Inspiration Week

As part of inspiration week we had the chance to learn new ways of generating ideas for narratives and story lines. one of the sessions which helped me the most was a session when we were put into groups and visited a different table. each table had either a piece of art or poetry and from there we had to create a narrative. Our first table had a piece of A4 with pictures on it. The pictures which stuck out to me the most was the picture of a gold fish and an elderly person. the narrative we created from this which was a short called 'The Goldfish'. The narrative of the short film was that one day a granddad brought a gold fish for his beautiful grand daughter but whilst on his way to deliver the goldfish he gets a phone call saying that his grand daughter had been involved in an accident and has pasted away. Now a distort grand parent he goes home and does what ever possible to keep the goldfish alive as long as he does. A theme we thought would be good to carry out through this short was to make it a "silent film" with only a few diagetic sounds for example his phone ringing, and the cars passing him as he is on his way home from the disturbing phone call. we thought this would add a great sense of loss and loneliness and sorrow which the grandparent would be feeling. Places were we would film were places such as the granddads front room, the street where he receives the call a shop were he buys the gold fish and then back in his living room were it is just left with the gold fish.

The next table we visited had a picture of a table with empty chairs and a light bulb made by Patrick Calfield. From this we got the feel of a dis functional family that work together and get along by being deceitful towards each other. we felt that the light represented a change or something new entering the family which acts as a saviour. we thought that the light could represent new birth or life.

On our next table there were lyrics from an ABBA song. A story we created from these lyrics were a lady who was a performer and when shes on stage all her troubles blow away. Outside her life is horrid. The structure of this potential short was that it starts with her on her way to a rehearsal and as she is making her away bad things keep happening, for example bad news is reported, someone could be abusive towards her, and we follow her on this dreadful trip which is a representation of her life. As she finally arrives to her rehearsal and she begins we new person starts to come through and shine as her is in a happy element of escapism.

Our last idea came from a news article. There was an article of a car being in a persons living room with no structural damage to the home. "Its a car on the carpet, Pet". With queries how it got their josh and i developed a comical narrative for the scenario. The story we came up with is that one day a couple brought a home after their children descending into their own homes. when agreeing to buy the home there was nothing wrong with it but on the day of moving in they found a car in the middle of the living room with no idea how it may have got their. As years go on they adapt to living with a car in the middle of their living room. one day later on into their elderly life they decide for the first time ever to turn the car on. as later they fall asleep with the car on they both pass away together in the car. them turning on the car was symbolism for them ending one life and starting a new beginning.

Bibliography

Codes and Convetions Blog
Gareth Evans Occupation: http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork//users/6022658
Catharine Des Forges occupation: http://www.independentcinemaoffice.org.uk/whoarewe_catharinedesforges.html

Exhbition Research task
http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/
http://www.shortfilms.org.uk/
http://www.londonindependent.org/
http://warp.net/films/releases/warp-shorts/dog
http://www.live.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/browse/

funding research
http://www.brighthub.com/multimedia/video/articles/3492.aspx

Production of short films
http://www.brighthub.com/multimedia/video/articles/3492.aspx?p=3

Pictures
picture of first short film
http://rthktheworks.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/lumiere-brothers.jpg
picture of The Lumiere Brothers
http://silentgents.com/Directors/LumiereBrothers.jpg
http://www.animateprojects.org/apengine/shrink/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/bbc-film-network_305.jpg

Videos
La sortie de L'usine 1895
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI63PUXnVMw
A Kiss in tunnel 1899
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91jwTCcXW2Y
Angry Kid 2004
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMm2MaNk-28
Alice in Wonderland 1903
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke25rh_8veM
Darling, do you love me? 1968
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH2eyftdBac
Colour on the Thames
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LGavykBbxM
Geri's Game
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-awHOwtksk
We Are The Lambeth Boys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANb3l-jRfh0
Rubber Johnny
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3far9oHZOsI

Other Short Films

Research Task: The Exhibition of Short Film (PART TWO)

London Short Film festival has been running for the past 7 years and runs other 10 days in 10 popular locations in and around London. With over 200 short films, LSFF’s programme is exclusively with the work of Britain’s most exciting up-and-coming filmmakers. In 2003 Philip Ilson and Kate Taylor organised the first Halloween Short Film Festival at the ICA. This was formed as a continuation of The Halloween Short Film Club which Philip had been programming since 1994. In 2008 the festival became the London Short Film Festival and has been growing year on year to take in more films, live music, industry and training and diverse, high quality venues. Sponsers and partenrs include UK Film Council and Shooting people a worldwide independant film making company as well as the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

http://www.shortfilms.org.uk/


London Independent Film Festival started 53 years ago and screen over 300 films in over 60 different countries and is held by the BFI. It is known to be the 'premier event' for small budget films or no budget films in the UK. The awards given out to thoose involved with the LIFF are The Sutherland Trophy, The Alfred Dunhill UK Film talent award and TMC Classic Shorts award. Catogrise to apply for are

Best Feature (over £100k)
Best Micro-budget Feature (under £100k)
Best No-Budget Feature (under £10k)
Best UK FeatureBest Documentary
Best Sci-Fi / Horror Feature
Best Female Director Feature
Best LGBT film
Best Short Film
Best UK Short
Best Short Documentary
Best Animated Short
Best Experimental Short
Best Short Short
Best Horror / Sci-Fi Short
Best Music VideoScreenplay

Award categories:
Best Feature Screenplay
Best Sci-Fi / Horror Screenplay
Best UK Screenplay
Best Short Screenplay
Best Screenplay Pitch

These are the rules for Film Submission:

'All entries must be shipped prepaid. Do not declare a value on your submission, as this will hold it up in customs.Do not send materials in fiber-filled envelopes or "jiffy packs," since fibers will damage both DVD and playback equipment. Please use bubble-lined envelopes instead.Preview format must be DVD. Preview DVD's should be clearly labeled with the title, running time and contact information (name, phone number, e-mail.) or WaB number.If you are submitting more than one entry, a separate submission is required for each film, although they may be mailed together'

The Submission Fees work like this:

Entry Fees:Deadlines: Early (ending June 26), Regular (June 27-Dec 4), Late (Dec 5- March 5)Fees for feature films are £60 early, £70 regular, £85 late.
Fees for short films are £35 early, £45 regular, £55 late.
Music videos and short shorts: £25 early, £30 regular, £35 late.
Fees for feature scripts are £40 early, £45 regular, £55 late.
Fees for short scripts are £30 early, £35 regular, £45 late.
Fees for screenplay pitches are £8 early, £10 regular, £12 late.

http://www.londonindependent.org/

Research Task: The Exhibition of Short Film (PART ONE)

BBC FILM NETWORK

http://www.live.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/organisations/bbc_films

BBC film network can currently be found on the Internet and enables you to do much with your own work and others. it gives future film makers the opportunity to get their work "out there" and also hold their own profile to let people and talent hunters read about them. there is an option of watching short films both professional and amateur and rating them giving feedback to help the film maker progress. its like a community for short films and their makers.
You can search for films through genre and categories and also gives you helpful tips and guidelines as to how to create both films and shorts. it gives you information on film festivals and gives you the opportunity and help on how to enter them.

This site is a great site for amateur film makers there is so much for them to do. it provides help and a place to become noticed. it also gives you t he opportunity to speak and interact with other aspiring film makers and provides these people with dates of shows.

Research Task: The Production of Short Film

Surrealist studios is a company that is built up of young aspiring film producers and are a British independent short film company. Not only do they help aspiring film makers and produce short films them self they also cover television and have a webpage to help other short film makers find cast, get their films distributed and enter a lot of the films into competitions. Their site lets you also upload and view films which they have done and films they have also helped with. they also have a news blog that updates you on the latest short film festivals and screenings as well as congratulates winners of these competitions.

It is a very active site which includes links to help film makers as well as view and comment on other videos or visit their blog and interactive with them and other people who are either interested in short films or have been involved with this company.

http://www.surrealiststudios.com/

Pixel Circus is a Media company that help fund and create short films. They help in specalist areas such as Just the Production, or just the editing. they also help with things such as Animation within films, special effects, events and the distribution of short films. This company all began in 2004 and also work with sou animation both 2D and 3D, graphic and sound.

Research Task: The Development of Short Film

Maya Vision International is a film and television production company founded in 1983. They specialise in producing original documentaries and dramas for film and television and have a scheme called 'The short film completion fund'. They are well known for working with many founders and broadcasters such as ITV, the BBC, Channel 4, Five, UK Film Council and PBS.
There 'Short film completion fund' works with the UK Film Council and awards funding to films that either show an outstanding potential through planning and paper work or ones that have started production but haven't got the funds to finished. They have recently expanded their funding total to a huge number of £70,00 per year available to those showing the commitment needed to create an outstanding short. Now in its 10th edition the team have supported over 80 films which have gone on to win over 15o awards world wide.
Here is one short which this funding scheme was involved with and one of the competition it took by storm.

The distribution and exhibition of Short Film

Exhibition
The exhibition of a film is how its viewed and watched by others. For short films the majority of the time is through the Internet. this may be done by blogs or websites created and designed for peoples own work and even some times for those who are lucky and do have the funding to become noticed through compilation DVDs with other short films. Only a few shorts are ever really released for individual purposes and purchased. Shorts such as Scummy Man by Paul Fraser, Rubber Johnny by Chris Cunningham and Paddy Considine's Dog Altogether have been released individually they were all linked to the music industry as well which i feel in some way helped them reach their peak. some shorts may be brought on idividual release through the internet like amazon and itunes for example pixars short animations are for digital download for a small fee. Shorts are also some times viewed in specialist cinemas which are small and aimed at niche audiences such as places which play new wave films. The only time a short ever reaches the "Big Screen" is when its at a film festival. Shorts are very popular in film festivals as they are a great way of scouting new talent both actors and film makers and directors. sites such as Vivo, Youtube, Atom Film and BBC Film Network help distribute peoples work as well as museums and art galleries where a lot of avant garde work is displayed such as Leighton House Museum.

Individual release
scummy man





Paddy Considine's DOG ALTOGETHER
individual release


Distribution
It is terribly difficult to find companies willing to fund or give shorts distribution deals especially for the aspiring film makers. for big names brands and company's bringing out a short film just for fun its easy for them they have the money and funding to secure such deals and have already found such links to help them get great deals. they also will have many company's will to help and fund their distribution deal as they will be honoured to say that the person has worked with them as the company will gain credibility for working with them.

The Development and Production of Short Films

When producing a film the development stages must be in thorough detail. The Script, Crew, Equipment, Location and Props all need to be organised. The majority of the time shorts are made by young aspiring film makers and directors so budget is tight or even non existant. The best way to deal with this is being creative and imaginative with the story line and narrative to help your short stand out as well as being able to mange what is accessible to you in a creative way.

The first thing you’ll need before shooting is a script. As a film maker you are not going to be able to shoot a successful piece of film without a script. Writing means creativity and the key is to take your time. Any scripts that will show potential aren’t not written overnight. A good way to start is by writing a script with the actors you have in mind. before writing your script you must have a idea in mind or even a short synopsis to help you brainstorm ideas. working with your potential actors is a great way to build a good script which will also be easier on them in the long run and also gives you a feedback system going on. all you need now is time. Once you’ve got what you think is a perfect script, you’re ready for what’s next.

The Target Audience of Short Films

Short film's are no were near as huge and as well known as main stream feature length films. The main people who will know and understand the concept of a short film are people of experience within a film production world or young aspiring film directors or producers whom are hoping to one day produce big feature length films. Although short films can carry a small fan base of a niche audience who may be interested within the Avant Garde art house side of short film. This connotates with the types of place you can shorts being distributed. such as small cafes or niche theatres up in the west end or in short film and film competitions and festivals. Apart from distribution through the Internet or festivals Art Galleries such as the Tate Modern play shorts for the public to view.

Short Film-The Directors and Actors

Many Directors today came from short film making. One in particular is US Director Martin Scorsese. Whom started making Short films and blossomed into creating greatly known feature lengths such as 'Raging Bull', 'Good Fellas' and ' Gangs of New York'. His Short include films such as 'Whats a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?', 'Its not just you, Murray!' and 'The Big Shave', shown below. It is a 6 minute short produced in 1967 and was just the beginning of his amazing career. It has been suggested that it is an indictment of America's involvement in Vietnam, which can be picked up from its alternative title Viet '67.

Unlike many other well known directors Martin Scorsese didn't return to making shorts, instead he went on to make many amazing and well known features. One director which did return to Shorts after breaking into the industry is Shane Meadows. He has created over 40 shorts since the beginning of his career right through up until now. One of his most recent shorts is 'The Stairwell' Which is a very short piece of 39 seconds on two characters both raising along some stairs, one up one down until they bump into one another harshly.

Textual Analysis of Short Film's

Alice in wonder land by Cecil Hepworth 1903.

This film was the first of many British shorts. it was the longest of its time and is one of the most famous films in history. This short is in black and white and is a silence film sue to technical restrictions although this didn't stop Hepworth creating a interesting piece of film able for every one to follow. through out the film the narrative is told by writing on the screen which as as the narrator of the film and story. location used all seem to be easily accessed which is good of a director to do, especially if the budget is a huge restriction to your work. Hepworth has cleverly devised a piece out doing the boundaries given by the equipment. All emotion and tone is delivered by over exaggerated body language and movement which helps push the story along. When Alice is tip toeing across the garden you she is hiding on trying to secretive and sneaky. when the queen is dragging pushing and shoving Alice you know she is not happy with her at all. Costumes used help indicate who's who although there is advantage of so many people knowing the story so well they can understand it a lot better. The costumes are over the top and are quiet comical which makes the film playful and fun and enjoyable for both adults and children. Children enjoy the story and adults enjoy the movement in technology. The props around are simple and basic this is probably due to budget restrictions and Hepworth has cleverly used what he has. This piece is all done so cleverly and had a lot of imagination put towards it. The only thing i feel could have been improved is the use of shots, although I'm guessing again that's because of technology restrictions. through out the 8 minute piece there is only a wide establishing shot which is probably the best to used as it gives the director the ability to have as much as he wants within the picture and must just heavily control whats going on.

About a Girl

Director: Brian Percival
Writer: Julie Rutterford

http://www.gboyle.co.uk/aag%20qt.HTM

The first thing you see is a black screen with the title presented through a text method as like on a mobile phone. This is a thoughtful method as its a very popular way of communicating and shows and represents youth. The title name is a play on the film of About A Boy, a feature length film where everything ends up OK for the young boy. Although their is a contrast in About A Girl. Everything is represented much more gritty and grainy where as in About A Boy everything is innocent and diluted. At the beginning you sort of laugh and smirk at the young girl dancing and singing as its sweet and comical and teenage girls watching this remember doing the same thing. its an establishing shot but it isn't well lit the girls body is near enough a silhouette as the sun shines from behind. the scene is dreamy and surreal and seems as is its an escapism place for her. is dream like and airy. the song she is singing is representing youth culture. Britney Spears which can also represent her image, Britney was first introduced as the good girl but soon her image was frowned upon.

Short Film-Messages and Ideologies Within

Art House/ Avent Garde
This was a artistic and creative way of creating film and was purposley experimental. As short film couldn't compete with Hollywood and the mainstream films, short films new home became art. Artists have taken such a huge interest in it that works have been placed within art galleries as well as film festivals. Maya Deren, one of the first artists to engage with Avent Garde produced a number of films between the 1940's to 1961. she displayed a highly individualistic towards shorts.
"Meshes of the Afternoon" set the tone for USA Avent Garde film making as she took an anti mainstream approach to her work.



Avant Garde/Art house shorts is a new, creative and experimental way for many film makers to also try out new techiniques and sometimes narratives with out having to risk the costly budget of a mainstream feature length film. The majority of the time avant garde is largely influenced by cultures and politics and express an individuals feelings or emotion just as much as an artists painting. this is one of the biggest reason why many people cant or dont understand avant garde.

Many other short films are also used for protest and politics. campagins such as stopping whale hunting have released shorts in a documentry style to get across to a wider audience what really is going on. visual aids are one of the most powerful ways of grabbing a persons attention to a problem and enables them to understand. groups and partys such as green peace work extemely hard to capture footage to help enable a much more hard hitting campagin.

The History of Short Film

Short films came around in the 1890's although it can be argued that these are the first films, not shorts. These films were short due to the technology restrictions and were initially part of a scientific experiment. This first piece of film was made by the Lumiére Brothers in 1895 and was called La Sortie De L'Usine, which meant workers leaving the factory. these shorts can also be considered as part of "short subjects"

USA and Hollywood soon joined in and created The Kiss by Thomas Edison in 1896 but whilst researching the history of short film others have said short film all began in the early 19o0s within the United States of America. What defines this change is that the films began to have longer time lengths and as time goes on the technology gets better. The aim in a short film was to include a single or more short subject. These short subjects became the first short films but they were not yet called "short films". Once Hollywood came along it over took short film and eventually put it to its death. This was because Hollywood created the first feature length film and offered much more to the audiences. Hollywood created a in house system were all of these short films and feature length films were produced. everything was done in house the development, production, distribution and exhibition. what they also did was create the genres. the majority of early shorts or films were comdies. Hollywood had the money to be experimental and get there hands on all technical developments. this then lead to cinema exhibitors to requiring a film to be no longer and 120 minutes long to have two hour slots for customers. this slot also timed these customers going to the toilet collecting their tickets and schedule advertisements and trailers as well as the film. this was all business inspired.

By the 1930s short film was a marginal activity and slaughtered by Hollywood. Although short films were still around. There were companies that would force owners and creators of generally and experimental short films to sell their own work to big companies. These big companies or theater-chain-owners would then turn these short films into big-name features. This system was called block booking and was an unfair gesture. Eventually The Supreme Court of the United States declared block booking to be illegal.

Later on short film found its self in a new home, Art House, Avent Garde. See Ideologies and Messages Blog.

In 1955, another competitor of short film appeared which were the rise of television. Both Films and Shorts suffered from this development. Since then, short films have become a great start for aspiring and independent filmmakers. However, television programming include broadcasting old short film. These short films were those that had been sold to television stations which was a great way to get a persons work noticed. By the end of 1960s, short films eventually disappeare and it was only in the 80s that the term "short film" began to be used to describe these pieces of work.

Some Sites With Have Information On Shorts On Television.
3minute wounder
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/tags/art-design-and-literature
Shorts
http://www.film4.com/

Short Film's VS Feature Length Film's

Mainstream film has a longer and larger production length which benifits quality some times. It is easier to promote, due to more money, contacts and experience within the industry. mainstream cinema has a high production value and spending based around a much bigger budget although this hold a higher risk if the film isn't "conventional". All feature length and mainsteam films are released on its own as its own product along side such things as behind the scenes, deleted scences and options to change language. Mainstream feature length films are desinged for a Mass audience which selling points suchs as famous actors, big cast and crew which again are very expensive and are covered by the huge production budget. within the distrubution world a mainstream feature length is just a film played in world wide cinemas and box offices.

on the other hand short films have a short production length which goes in hand with the length of film being made. due to short films mainly being created by young aspiring directors or film makers they are harder to promote due to less contacts, experience and budget. all production spending is on a low and some times mild budget. this means most short films wont feature world know celebrities and famous actors due to paying and find apsiring young actors which dont mind not getting paid a low amount of money or none at all as for them this also gives them great experience. this also effects the size and experience of the crew as well. due to a short films development in its werid narrative it has adapted a niche audience and can be considered as protest or art, "Avant Garde". these films never hit box offices and are released as part of a compilation.

and of course the biggest difference is the length of the film it self with a feature film lasting between 60 to 180 minutes and a short film lasting between 5 and 50 minutes but any longer and it no longer considered a short film.