What exactly is a short film?

Short film is a very hard genre to define as it doesn’t really follow the conventions of any other genre. Short is essentially a free genre that does not have to follow any sort of genre. It is a free form of expression similar to that of absolute music, music for musics’ sake.

Because short film is in some ways an infinite genre, the genres it covers can vary. From small action shorts, to just a simple story like a break-up being told through words. Short films can vary from being a short 5 minute piece to longer 45 minute subjects. As pieces of film I find that they are less likely to follow the conventions of telling a narrative through dialogue and developed constructed characters, but instead tell stories or convey emotions or themes through their use of camera, shot, angle, composition, editing, sound and mise-en-scene.

A lot of short films have very basic story lines, things like fate, a man seeing his own death before it happens or a break up, that is shown in reverse from end to beginning. In terms of narrative they are not normally developed. The narrative is merely a spring board that the maker can use to express their creativity as short film is less to do with narrative and more to do with technique and the element of production instead.

Often a lot of experimentation in making films plays a part in shorts. Shot angles and composition are often experimented with varying results. Compositions in shot that might not work in conventional film can work in short films because short films don’t necessarily have to make any sort of sense. Unconventional editing techniques also play in a part in short film and can be the basis of making a short film. Filmmakers can often use the medium of short film as a montage to showcase new techniques of shots that have wanted to experiment with using things like traffic or pedestrians as the subject material. Soundtracks can also be seen as “unconventional”, using unsigned artists or real 20th century style music using dissonance or new edgy tunes as subject material for the film itself.

Mise-en-scene can play a tricky part in a film as it all depends on what the film is about and short film can really be about anything. It can be used in a typical construction of everyday life or to portray weird and eerie worlds. Most importantly, mise-en-scene can play roles in themes. Using mise-en-scene as symbolism in a piece is a technique often used in short film. Like a little girl as a omen, or a red balloon representing love, mise-en-scene is used in this way to show themes and subject matter in place of dialogue and narrative.

Short film is often a genre explored by unknown filmmakers and is a very good genre for indie filmmakers to explore. This has lead to a culture in short film and has led to art house style film festivals dedicated to short films and their makers which can often be used to showcase new and upcoming talent in the filmmaking industry. Short film is rapidly becoming a more explored and accepted genre due to the openness of it. Indie Filmmakers can easily make their own shorts and distribute them through online user generated content websites dedicated to indie filmmakers and short films making short film an expanding and growing genre as well as expanding the fan base and publicity around it.