5. Why Are There Short Films?

Short films allow a creator to write a story that doesn't need too much detail or have to take up over 40 minutes of a viewer's time. This means that the creative team will have a lower budget, you don't need to pay actors for as long, there's no need for a variety of sets, and there's only so many props that will be needed. It also helps those involved establish themselves in the world of film, a director can make a producer trust in their ability for a feature length film. This means that most short films are made by new directors and writers, with new or less-known actors starring. It can also get an actor recognised for bigger parts.

Example: Taika Waititi directed, wrote, and starred in a short called What We Do In The Shadows: Interviews with some vampires in 2005. This lead to him created a full film called What We Do In The Shadows about the lives of vampires in modern day New Zealand that share an apartment.

Short films usually appear at festivals, sometimes in galleries, and on Youtube. Some directors put old short films of theirs on DVDs of their feature films as special features. Studios like Pixar still put a short film before their main picture, showing their animator's talents, giving a small story to the viewer, and almost as a warm up for the feature film to come. Short films have become much more accessible since the internet and creation of Youtube, anyone can watch them, and for free. Places like Vimeo are places that artists can display their work too, as it's known as a place employers will look to get a sense of an artist's style and ability. Short films used to be presented as B-movies, part of a double feature showing during the Golden Age of Hollywood, it would be the lower budget, less celebrated of the to films, but it would still bring some attention to it due to the main feature.

Example: Day & Night short from before Pixar's Toy Story 3 that demonstrated jealousy, judgement, and acceptance all in one short.

People who watch short films are usually those that are interested film and creators outside of pure entertainment, or might have interest in a director and have looked into their past creations. Those recruiting for film will also look at short films in search for directors, writers, or actors, especially those that get in the award spotlight. Others in the creative industry may watch short films too, either for curiosity or to inspire some of their own creations.


Example: A poster for Lessons Learned, a short film by Heather B. Henson and Toby Froud.