Because my main task is to create a short movie, I need to first know and understand the requirements of short movies. I needed to know what it must have, and what are the "conventions" in the short movie industry.
THE LENGTH
Different sources are talking about the length of a short movie but most of them agree that if a movie is more than 60 minutes, it will be considered a feature/full-length movie, not a short movie (The Film Festival Doctor, n.d.). Also, bear in mind that if producers create a movie longer than 15-25 minutes, there are a limited amount of festivals that they can participate in.
THE NARRATIVE/PLOT
A short movie narrative is usually very simple. It usually focuses on one topic or idea and one relationship or conflict throughout the film (Raindance, 2019). This is due to the restraint of the film's duration. Also, because of that limitation, in a short movie, usually there are only 2-3 characters but they are well developed and symbolize strong messages that the producers want to deliver to the viewers.
Also, short movies usually deliver strong messages and lessons that are valuable and impactful to viewers. For example: a short movie called "The Wait" from studio Morphine is only 1 minute long but delivers a strong message about commitment to your future and time management: instead of waiting to achieve it yourself; if you commit to your life then you can do a lot of thing in just 2 minutes waiting. You can watch the short movie HERE.
I also explore short movies that have a horror theme, "The Chair" directed by Curry Baker is a short movie like that. I learn a lot about the convention of colour grading, audio, lighting and script writing from this movie. Check it out HERE
The endings of short movies are varied, some end in the normal way, and some decide to put a plot twist into the end to either end the story interestingly or to resolve all the mystery they have put into the movie. Here is an example of a short movie that has a plot twist: "Coming Home" by Nikhil Agnihotri put a plot twist in the end that no one would expected to happen, check it out yourself here
PLANNING AND BUDGETING
Short movies, especially contest participants usually have the planning and production phase under one year (this is not to say that it can not go above, this one year because of the short duration of the movie - a featured movie can take 2-3 years or more for the planning and the production).
Short movies are usually from small studios or indie which makes those projects likely to be low-budget. The most common way for producers to finance those projects is to find investors or crow funding (ROBIN PIREE, n.d.)
REFERENCE
How Long Should My Film Be To Submit To Film Festivals? (no date) The Film Festival Doctor. Available at: https://www.thefilmfestivaldoctor.com/how-long-should-my-film-be-to-submit-to-film-festivals/ (Accessed: 22 November 2023).
Nick LaRovere (2022) 3 elements of Short film structure you need to know, Raindance. Available at: https://raindance.org/3-elements-of-short-film-structure-you-need-to-know/#:~:text=It%27s%20very%20important%20that%20your,uniquely%20suited%20to%20plot%20twists. (Accessed: 14 April 2024).
Robin Piree (2023) A comprehensive guide to short film funding, Robin Piree. Available at: https://robinpiree.com/blog/short-film-funding (Accessed: 22 November 2023).
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