Does a short film have to be that good?

H

harmonica44

I've noticed a lot of newbie wanna become directors, on here, are worried about not being able to come up with much of a good story for a short film. But don't a lot of critics at the film festivals and people in the business realize that short films are just for directors to pitch their craft, and it's not that the story matters as much, but the editing, sound, acting, etc. Or am I wrong and they highly value story, even though story is not exactly the director's job?
 
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Here's a short film of mine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhyxeCn3JYw

Wanna watch that one a few times and then argue why it doesn't matter if a short is good?

It sucks.
It's completely stupid.
It's purpose was to practice layering audio tracks.
- Alarm clock
- Home phone
- Cell phone
- SquirtsNplops + TP + Flushes
- Groans
- Music
Six tracks deep. Clever, eh?

How many more times do you wanna watch it? Why?

Yeah, a short should have a thoughtful story to it.
 
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You should be making your film the best you can, not asking if poor quality is accepted so you can make a poor film. Seriously, why even ask if it has to be good?? Do you open a restaurant and ask if the food really has to be good? You do the very best within your means. I thought that was obvious.
 
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Well the reason I asked is a lot of short films don't have much story, and don't go that much anywhere. So I wondered if the stories had to be good. I watched some short films and it's hard to know what makes a good one since there isn't a lot of time for story, in the usual 10 minute ones. I can judge a good one easily if it's a feature, but for a short it's a lot less obvious. Any shorts that you can post the links to as examples of what makes a good story for 10 minutes?
 
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Sounds like you want to make a film to make a film, instead of "I have a story to tell" or "statement to make." Good luck with that.

Stick to film exercises until you are driven to tell a story.
 
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Well I'm having trouble coming up with a good story so short, and wonder what counts as a good one, since there is not much time to make it develop as much. I guess maybe comedies are better, since they require more laughs and not so much twists and turns. I had an idea for a short, which is my best idea so far. But I loved it so much that I decided to write as a feature instead.
 
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Short films need to have one good idea around which to build them. They need, like any linear story, a beginning, middle, and end (by "linear," in mean in time, since we watch films in linear fashion even when a story is non-linear).

A perfect example of a short film structure is a story joke with a punchline: set-up, complication, dramatic climax, end. Commercials can be great short films, since they are very often built just like this.

But, let me tell you from much experience (of beating my head against a wall), writing comedy is about 10 times harder than writing drama. Comedy has all the requirements of drama (character development, subtext, plot, stakes, goals) plus it's got to make people laugh. There's a reason that many of the most successful comic writers are people who spent years in front of audiences doing stand-up, while there are plenty of dramatic writers who are total recluses.

Whatever you decide to do, expect to fail at it for a while. But still, you should be trying hard to succeed, by making the best films you can.
 
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I agree comedy is harder. But maybe if you're going for pure laughs it may be better for a short, since dramatic stories tend to have to have more in them for a more dramatic pay off, which is why dramas I think are often longer than comedies. I mean movies like The Hangover and Bridesmaids are popular for laughs, but the plots are no where near what you'd call, significant or special.

I did some research and asking around, and some people believe that the RED is only good if your movie is going to be shown in IMAX, otherwise there is no other reason to use it since DVD and most theater formats is 1080p, and not higher. However, since technology is advancing more 2000p might become the new standard in a couple of years. Does this mean if I wanna make a feature in 1080p, I have theoretically only a couple of years to do it, before the format becomes riskily obsolete?
 
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harmonica44 said:
But maybe if you're going for pure laughs it may be better for a short, since dramatic stories tend to have to have more in them for a more dramatic pay off, which is why dramas I think are often longer than comedies.
Click to expand...

I've seen plenty of under 10 min. dramas. Don't know what you're talking about. :hmm:

I did some research and asking around, and some people believe that the RED is only good if your movie is going to be shown in IMAX, otherwise there is no other reason to use it since DVD and most theater formats is 1080p,
Click to expand...

DVD isn't 1080p, it's less than half that resolution -- it's basically obsolete crap. Blu-Ray is 1080p.

Yes, theaters project 1080p. But it certainly doesn't hurt if your resolution is higher. You get a lot out of RED footage -- not just crisper image quality, but greater color depth. The better your source, the better it's going to look when down-rezzed to 1080p. Why wouldn't you want the best source possible? No good reason to use RED other than IMAX? What?! Who says this?

Does this mean if I wanna make a feature in 1080p, I have theoretically only a couple of years to do it, before the format becomes riskily obsolete?
Click to expand...

Never base shooting decisions on second guessing future format changes -- it's a losing game. Just shoot with the best you can get right now.
 
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Smarmy bastards. :P

::Edit::

I was on page 3 and responding to the last few comments on that page. Thought I was on the last page - wasn't.
oops.


I didn't read through the whole thread - but I've noticed that short films seem to more and more be the proving grounds for directors.

Off the top of my head The guy that directed District 9 was able to due to his short version of it, as was the guy who directed "9". As I understand it they got the attentions of Peter Jackson and Tim Burton, respectively.

I'd say yes - A short film has to be the most amazing thing you'll ever make. (as does every project.)
 
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A short example of a short story:
http://vimeo.com/25943947
(I was not involved in this)

In the end you could say that a single scene can have the same basics as a whole movie: set up, problem, conclusion. Let's take a look on True Romance: the scene with Christopher Walken and the man who insult Sicilian Italians could be a short on it's own.

Last year I've seen a Dutch short: Het Beloofde Pand (The Promised House) which is a 10 minute allegory about the history of the Israelian/Palastinian-conflict without telling this.

Short films can be 2 minutes or 59 minutes.
What is your plan?

I'll give you homework ;)
Make a 2-minute short. Maybe it's only 1 scene, but that's up to you.
 
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To answer the OP's question: Does a short film have to be that good?

My answer: Yes.

Please don't ask me to watch your film that has you wondering if its "that good".

You should make the best possible film with the resources you have. I'll overlook lower level formats, but I won't overlook the storytelling, direction, filmmaking techniques and the editing because these things don't cost you a dime -- its the amount of time you spend doing these things that ultimately determines your final product.

Good luck.
 
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GuerrillaAngel said:
To answer the OP's question: Does a short film have to be that good?

My answer: Yes.

Please don't ask me to watch your film that has you wondering if its "that good".

You should make the best possible film with the resources you have. I'll overlook lower level formats, but I won't overlook the storytelling, direction, filmmaking techniques and the editing because these things don't cost you a dime -- its the amount of time you spend doing these things that ultimately determines your final product.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Yes I know, I admit I asked a dumb question. I asked it after watching some shorts for research, and not much happened in them.
 
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