What is a Short Film?

A short film is a media product with a simple narrative that is not long enough to be considered as a feature film. The North American film industry say: “A short film is defined as a film of less than 40 minutes in length”, unlike a feature film which would be around 2 hours in length. Short films have fewer restrictions and don’t fit in with the normal conventions of a feature film, normally because of time restraints. A short film is different to a feature film in many different ways. For instance: A short film would have little marketing and a low budget as the director would most likely not be well known. A short film would have challenging or alternative themes about issues like drugs/youth crime because they are not profit orientated and just want to put their message across or simply experiment.

A short film would have unknown or untrained actors because of the low budget they have unlike a feature film which would have a-list or well known actors, e.g. Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible, having films with commercially acceptable themes like pursuits. Short films are distributed very differently compared to feature film as Short Films would normally be distributed on the internet because of its free and easy access. Media technology has allowed sites like Youtube to be increasingly popular, expanding the awareness and availability of Short Films. Another way they are distributed is through public service channels, like CH4 and the BBC who have remit to provide certain types of programmes. Especially a channel like CH4, who provide programmes for minorities, would show many Short Films. CH 4 are always hungry for new talent and support film making in the UK, especially with Film4. The last way short films can be distributed is through the film competitions and festivals like Film Lab Festival and The British Urban festival where there are other aspiring film directors who want to promote themselves. In contrast to this, feature films are distributed far greatly, having a big budget and being well marketed. Feature films would have greater distribution in major chains like Vue, Cineworld and Odean where blockbusters are shown, also being released for home distribution, via Blu-Ray, download and DVD. Short films are usually filmed with open sets unlike a feature film with many special effects and on a private/closed set.