Codes and conventions of the short film form

Comedy

http://randomacts.channel4.com/post/174430235286/winning-marge-max-lincoln-its-sophie-and-garys

Three act structure:

1. We established there was a relationship and that the man had a goal to reach.
2. The man made his mind up and chose the other woman.
3. The whole thing was a set up.

Close-ups were used to show the characters facial expressions.
Over shoulder shots for when two characters are having a conversation.
The woman wears red which is the colour of the lights in the pub. This makes the man look out of place.



Dream in colours 


http://randomacts.channel4.com/post/174465078431/dream-in-colours-oliver-griffin-teenagers

Three act structure:

1. We saw that two people were together.
2. The girl told the guy that she liked him (flashback)
3. The guy was blind (Twist)

Background is mostly out of focus to connote his senses.
The story shows his senses.
The guy doesn't look directly at people.

Short film format

 A short film is any motion picture not long enough to be considered a feature film.

The budget of a short film is a lot smaller than feature length films as they are usually created by independent company and are made for film festivals. They are occasionally broadcasted as filler when a feature film doesn't fit the standard broadcast schedule.

Short films are aimed towards niche audiences.

Short films are generally used by filmmakers to gain experience or prove their talent in order to gain funding for future films from private investors, entertainment companies, or film studios.

Audiences expect to be hooked into the story and characters within the first minute of the films. They also expect to see a beginning, middle and end to the story in a short amount of time to be satisfied with the film.


Short-Film Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_film






 

Introduction to NEA short film (Summary)

We will individually have to make a British five minute short film that follows the three act structure. We need to convey messages and make the story easy to understand for the audience. We can also create hidden meanings in this short film to give extra depth.

• We will be marked on the length of the film
• How easy it is to understand the story and roles of the characters 
• How well film conventions are followed