Film making guide
What Makes a Good Short?
There are no hard-and-fast rules as to what makes a good
short film but here are a few tips that might help.
- An Exciting & Original Idea
- A Strong Script
- Good Acting
- High Production Values
- Make It Short
- Strong Beginning
- Avoid Repetition & Punchline Twists
- Exciting New Techniques & Style
Other Resources
Related Guides
Help us improve the Film making Guide
There are no hard and fast rules as to what makes a good
short; as with features, different audiences love different films and an
award-winner in one viewer's eyes will be a dull cliché in another's. Obviously
there is an element of subjectivity to any short film programme as different
exhibitors will set their own criteria as to what they think makes a good
short, which they feel their audience will enjoy. Whilst this can be
frustrating for filmmakers it isn't necessarily a bad thing, as, what one
exhibitor rejects another will love and promote – so it is important not to get
disheartened by rejection. In many ways it is an exciting time to be making
shorts in the UK as there are wealth of different festivals, screening
organisations, websites and content providers looking for short films to
exhibit. Our advice would be to submit your film to as many places as possible.
However, having said that, here are a few basic tips for
what exhibitors might look for in a good short film:
An Exciting & Original Idea
Original ideas are not easy to come-by but a good way of
avoiding clichéd ideas is to watch lots of other short films, look out for any
trends and stay clear of them (See our Related Links: Recommended Watching for
places to watch shorts). Even if your idea isn't completely original try to
look at the subject matter from a different angle or using a different
style/technique. If you're struggling for ideas, you could try to find
inspiration in your experiences or those of the people that you meet or through
the stories that you read in newspapers, magazines and online.
A Strong Script
A good script is key to narrative-based short films and in
many ways it's harder to write a short than a feature because you need to
condense your story and develop your characters in a very short space of time.
All too often films are let down by weak, overwritten or underdeveloped
scripts. Before investing money, time and effort into shooting your film, it's
a good idea to test your script out on friends and strangers (as friends might fear
offending you) and get as much feedback as you can. See our Filmmaking Guide:
Writing a Script for more advice & our Related Links: Writing for
scriptwriting organisations, resources and communities. If you write and direct
your own films, it's a good idea to consider where your strengths lie. It's
great if you can do both but if you think you're stronger at
direction/animation then why not consider collaborating with a talented
scriptwriter and see what results come of it?
Good Acting
Unless your friends are actors or demonstrate acting talent,
it's a good idea to avoid casting them in your film. Even one bad actor in a
film can really let it down and destroy the viewer's belief in the reality that
your film is seeking to create. There are lots of great actors out there who
are willing to work for reduced fees to learn their trade and make a name for
themselves. You can find actors through advertising on the message boards of
filmmaking communities (see the Filmmaking Communities Section in our Related
Links: Filmmaking Organisations & Communities or via online casting sites
such as The Spotlight. For more information on finding cast see our Filmmaking
Guide: Cast & Crew or see the casting section of our Related Links:
Production
High Production Values
Whilst digital filmmaking has had the positive impact of
making the process more accessible and affordable, it's important to ensure
that you still apply the same production values that you would if you were
shooting on film with a crew. Many low-budget shorts are let down by poor
sound, lighting, camera work and editing and/or by directors who are trying to
do it all by themselves without anyone else's input. Filmmaking is
predominantly a collaborative process and it's much better to find crew who are
specialising in these areas who can offer different skills. You can use the
message boards of filmmaking communities (see the filmmaking communities
section in our Related Links: Filmmaking Organisations & Communities) to
find crew to collaborate with. If you're new to filmmaking, one of the best
ways to learn the skills required is to assist on other people's films. Also
check the message boards for call outs for volunteers from filmmakers. However
if you'd like more formal training you can find out about training or film
schools in our Filmmaking Guide: Training & Development and find links to
organisations and resources in our Related Links: Training
Make It Short
As a general rule, the longer your short film is, the harder
it is to keep the viewer's attention. This is especially true of online viewing
– for instance on Film Network the average time that a viewer spends watching a
film is 4 minutes. Note – exceptions to this rule is documentary, which viewers
will often watch for longer. Many festivals don't accept short films that are
over 30 minutes long; a long film will really have to impress the programmers
for them to include it in their screening, as it means they will not be able to
show so many films in their short film programme. One filmmaker told us about a
film he made that was 26 minutes long. He applied for festivals all over the
world and was rejected by them all. A year later he re-cut the film to 10
minutes and resubmitted it. His 10-minute cut was shown at numerous festivals worldwide
and was broadcast on a digital channel. Very short films, especially romance
and comedies, can be popular with distributors and buyers as they are easier to
programme and can be sold to multi-platforms e.g. online, mobile, VOD etc.
Strong Beginning
Most programmers/distributors will be inundated with
submissions and so your film has to grab their attention from the very first
shot. The harsh reality is that if your film doesn't pique their interest
within the first two minutes, in all likelihood they may not sit through it
till the end. Don't waste time on lengthy introductions and credits – spark
their interest in the story as quickly as you can. Credits at the start can
distract the viewer (especially if the direction, production and editing are all
by the same person!) so leave them out unless you have it written in an
agreement with one of your cast. Similarly if your film starts with a long
establishing shot where nothing really happens, viewers may switch off before
you get to show them your great plot and idea. If the pace of your film is
naturally slow and ambling, make the shots as rich and enticing as possible to
draw the viewer in. Note – a good editor can really transform a film. If you're
directing and editing your own film you might be too attached to certain shots
to know which bits to chop out to make your film a stronger, more coherent
piece. In big blockbusters, scenes that have cost thousands or even millions
can be chopped if the studio/filmmaker feels that they are not integral to the
final edit of the piece.
Avoid Repetition & Punchline Twists
Whilst sometimes a repetitive scene can be used for
comedy/dramatic effect (Groundhog Day being a classic example of where this can
work), if you are not careful it can end up being repetitive and predictable.
Comedy is notoriously difficult to pull off in short films – if you're looking
to make humorous shorts then it's a good idea to test your idea on an audience
(why not post a short clip on a site like YouTube or MySpace and see what feedback
you get?) or to cast your film carefully and get a funny actor. Be careful of
one-line gag/punchline films. Some shorts can do this to great success but many
often fall flat. If you've got a great punchline twist then consider making it
short and snappy as viewers might be disappointed if they sit through 7 minutes
for one joke at the end, especially if they've already seen it coming.
Exciting New Techniques & Style
Even an average plot can be made intriguing by an exciting
new technique or style - whether it be a new kind of animation, camera work or
art direction. Try experimenting and developing your own style. Note – having
said that, beware of style over substance.
Other Resources
For an alternative viewpoint on what makes a good film, see
the Short Film Manifesto written by Philip Ilson, short film programmer for
London International Film Festival and London Short Film Festival (formerly
Halloween).
