Short film vs. feature length

L

londonfilmmaker

I am in the planning stages of a project I'm very excited about. Without giving anything away, it's a British horror thriller, one location with a specific 'gimmick' that will at least warrant a curious viewing.

I have not written a full script, just an outline (however extremely detailed) and everything I want to achieve is put across in 35 pages, something I was suprised at and always intended it to be 90 pages plus, but it just won't happen. I'm limited because of the one location and there being only three characters, but I'm happy with that.

In terms of submitting to film festivals or even going as far as distribution - short films just don't have that edge over feature length films.

Can someone please reassure me that short films have a place in society? What advantages do short films have over feature length films? Are they generally received as well at film festivals as feature length films are?

Do directors simply complete short film projects to showcase their talent with a view to a future feature length film having the clout behind it for increased backing from investors?
 
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Let me start this by saying the following: I have not completed a short film or feature film yet.

However that being said I am in the preproduction phase of my first short film that will be around 15-20 minutes. There are several reasons I chose to go this route without jumping feet first into a feature.

1. I haven't completed a short yet so I know I have no chance of completing a feature length film. There is so much more planning that goes into it.
2. Shorts cost less to produce then a feature length.
3. Shorts allow me to see where I am as a director and as a cameraman.
4. If the short is good enough and gets selected to a film festival it will get my name out there.
5. If it isn't good enough it is a learning experience where I didn't lose a lot of money or upset people who backed a failed project.

These are my reasons for doing the one I have in the works. I am looking to shoot my short for around $200-$500 not including equipment. I know I didn't answer all your questions but I am hoping this will give you a counter balance to compare against shooting a feature film.
 
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It comes down I think to what you are wanting to achieve with this film idea you have. If this is your first attempt/intention of making a film then turning this into a short will be beneficial because you will learn many things from the experience.

I believe that short films are a great way for a filmmaker to hone the craft, make mistakes and learn from them so that on your next short you can implement what you learnt - this includes the actual process involved in filmmaking such as scheduling, working with actors, props, camera, lighting etc.

Many directors who have gone on to make features like Neil Blomkamp with District 9, Sam Raimi with The Evil Dead (used a short called Within the Woods to help gain investors for The Evil Dead), Peter Jackson with Bad Taste (originally conceived as a shorter film but then expanded into a feature length), Steven Spielberg with his early career (all the films he made as a kid) - they made short films that helped them learn and gain experience to get them to where they are today.

James Rolfe is an independent filmmaker that already has made over 200 short films and is making his first feature length film starring his Angry Video Game Nerd character. He is a filmmaker who is very inspirational to me. His production company is Cinemassacre and he has been making movies since he was a kid.

So I think that shorts are important and have a place in the film industry.

If you are confident that this idea can be made into a short then go for it. But if you really like this idea and are afraid you may not end up with a finished product matching your expectations, at this stage in your career, then make other shorts beforehand.

Again I think it comes down to what you want to achieve.
 
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You won't make any money on your short, but it will serve as portfolio material for future jobs, and experience that you can't get while reading film books. Almost all film festivals accept short films and there are a lot more festival submissions for shorts, but there are usually more slots to be filled for shorts.

I guess I would say, make the movie you want to make first, then worry about where it will be seen later.
 
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I can't say for sure, but I would imagine that your finished script would be considerably longer than your outline. How much longer? I dunno. Only one way for you to find out.

Seems like everyone wants their feature to be at least 90 minutes. Indeed, that was the exact length I was shooting for (ended up at 84). I certainly understand why you would want to fit the norm.

However, keep in mind the fact that Chris Nolan's debut feature clocked in at 69 minutes. He had to submit twice, but he got into Slamdance and the rest is history. Point being, you don't have to make your feature at least 90 minutes.

If you wrote a 35-page outline, you should just start writing the script. Think of a couple ways to lengthen it, in a meaningful way of course. I wouldn't be surprised if you ended up with something feature length.

Regardless of the final length, you're going to have to write the script sooner or later! I think you should consider your options after writing the 1st rough cut.
 
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Jsthompson79 said:
Why is 10 and under the recommended model? Why not 15? I am not trying to argue the point I am just curious where that number comes from.
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It's the festival mentality. The more shorts you can squeeze into a showing the fuller the theatre. If you can show 21 five minute shorts in two hours and each filmmaker can put ten butts into seats that's 210 people in the theatre. If you show seven 15 minute shorts in two hours that's only 70 people in the theatre. A full theatre looks much better.

Shorter length features - under 90 minutes - will usually get preference, all other things being equal; you can show two feature films in an evening.

Different rules apply to the mega-festivals like Sundance. There budget and names count for a lot!
 
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I'd also like to add that I always do very detailed outlines, but when it gets to the actual script writing, the dialogue you end up writing will take you places you never thought of. You'll be adding scenes left and right, and you'll most likely end up with a lot more material than you started with. That's my experience anyway.
 
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londonfilmmaker said:
Can someone please reassure me that short films have a place in society?
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They do. There are plenty of stand-alone short film festivals as well as a healthy half of most "full" film festivals.
Lord knows youtube and vimeo are chock full of essentially short films.


What advantages do short films have over feature length films?
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Films are like rocks - they're everywhere, and the overwhelming majority of them are dull, uninteresting, and have almost zero intrinsic value to them, alone or in bulk.
Frankly - most films, short or feature, suck.
And if the first twenty seconds suck the following twenty seconds probably will, too.
And before you know it you've watched a full minute of suckage.
Most people will punch out at around the two-minute mark of both intolerable suckage or been-there-done-that-don't-care suckage.
A film may be technically fine but thematically suck.
Or, as most often the case, both technically and thematically suck.

One or two of these rocks is your video content --->
1144695657Te24Dm.jpg


FURTHERMORE, the overwhelming majority of filmmakers are likely never going to make a penny of ANY revenue off their feature and certainly not off their shorts.
Revenue isn't even the same thing as profit, so just be real clear that you're spending essentially vacation money.
You won't see any return on your vacation expenses other than memories, t-shirts, more mileage, exhaustion, and some video+pictures, and maybe a scar or syphilis.
You certainly aren't likely to make a profit.
Think of filmmaking as a hobby like fishing, hunting, pottery, stamp collecting, ballet, or bowling. Don't EXPECT o make money off of it. Just enjoy doing it - but at least try to be somewhat proficient at it, and try to be reasonable about your expectations.

Taking both these above points into account make your shorts short and cheap because you're making them for experience to learn more about the industry until you REALLY know WTH you're doing.


Are they generally received as well at film festivals as feature length films are?
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Yes. The shorter the better.
Why are french fries and potato chips more popular than baked potatoes? They are easier to consume in incremental investments of time and effort thus requiring less investment at the onset.
When myself and most people pull up a three to five minute video we think "This is doable."
When we pull up 15+ minute videos we think "What else can I be doing for the next fifteen minutes?"
http://www.investopedia.com/terms/o/opportunitycost.asp#axzz25gf2A7gN

Shorter shorts and features all allow the festival and theater managers to show more material in the fixed amount of time they are spending money on to operate the festival.


Do directors simply complete short film projects to showcase their talent with a view to a future feature length film having the clout behind it for increased backing from investors?
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For the business minded writer/director/producers - Yep!
There are a lot of pure artists that truly enjoy making art for art's sake.
And then there are the exceptionally rare Cinderella stories.

Neill Blomkamp: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPl6XpFVNKI
Gareth Edwards: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvZ2GTGyE8s

Rumor is that these two shorts are leading to feature films:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dadPWhEhVk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG11zhX6_jo

And how many BIG, HOLLYWOOD DIRECTORS! began as music video and advertising commercial directors, both of which are essentially shorts?

So, does it happen? Yeah.
So do lightning strikes and lottery wins.
Most people keep their day jobs.

GL!
 
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Well I recently finished my first short and I have explored many opportunities for distribution and pr/marketing for it. This includes online options and festivals.

I've had some luck with both - a screening at the New Filmakers Festival in New York City and some streaming sales via the distrify player (see in my sig).

That being said, I'll try to answer your questions!...

Can someone please reassure me that short films have a place in society?

--> If you have never made a film, the main reason for shorts is for you to gain experience and confidence. Their place in society will be based on the impact the story in your film has on festival and online viewers. This could be very small if you just screen at one festival, or very huge if your film gets a million free views on youtube. But a place in society is not the same as "do they make money".

What advantages do short films have over feature length films? Are they generally received as well at film festivals as feature length films are?

--> Shorts are much quicker and cheaper to make. Almost every festival has a short category so there are many, many opportunities.

Do directors simply complete short film projects to showcase their talent with a view to a future feature length film having the clout behind it for increased backing from investors?

--> Also in my case in was for the experience and confidence of actually making the film. Now I feel very empowered to make a feature. Before making a short I would not have known where to even start. You learn important lessons with shorts about casting, locations, equipment, directing, effects, sets, etc.

--> The main thing I learned is that making money in the film industry is about *features*, period. Virtually all the distribution and funding opportunities available are for features. The reason you do shorts is to be able to make features! Its for the credits, experience and confidence.
 
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rayw said:
And if the first twenty seconds suck the following twenty seconds probably will, too.
And before you know it you've watched a full minute of suckage.
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This explains why most "watch my film" threads posted in this forum have ZERO comments -- nobody wants to own up watching more than a minute of suckage!

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To the OP, If you're thinking of splurging more than a thousand bucks on your short, don't. Make a feature instead. It's been done.
 
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