Research Into 5 Minute Films

In some of the 5 minute films i have watched on Youtube that are made by other students of similar age i have found that in most of these films its not a standard title sequence as the films start with film footage rather than the title sequence. They have a start of film footage to establish the setting of the film and then add the title sequence to enforce that, for example a film starts with someone crying which establishes the film as a sad film and then they add a title sequence that reflects that mood to add to the setting. Credits to the film usually are added at the end of the film or during the opening film sequence as it will be out of the way and not interfere with the telling of the story.

In most 5 minute films they try to get the setting of the story in as soon as they can without rushing it. These are 5 minute films in the whole so they must include a beginning, a middle and an end but as this is fairly difficult given the amount of time to do it in most 5 minute films i have seen tend to have a 'cliff-hanger' ending which leaves the viewer wanting more to find out what happens to the characters or the progression of the story if the film was gripping enough to keep the viewer wanting to watch the film.

Another common thing to do in short films is to keep the idea simple. Most short films are based around a simple idea common with the genre, for example in a horror short the idea would be a conventional theme you often relate with horror, like a murderer stalking someone. Although the idea may be simple or the theme is something you associate with the genre, short films usually focus on keeping the audience interested by using a twist in the story at the end, also by focusing on different shot types and effects, using many different things is a way of showcasing talent and using effects etc. that maybe wouldn't work for a full feature film but look great in a short film.

Due to the legth of these films they are typically very low budget with only a one or two main characters and a short script, usually 5 pages as the one minute = one page is normally in use. Characters are usually introduced in the start of the film and are usually quite brief as the viewer may find out more about them as the film progresses eg their background, role in the film ect.

Short films overall have become a lot more popular in recent years, this is due to the fact we have more places to view them. Before we were limited to where we could see short films, they are very rarely shown on tv, now with the internet it is a lot easier to see short films. Youtube especially means anyone can upload their short films. Organisations have started to encourage more professional short films, websites such as virgin media shorts give prizes for the best short film each year. The UK film council showcases good short films before screenings of films at smaller specialist cinemas. Awards are given for the best short films at most major awards and festivals. Short films are becoming a lot more popular and they are looking a lot more professional much like feature films.

http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/