The term short film , which comes from the French word court-métrage , refers to a short film . There is no precise definition of its duration, although it is generally accepted that a film that lasts thirty minutes or less is a short film.
Known in colloquial language as short films , these audiovisual materials can develop the same themes as medium-length and feature-length films. However, it is common for short films to focus on stories that are not so massive as to produce considerable financial revenue.
Short films are also chosen by new directors and those seeking the greatest possible creative freedom . In many cases, longer films, which usually have fundraising as their main objective, impose more restrictions on filmmakers than short films.
Currently, thanks to the fact that technological devices are more common and accessible, many people can shoot their own short films without so many technical resources and with a very low investment. With a home video camera and video editing software , you can easily create a short film.
Traditionally, short films are released and shown through festivals : there are usually no movie theaters designated for the screening of this type of film. In recent years, furthermore, the Internet has become a very important medium for the distribution of short films.
“An Andalusian Dog” , directed by Luis Buñuel and scripted by Buñuel and Salvador Dalí , is among the most popular short films in history . It is a surrealist film released in 1929 . The Walt Disney Company also produced very famous short films worldwide.
Nowadays, the Pixar film studio releases a short film alongside its films almost every year, and its quality is truly exceptional, both from a technical and script point of view. This North American company is known for its focus on story over visual effects, and is responsible for the creation of many of what are considered "new classics" of cinema.
Tips for making a low budget short film
Although large film companies produce their own short films and, as expressed in the previous paragraph, their quality can be absolutely comparable to that of a film, this format is ideal for students and those who are taking their first steps in the world of filming, since it allows you to complete a project with very little money.
The first step to embarking on creating a short film is to know the format thoroughly, something that can only be achieved by watching many others. Since its structure and characteristics are so different from those of feature films, it is important to have a clear perspective of the possibilities it offers us before starting to write the script.
Precisely, once we have become familiar with the features of the short film, both its possibilities and its limitations, it is time to develop a script that adjusts to them. This cannot be done by force; It must arise spontaneously, it must be the product of inspiration , of a need to tell a story.
The available budget must be a present issue at all times, to avoid surprises that force us to make last-minute cuts. Special effects and outdoor scenes are not always necessary: if we do not have enough money for certain aspects of the production, then we must focus on the others, or postpone the project until we can do it justice. In the words of the great video game creator Shigeru Miyamoto, “a project that is postponed can eventually be brilliant; "A bad one who rushes will always be bad."