Short Film Codes and Conventions

Codes and conventions of a short film

Length

A short film will most commonly last between 3 to 20 minutes, however the length varies greatly and can last as little as a minute and up to 40. Short film competition Depict! specifically asks for films lasting 90 seconds, playing on the idea that feature films will usually last 90 minutes.

Storylines

The storyline of a short film is usually kept quite simple as there sis not much time for development. As well as this, there will also be little dialogue as too much conversation would take too much time.


Characters

It is most common for there to be only around 1-3 characters in a short film ass there is not enough time to get to know too many people. If there were any more characters it would distract and take time away from the storyline and cause confusion.


Twist

There is often a twist at the end of a short film which the audience will find shocking. This is usually due to the fact there is not enough time to create a complex storyline.


Niche Audience

Short films have a lot smaller and niche audience than mainstream due to the creative nature, length and simple storyline. Although largely accessible, many are not aware of short film. This is largely due to popularity decreasing through the 30’s onwards, and the limited access in mainstream forms such as prime time television and cinema. Short film also varies in genre and style and will appeal to a much more specific audience.

Emotion

Short films are used to convey a strong emotion to the viewer whether this is laughter, pleasure, sadness or anger, sometimes making comments on morals or society in the process. Short films can be a lot more powerful in this way as it is easy to make something appear differently to how it is or to get the audience thinking about a particular topic without having the time to make up their minds while watching, leaving them to contemplate after the film has finished. There will also usually be a stronger connection to the characters as they are shown closely throughout, with the creativity allowing for more humour and pleasure.