I was going to do a blog post on the narrative theories associated with short films, however I am yet to find anything substantial. It would seem that most short films conform to the principal theorists I mentioned in my last post, but on a more condensed running time. So I am going to proceed with looking at the conventions of short films, because I think that this will definitely be more insightful as to how narratives are made concisely and technically constructed.
I will use Internet sources to do some research, but then I also intend to watch some short films myself to establish some conventions that I find and that others may have missed. Obviously short films are characterised by their shortened length so I do not feel the need to explore that, but here is what I have found:
Character
The main points to be identified regarding character (and sometimes narrative) are that there should only be a limited cast. This is because a short film's duration, which is five minutes in my case, doesn't provide the length to establish backstories and character development. This is also done as a way of simplifying the narrative, since audiences do not want to be bombarded with characters they are expected to connect with in a short space of time. In relation to narrative theory, I would therefore need to select only the essential archetypes from Propp's list.
Narrative
In terms of plot and story, most short films will follow a linear pattern with an easily accessible narrative. That means that there should be no overly complicated political conspiracy or murder mystery to solve over the course of five minutes. Instead I find that the complexities of the story come not in the events, but in the subtext. The subtext refers to the elements that aren't overtly expressed, and often come in the form of a moral dilemma or emotional depth. I have found that many short films (my reference point here is the short film 'Passing') use a basic plot that often forces the characters to undertake a new perspective, creating a simplistic but impactful story told with nuance.
Setting
Settings closely relate to narrative and also provide the main component of the mise-en-scene. Short films tend to use minimal locations in order to keep the context contained and establish a less confusing journey for the audience to follow. Although it doesn't matter where the film takes place, the location is more or less maintained throughout. This would put me off making an adventure short film since they rely on the immersive journey into uncharted locations. But the short film '2 + 2 = 5' or the afore mentioned 'Passing' demonstrate the importance of simple locations. Many short films operating on a low budget tend to craft their narrative around offices or forests, and tend to stick to one unique location. Even when looking at feature length films, this is a strategy that has often worked well in narratives such as 127 Hours, Room or Locke.
Dialogue
I have to admit I was surprised upon watching a few short films to notice that dialogue is quite infrequent. The majority of the narrative is conveyed almost wholly through visual and musical means like the mise-en-scene and the score. Since we aren't allowed to take other music it would mean making our own, which is not an area of expertise for me and additionally time-consuming. Therefore I think I will need to use more dialogue than is conventional in order to account for the fact that I won't have an instrumental soundtrack guiding the viewer's emotions. 'Passing' again is an example where there is almost no dialogue, and 'The Desk' follows a similar pattern.
Twist
Depending on the genre, a twist can act as a way of not necessarily shocking the reader, but of making them reflect on how their expectations were subverted. This would be most likely to occur in a horror or thriller short film since they are conventions of those genres, but a subtle twist occurs in 'Passing,' which is done for emotional empathy rather than shock value. I believe that a twist enables the viewer to feel that a short film has more depth and complexity, so it will be a convention that I am more likely to adopt than subvert.
Budget
Short films are often the solution for filmmakers working on a budget, since it is more affordable and less time-consuming. It is clearly a factor that affects elements like the cast, the locations and the genre, since the financing or sponsorship may not offer enough freedom to create the scope or scale that the director had originally envisioned. The size of my budget is going to significantly affect how I craft my story, so I shan't be opting to make something which involves heavy special effects or explosions.
Niche Audience
Although short films are often classifiable in terms of genre, their subject matter largely focuses on abstract ideas and relates to the diverse creativity found in independent films, tailoring the product to niche audiences. For example the short film 'Identity' constructs an abstract meaning around conformity and self-acceptance, as does the short film '2 + 2 = 5'. Short films are renowned for appealing to niche audiences due to their unique topics. I shall certainly be considering this when I start to do market research into potential audiences.
Digital Distribution
Again relating to the niche market, short films are largely isolated from mainstream companies and as a result are far more accessible and likely to be watched on digital platforms like YouTube. That isn't to say that short films can't get acclaim since many institutions run short film competitions, with winners having their work shown in cinemas or at festivals. I know this from watching 'The Cyclist' last year; it was shown in Cineworld cinemas during the adverts as a result of winning a competition. Furthermore there are also short film festivals dedicated to screening acclaimed works, such as Glasgow Short Film Festival. But although there are multiple ways to promote short films, the Internet appears to be the most accessible in terms of reaching an audience.
In my opinion these are the crucial conventions of short films. They are largely personalised and adapted creatively when applied, but the stereotypes are ones that are followed the most. This research will help me to think in terms of the creative aspects of my short film as well as the marketing of it through the poster and review page. The links to the short films I have mentioned in this post are below:
Character
The main points to be identified regarding character (and sometimes narrative) are that there should only be a limited cast. This is because a short film's duration, which is five minutes in my case, doesn't provide the length to establish backstories and character development. This is also done as a way of simplifying the narrative, since audiences do not want to be bombarded with characters they are expected to connect with in a short space of time. In relation to narrative theory, I would therefore need to select only the essential archetypes from Propp's list.
Narrative
In terms of plot and story, most short films will follow a linear pattern with an easily accessible narrative. That means that there should be no overly complicated political conspiracy or murder mystery to solve over the course of five minutes. Instead I find that the complexities of the story come not in the events, but in the subtext. The subtext refers to the elements that aren't overtly expressed, and often come in the form of a moral dilemma or emotional depth. I have found that many short films (my reference point here is the short film 'Passing') use a basic plot that often forces the characters to undertake a new perspective, creating a simplistic but impactful story told with nuance.
Setting
Settings closely relate to narrative and also provide the main component of the mise-en-scene. Short films tend to use minimal locations in order to keep the context contained and establish a less confusing journey for the audience to follow. Although it doesn't matter where the film takes place, the location is more or less maintained throughout. This would put me off making an adventure short film since they rely on the immersive journey into uncharted locations. But the short film '2 + 2 = 5' or the afore mentioned 'Passing' demonstrate the importance of simple locations. Many short films operating on a low budget tend to craft their narrative around offices or forests, and tend to stick to one unique location. Even when looking at feature length films, this is a strategy that has often worked well in narratives such as 127 Hours, Room or Locke.
Dialogue
I have to admit I was surprised upon watching a few short films to notice that dialogue is quite infrequent. The majority of the narrative is conveyed almost wholly through visual and musical means like the mise-en-scene and the score. Since we aren't allowed to take other music it would mean making our own, which is not an area of expertise for me and additionally time-consuming. Therefore I think I will need to use more dialogue than is conventional in order to account for the fact that I won't have an instrumental soundtrack guiding the viewer's emotions. 'Passing' again is an example where there is almost no dialogue, and 'The Desk' follows a similar pattern.
Twist
Depending on the genre, a twist can act as a way of not necessarily shocking the reader, but of making them reflect on how their expectations were subverted. This would be most likely to occur in a horror or thriller short film since they are conventions of those genres, but a subtle twist occurs in 'Passing,' which is done for emotional empathy rather than shock value. I believe that a twist enables the viewer to feel that a short film has more depth and complexity, so it will be a convention that I am more likely to adopt than subvert.
Budget
Short films are often the solution for filmmakers working on a budget, since it is more affordable and less time-consuming. It is clearly a factor that affects elements like the cast, the locations and the genre, since the financing or sponsorship may not offer enough freedom to create the scope or scale that the director had originally envisioned. The size of my budget is going to significantly affect how I craft my story, so I shan't be opting to make something which involves heavy special effects or explosions.
Niche Audience
Although short films are often classifiable in terms of genre, their subject matter largely focuses on abstract ideas and relates to the diverse creativity found in independent films, tailoring the product to niche audiences. For example the short film 'Identity' constructs an abstract meaning around conformity and self-acceptance, as does the short film '2 + 2 = 5'. Short films are renowned for appealing to niche audiences due to their unique topics. I shall certainly be considering this when I start to do market research into potential audiences.
Digital Distribution
Again relating to the niche market, short films are largely isolated from mainstream companies and as a result are far more accessible and likely to be watched on digital platforms like YouTube. That isn't to say that short films can't get acclaim since many institutions run short film competitions, with winners having their work shown in cinemas or at festivals. I know this from watching 'The Cyclist' last year; it was shown in Cineworld cinemas during the adverts as a result of winning a competition. Furthermore there are also short film festivals dedicated to screening acclaimed works, such as Glasgow Short Film Festival. But although there are multiple ways to promote short films, the Internet appears to be the most accessible in terms of reaching an audience.
In my opinion these are the crucial conventions of short films. They are largely personalised and adapted creatively when applied, but the stereotypes are ones that are followed the most. This research will help me to think in terms of the creative aspects of my short film as well as the marketing of it through the poster and review page. The links to the short films I have mentioned in this post are below:
- Passing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg_1Pn9YcKg
- 2 + 2 = 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHAuGA7gqFU
- The Desk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_kIyihNd-A
- Identity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikGVWEvUzNM
- The Cyclist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt4rwTBm6pE
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