kind of difficult to uncover the plot, but if you watch one enough times, you will discover it sooner or later.

With the better ones, the plot will be obvious from the minute the movie starts and it will leave you fascinated, craving for more work from its producer. Their running length also varies greatly from only a minute or so, all the way up to an hour.

Some of these films will grow in popularity to such a point that the makers of the movies will be invited to present their short films at one of the world's most prestigious and well known film festivals, like Sundance or Cannes. Of course, this is the type of recognition that the producers were hoping for when they first came up with the idea to create a mini movie.

So, the next time you are on the internet and cannot find anything interesting to read or watch, just type the following term "Short Films Online" into one of the search engines and see what pops up. Who knows, you might find something that you really enjoy watching and you start coming back to the site all of the time seeking more exciting entertainment.

Are you looking for that perfect site to upload short films or view others work online no matter what the genre? Look no further Renderyard has everything you need for filmmakers to get your short films noticed.

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Why Short Films Sink Like the Titanic

Any movie under forty-minutes classified as a short film. An audience attention span however at film festivals tested if shorts run over twenty minutes. Why do so many shorts miss the mark? Two reasons, the first bad audio. You should not strain to hear the actors speak. The second reason lies with the story itself or lack thereof. The very crux of why short films sink like the Titanic.

Narrator's Voice Over

If you watch a short with a narrator's voice over, this called a "cheat." This device tells the story instead of allowing the plot to develop. Directors untrained in the craft of screenwriting who write their own short film scripts often take this route. The burden of the story then falls on the narrator. That leaves trite exchange of dialogue between characters.

Untrained Actors

Line reciting runs amuck in short films. Untrained actors deliver stifled performances. Without organic delivery of lines, the dialogue sounds shallow. Directors complain they cannot find good talent where they live. Excuses however do not cover the fact the film looks and sounds amateurish.

Poor Dialogue

Even a trained actor can muddle through a poorly written short film script. However, mix bad acting with poor dialogue equals disaster. A good story reveals conflict through dialogue and character's actions. Many shorts however full of exposition within the actor's lines.

Poor Pacing

Short do not have the luxury of time. If a short takes a minute to establish shots and roll opening credits, that time floundered. The audience yawns with boredom. Establish the main character's motive within the first two minutes. Establish the conflict within the first three minutes. That will catapult the story into the second act by the fourth minute. Time is of the essence.

Predictability

End of world stories, teenagers-in-woods horror or someone dies in a drama. Ideas for short films must conceptualize a new angle. End of world story where only women survive. Replace teenagers in the woods with characters who have environmental degrees. Replace near death dramas set in a world where death does not exist. Think outside-of-the-box.

Conclusion

Shorts must grab your attention that first minute. Good storytelling reveals character. Quick pace, solid interaction of characters and a cohesive point makes for a good film. Aspiring filmmakers crank out shorts like a game instead of a craft. As an audience member, you must sift through the chaff to find the wheat. However, the good grain of short films rare indeed.

Chuck G. is a freelance writer and blogger. She's written hundreds of articles on a variety of subjects. Expert researcher, creative writer, screenwriter, filmmaker and poet. Resume

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