Internet Based Research
Part 1
o Some film-makers see short films as artwork, such as Derek Jarman (director of ‘Blue’). Other people see short films as personal ad’s for chances in the future to make a feature film
o Not long ago, all film was being shot on celluloid film, but now there is the introduction of DV technology; opening more opportunity for people to make film. The celluloid film was a problem for new film-makers as it would have been difficult to secure public funding. In the late 1990’s films made under the backing from Film Four’s Short and Curlies, would on average cost £60 000 and £90 000. Shadowscan (2001; Tinge Krishnan) had a £90 000 budget and hit new levels of success for the bfi’s New Director’s Scheme. Negatively, these films were funded to be viewed by only a small number of people. Many argued that this money should have been devoted to more film-makers using more up-to-date digital equipment.
o In recent years, there has been an increase in the amount of new and effective technology being created. One of these is the DV (digital video) camera’s. These are very cheap camera’s to purchase in modern society. Along with home computer equipment and cheap editing software, film making is very simple and is beneficial for those looking to secure funding and proceed to more desired work (such as making a feature film in the future)
o As well as being backed by a short film scheme, home producers have the possibility to distribute their work online. There are various websites that allow anyone to upload their short films. Here, anyone around the world can view them. This widens the chance for production companies to see the short films.
o Distribution of short films can be extremely dear. However, one company backing short films; Short Circuit Films, attempt to convince distributors of feature films, to attach short films onto a feature films. This would be before the feature film at the cinema, or on the extra’s menu on the DVD. This is achieved if the cinema manager is passionate about short films. Meabh O'Donovan from Short Circuit Films says they try to attach the short films at “individual cinemas…” rather than distributing them at all cinemas. This is because the distribution companies would not allow it. Thus, the cinema managers must be quiet about placing a short film with the feature film.
o The views of short films are quite split in this country; some people believe short films are pointless as they only include one dramatic turn in a three or four minute film. However, others disagree and argue that short films contain magical, unresolved storylines, directed by people who go on to great things (Kathryn Bigelow, an example). Asif Kapadia believes that short films are “little more than a witty idea with a sting in its tail” and that “some short-film-makers aren't learning to develop characterisation, and so financiers aren't convinced they can make features," This is one of the big issues with short films being backed; distributors believe that the short film makers aren’t including much substance within the characters in their short films. This, what some believe, is the difference between feature films becoming successful and short films not equalling the same success.
Part 2
What is the UK Film Council doing to support short filmmakers and short film making?
The UK Film Council has various schemes to support young and inspirational short filmmakers. The Completion Fund is the main one by the UK Film Council. It provides financial backing chances to around 14 people a year, over a three-year period. The financial number they offer for the production side of things is between £50 000 and £70 000 a year. Maya Vision International are the owners along with Lifesize Pictures who have some partnership, and coincidentally these are the people that elect the films that will get the aid. They will then support them during post-production, and their marketing campaign so that they know the money has been used wisely. The Completion Fund targets short filmmakers who have already shot their film but need some more financial backing in order to widely distribute the film.
Achievements
o In the past 5 years, this Completion Fund has fully supported 14 films. On top of that, they have planted the short filmmakers with an International uplift by screening their films to over 100 worldwide film festivals.
o Most films that come off the back of this Completion Fund achieve very positive success, earning over 100 awards. ‘The Other Man’ (D.R. Hood) won ‘Best British Short’, at Edinburgh International Film Festival, one of the most prestigious film festivals.
The Regional Screen Agencies develop film techniques for different regions of England. The UK Film Council delivers £7.5 million a year to the nine Regional Screen Agencies (RSA) for help with production, screen commissions, cinema exhibition, training, archives and education. The nine Regional Screen Agencies are:
o Em Media
o Film London
o Northern Film and Media
o Vision and Media
o Screen East
o Screen South
o Screen South-West Midlands
o Screen Yorkshire
o South-West Screen
Part 3
The British Film Council urge new and creative short film work forward to audiences from around the world. They work with other countries to benefit some of the UK’s finest short film work, and their directors and creators etc. They aim to help young filmmakers; preferably from the ages of 16 and 35. There is a question that should be answered though, and that is how is the specific work chosen to be promoted across the world? The answer they tell us is that they have film specialists with selective skills and knowledge of modern film. These people moderate the work put forward for promotion.
What they actually do
Upon discovering new work, they analyse the film and decide whether it is suitable to fit into an overseas Film Festival. In this case, the British Film Council will connect with their abroad colleagues and partners and promote the work to them. If they like it, they can advertise the film in their country and it will possibly feature in a Film Festival.
Part 4
Here are a few notes about some film festivals for short films.
· Encounters, Short Film Festival promoted themselves first in 1995, formerly Brief Encounters and Animated Encounters. Originally it was created as a one-time event to celebrate cinema. However, it deemed so favourable compared to other festivals, that it’s now an annual event. The festival is simply well known.
· It is extremely important to screen your film at a film festival as if it is well received by critics and people with power, you (the creator) can achieve great success (or at least an opportunity to progress further into a film career). At some film festivals, a favourable short film screened at a film festival has the chance to go onto a DVD of a feature; this gives the chance for even more people to view the short film.
· Various judges that are given a category attend film Festivals and they have to watch the films in that category. They then mark each film. The winning film in each category is further screened.
· The structure of each of these websites is very similar. On the home page they each give information about the next upcoming festival, such as the date and closing times. The website runners almost assume that the people visiting the site already know what they are looking for. The first visible link on each site is application area. These sites seem very happy for as many people to apply their films into the film festivals.
· Other important short film festivals in the UK are bang! Short film festival, and Hull Short film festival.
· Abroad, the biggest short film festival is Los Angeles Short film festival, as well as the Manhattan Short film festival.
· Arguably, the most prestigious five film festivals are Sundance Film Festival (Utah), Toronto International Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, Los Angeles film Festival and Berlin Film Festival.
Part 5
On websites such as BBC Film Network, and Film4, the films distributed are dark drama short films produced on a short budget. However, on sites such as YouTube, Vimeo and atom the videos are uploaded by anyone around the world. These videos can be funny personal experiences, or they can be a short film attempt, looking for some feedback. There is a time limit on the video length on these sites as there are so many people uploading nowadays. YouTube, in fact gets millions of hits in just one day.
The audience for all these sites can be anyone. The BBC Film Network specifies in short films so the audience for those are going to be fans of short films looking for new talented filmmakers. For YouTube, Vimeo etc, the audience is widely extended, as there is no specification to what videos are uploaded. For example, a friend could upload a home video and want to show friends, so they send the link around to them. This is a social audience. There are some short films on YouTube as well so there can be fans of short films too.
The submission process for BBC Film Network means that your film is not guaranteed to be uploaded onto the website, but it will be viewed by someone. They need you to fill in a submission form with contact details, film details, synopsis of the film, previous festival success, a fact about the film and a list of all cast and crewmembers needed to make the film. You then have to send the film on a hard copy, such as VHS or DVD to the BBC. On YouTube there is a short registration form, which requires you to fill out age details, and an online profile username. After this is completed you can upload your videos.
The benefits of having your film screened on the BBC Film Network or Film4 Short film page, rather than YouTube or atom, are that the BBC Film Network and Film4, have these pages created for short films only, atom doesn’t. The chances that the audience at atom are for short films are remote when compared to BBC Film Network.
YouTube present their material in a very open manner. On the homepage you have various viewing options under differing categories, such as ‘New’ and ‘Most Viewed’. Once viewing a video there is also a ‘Related’ option, which shows videos that are relates to the one you are currently watching. The viewing is very simple. The BBC Film Network has attempted this but on a smaller scale, as they don’t accept every single video. Their style is much more complex and sophisticated as there is more organisation within each video.
The BBC Film Network is a more mainstream place to visit when looking for new short films to watch and analyse. They make it difficult to have your film screened on their site so you know that if your film makes it on to the site it must be of a high standard. This targets a very specific short film audience. YouTube aren’t specific in their site as they accept all videos as long as they are compliant to the rules and T’s and C’s. On YouTube you cannot guarantee what audience you will receive for your video, as people looking for all sorts of video are online.
Part 6
As a writer, there are always concerns that have to be considered when writing a new script. Screen Online will tell you that there are key elements that must be met when making a short film over 5 minutes of length. Such elements are the protagonists, point of view and themes.
Phil Barker says the protagonist is whom the story revolves around. This happened in Springing Lenin (1992). The main protagonist drives the audience to watch on as they feel they can relate to the character.
Once the character(s) is decided, there needs to be something that challenges them, and what is included that makes the audience want to follow, says Phil Barker. The most frequently used point of view is the position that is able to watch all events unfold, such as in (The Cutter), however in ‘Zinky Boys Go Underground’, the film is narrated not by the main character, but by another protagonist that follows the main character. As a writer of your own film, you must decide which route to take, which makes point of view very useful.
Phil Barker doesn’t go into too much detail about writing your own film, but does give plenty example for the key elements that must be included in a film.
Part 7
Young filmmakers may decide to seek advice or official training to gain the ability and experience to make their own film. Various websites offer this support. Randance.co.uk offer training in writing, producing and directing.
Raindance offer writing courses on weekends and evenings, which consist of teaching storytelling and screen writing from a different point of view. This is to give more range to the students’ abilities.
They also help young filmmakers what producing really involves. Again they are conducted under weekend lessons and evening lessons. They claim to cram the most amount of information in at the least cost, in the least time. This course is where Michael Vaughan met Guy Ritchie, they say. Elliot Grove (founder of British Independent Film Awards) presents the weekend course. The evening courses are orchestrated to give a further depth of interest in the subject, relevant to the student.
Its pretty much the same with the directing course. It is based on a weekend and evening basis. They provide hands on experience to give the student a real idea into what directing is about. Essential techniques are also taught and the student has the chance to plan and shoot a piece of work. This enables the student to work under some pressure and earn their reward.
These courses really are for beginners but do offer a very deep insight as to what the film industry is like
