Short Film

1. Short Film A Short History Year 12 Lesson 2

2. Today’s Lesson • Introduction to Short Film • Ning- Homework from Tuesday • Teacher View – set up and check • Aero Hive- set up and check • MIC FILM CLUB permission slips back by Friday • Tomorrows lesson on Privacy in the Information Technology Age • Homework for Tuesday 31/1/2012 Online Privacy

3. What are we watching today? • Trop Fest Short Films (“Beyond Words” and “Be My Brother”) • Early Hollywood Director Short Films (Origins of Tim Burton, South Park, Napoleon Dynamite) • Year 12, 2011 MIC Short Films “Justice by Dustin Schmidt” and (“Milk” by Alex Metcalfe)

4. Origins of Short Film • Longer films were rare before the 1920s, so length-based categories had little meaning. By the 20s, a ticket purchased a varied program including a feature and several supporting works from categories such as second feature, short comedy, 5-10 minute cartoon, and newsreel. • Short comedies were especially popular, and typically came in a serial or series such as the Our Gang films, or the many outings of Charlie Chaplin's 'Little Tramp' character. Although there was often no set release schedule, these series could be considered somewhat like a modern TV sitcom • Animated cartoons came principally as short subjects, as did newsreels. Virtually all major film production companies had units assigned to develop and produce shorts, and many companies, especially in the silent and very early sound era, produced mostly or only short subjects.

5. Short Film • A short film is any film not long enough to be considered a feature film. • Short films are often made by independent filmmakers for non profit, either with a low budget, no budget at all, and in rare cases big budgets. • Short films are a typical first stage for new professional filmmakers.

6. How did they start out? • Trey Parker and Matt Stone (South Park): The Spirit of Christmas • Tim Burton (Batman/Beetlejuice/Edward Scissorhands): Frankenweenie • George Lucas (Star Wars): Luxo Jnr • Wes Anderson (The Royal Tenenbaums): Bottle Rocket • Neil Blomkamp (District 10): Alive in Joburg • Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite): Peluca

7. Characteristics of Short Film • Simplicity: A short film does not have the same length and funding that a feature film would have, so it is best to keep the film simple, but meaningful. A complex and detailed storyline can always be implied through simple gestures and great screenwriting without the unnecessary overkill of dialogue and back story. A poignant and moving short film can best be achieved with an unpredictable ending, a quirky conflict, a decent score, and a reasonable time frame. • Interesting Characters: The importance of dialogue is crucial to a short film because the dynamics and sustainability of a character/actor will be very apparent within the first few minutes of the film. These characters do not have the time to be surrounded by a great deal of depth about their life. Instead, paint pictures about their life using lighting, music, and selective dialogue. Do not waste a word on unimportant interaction. The character should pop off the screen from the moment the lines are delivered. • Conflicts: Screenwriters and directors are always seeking ways of reinventing storylines. However, for short films, it is perfectly normal to take a basic conflict and add your own creative twist to it. Research award winning short films and look at examples of what those basic conflicts may be. Whatever the conflict may be, keep it simple and make the resolution a creative and unique one. The resolution is -- in many cases -- almost more important and significant than the conflict, especially with short films. • Emotion: Short films are less focused on entertainment and more focused on the emotion that it evokes from the audiences. For this reason, most short films are not comedic or satirical, but dramatic and moving. Seek out the dramatic emotion of the film, whether it be romantic, somber, or ambiguous, and mold your characters around the colors of emotions that the film is implying. A defined mood for the film will set a strong preface for a theme and emotion. • Originality: Short films are the one type of film category that does not require a set standard or formula in order to be successful. Short films can take all different types of directions; the director and screenwriter's vision of the film will determine how original and unique it is. Maintaining originality is hugely important for a successful short film, so it is crucial to dig deep into the caverns of creativity and seek out the unique elements of the film and make it stand out.

8. Homework: Online Privacy As we’ll be studying about online privacy tomorrow ask your friends, family, work colleagues: • 1. Are they careful with their online privacy? • 2. What steps do they take to protect their privacy online? • 3. Have they been in a situation where they have had to make a complaint because their online privacy has been breached? Be ready to share in tomorrows class: • 4. Do you think people put too much information up on their social networking sites? • 5. Think of some current news stories/world issues relating to privacy online. Here’s a start: Wikileaks/Social Networking/Google Maps

9. FTV Lesson Recap Vodcasts • Film lesson 1 and 2 recaps and post to FTV Section of NING. • New person/s will film/edit/post to NING each FTV session