SHORT FILMS IN

2016

By Aaminah, Habon
and Samantha

A BRIEF HISTORY
Short films were produced in large numbers compared to lengthy films and with every film
shown, there was a short film which was played beforehand for the audience to view. Short
comedies were especially popular within the 1920s and typically came in a serial or series.
Even though there was often no set release schedule, these series could be considered
somewhat like a modern TV sitcom lower in status than feature films but nevertheless very
popular. Famous actors such as Charlie Chaplin went from staring in short films to exceeding
in large Hollywood movies. Cartoon short films were very popular and companies such as
Walt Disney Productions started to create films which were in high demand. During the Great
Depression in America cinemas went from showing large Hollywood films to viewing short
cartoons. Furthermore, later on short films stopped appearing in cinema and went to being
shown on television such as Pink Panther which started out in 1964, this was huge and
continued its series until it shut down in 1969, however even till this day short films are
mostly shown on television with a very view in cinemas.

TECHNOLOGIES
In the past there was limited technology available in order to create films, and
many had to make do with what they had access to however, a lot has changed
since then. YouTube channels make it easy for filmmakers to broadcast their work
to a worldwide audience. Whilst numerous directors run their own channels,
collectives such as the Young Irish Film Makers host channels showcasing a
number of different artists. Festivals like Sundance also broadcast pieces via this
medium. 2011 saw the arrival of new UK series Persona. The worlds first
Smartphone Drama allows viewers to download daily appisodes for viewing on
Smartphones and IPads. Now in its third season, Persona boasts more than
200,000 fans around the world. Furthermore, websites such as Vimeo allow
creators to share ideas and short films with room for comments which allow
creators to critique and give room for feedback. This has advanced majorly from
the past and has given short films their own world in order to flourish.

GENRES
Short films could show any type of genres that there could possibly be in the film industry. Although most of the following
genres are more used when making short films, these include;
Romance: Plots that follow the focus of passion, lust and emotion, usually allows the audience to follow the characters journey
for love.
Comedy/ Dark comedy are often light hearted dramas and can sometimes be humorously dark but are used in terms of
making the audience laugh and usually have happy endings.
Sci-Fi/fantasy - often set in a futuristic environments that show advances in technology, special effects are widely used
throughout Sci-Fi. Usually influenced by scientific truths and is often dependent on the audiences imagination and beliefs.
Horror created to terrify the audience and often play on audiences worst fears. Horror focus on the darker side of life and
provoke audiences imaginations to make thinks worse.
Drama often portraying real life situation and based on real people and often used to show human in their interest in their
best and worst light.
Animation/stop motion Showing stop motion cinematography or hand drawn, computerised drawings to tell a story of any
kind. Animation or stop motion is more based as a style of short film rather than genre.
Documentary non fictional factual works which are mainly narrative based.
Film Noir it is not specifically a genre but rather the mood, style, point of view and tone of a film. Often Film noir storyline
were based around cynical, hard hearted, disillusioned male characters who encounter a promiscuous, seductive femme factale.
An mainly focuses on the crime genre.

PRODUCTION
COMPANIES
Short Form Film Company are a multi-skilled, award-winning creative production company that
helps companies, channels, agencies and organisations tell their stories and connect with their
audiences. They originate, think up, storyboard, write, shoot, animate and produce. In short:
they create films people remember, and want to share.
Since its inception in 2006, Grassroots Films has created award-winning films and marketing
services for the industry and independent businesses alike. Grassroots Films has become a
creative multi-faceted media company by producing feature length documentaries,
commercials, trailers, videos, short films, and other special venue projects for clients.
Founded in 2010, River Film has grown rapidly from a team of four to over 40, combining film
production services with comprehensive CGI and visualisation capabilities. Dedicated to telling
brand stories through engaging, emotive and effective video content, they can act as the
creative spark or the trusted guardian of an idea. Their full-service offer covers creative
direction and strategy, live action filming, animation, motion design, visual effects and postproduction. They also provide world-class visualisation services for the property sector. With a
full-time studio of CG artists, technicians, compositors and account managers, they produce
truly outstanding CGI renderings and films.

EVENTS
Sundance Institutes artist programs provide dynamic support at every step of the creative journey
for individuals with distinct voices in film, theatre, film composing, episodic storytelling, and
emerging platforms . Each program consists of Labs, Grants, Workshops, and Ongoing Resources for
artists to nurture their projects and sustain their careers. Through year-round activities, we provide
the space for artists to create and share their stories with the world. Since our inception, the
Institutes programs have supported more than 5,000 artists and fostered a community for
independent storytellers to learn, grow, connect, and give back
The London Short Film Festival, now in its 14th year, has been recognised as the premiere UK
showcase for cutting-edge UK independent film, while now accepting international submissions.
Renowned for daring cross-arts programming, we have showcased the very best of the countrys raw
talent for 12 years. The London Short Film Festival is a Mecca for the UKs young creative talent and
a significant date in the UK film calendar.
Every year the Festivals large and loyal audience flock to screenings and events, and this network
has grown steadily over decade and beyond.

FUTURE?
No one can predict the future of short films but there are a few assumptions that people
seem to strongly believe. Short films will pull a Hollywood and become obsessed with
celebrities to star in their short films. Reason being festivals such as Sundance and Toronto
are crawling with celebrities and this is the chance for aspiring film makers to get them in
their latest projects. Furthermore, getting celebrities also means a better marketing
strategies and a wider target audience. Next, people assume that the marketing industry
will take over short films in exchange of a large fee. This is because they are able to connect
with their audiences directly and target them specifically which will contribute towards the
film. However, this is not cheap which goes to show over the next thirty years short films will
also become costly. filmmakers of the future will be able to create stories that weave multilayered story layers with a story experience that might include apps, websites as well as
other on-line experiences with the traditional off-line cinema experience. This is taking a
turn from traditional story telling and shows that traditional will slowly die out.