by Timothy Cooper
Have you heard of the short films Doodlebug, Supermarket Sweep, or Electronic Labyrinth THX 1138 4EB? No?
Then how about Christopher Nolan, Darren Aronofsky, or George Lucas? Okay, good. They directed those short films at the very beginning of their careers.
So why make a short film? Because it’s probably the best calling card for an upcoming writer or director. Creating a strong short is one of the easiest ways to start out on the festival circuit, prove a feature concept, or get commercial work. And it’s almost definitely the fastest way to see your work onscreen, test your writing/directing skills, and get your name out into the world.
Here are three of my favorite recent shorts (all free online!), all of which happened to play at Sundance in the past few years:
The Crush (writer/director: Michael Creagh)
Please Say Something (writer/director/animator: David O’Reilly)
Forever’s Gonna Start Tonight (writer/director: Eliza Hittman)
I highly recommend watching all three of these. There are many lessons we can learn from them—and the hundreds of other shorts I’ve seen over the years.
Here are my top seven takeaways:
- They make use of film as a visual medium. These films aren’t just about strong, economical dialogue. Visual epiphanies are just as important; so are moody moments of pure color, texture, and sound, as well as other evocative, raw images. Takeaway: Talking heads alone won’t work; don’t be afraid of silence, music, and beauty. Consider replacing non-vital dialogue with pure reactions and other meaningful, visual moments.
- The writer/director clearly demonstrates a personal connection to the story. In Forever’s Gonna Start Tonight, the filmmaker has probably struggled with seeking acceptance, just like her lead. And we can all identify with the idea of having a crush on a teacher. The Crush’s screenwriter likely thought, What if I had taken that crush to the next level? For Please Say Something, writer/director/animator David O’Reilly clearly has a powerful and dark view of the struggles a relationship entails, and how two different people can feel as alien to each other as a cat and a mouse.
In each of these shorts, the creators’ connection to the material demonstrates a powerful point of view—something that’s much harder to find when you tackle big topics like space travel, the meaning of life, or an entire relationship. So please, keep your topic personal; you don’t need to address huge themes. By keeping your focus narrow, you will address those themes better than you could have imagined. Takeaway: The specific is the universal, so keep it personal or find a personal connection to the material. Having a strong, unique point of view on the subject matter is key.
Read the full article HERE.
