Short Films...do people still care?

L

Loochghuru

I haven't directed a short film in over 3 years. At the time, I remember the short film industry dying anyway, so it was easy to move on.
Lately I've been shooting short sketches with a crew, nothing special. Just wondering if there is a market for shorts anymore?
 
A market for profit? I've never met anyone that would pay money to watch a short film.
 
Loochghuru said:
I haven't directed a short film in over 3 years. At the time, I remember the short film industry dying anyway, so it was easy to move on.
Lately I've been shooting short sketches with a crew, nothing special. Just wondering if there is a market for shorts anymore?
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was there ever an industry. more like basement hobby making like the film industyr now in general
 
Loochghuru said:
I haven't directed a short film in over 3 years. At the time, I remember the short film industry dying anyway, so it was easy to move on.
Lately I've been shooting short sketches with a crew, nothing special. Just wondering if there is a market for shorts anymore?
Click to expand...
Welcome to indietalk.

As a filmmaker do YOU still care about short films? Do you
ever watch short films? do you ever pay to watch short films?
You are the market. We are the market. Where do you go
to watch shorts?
 
Yeah, beyond getting a decent following on youtube and monotizing your account, there's not much profit in short films. I'd say make them because you enjoy making them and maybe something good will come of it.
 
Yes youtube keeps on growing.

"I know you want me" was 2009's most watched music video with 92 million hits on youtube.

How quaint. Compare that number to today.
 
Unless it's comedy, fan-fiction, or video-game related, it's not something people would want to actively seek out.
 
The Controller by Saman Kesh got picked up by FOX

so the answer is, if your short is effing awesome then yes people will care, if its just bogstandard then its nothing more than Showreel filler...

I also believe Mama was a short before being picked up and Saw but I cant remember too well..
 
film_autre said:
The Controller by Saman Kesh got picked up by FOX

so the answer is, if your short is effing awesome then yes people will care, if its just bogstandard then its nothing more than Showreel filler...

I also believe Mama was a short before being picked up and Saw but I cant remember too well..
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Exactly. "Light's Out" was picked up by Warner Brothers and is being made into a feature with the same director who did the short. I realize having that happen would be like winning the lottery, but I've made countless contacts from making short films that could lead to me doing something more in the near future. I look at short films like a business card. I also happen to love to make short films. So I do it out of love and then I have something to show people afterwards that could help my career.
 
Pixels was also a short before Adam Sandler saw it.

Doesn't mean anyone should expect that to happen to them. Makes them 1 in 100 million exceptions.
 
SkyCopeland said:
Pixels was also a short before Adam Sandler saw it.

Doesn't mean anyone should expect that to happen to them. Makes them 1 in 100 million exceptions.
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I don't watch many shorts myself. More-so animated shorts if anything. I'd like to see more live-action shorts, though. New ones are made every day, just look at Vimeo's Top Shorts of the Week pages and all of their Staff Picks.

I look at shorts as a calling card: a way to market your abilities in a small and concise package, something that may be able to convince someone else that you are somebody they should be working with, or you are someone who may be deserving of a bigger budget in the near future.

Shorts are also the best way to test out a concept, like the short film for Whiplash, which you can watch on the Blu-ray for the film. Some shots from the short were also used in the actual film. But the short had a good budget behind it, and was only made a few years before the film. So unlike people in my position, or some of your positions, the Whiplash short was done specifically as a way to garner interest in a feature film based on the short's premise.

Shorts can obviously serve as an "in the meantime" ongoing project as well. Like say you are holding down a job, maybe it's related to film, and maybe it isn't. You aren't a director yet, and no one is going to hire you as a director for quite some time. So, "in the meantime," you can create a new short film every once in a while in order to keep your filmography/resume growing and updating, you can continue practicing your skills, and maybe one of those films will get you the chance to direct a project that actually pays up front.

The main reason people make shorts is for every other reason but money or a specific size of audience. I think we all hope we can get an audience, and we all hope our shorts can either make us some money or win us some awards. But honestly, it seems like we all just do it to express ourselves, to improve in our understanding of filmmaking, and as an excuse to get out there and network. And there's nothing wrong with that, so long as you have the time to do it, and you have the ability to raise the budget you need, whether it be a small or large budget.
 
Loochghuru said:
I totally used the wrong word there. Not market, I meant more to ask if it's still something people are entertained by.
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I'm entertained by short films. Is it something you are entertained by?
Where do you usually watch shorts?
 
FilmmakerJ said:
I don't watch many shorts myself. More-so animated shorts if anything. I'd like to see more live-action shorts, though. New ones are made every day, just look at Vimeo's Top Shorts of the Week pages and all of their Staff Picks.

I look at shorts as a calling card: a way to market your abilities in a small and concise package, something that may be able to convince someone else that you are somebody they should be working with, or you are someone who may be deserving of a bigger budget in the near future.

Shorts are also the best way to test out a concept, like the short film for Whiplash, which you can watch on the Blu-ray for the film. Some shots from the short were also used in the actual film. But the short had a good budget behind it, and was only made a few years before the film. So unlike people in my position, or some of your positions, the Whiplash short was done specifically as a way to garner interest in a feature film based on the short's premise.

Shorts can obviously serve as an "in the meantime" ongoing project as well. Like say you are holding down a job, maybe it's related to film, and maybe it isn't. You aren't a director yet, and no one is going to hire you as a director for quite some time. So, "in the meantime," you can create a new short film every once in a while in order to keep your filmography/resume growing and updating, you can continue practicing your skills, and maybe one of those films will get you the chance to direct a project that actually pays up front.

The main reason people make shorts is for every other reason but money or a specific size of audience. I think we all hope we can get an audience, and we all hope our shorts can either make us some money or win us some awards. But honestly, it seems like we all just do it to express ourselves, to improve in our understanding of filmmaking, and as an excuse to get out there and network. And there's nothing wrong with that, so long as you have the time to do it, and you have the ability to raise the budget you need, whether it be a small or large budget.
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Perfectly said.

I watch short films pretty frequently, but mostly just to see potential people I'd like to work with or to seek out inspiration. If I wasn't into film, I don't think I'd ever really watch a short film unless I was asked to.

They can obtain a profitable audience, but definitely have to realize what percentage that is. But that doesn't mean it isn't worth trying. I did a short last year that has made around $500-$700, but considering the amount of time that went into it, that is pennies.

There's been quite a few people who have directed Hollywood films who were discovered for a short film on YouTube; so it does make for quite a calling card and something to show off to other filmmakers.

And most of all, it gives you something to develop your skills in.

So I guess it has mostly internal benefits within the filmmaking community.
 
I agree with most of the sentiments here. You're not going to make money off a short, but you gain experience in working with people, telling a story, and the technical aspects of filmmaking. And they can most definitely serve as a calling card and work sample when trying to get jobs in the industry.

I did forty shorts on VHS and then miniDV before I had the confidence to tackle my first feature. That in itself was still a huge learning curve, but those shorts gave me a lot of practice.
 
You just got to do what you just go to do... I mean if your film reaches a festival and win awards greats... otherwise what else would you do? Unless you have another interests or profession
 
FilmmakerJ said:
I don't watch many shorts myself. More-so animated shorts if anything. I'd like to see more live-action shorts, though. New ones are made every day, just look at Vimeo's Top Shorts of the Week pages and all of their Staff Picks.

I look at shorts as a calling card: a way to market your abilities in a small and concise package, something that may be able to convince someone else that you are somebody they should be working with, or you are someone who may be deserving of a bigger budget in the near future.

Shorts are also the best way to test out a concept, like the short film for Whiplash, which you can watch on the Blu-ray for the film. Some shots from the short were also used in the actual film. But the short had a good budget behind it, and was only made a few years before the film. So unlike people in my position, or some of your positions, the Whiplash short was done specifically as a way to garner interest in a feature film based on the short's premise.

Shorts can obviously serve as an "in the meantime" ongoing project as well. Like say you are holding down a job, maybe it's related to film, and maybe it isn't. You aren't a director yet, and no one is going to hire you as a director for quite some time. So, "in the meantime," you can create a new short film every once in a while in order to keep your filmography/resume growing and updating, you can continue practicing your skills, and maybe one of those films will get you the chance to direct a project that actually pays up front.

The main reason people make shorts is for every other reason but money or a specific size of audience. I think we all hope we can get an audience, and we all hope our shorts can either make us some money or win us some awards. But honestly, it seems like we all just do it to express ourselves, to improve in our understanding of filmmaking, and as an excuse to get out there and network. And there's nothing wrong with that, so long as you have the time to do it, and you have the ability to raise the budget you need, whether it be a small or large budget.
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I'm not sure what this has to do with my quoted statement.... It seems pretty unrelated.

Was it to say that shorts can be used to get a bigger project? Cause as I said before... it's a 1 in 10 million kind of goal. It's been done VERY few times compared to the number of times it's been tried.

Whiplash? That's a weird example. See Pixels at least had no one attached to it. I think Machinima signed it to put on their channel due to it's great visual effects, but that's it. Whiplash was a completely different story. J.K. Simmons was IN the short.

For a similar comparison that had a more even to us chance of being used as a proof of concept you should look towards Napoleon Dynamite. He was a nobody, his actors were nobodies. The plot points, scenes, and even some actors carried over to the feature he got funded from it.

Although, I can keep naming shorts that achieved such greatness like this ALL DAY, but in no way should I think anyone to expect that to happen with their short. It's chasing a pipe-dream.

As you said, shorts can prove your ability, if anyone important even looks at it. Personally I believe Festivals are the only purpose for shorts, as those are the only people I care to impress with them.

A better way to prove your ability would be to raise through the ranks, do your dues. Work on big budget projects, as an entry position, prove yourself to the actual people who make the films you want to make.

A Network > A Short Film.

Again, to drive the point home, I'm not saying people shouldn't make shorts. They are incredibly helpful to improving your craft (I make them too). I am just saying not to be over-expecting of what they can do for you.
 
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