The beauty of film as art is that it contains a variety of forms. It can be a fictional, narrative story that springs out of the imagination of a writer, or a documentary that details historical events or social issues. Perhaps, it’s a comedy that makes us roll to our side in laughter, or a horror film that scares the living daylights out of us.
Cinema can control our emotions and how we feel. The incredible news is that this isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation. Movies don’t have to be 90-plus minutes—they can be much, much shorter.
A short film is exactly what it sounds like: a shorter-length film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences—the organization responsible for the Oscars—defines it as any movie that is less than 40 minutes long. So, a short can be 10 minutes or 27 minutes—heck, it could even be 60 seconds, as long as it tells a story.
Unlike feature films, shorts are a little more narrowly focused. Instead of exploring multiple ideas or themes, they generally stick with one theme. The plot is also mostly singular—instead of B and C plots, a short film will have only an A plot. Meanwhile, character development might not be as complex as in a feature-length movie.
Types of short films
Traditionally, there aren’t too many differences between the types of short films and feature films. The biggest difference, of course, is length. Here are some types:
Narrative: A narrative short tells a fictional story with fictional characters going on a journey. They can be dramas, comedies, sci-fi, horror—whatever genre you wish. The key differences between a short narrative and a feature is scope: less characters, simpler plots, and not as many themes. Jim Cummings’ “Thunder Road,” for example, is centered completely on one man giving a hilariously tragic eulogy for his mother.
Documentary: Yep, documentaries can be shorts, too. These projects might touch on a smaller issue or historical story, or use the short as a jumping-off point for a much larger discussion. For example, instead of focusing on the entirety of the U.S. healthcare system, a documentary short might tell one person’s story as part of the larger issue. Molly O’Brien’s Oscar-winning “The Only Girl in the Orchestra,” for example, reflected on Orin O’Brien, who became the New York Philharmonic’s first female musician in 1966.
Animation: While animated shorts have the scale differences that narrative and documentary shorts have, they usually contain another, different element: a lack of dialogue. Though not always the case, animated shorts can feature little or no dialogue at all. For an example, check out Nicholas Arioli’s “Coin Operated.”
Avant-garde or experimental: Because budgets may be significantly lower and crews may be kept to a minimum, short films are often the ideal medium for pure experimentation. This is less about telling a narrative than it is about pushing boundaries, messing around with atmosphere and tone, and trying out various visual and aural techniques. For most, the purpose is conveying a feeling. A prime example of this can be found in the early shorts made by David Lynch.
What about vertical dramas and short-form content such as Instagram Reels or TikToks? Do those count as short films? It depends on who you ask. You’re probably not going to win an Oscar for a TikTok duet, and there is certainly a difference between assembling a crew with lights, cameras, and lenses and shooting a sketch on your iPhone. But as long as you’re creating, you’re essentially making a short (and it’s a good thing that basically anyone can do it).
Practice: Making a feature with a substantial budget is a daunting task, especially for new filmmakers. There are so many plates that you’ll need to keep spinning. The beauty of a short film is that everything becomes more manageable—there’s less funds to keep track of, less talent to wrangle, and less cooks in the kitchen. There’s no substitute for hands-on, practical experience, and short films take away a lot of the pressure.
Find your voice: Creating art is an evolving process. As a storyteller, you’re always trying to figure out what you want to say to your audience. There’s more to it than just a collection of scenes. But finding your voice is trial-and-error, and a great way to zero in on your unique perspective (as well as your style) can be through making short films.
Advance your career: Film festivals are generally the place to screen a project, and because fests can program entire blocks of shorts, the barrier to entry is far lower than it is for features. The right event will also have producers, execs, agents, managers, and other industry insiders on hand to get eyes on your work. It’s not a guarantee of anything down the line, but it is a vital way to get your foot in the door.
Be creative: Sometimes, you just want to make something. Like any form of art, filmmaking is a fantastic way to express your creativity. Sure, it’s less of a solitary venture than, say, painting or drawing. But if someone is working a 9-to-5 in an office lit by harsh fluorescent bulbs, making a short film is a great avenue to do something different.
“Un Chien Andalou” (1929): This is perhaps the most famous avant-garde film of all time. Directed by Luis Buñuel and co-written by Salvador Dalí, “Un Chien Andalou” uses surreal dream logic and lacks a definitive plot, rather appearing as a collection of disturbing scenes. It is probably most known for the shot of a man bringing a razor to a woman’s eye.
“Night and Fog” (1956): Here is one of the most harrowing (and influential) documentary shorts. Directed by French filmmaker Alain Resnais, “Night and Fog” chronicles the remains of Auschwitz concentration camp a decade after the Holocaust. It is noted for its hyper-realism.
“The Red Balloon” (1956): Writer-director Albert Lamorisse tells a simple story about a boy and his red balloon—but also much, much more than that. The only short film to win the Oscar for best original screenplay, “The Red Balloon” is known for the emotional hold it has over the viewer for 34 minutes, especially as it reaches its climactic ending.
“The Phone Call” (2013): Director Mat Kirkby’s Oscar winner is a tense, 20-minute short about a crisis hotline operator (Sally Hawkins) who receives a call from a man about to take his own life. Audiences never see the caller (voiced by Jim Broadbent) but watch as the operator desperately tries to convince the man to keep living.
“Bao” (2018): This is a whimsical animated short about a steamed bao bun coming to life and the woman who ends up raising it as one of her own. Written and directed by Domee Shi, the film—which won the best animated short Oscar in 2019—is a loving tribute to Chinese culture set in the Americas, while also tackling themes such as motherhood.
