Short Films Read online

  Nathan Parker

  SHORT FILMS

  …how to make and distribute them

  CONTENTS

  INTRODUCTION

  Context

  Experience

  Skills

  What you will get out of this book

  1. TURNING YOUR IDEA INTO A FILM

  Developing your idea

  Budget

  Duration

  Time

  Don’t let your ideas go to waste

  2. SCRIPTING

  Treatment

  Do you need a script?

  Formatted scripts

  3. STORYBOARDING

  What storyboards look like

  Different storyboarding methods

  4. COMPOSITION

  Camera position

  Framing

  Angle

  Speed

  Colour

  Types of shot

  Camera moves

  5. PRODUCER

  Producing

  Self-producing

  Finding a producer

  Producers’ duties

  Interview with Adrian Sturges

  Interview with Wendy Bevan-Mogg

  6. PRE-PRODUCTION

  Breakdowns

  Software scheduling

  Scheduling

  Schedule dates

  Call sheets

  Shot list

  Shot list tips

  Budget

  Line budgets

  Short film budgets

  Top sheet

  7. PRODUCTION VALUES

  Funding

  Types of funding

  Applying for funding

  8. CASTING

  Casting professional actors

  Casting non-professional actors

  Finding actors

  Interview with Rosalie Clayton

  9. WHERE TO SHOOT YOUR FILM

  Locations

  Scouting

  Recce

  Studios

  Non-professional studios

  Soundstages

  Budget saving

  10. INSURANCE

  Types of insurance

  Small print

  Where to get short film insurance

  Budget saving

  11. SHORT FILM FORMATS

  Choosing a format

  Exploiting a format

  Aspect ratio

  12. VIDEO

  Resolution

  Standard-definition

  High-definition

  Colour space / sampling

  Video cameras

  Video that looks like film

  Digital video formats and tapes

  Choosing a camera

  Shooting on video

  13. FILM

  Why shoot on film?

  Film stock

  Film cameras

  Structure of shooting on film

  Processing

  Screening prints

  Budget saving

  Film resolution

  14. SUPER 16MM

  Super 16mm versus 35mm

  Super 16mm versus video

  Potential workflows

  15. 35MM

  Potential workflows

  16. LENSES AND FILTERS

  Lens basics

  Lens types

  Focus

  Aperture

  Lens speed

  Matte box

  Filters

  Follow focus

  17. LIGHTING

  Exposure

  Mood

  DP

  Lighting yourself

  Light temperature and colour

  Brightness

  Light meter

  Types of light

  The cheapest light

  Light control

  The basics of lighting a scene

  18. GRIP GEAR

  Tripod

  Track and dolly

  Jib/boom

  Steadicam

  19. HIRING EQUIPMENT

  Wet hire

  Dry hire

  Budget saving

  20. DIRECTING

  Working with actors

  Shooting ratio

  Coverage

  Continuity

  Problem solving

  21. CREW

  Production manager

  Assistant director

  Camera crew

  Sound crew

  Gaffers/sparks

  Riggers

  Art department

  Continuity supervisor

  Costume

  Hair and make up

  Finding a crew

  22. DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

  Finding a DP

  Style

  Interview with Simon Minett

  23. LOCATION SOUND

  Sound mixer

  Boom operator

  Technique

  Equipment

  Interview with Oli Cohen

  24. POST-PRODUCTION WORKFLOW

  Quality preservation

  Budget

  25. EDITING

  Non-linear

  Choosing an editing system

  Cuts and transitions

  Clips and files

  Sound editing

  26. SOUNDTRACK

  Dialogue

  Sound effects

  Music

  Interview with Rachel Hamilton

  27. FILM TRANSFER

  Telecine

  Digital intermediate

  28. GRADING

  Grading film

  Grading video

  Digital grading

  Professional grading

  DIY grading

  29. MASTER AND SCREENING FORMATS

  30. DISTRIBUTION

  Festivals

  Interview with Philip Ilson

  Interview with Joe Bateman

  Submitting to festivals

  Online submission

  Interview with Joe Neulight

  Distribution companies

  Markets

  Interview with David Russell

  31. THE DIRECTORS

  Interview with Amanda Boyle

  Interview with Laurence Coriat

  Interview with Charles Hendley

  Interview with Toby Roberts

  Resources

  Copyright

  INTRODUCTION

  With a history as long as cinema itself, the short film is a vital format. It provides the opportunity for the filmmaker to experiment and learn in equal measure. Although most filmmakers long for big budgets and the opportunity to direct a feature-length film, it’s easy to forget the artistic and commercial restrictions that come with studio backing; and work dictated by finance rather than creativity often compromises the director’s vision. Short filmmaking offers the chance to express yourself without these limitations, the freedom to deal with ideas, subject matter and aesthetics that might be considered either too radical or commonplace for features.

  Whether you are planning on making a 15-second video piece or a 30-minute drama on 35mm, you will be dealing with the same principles and processes of filmmaking. You may intend to make a short either as a chance to experiment or as a stepping-stone to feature directing, but the process of producing it will give you invaluable first-hand experience and also the potential to influence and inspire others through your film.

  Due to technological advances, filmmaking is no longer a medium reserved for professionals. With the ever-increasing quality of domestic cameras and computer-based editing systems, it’s now possible to create a film with a high-end look for very little. With the accessibility and quality of this equipment, more and more people are now becoming involved in short filmmaking. As a result, there are more places to screen your film once it’s made, whether through Internet streaming, or at one of the many worldwide film fe
stivals.

  While it’s a great time to be making short films, the journey can be perilous. There are endless choices to be made at every stage, from formats, through casting to distribution. If you aren’t armed with the right knowledge, it’s easy to become unstuck along the way. Many potential filmmakers find the process daunting, and this can lead to unfinished films or shorts that, once made, simply never get seen. This book is designed to help you to overcome these hurdles and facilitate the entire short filmmaking process, giving you insight into the options available to you, and helping you find the right route for your film; from the initial idea to the moment when an audience finally watches it on the screen.

  CONTEXT

  Although the first films ever made were short in nature, the longer-duration format – or feature film – evolved quickly. Traditionally, filmmaking has belonged to large film studios that generated their monopoly on cinema through commercial productions, with feature-length films their most financially viable products. Due to its lack of commercial viability, short film has almost exclusively existed as an independent art form, often the only type of filmmaking available to people unconnected to or backed by large studios.

  Short film’s independent nature has ensured it as a fertile area of innovation and experimentation, at the cutting edge of film, both technically and ideologically. Unhindered by more conservative studio systems, shorts have really been the breeding ground for many of the ideas and approaches that have then been re-absorbed into features. Short filmmaking therefore provides you with an opportunity to influence the way that films are made and how they look, as well as audiences and other filmmakers. Just one short film – Maya Deren’s experimental Meshes of the Afternoon for example – is capable of redefining how people perceive films and cinema in general.

  EXPERIENCE

  At the beginning of your filmmaking process you need to build enough knowledge of all the different elements that go into creating a complete film. This does not mean reading every book and manual on the subject. While books on filmmaking are a valuable resource, filmmaking cannot be learned theoretically. Although it requires meticulous planning and coordination, it also relies on intuition, creativity and experience. The real learning process occurs when you put your ideas into practice. It’s only by getting out there and making your own films, or helping others to make theirs, that you will begin to gain a thorough understanding of how films are really made. It’s this experience that will ultimately help you develop a sense for filmmaking and allow you to hone your skills.

  If you are a novice filmmaker you may strive for perfection, but you’ll learn a great deal through your mistakes. The disappointment you may feel when your film on screen doesn’t match up with your original vision shouldn’t discourage, but rather inspire you. You can use what you have learned to make your next project better, and it’s largely through this process that you will develop into a skilful and well-rounded filmmaker.

  SKILLS

  Filmmaking by its very nature doesn’t depend on the talent of just one person, and what makes a good film is a unique combination of skilled people. The most important skill that you need as a director, or filmmaker, is the ability to communicate your vision to other people, not just with your finished film but to those involved in the process of making it. Whether it’s with an actor, cinematographer or composer, you will need to communicate clearly what you have in mind and what you require of them to make your ideas possible. For this you need to develop specific communication skills and learn the languages of filmmaking. Each filmmaking discipline has its own specific terminology and mode of expression. Explaining to an actor what emotion you would like them to manifest is very different to explaining to a Director of Photography (DP) how you would like a shot to be framed and lit. One of the key purposes of this book is to explain the languages of the different roles involved in filmmaking and help you to communicate your ideas.

  WHAT YOU WILL GET OUT OF THIS BOOK

  These days short film is an ubiquitous art form. You can make one on your phone in 20 seconds, have it on the net in a few minutes and potentially broadcast it to millions on YOUTUBE in a matter of days. This book, however, is designed for people that want to push their ideas and skills towards more complex productions. Creating short films that are well-thought out, well-crafted and well-executed.

  This book is designed to cover the majority of technical aspects and options involved in completing a short film. It should provide you with a comprehensive overview that will allow you to choose from a range of established methods and techniques to create your own unique film. Although these methods are based on conventional filmmaking practices, the films you make don’t have to be. It merely provides a structure within which you can create your own vision. Subjects such as cinematography or scriptwriting are discussed but for more in-depth treatment you would be wise to look elsewhere.

  Aside from an all-round practical and theoretical knowledge, a range of interviews also offers you the opportunity to observe how other filmmakers have created their films.

  1. TURNING YOUR IDEA INTO A FILM

  Although there is no one filmmaking formula, there are many established filmmaking methods, some of which have evolved from the feature film industry and are often adapted and downsized for the purposes of short filmmaking.

  Although a number may not apply to small-budget short films, several are extremely useful if not essential in planning and shooting a short of any length or budget.

  Filmmaking protocol is of course always in flux. Established methods can suddenly become obsolete with the advent of a new piece of technology. Even well-established conventions are constantly being modified and tailored to suit the needs of an individual film. Most feature filmmaking methods have come about in order to make the process of production more efficient and minimise the potential for problems.

  The result is a series of tried and tested methods, which are practiced in all areas of filmmaking. They aren’t rules as such, and no one is going to insist you adhere to them, but there is a great deal to be learned from the experiences of thousands of other filmmakers.

  The methods described in this book are derived from established techniques. While films vary in style, content and duration, making it practically impossible to follow a specific model from start to finish, having a good understanding of conventional practices allows you to pick and choose which ones work best for you. For this, you will need to evaluate the specific needs of your film and work through a process of elimination to determine which are most applicable to your short. Ultimately they are designed to help you make your film with greater ease.

  DEVELOPING YOUR IDEA

  The concept for a short film can come from anywhere. There are no rules about what makes for good subject matter, no rules about the way in which you present it to an audience; both can be as direct or abstract as you want. While this freedom is short filmmaking’s obvious appeal, it can sometimes be overwhelming.

  One of the most useful strategies for finding and developing ideas is to work out what limitations you will face during the creation of your film. The key to turning a good idea into a good film is to work within your means and you should carefully evaluate your potential ideas in light of the following considerations:

  BUDGET

  Although short filmmaking is a chance to let your imagination manifest itself on screen, more often than not you will find that imagination can be very expensive in practical terms.

  Generally the main limitation when making shorts is budget. The budget – or lack of it – will dictate what kinds of ideas you can develop and eventually realise. Large casts and elaborate sets are expensive to incorporate; and while you should aim high with your overall production values, you need to be realistic to achieve optimum results within the boundaries of your budget.

  DURATION

  Short films can range from a few seconds to 30 minutes. You don’t have to squeeze your action into one minute or five, but can cre
ate a bespoke length, developing an appropriate pace and rhythm over an unspecified period. This means you can explore topics or events that would seldom sustain a feature-length film or follow more common structures; and this is something that you should try and use to your advantage.

  When choosing a subject, try and think about a topic that lends itself to both the medium of film and the duration of a short. For instance, unlike a feature, you often don’t have much time to develop plots or characters. Trying to compress a significant amount of either can thus prove both futile and impossible. Shorts that attempt to shoehorn too much material can seem chaotic and leave an audience confused. Faced with a blank page, it’s tempting to work with an abundance of ideas, but it’s important as your film develops to eliminate anything extraneous and really focus in on what it is you’re trying to say.

  TIME

  The experience of watching a film is designed to be deceptive: the audience should remain unaware of the effort that goes into a production, which makes it easy to forget just how much time and energy is really involved.

  You therefore need to consider not just how much time you can devote to the project, but also how much you can expect other people to give. The film will be a passion for you and hopefully this enthusiasm will be infectious enough to attract people to the project, but you have to be realistic about their commitments, particularly in terms of your budget.

  DON’T LET YOUR IDEAS GO TO WASTE

  Given the chance, most filmmakers would of course welcome a large budget, professional crew and talented cast, but only a few are ever given access to all these components; and the chances are they didn’t start out with them.

  Your ideal story may be set on an alien space station or in the 16th century, but rather than shelve these ideas until a big budget materialises, knowing your limitations can actually help you turn your ideas into films. Try and locate what it is about these particular topics/situations that interests you, and then devise more unusual ways in which you can make them work within other, more feasible contexts.

  Many successful short films are created from the most basic premise, and the simplest of ideas can be turned into extremely complex films; complex as a viewing experience doesn’t necessarily mean complex to make.