Short Films (Research)

There are several conventions of a short film; narrative structure is one of the main elements. A linear narrative is almost always used, this is when the film is shown in chronological order and is usually in sync with real time which is often used due to the short time period given to make a storyline. Short films tend to have simple plots with clever twists; the director therefore has to immediately introduce the main focus and end on it, which tend to give short films a circular narrative. An example of this is a film made by Nadia Attia called ‘Sold’, her storyline begins and ends on ‘the ladle’ which I think makes her film a bit comical as it wasn’t in his intentions. In terms of techniques used I found that many short films had a grainy look which added realism in contrast to the bright and glossy look many full length films tend to have. ‘Sold’ is shot in a living room with straightforward editing used which gives it continuity which again would have been used due to the amount of time given.

Another convention to a short film is limited dialog; it is kept to a minimum as it allows the viewers to focus on what is happening in the film. In ‘Sold’ there is a lot of pre-recorded dialog from the television and the answer phone which is another technique used to keep editing to a minimum in short films. The frosted glass between the man and woman in the film acts almost like a barrier between the two, the fact that the boy doesn’t open his door to his neighbour and speaks through the front door highlights the lack of community in the British culture, however I think this is a good way to subtly add to the narrative and I will be using prompts like this in my short film.

The time constraints also affect subjectivity, as most 5 minute short films focus on one person’s point of view making it a subject narrative; as it is harder for the director to switch back and forth from characters. In addition, a restricted narrative is common convention of a short film which brings an element of surprise as we find out information at the same time as the characters. A good example of this is the film made by Toa Stappard called ‘Double Take’ this is a different short film as it does technically have a linear narrative however it holds elements of a non-linear narrative as it cuts back to footage filmed earlier. As a viewer we only find out information as the actor does, which builds suspense in such a short period of time.

Another convention of a short film is limited pre-opening titles which usually consist of the director and the title of the film, sometimes the company that produced it if it’s a well-known director. There are never any titles during the short film which again is due to time constrains and the end credits are usually the longest as it includes the cast, crew members, production information, logos etc

The themes of ‘Sold’ directly relates to contemporary British identity as its focus is on unemployed young people, stereotypically being lazy and recluse. This is shown through the voicemail his mother leaves him about finding a job instead of sitting around. I find it very interesting how such a short film can have such a deep meaning which is what i will try and include in my short film. Commercialisation appears to be very important to young people in today’s society; this is another theme this film demonstrates, as the young boy thinks his found the answer to all his problems on an online shopping channel. In addition, this presents the British culture in a negative light which is what I found many short films tend to highlight the negative parts of society.