What is the perfect duration of a short film submited to a festival?

[MelonDome]

In your opinion, what is a good duration of a short film if I was entering into a film festival?

 

[indietalk]

I just make the film and the length is the length but if you are looking for a target window try 7-12 minutes. Under or over is fine, every festival is different.

 

[Will Vincent]

As long as you tell a compelling story that is solid and complete, the shorter the better. If you could do it in under a minute you'd be hard pressed not to be accepted by most festivals you submit to, since there's always an extra minute laying around in the schedule.

 

[directorik]

Seven minutes.

And my personal peeve: I hate to watch a short film with 60 to 90 seconds of credits
at the beginning.

 

[Beeblebrox]

Seven minutes.

And my personal peeve: I hate to watch a short film with 60 to 90 seconds of credits
at the beginning.

Agreed on both counts. Youtube is rife with three minute films that have at least a minute's worth of opening titles. IMO, short films need the title and maybe one or two other credits at the most.

 

[MelonDome]

Mr. Vincent, when you say hard pressed, you mean that im pretty much guarenteed to get into most festivals if I make it a minute?

 

[Will Vincent]

Well I said under a minute, but yeah.. that's the general school of thought.

Keep in mind though, I'm not talking about just any old thing that happens to be under a minute in length.. It still has to be well made, and tell a story. Or in short, not suck.

 

[MelonDome]

hahahah ok thanks