Was about to do a premise line on each film

[Charli]

But is it just me or were some so confusing you couldn't really get a handle on the plot, or maybe that was the point, not to have a plot?

I started to do a summary and I couldn't make heads or tails of some of the shorts and so I'll wait to do a summary of premise lines for finals.

I mean, did anyone else go "HUH?" on some of the films?

[Rodney V. Smith]

Nature of the beast Charli. Some you get immediately. Others not so much.

[Chris_Keaton]

I don't want to offend, but there were some shorts that had plots, but they might've been hard from some to see, but then there were some where the plot got forgotten.

[EditPhish]

I think it's pretty difficult to tell a good, interesting and cohesive story in six minutes or less. I know for us we had to do some "test screenings" with people who didn't know what we were working on to see if they understood what our story was. Most got it, but some didn't. That's the challenge when the viewers aren't in our minds knowing what we mean. I can only speak for JTyner and I, but we know we take on these challenges for that exact kind of practice! :)

[Chris_Keaton]

I think it's pretty difficult to tell a good, interesting and cohesive story in six minutes or less. I know for us we had to do some "test screenings" with people who didn't know what we were working on to see if they understood what our story was. Most got it, but some didn't. That's the challenge when the viewers aren't in our minds knowing what we mean. I can only speak for JTyner and I, but we know we take on these challenges for that exact kind of practice! :)

Amen Brother!

[kennethhurd]

I don't think that every film needs to explain everything to the viewer, but if there are parts that the filmmaker intended for the viewer to catch, and it comes off confusing, pointing out what's confusing would be helpful to the filmmaker for future projects.

[AJ Brooks]

I think it is pretty challenging to find a good idea for a short film. It takes some work. I also think (guilty of this as well) that we don't spend enough time finding an idea worthy of all our efforts. We quickly rush to the next step.

When writing features you should be able to tell your story in one or two lines. "It's about..."
Your premise. You can even practice pitching this to friends/co-workers and see if they raise their eyebrows or if they give you a blank stare and nod. I think the process is similar for short films.

That's what the whole pitch process in the last fest was trying to motivate.

Some films that have the "huh?" effect may have been compelling ideas, but were poorly executed. So the strong and subtle story was lost. And there are several films that are the converse of that. Beautifully crafted, but our eyes glaze over if someone were to tell us what it's about.

[Nitsuj]

Yes I went "Huh?" on some of them. The way I see it is there are several reasons this happens.
1- The script was not formatted correctly and there were too many pages to cram all that story into the allotted time. In this case anything over 6 pages is going to have troubles. Even if it is 6 pages it can be trouble depending on how much dialogue and action is in the script.
2- The story was awkward from the beginning and either impossible to portray visually or you have to take some mind altering substance to get it. Some stories just can't be told visually without some major changes to the script. And even so it might render it useless after the changes.
3- Shooting with no script and just forming it as you go.
4- The editing room can destroy it. For instance somebody has a killer shot but it doesn't move the story along. Instead of cutting that killer shot they may cut some line of dialogue and suddenly their story leaves you scratching your head. With shorts you have to be very careful on what you cut or leave in. A fine balance.
That's just a few but there are several other things that can make a film leaving you saying "Huh?". Hell there are major motion pictures that leave me saying that all the time and I can't help to think how that could have happened with so much money involved. Or maybe that is the exact reason, exec's getting in the way because they want to make what "they" think sells.

[Chris_Keaton]

It helps to start with a killer script. Wink-wink-nudge-nudge:Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)

Of course a script should grab you by your unmentionables and not let go. Otherwise you might not stick through to the end.

[Nitsuj]

It helps to start with a killer script. Wink-wink-nudge-nudge:Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)

Of course a script should grab you by your unmentionables and not let go. Otherwise you might not stick through to the end.

I like writing my own scripts myself. Personally I think of dvxfest as a training ground of new things to try, from story to picture. It's a perfect spot to stretch out and talk while getting feedback on your new ideas.

[TMerry]

Justin, I totally agree on
"3- Shooting with no script and just forming it as you go"

Seems like I've ran across several of those. The were expertly shot, but left me wondering
what the story was about, and after all what we do story telling :-)

I don't mind not knowing what the ending is or exactly what it means, as long as there is something I can sink my teeth into on the way.

[Nitsuj]

Justin, I totally agree on
"3- Shooting with no script and just forming it as you go"

Seems like I've ran across several of those. The were expertly shot, but left me wondering
what the story was about, and after all what we do story telling :-)

I don't mind not knowing what the ending is or exactly what it means, as long as there is something I can sink my teeth into on the way.

Yeah I have met a lot of people that do this. They will say something like "Lets go out and shoot something." I say like what? "I don't know, something gore or something." I just smack my forehead and explain that it's not exactly done that way but there are still people that do this. I just can't do that. Sure I can do it if I wanted to just take pretty shots of what my camera can do or you know, capture the ambiance of a location and such but not for a narrative. I know it "can" be done but I'm sure it will most likely end in disaster.

[Shaun Patrick]

I think it's pretty difficult to tell a good, interesting and cohesive story in six minutes or less. I know for us we had to do some "test screenings" with people who didn't know what we were working on to see if they understood what our story was. Most got it, but some didn't. That's the challenge when the viewers aren't in our minds knowing what we mean. I can only speak for JTyner and I, but we know we take on these challenges for that exact kind of practice! :)

I don't think it's impossible or difficult--the problem with the majority of the films in these fests is that they try to cram feature length ideas into six minutes. You simply have to narrow the scope of an idea.

In this fest, "Dispatch" is a great example. It clocks in at under 5 minutes and it tells most of the story visually (first rule of screen writing: showing not telling). Even within its narrow scope, its able to touch on so many bigger ideas and it's just a great example of a simple story well told.

If you haven't seen the Filminute festival, check it out:

http://www.filminute.com/2009/

All the films are a minute long and the winner, The Black Hole, tells a great story in only one minute. It can be done--it just takes being able to strip a story or idea down to the very core.

[Chris_Keaton]

I love the challenge of writing a one minute script. Problem is when you get to filming them they usually last 2.

I saw a nice one last night at a local film fest. It was 'Shoes' about a bad date. It shows a young lady getting ready for a date and she puts on a nice pair of pumps. She greets her date at the door and he complements her on her shoes. The camera pans down and the dude is wearing the same pumps. The End. It was funny for one minute plus credits film.

[Nitsuj]

http://www.the1secondfilm.com/home

[lawriejaffa]

I think it's pretty difficult to tell a good, interesting and cohesive story in six minutes or less. I know for us we had to do some "test screenings" with people who didn't know what we were working on to see if they understood what our story was. Most got it, but some didn't. That's the challenge when the viewers aren't in our minds knowing what we mean. I can only speak for JTyner and I, but we know we take on these challenges for that exact kind of practice! :)I found this amusing! My god even an amoeba could understand the plot to your film Editphish, please remind any of your 'test audience' that didn't to attend Kindergarten. :P

[EditPhish]

I found this amusing! My god even an amoeba could understand the plot to your film Editphish, please remind any of your 'test audience' that didn't to attend Kindergarten. :P

Wow.

[lawriejaffa]

Yep its not a criticism incidentally, just your plot is utterly simple beyond belief - and thats all the story required anyway.

The quality of plots certainly aren't measured by their complexity.

[xxrotinivol2]

Ya it seemed from responses, re: plot, the ones that kept it simple, done with the strongest technical proficiency got more favorable responses than the movies that had too much going on. I think it's natural to have a longer, more complex story in mind, but boiling it down to something short, you've gotta really select those details, leave in the essentials. A complex 6 minute story is tough to tell.

[Luis_]

I have gone HUH? with some full length films.