Context
Task: To visit http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/feature/237/
Read the article; ‘Eat My Shorts’
Why do people go to the trouble of making short films in the first place?
Film industry professionals, producers and directors see the opportunity of making a short film as a personal add to show off their skills, abilities and techniques that makes them unique. The result of making a short, they hope, is to gain funding for future projects and to be able to create promising feature films. However artistic film makers such as Derek Jarman and Peter Greenway see short film making as an art form in its own right.
The situation with short filmmaking when shorts were still being shot on celluloid.
Caroline Cooper says; “the situation in the late 90’s was that there were limited opportunities for a small clique of people to get healthy funding for their shorts but there was very little investment in the discovery of new talent.” There were very few people who had access to the appropriate funding for the expensive celluloid to shot the film on. Films that were being made under FilmFour and Curlie cost a staggering 60 to 90 thousand. The main issue with spending amounts of money like this was that shorts would only be viewed by a handful of people as cinemas no longer screened them before the main film or as daytime television broadcasts.
The Impact that DV technology has had the short film productions.
Thanks to the immense changes and introductions of new technology over the years it has changed the way in which short films are produced. DV technology has aloud for more aspiring film makers to have their shot as the film footage can be produced on a cheaper formant. DV footage has also aloud better accessibility and ease for film makers as the film footage can easily be manipulated and even edited on a home computer. Therefore this results in the post production process becoming a lot cheaper too. Furthermore the UK Film Council decided to launch a three year scheme which saw them show there support for digital short films by donating 1.5 million to enable 100 films to be made each year. The scheme received mixed responses as this each film had a ten grand budget with a maximum screening time of ten minutes. It even resulted in some directors stating that the technology was rather restrictive and that celluloid was better. The differences between digital short and feature was vast.
The distribution and exhibition possibilities for short films made in the UK.
It seems that the shorter the short the better chances it has. Till this day the biggest challenge is to secure distribution. UK based organization; Short Film Circuits had tried funding distributors so a short could be attached to a feature. However this would only be successful if cinema managers had enough enthusiasm since the exhibition of the short would be at there discretion. The development and introduction of digital projection equipment for UK cinemas will reduce costing of converting digital masters in cinemas as masters can be downloaded directly to the cinemas sever. Cinemas have also introduced monthly short events/evenings that will see shorts only being screened. There are also underground events which allows unfunded films to be shown in squats, church halls etc. Also the introduction of film festivals that hold competitions allow short films and new talent to be seen which may lead to further advantages for the director including distribution and exhibition. Touring approaches as well as DVD have also begun. Even web streaming is still developing which enables film makers to have a more mass audience over an extended lifespan. Technical advances are making poor image quality less of a concern.
What are the limitations of the format?
It is said the shorter the short then the more likely it will be placed in the cinema with other features. Short film co-ordinator Damian Spandley says “With a ninety minute feature we wouldn’t usually run anything longer than ten minutes, and we wouldn’t programme anything with a two hour film.” If filmmakers produce a film under five minutes or shorter then to many restrictions will be placed upon them. It is also said that the film makers do not show the maximum ability to develop characterization or narrative. There this results in a less than effective film being made restricting their opportunity to go on and make feature films.
It seems that DV does have its limitations and that sometimes the footage can be grainy. Unlike digital cameras, celluloid’s proxemics and dimensions look different. However digital technology is clearly cheaper and if it is not converted to 35mm celluloid then this means most can produce there own short film. 1000 scripts a year are being sent to the digital shorts scheme. This leads to a lot of scripts needing to be read by the UKFC and it is said that a lot of them are of the standard expectation and don’t seem to capture the reader enough to secure a grant. American film maker Even Mather discovered that digital looks best online.
The conclusion reached by the writer about the situation of short film in the UK at the time of the articles publication.
The UKFC carries through government policy to empower Britain’s regions and nations, which means the responsibility for nurturing talent and experiment lies with the film commissions on arts board across the country-A welcome resistance to London-centric Industry. Each region has its own way of developing its strengths and it is to be hoped that evidence of real talents meets with proper championing to move people on to the next stage. It has to be said, though, that the UK has found it hard to discover great auteur’s in recent years. But then, maybe that’s note job of government agencies. Talent will out is this theory, and hundreds of films the practice.
The writer is saying that he clearly feels new technologies will be successful to the shorts industry. Just because more and more short films are being made doesn’t mean that there will be an increase in directors being founded. Talent will always become present.
How up to date do you feel the article is? Providing reasons.
I fee that parts of articles are and aren’t. There is no mention of technology such as high definition and blu - ray which suggest to me that they were written about 3 or 4 years ago, as HD has become a household name. The recession has also become a problem in terms of sales, in particular electrical products like cameras. And with more and more companies producing HD cameras the competition for a low price and more sales continues which results in more being sold.
Catch 22
Short films represent the way that many if not most filmmakers get recognised initially. Done superbly well, they can become a new director’s ticket onto the restricted access ladder that leads to making a feature film. Yet so many obstacles still stand in the way of short filmmakers and the all important “airplay” of the short films they make.
The article is saying how technology can have an impact on the short films made. It means that more amateurs can have a go as more people become more interested in the film industry. The limitations of digital schemes means directors don’t get the opportunity to express their characterization and narrative to the best of there ability. Because the format is cheaper it means that film makers have access to more wider/global audiences. This resulting in people becoming interested in film making and the industry itself. Finally the article states that if the directors short film is superb than they have more of a chance to go and make a just as successful yet even better feature film.
How up to date do you feel the article is? Providing reasons.
I fee that parts of articles are and aren’t. There is no mention of technology such as high definition and blu - ray which suggest to me that they were written about 3 or 4 years ago, as HD has become a household name. The recession has also become a problem in terms of sales, in particular electrical products like cameras. And with more and more companies producing HD cameras the competition for a low price and more sales continues which results in more being sold.
Find at least two other articles which examine the importance of short films and their effectiveness as stepping stones to longer format films for emerging filmmakers. Do they address the paradoxes/challenges for short filmmakers?
http://www.fest21.com/en/blog/berlin/more_importance_afforded_to_short_films_%E2%80%93_round_two_for_the_berlinale_shorts_section
The above article was posted as part of the Berlin Film Festival Blog bu one of the team ambassadors. It explains how more short films have been entered into the festival this year since having a dedicated category for it. That year they has 1500 submissions from 64 different countries and proves the popularity of the film production process as it continues to thrive. Furthermore it goes on to discuss how the films will be screened and why. The short films are shown at the festival in a 2 hour block that allows talent to be seen and recognized to lead to further chances in the industry. Its festivals like these and competitions that are held which give everybody who is interested a chance to have a go as a short filmmaker, and how technology and the convergence of it is making it all a lot easier.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/filmmaking/guide/introduction/what-makes-a-good-short
The above link leads to an article on the BBC Film network page that discusses what makes a good short film. There are over ten sections devoted to specific aspects such as acting, script, high production values etc. It seems that the more the original the idea the better it is to work with. The article is rather encouraging and goes on to explain how different audiences prefer different films so research is key. The article also suggests ideas as to how to get your film seen by more people, its best to send it into a many festivals/competitions that you can. Each sub category in the article gives the reader specifics to ensure that there film is made to the highest standard that can achieve. Overall it’s a good resource to read when considering film making and what has to be done.
Funding & Support
Task:
http://www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/
Arguably the most important section of your research.
Undertake a systematic breakdown and analysis of the various lines of support and funding that are available, and make detailed notes.
What is the UK Film Council doing to support short filmmakers and short film making?
Several schemes have been introduced by the UKFC to fund the production and distribution processes for aspiring short film directors who wish to make features in the future.
The Innovation fund is due to launch in Autumn 2010. This fund will work with the fill fund and the UKFC to unlock innovation across the production sector but will also be able to ensure that the UKFC can support all new digital opportunities, including new ways of getting the films to the audience, distribution and delivery platforms and research, development and market intelligence.
Cinema Extreme was launched back in 2002 and has been hugely successful with FilmFour and the UKFC. As part of the scheme they are both incredibly proud of what the filmmakers have been able to achieve. One of the best examples is Andrea Arnold (Wasp, Red Road, Fish Tank). The cinema fund has continued to support short film making.
Digital shorts partnered with The New Cinema Fund with organizations in each region and nation within the UK to enable aspiring short filmmakers to use digital technology and to collaborate with large regional companies. The Digital Shorts scheme is able to produce good films that still look just as affective as a short filmed on 35mm celluloid.
The next step up from Digital Shorts in Digital Nation. Previously known as Digital Shorts plus, it allows the more established filmmakers to work with companies throughout the UK. This is usually the directors evidence that they may use further into their career regarding funding issues. As films are developed into scripts and the end of the process about 12 films are chosen for production. Shot using digital technology, and with a budget of £17,500 - £20,00. This scheme is good because its builds up a secure reputation for the filmmaker and for their portfolio of work which can later on be used to support further funding needs.
Since 2002 the UKFC’s Short Film Completion Fund provides finance and support for short films that show potential but seem to lack required funds to complete. An annual fund of £70,000 has been made available to support projects across the scheme. With the scheme now in its 10th edition, they have supported more than 80 films and have go on to win 150 awards worldwide and appeared in as many festivals as possible. The fund is managed by Maya Vision International. The UKFC’S investment in shorts is managed by Lifesize Pictures.
What are the nine Regional Screen Agencies (RSAs) that Film Council funding is delivered through?
Each year the UKFC allocate 6.3 million to the regional and national screen agencies. The agencies provide a clear film strategy for different regions in England. They provide funding, production, screen commissions, cinema exhibition, training, archives and education.
EM Media - A screen agency for the East Midlands Region of England. They invest based on talent, supporting/developing projects and activities that meet there business aims. They have made over 600 investments which totals 11 million in the film and digital sector. They have a huge amount of success by investing in award winning films including This is England and The Unloved. The application process consists of a meeting with one of the EM Media team, who can then advise you on what to do next.
Film London - Covering the London area specifically this agency is one of the larger ones. They provide most aspects of film including production, research resources and location development. They actively encourage film viewing culture and support organizations to reach new audiences across the city. They also work with a wide range of film festival partners. To apply an online application must be completed first.
Northern Film and Media - An agency for the North East of England. There vision is to create a strong commercial creative economy in the North East by investing in talent and ideas. They introduce the talent to the market and the market to the talent. They provide a wide range of services to benefit the creative industries. Formed in 2002 they also support the creative industries across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Teesside. The funding the offer allows clients to fulfil their individual potential. To provide full support for all they supply training for the professionals and amateurs, schemes, services, workshops and networking events. The application process depends on how much money you require. No matter what you must contact a fund manager at first to discuss your project. If you require over £3000 then your application must meet the deadline. Less than £3000 leaves you the chance to apply anytime.
Vision and Media - There aim is to grow the digital and creative business in England’s North West. They do this by delivering projects and programmes that help companies and individuals at all levels. They help to find locations for productions, and also support creativity and culture through festivals and archives. They are the Regional Cluster Organization for digital and creative industries supported by the North West Regional Development Agency and a partner with the UKFC. They are a private company with 48 staff in the head office. They have supported many films including Looking For Eric and Nowhere Boy. The application process requires you to join the website as a member were contact information is then given. The regions radio sector provides Sony competition/award information, also through the use of an updated blog by a member of the team which provides a skill programme and award schemes.
Screen East - Screen East is the regional agency for the East of England dedicated to developing a vibrant and flourishing film, TV, and media industry. They do this through four dedicated departments; audiences and education, location, enterprise and skills and production. They allocate Lottery Funding on behalf on the UKFC. To apply you must contact you nearest Screen East Office online or via phone. Screen East fund three types of festivals; Established, Developmental and Mixed Arts.
Screen South - Screen South is a film and media agency for the south of England, who aim to be a resource for people to get their ideas off the ground whether its to write scripts , make a short, set up a film festival or shoot a major movie. Screen South is a lottery distributor, the funding they distribute is primarily from the UKFC. Screen South are passionate about developing a dynamic environment for which film can flourish in. Screen South covers 6 main areas; production and development, training, communities and learning, film commission and inward investment, exhibition and film heritage and archive. Apply via email to head office. They host festivals with awards with Skill set and most recently at pinewood studios that used the latest technology to screen the shorts.
Screen West Midlands - Screen WM is the lead agency for film, TV and digital media in the West Midlands. There remit is to develop the economical, social and cultural wealth of the region by supporting the screen industries. The latest partnership is with channel 4 to deliver their new fund 4ip. Screen WM covers six counties in the heart of England including Birmingham and Hertfordshire. Screen WM invests in screen media right across the spectrum, that includes comedy, TV shows and festivals. Screen Wm provide an online calender to supply on the beneficial information about festivals, open days, deadlines etc. To apply you must become a member online where you will receive newsletters and information via email.
Screen Yorkshire - Is the regional agency for Yorkshire and Humber. There mission is to inspire, promote and support the development of a success in film, TV, games and interactive media to grow the economic, social and cultural wealth of the region. They are funded by the UKFC and the regional development agency Yorkshire Forward. To know if Screen Yorkshire are right for you they advise that you order one of there free brochure. The agency offer a professional script reading service and production called Tool Kit with training information and resources for film makers in the region. They also keep an actor database. They enter various festivals and competitions within the region with the chance of winning an award.
South West Screen - they support and develop the creative media industries in the South West. They also offer funding and assistance to encourage innovation. Funded by three key partners; UKFC, SkillSet and The South West Of England Regional Agency. They aim to develop talent, promote the region, develop skills and help you to grow your business. They also use a lot of the UKFC’s schemes including Media Box for disadvantaged teens.
As a short film maker myself and some one who is very interested and passionate about the industry it would be best for me to apply to the UKFC funding scheme on the Digital Short scheme, or try the South West Screen agency as I live in the area. I would need to be able to supply my own actors and behind the camera crew and have a story with a strong narrative.
Other Funding Sources
Task: find other ways of funding for short films.
BFI - British Film Institute
Cares for the worlds richest and most significant collection of television and film. They preserve almost one million titles. BFI Southbank screens over 1,000 films a year. The BFI runs the annual London Film Festival. They receive 1.6 million a year from the UKFC.
Skillset
Is an industry body which supports training and skills for people and businesses to ensure the UK creative industries maintain their world class position. They manage a range of training funds, the aim to help the UK industries have a workforce with the right and a wide range of skills. Founded in September 2003 and is jointly funded by industry and government.
First Light Movies
Is funded by the UKFC, and is the UK’s leading initiative enabling young children to realise their full potential via creative media and media projects. Including those with dis-advantaged backgrounds. Operating a number of youth funding schemes, including The Young Film Fund distributing 1.1 million pounds of UKFC national lottery cash each dear.
Festivals
Task:
Go to…
http://www.encounters-festival.org.uk/
http://www.kinofilm.org.uk/
http://www.sohoshorts.com/
http://www.shortfilms.org.uk/
http://www.leedsfilm.com/
Make notes about the kinds of festivals that short filmmakers can apply to, to have their works entered in.
Soho Shorts - Rushes
London’s West End
Established 1998
A week long event with over 140 free screening and seminars in bars
Budgets ranger from £50 - £2.5 million
Categories:
Short Film
New Comers
Animation
International
Music Video
Documentary
Long Form Broad Cast Design
Main Sponsers: Sony
Rushes
Ascent 142
London Short Film Festival
Ten day event at ten major London venues
Over 200 films screened
Key Sponser: UKFC
UK’S largest public event
Established in 1956
Leeds International Film Festival
Established in 2007
Main Sponsers: Leeds City Council
VUE Cinema
Magnitude
Ancnoc
Screen any genre
Under 45 mins is a short
October
Encounters International Film Festival
Bristol
Established 1995
November
Main Sponsors: Bristol City Council
South West Screen
Skillset
South West Of England Regional Development Agency
Key International Film Festival:
Berlin International Film Festival
February
250 films shown over a fortnight
150,000 tickets sold a year
16,000 film professionals attend each year
Divided into seven sections: Competition
Forum
Generation
Berlinale Shorts
Retrospective
Perspektive Deutsches Kino
Panorama
Key National Film Festival
National Film Festival For Talented Youth
April - May
Ages 22 and under
Seattle, Washington
100+ film screenings
Main Sponsor: Volvo
Student Film Festival
Screen Test - The National Student Film Festival
Created in 2004
3 days
Bristol
Celebrity Speakers
Workshops
Screenings
Awards Ceremony
Partnered with the Cambridge Student Film Festival
How do the festivals market and promote themselves?
If the film festival have major sponsers then already they can guarantee some secure promotion for their festival. Festivals can market there festival through all types of advertisement for example social networking sites which would be suitably appropriate for a student film festival as young adults use a lot of them. Print methods also can be successful such as newspapers local and national. Film magazines such as Sight & Sound can also help promote the festival. Flyers in the local area the festival is in can be used. As well as audio adds on the radio, posters and through email. Trailers on you tube are becoming more and more popular and so therefore would be deemed as a succses for marketing and promoting also.
Why is it important to be screened at one?
It is important for you film to be screened at a festival because it will be seen by film professionals, this may include the judges too. Festivals are a good way to showcase your film to a mass audience where you can receive lots of feedback. This could be constructional, critical etc, and as filmmakers you are always looking to improve, advice is always appreciated and welcome. Furthermore depending on how is in the audience you never what the future may hold for you.
Who attends them?
Celebrities, film professionals, directors, producers, agencies, critics, journalists, judges, fans, locals, film lovers and the press.
How are they supported?
Film festivals can be supported in many ways but in particular by there sponsors and the fans. Major sponsors like Sony are really useful to have on board as they have a wide national knowledge as a company and a good reputation within the media industry. Festivals can also be supported by the money they receive when charging for you to enter the festival etc. This money can contribute to better facilities. Finally the fans can support the festival and make them more popular by word of mouth to friends and family.
What have you noticed about the structure/style of the sites?
My initial response was that they were all aesthetically pleasing. With a wide range of colours and vast use of textology and phonology to express the dates, times, and venue clearly. All sites seem to mention there sponsors and have a section dedicated to them. Some of the websites mention the categories, I think all should so you know whether that film festival is for you. If past winners have been successful then they are also mentioned to make them look good. Video clips from you tube are also combined to promote the work they represent. Finally all sites have a full section which is devoted to whether you can enter or not and the application process.
Online Screening
Task:
The following sites offer a range of short films:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/filmnetwork/
http://www.film4.com/videos/film4-shorts
http://www.triggerstreet.com/gbase/Trigger/Homepage
http://www.atom.com/
http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/
http://www.vimeo.com/
http://www.youtube.com
What sorts of films are exhibited at these sites?
Who is the audience?
What is the submission process?
What are the benefits to having a film screened on site as opposed to another?
What have you noticed about the structure/style of the sites and their presentation of the material?
Evaluate their effectiveness in terms of the exposure they achieve for the films and their makers, and also in terms of their potential audience.
BBC Film Network
You can watch shorts, dramas, comedy, drama, animation, experimental and music. The websites mission is to showcase new British filmmaking and talent. Any one can access this site although some parts require you to register with them, although this site is trying to promote the films to a more mainstream audience. To submit your footage you must register online and become a member. You must complete a submission form and then a hard copy (DVD or VHS) also needs to be submitted. The film is watched by an industry panel who will then decided that if it is of a high enough quality it will be shown on the website. One of the advantages of having your film screened on this site compared to is that you have your own profile which you can design yourself. The site also gives you a chance to receive feedback from others and even professionals. Your film is held with the BBC for 5 years which means you (the director) can watch as well as cast and crew that were also involved. The BBC is one of the biggest Film and Television corporations in the UK. The film site is tricky to find however unless you are specifically searching it online. The BBC showcase many films globally supporting filmmakers even more. The website enables you to specifically search for particular films that you want to watch which makes things quick and easy, also helping to build that films fan base. The site is easy to use, and searching is quick and easy.
Vimeo
Vimeo was launched in 2004 and is known as a step up from YouTube. Its is a respectable community of creative young people who are passionate about sharing their videos they make. Vimeo provides the best tools and highest quality videos in the universe. Vimeo allows must moving image to be uploaded although gaming videos, pornography and commercial videos are not allowed. The site supports embedding, sharing and video storage as well as allowing users to like and comment on videos. Users must register online and confirm via email to upload content. Vimeo became the first video site to support high definition (HD) playback in 1280 x 720 (720p) on October 17th 2007. The benefit of having your videos on Vimeo is that each week you get 500mb storage space, allowing you to upload as much as you want. With users allowed to comment you can gain constructional feedback. The search tool is easy and the site is basic for all to use. The sites is colourful with no advertisement which is always a bonus as these can be found distracting.
YouTube
YouTube created in 2005 is a video sharing website that allows users to upload, share and view videos. There is a wide range in genre of the types of videos uploaded onto YouTube. For example personal, fan based, music, film, facts, shorts, features etc. YouTube offers a wide a mass audience response for anything uploaded because you do not have to register with the site to watch videos. However registered users are permitted to upload an unlimited amount of videos, unlike Vimeo which offers you a limited amount of storage space. Any content uploaded regards you to be a user and to confirm your birth date as 18 and over. The advantage of having your footage on YouTube is that anyone can watch the videos without going through the registration process which allows your videos to be viewed more. Also there are lots of artists which have been discovered thanks to YouTube. For example Owl City and Lilly Allen. This means that professionals may also be watching and any number of positive consequences may be the answer. The site is simple and has offers a very good search results list which further enables you to shorten the results by specifically choosing when it was uploaded etc. The site has some adverts but these aren’t moving which are easy to ignore. Unlike the other sites if a song is used in the selected video there is a link to I tunes where you can download it.
Vigin Media Shorts
Virgin Media Shorts is a competition website for shorts films only, where there aim is to discover new talent. It is supported by the UKFC. Entering the competition requires you to just click on ‘film spec’ where you can upload your film. You can also register as a film critic by registering on the site, this gives you a chance to comment on videos, vote for the Peoples Choice, and win prizes. The site can be viewed by anyone as like YouTube you can watch videos without being a member. The main advantage of having your work put on this site is because it is all judged by film professionals like Thandie Newton, Mike Newell, Duncan Jones, James King, Cindy Rose and Chris Collins. The site offers a wide range of colours but also has some adverts.
Film 4
This site holds over 150 shorts, that includes animation, comedy, celebrity and a range of extreme shorts. The audience for this site is similar to those of the BBC Film Network, however Film Four seems more commercialised and has more advertisements within the site. As you visit the site you are given the top ten short films and it is difficult to find and watch the others. Whilst browsing on the site I was unable to find any information about submitting your work to it or even to become a member and be able to log in and comment. This leads me to believe that perhaps the shorts are chosen by a production or distribution company with a link to Film Four. The most beneficial advantage of having your short on this site is that Film Four show a lot of features too so there is a chance as some one watches a feature they may find your short. I find this site more complex than the BBC, it is difficult to locate the shorts, I don’t feel that there short collection compared to the BBC is strong enough. Just like Virign Media Shorts there are many moving adverts on this site which make it the site seem to overcrowded and difficult to work with. The searching is also very limited.
Atom
This site is a mix of Indie and mainstream media; a collection of funny shorts and animation. Over the past 10 years they have been discovering hilarious, talented filmmakers and unleashing them onto the internet. They have recently partnered with popular television channel Comedy Central to launch a new web series to show the videos. Unlike any of the other websites I have looked at Atom is the only one that offers Pro Atom members. Submission is very basic on this site, all you have to do is join and log in. The successful users who receive lots of views earn money and can gain distribution via Xbox, mobile and internet downloads. Unfortunately if your short film forte isn’t comedy, then these great opportunities aren’t available to you. The site is positive with complementary colours. The searching is great and the site is easy to use with clear links. It has some adverts like the others but they aren’t on every page.
Trigger Street
Is a web based community that provides a platform for undiscovered talent to showcase their work and to receive peer feedback and criticism for shorts, books, screenplays and comics. Similar to the BBC site, you can brose films and review them. Although you must be a member to review and comment. The sites tag pretty much sums up what it is about; Help others. Help yourself. Feedback, Exposure, Opportunity. Unlike the BBC site the submission process is a lot easier but you have to review a required amount of other footage to ensure the point of the site is upheld. It is quicker at uploading to, although your content can be removed if you do not meet the digital requirements. The benefit of having your film put onto this site is that you can guarantee feedback. I feel that the layout of the site is safe and is easy to use. A bonus feature being that there are no advertisements like Vimeo. Some areas of the site require you to be a member and register, so does being able to watch the shorts.
Short Screen Play Writing
Task:
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tours/shortfilm/tour1.html
http://www.netribution.co.uk/features/howto/scriptwriting_5_short_film.html
Investigate the advice given to support new writers. Make notes.
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tours/shortfilm/tour1.html
This link lead me to an introduction of a tour/guide that gives advice for those making a short film over five minutes in length. It does mention that ten minutes is also becoming quite popular as the BBC and Channel 4 have contributed funding wise. Thanks to the amount of support that shorts are now receiving it has raised awareness to those interested in writing and has created successful careers for people such as Lynne Ramsay and Shane Meadows. The article goes onto state how the rise in story narrative has had a significant impact on the attention shown upon screenplay. There are six questions that a script writer must ask themselves:
Who is the protagonist?
The protagonists are central to the story. The don’t have to be telling the story but they must be present as they are key to the progression of the narrative.
What is the active question, which is the basis of the action in the film?
For the story to flow properly the character needs a want, need or obligation. When thinking about your story your limiting your ideas. You need to ask yourself, what are the audience interested in? Which is then followed by, will you audience be interested in this question? When deciding on an event which will then help lead you to the basic structure for your climax you’ll find your story will unfold from that.
Who or What opposes the protagonist?
You have a protagonist and an event but what is stopping them? You need your antagonist to repel them. In order to develop a character driven narrative you need the audience to understand why they cant deal with the situation.
From whose point of view is the audience being shown the story?
Its best to decided the answer to this question before making any further progress because character motivations have to be clearly established. If the incorrect point of view is shown then this may be very confusing for the audience.
What is it about? Or What is the theme?
When thinking about the themes that your film may express it is also worth thinking about others that are underlying. A good narrative will have something that ties all the characters together.
What is the style of the film?
When making a short you have to take into consideration the amount of information you can fit in. A correct tone must be established or again the audience will not understand the narrative of the film. The tone is not relied upon the script writer though, it can be discovered by the director or actors.
http://www.netribution.co.uk/features/howto/scriptwriting_5_short_film.html
The above link leads to an article entitled ’Screenwritting Gudie’ by Andrew Lowes. Its from his point of view, and at first he begins by telling you to ignore those that say there is not point in making a short, just go and make a feature, because a short is just as challenging if not more. He then goes on to answer the controversial question; how short is a short? His main piece of advice is that you shouldn’t do what a lot of writers do and try and cram everything in. He goes onto say how short films give you more of an opportunity to experiment with different narratives unlike features. Lowes gives advice on casting and characters and says how its best to just focus on a few rather than a cast of loads with thousands of extras. His advice on budget and dialogue are also quite fascinating, describing how every word said should mean something, and how you should limit the amount of locations you use as budgets are usual small.
Training & Development
Task:
Investigate other agencies and organisations that offer support to filmmakers and make notes on the training they offer and how they help to develop projects.
http://www.lighthouse.org.uk/
http://www.skillset.org/
http://www.scriptfactory.co.uk/
Lighthouse Arts and Training
Creative and Professional development opportunities for filmmakers, screenwriters, digital artists and animators.
Vision for the future is to be recognized internationally and nationally.
They work with a range of partners from within the creative arts industry, the public sector and education.
They have gained a strong reputation for designing and delivering in emerging professionals and young people.
They have 3 programmes:
The Media Arts Programme
Provides opportunities for people to work with digital technology and moving image to develop and showcase there new work, in a supportive environment.
The Film Programme
Supports filmmaking talent by providing creative opportunities such as training courses, project development workshops, master classes, mentoring and production support, with filmmaking professionals and companies.
The Youth Education Programme
For dis-advantaged and marginalised young people who can explore there creativity through filmmaking and digital technology. Providing them with new skills and qualifications, they encourage them to see the arts and media as a potential career path choice.
http://www.skillset.org/
Skillset is the sector skills council for creative media, and compromises of TV, film, radio, interactive media, animation, computer games, photo imaging, publishing, advertising, fashion and textiles. There aim is to support the improvements to the productivity of the industry to ensure that it remains globally competitive. They also provide impartial media career resources for aspiring new entrants and industry professionals online and over the phone. It supports the industry body positively and passionately as the offer plenty of training so that media can maintain its world class position.
http://www.scriptfactory.co.uk/
It has become of the Europe’s lead filmmaking organizations that finds and develops new talent within screen writing. The script factory consist of many different schemes to support those involved in the film world. Film draft is one of them which gives writers the opportunity to send in there work and receive constructional feedback so they can improve. They organise many workshops which all focus on different aspects of film. For example this month (July) it’s the problems with writing a screenplay that has already been written by a different medium. They also hold workshops for teenagers to, of recent it has been looking at different trends in horror movies and what terrifies the audience. From this the people involved are gaining better knowledge of film and are able to apply this to projects of there own. The training is available to those at home and abroad. They stage inspirational events where filmmakers can take the stage and inspire the audience. They produce performed readings to showcase new writing. There is also a membership scheme that invites members to exclusive events.
Distribution and Exhibition
The ratio of shorts that make money through more conventional channels of distribution and exhibition to those that don’t is diminutive. Why do you think this is?
I think it is like this because those that are given the money through the more conventional ways for their shorts have most probably been to a film school, with an x amount of qualifications and experience that some don’t have because not everyone can afford to go to schools like that. This means that when they apply for a budget they are more than likely to get what they want as the decider has seen what they can do and it will look good in them. This means they can use that money with their skills to make something which they think is fantastic, but this is not always the case, because they push themselves without of the consequences it will have on the short. Not all shorts can handle big stunts and lots of characters because there is simply the time to do that. However this then means the others who apply for budget are limited in terms of location and equipment which isn’t fair. Therefore those with the larger budget are more than likely to make more money through the more conventional channels of distribution and exhibition.
In what contexts have the following anthologies/collections of short films been created and how have they been put together?
http://www.cinema16.org/home.php
http://www.bfi.org.uk/education/teaching/movingshorts/
http://www.raindance.co.uk/site/index.php?aid=720
http://shootingpeoplefilms.com/content/bvb1and2
http://www.shortfilmsdvd.com/
The shorts are put into categories on the Cinema16 site. These are; European, American and British, the shorts chosen to go onto DVD are those that have been award winning. There is then a buy now option in which you can order the specific one you wish online. With the BFI there short film DVD’s are put together to help develop creativity, literacy and cineliteracy. The DVD’s come with a starter booklet and a teaching guide. Raindance offers some quality DVD’s such as the Best 16th film festival shorts, Gingerbread man, Best 15th film festival shorts, Ken Loach collection and The Inheritance. The shorts on their film festival DVD’s are from the USA, they have been put together by putting the best, award winning and the most popular onto DVD. The Shooting People film site sells what they describe as ‘the must have collection’. The DVD’s are called Best Vs. Best and these are available in volumes one and two. The films on these DVD’s are the major prize winning ones. Finally the short films on DVD site offers one DVD entitled, ‘Short Cinema Journal’. There are 13 shorts on the disc, most are award winning but no all.
What is the implication of shorts being offered alongside features for direct download at sites such as http://mubi.com/ ?
The implication of shorts being offered alongside features for direct download on Mubi for example is that advertisements are becoming more and more demanding on sites like these which makes things confusing the for the consumer. Also after watching a feature that is obviously longer than a short that can handle a secondary storyline and more characters, the chances of them then wanting to directly download a short that has one main storyline and fewer characters is slim.
No comments:
Post a Comment