Conventions of a Short Film

The conventions of a short film are:

- they can vary from being as short as one minute. As of far, there is no clear definition for the maximum duration of a short film as the Academy of Motion Picture Art and Science states it as 40 minutes whereas the Internet Movie Database classifies it as 45 minutes.

- these productions are of low-budget in comparison to full length feature films which can explain why many short films which one might find are generally of low quality and lack CGI support. However, in some cases, the expenses of a short film can cost more than that of a Hollywood blockbuster. A famous example would be "Captain EO" which is estimated to have costed $30 million on production alone, but perhaps this is due to the fact that it was firstly a 3D short film, it was created in 1986 where it would of course have costed much more to produce than if it were made with todays technology, and lastly, it starred the ever so famous Michael Jackson.

- short films have the tendency to revolve around just one plot/ idea so as to elaborate more deeply and portray more meaning about the message trying to be conveyed

- these productions do not have to tell a story; short films can be created as a mere joke, to portray a journey, express a poem/ portrait, or simply as a parody.

- they allow the director to have more creative freedom as short films are supposed to be produced for enjoyment rather than as a means for profit. This idea of freedom can also be reinforced by the fact that as short films rarely go into/ are not intended to go under production, certification is not really necessary so directors can express what they want, how they want without having to worry about limits and boundaries.

- rather than relying on A-list actors which just increase the cost of the production, short films employ unknown actors who become the main protagonist of the piece. To add to this, creativity is used to captivate the audience rather than the use of well-known actors.

- besides visuals being of key importance and having an increased impact and role in short films, sound (dialogue, music, special effects) also are of huge importance as sound helps build up tension/ excitement and non-diegetic music is used in order to set the genre of the film right from the beginning of the clip. Furthermore, the inclusion of camera work along with this use of sound is what is used in order to ensure the short film remains interesting throughout its entire length.

- the narrative of story lines can either follow that of a a complete structure (equilibrium, disequilibrium, resolution) or sometimes end on a cliffhanger to give scope for a feature film or for the audience to make up their own ending.

- short films cross boundaries into all film areas overlapping into advertising, music, animation etc.

- unlike full length feature films, short films are shown through less traditional methods. For example, rather than being advertised on TV and screened in a cinema, word of a short film would be spread through the means of easily accessible public Internet sites such as Youtube or be promoted in short film festivals.

As I myself am planning on producing a short film, it would make sense for me to take this all into account to help me produce a successful product which fits comfortably into the short film genre and adhere to the conventions stated.