What makes a great short film?

What makes a great short film?

As part of the 5 months hands-on film training trainees create two minute "My World" short films. Awhile back  Heinz Hermanns, from Interfilm Berlin visited us and we had a discussion on what makes a good short film.

Preproduction and feedback  are CRUCIAL to filmmaking

Filmmakers in Kenya need to be more critical. Exchange your ideas, scripts: get and give feedback.  Must have a great story or you don't have a film.  Get feedback from the beginning of the concept.

Short film: must have an audio visual concept, seduce the spectator to take part emotionally and intellectually

Short film: must work immediately, grab attention of audience, something interesting,

Must be visual.

Story development: must work.  Can make NO mistakes (feature films can have some)

Short film must be more original than a feature film, have something special. Very little time to tell the story

MUST BE COMPLETE: with an ending… not just stop

Components of a great short film:

Plan:the look of the film

Color concept: palette

Mood

Intensity

Sound: must develop the audio concept before shooting. MUST have quality sound.

Suggest: Be careful with music, especially piano music which can overwhelm the visual. 

Casting: Actors key

Camera: must hold attention of audience

Every frame is a composition like a painting

Some elements of bad short films

•            Too long

•            Do not care about your audience

•            TV aesthetics

•            A copy of another film or story

•            Choose team carefully

•            Seduce not provoke audience

•            Accept criticism

•            Don't make it too personal

•            Not a slide show of a series of stills

•            MUST have good sound and sound concept