Short Film Lengths: What's good and what's it good for?

[Kholi]

Just an internal debate here and would like to get feedback from people with experience shooting short films. Typically they aren't good for much more than honing talent/skill is what I always hear, so taking that statement...

What's the more acceptable length for a short film and at what TRT is pushing it too far?

It seems a common range is about 10 - 15 minutes, but how unaccaptable is say 20 - 30?

 

[Mark Harris]

I think most fests technically define them as 30 min or less. The best ones I've seen seem to range about 20-25.

 

[Zak Forsman]

generally, fests will consider anything under 30 minutes for their shorts category. a TRT between 30 and 70 minutes is a netherworld and very few festivals have categories for that length.

beyond that i've spoken to a few festival directors who acknowledge that films under 10 minutes have a distinct advantage because they're easier to slip into the schedule.

 

[Drew Ott]

I usually watch all of the Academy award nominated shorts each year. Almost all of those are in the 20-30 minute range.

 

[Kholi]

Velly interesting. So there's nothing bad about 20 minutes or so unless the short is just bad.

Which... is the most likely scenario anyway. xD

 

[David W. Richardson]

Don't completely rule out the possibility of actually selling a short. There are a number of them on Netflix, so it can be done.

 

[Richard J. Johnson]

I usually watch all of the Academy award nominated shorts each year. Almost all of those are in the 20-30 minute range.

How can you watch those? I would like to see them as well.

 

[Simon Höfer]

Velly interesting. So there's nothing bad about 20 minutes or so unless the short is just bad.

Which... is the most likely scenario anyway. xD

Yeah, exactly. I would say everything from 5-30 minutes is OK, if it fits the story, if the story is interesting from beginning to end.

So, are you telling us, that you are making a short film Kholi?!

 

[Drew Ott]

How can you watch those? I would like to see them as well.

You can download them on iTunes I believe, but I just rented a DVD called "Shorts 2007" or something which had all of the nominated shorts.

 

[Kholi]

Don't completely rule out the possibility of actually selling a short. There are a number of them on Netflix, so it can be done.

And iTunes and Xbox Marketplace. I've actually taken a little time to study the short film market and it's truly there for marketable shortfilms. This is another reason I think that 20 - 30 minute short films have a place.

Festivals are cool... I've never had any experience outside of 24Hour Festivals so I'm not sure how it all plays out, I think I'd be more interested in tapping the Short Film Market in these outlets.

 

[Kholi]

Yeah, exactly. I would say everything from 5-30 minutes is OK, if it fits the story, if the story is interesting from beginning to end.

So, are you telling us, that you are making a short film Kholi?!

Yes, I'm trying to. I get too limited with six minute shorts as much as I would like to shoot for the Fests. Some can, some can't. Not that I've accepted the fate of "I cant shoot a six minute short", I'm just at a point where I need to do another and it looks like it's gonna be a long one.

First short was All Hallows Fest... that'll be a year ago come October and I actually want to kick out this short BY October (finished).

Was just struggling with the length because it's sitting at twenty five to twenty seven pages currently.

 

[Kholi]

You can download them on iTunes I believe, but I just rented a DVD called "Shorts 2007" or something which had all of the nominated shorts.

I also think Sundance's website shows short films. I saw BUG on the website about two years ago... what a disturbing short...