What Makes a Good Short?

An Exciting & Original Idea
Original ideas are not easy to come-by but a good way of avoiding clichéd ideas is to watch lots of other short films to gain inspiration, look out for any trends and stay clear of them. Even if your idea isn't completely original try to look at the subject matter from a different angle or using a different style/technique.

A Strong Script
A good script is key to narrative-based short films and in many ways it's harder to write a short than a feature because you need to condense your story and develop your characters in a very short space of time. All too often films are let down by weak, overwritten or underdeveloped scripts. Before investing money, time and effort into shooting your film, it's a good idea to test your script out on friends and strangers because friends usually avoid offending you.

Good Acting
Unless your friends are actors or demonstrate acting talent such as 'Performing Arts', it's a good idea to avoid casting them in your film. Even one bad actor in a film can really let it down and destroy the viewer's belief in the reality that your film is seeking to create. Try to go from a different approach.

Strong Beginning
Most programmers/distributors will be inundated with submissions and so your film has to grab their attention from the very first shot. The harsh reality is that if your film doesn't pique their interest within the first two minutes, in all likelihood they may not sit through it till the end.

Avoid Repetition & Punchline Twists
Whilst sometimes a repetitive scene can be used for comedy/dramatic effect, if you are not careful it can end up being repetitive and predictable. Comedy is notoriously difficult to pull off in short films – if you're looking to make humorous shorts then it's a good idea to test your idea on an audience as people may not understand your humour.

Exciting New Techniques & Style
Even an average plot can be made intriguing by an exciting new technique or style - whether it be a new kind of animation, camera work or art direction. Try experimenting and developing your own style.

Character Profiles: Binary opposites

Health and Safety

Using the redheads

-Extremely fragile: when transporting use the bag and padding. Do not knock them, two people should carry them at all times

-Hot!: take extreme care when handling the lights - they get very hot

-Do not cover them with anything

-Do not look directly into the lighting

-Switch off when not in use

-The bulbs are very expensive and break very easily, extreme care should be taken

-Take down cables.

A simple guide to lighting

Three Point Lighting:-

Back Light: The backlight is used to provide separation from your subject and the background.

Key Light: Primary light source. It provides a base light for your subject.

Fill Light: The Fill Light provides some fill into the shadow area of your subject to balance out contrast created by the Key Light.

Backlit Subjects:

-Cause: light source behind subject

-Effect: Silhouette or aura.

High Key Lighting:

-Cause: Fully-lit sources from all directions

-Effect: A bright, clear subject.

Low Key Lighting:

-Cause: fewer sources of light

-Effect: less area lit up, creates shadows.

Ambient Light:

-Cause: gentle lights, part of the set

-Effect: calm, warm, unobstructive, gentle lit subjects.

Hard Light:

-Cause: light source directly on subject

-Effect: strong bold images but also shadows, good for shooting villains.

Filters:

-Cause: filters fitted to lens(or altered in editing process) - gels

-Effects: alteration to colour of overall shot

Short Film review: 'I'm Here' by Spike Jonze

I'm Here by Spike Jonze intrigued and interested me because Spike used the unusual technique of using a partially animated skill to create the robots but it also had a serious feel towards it. The animated structure to it made it feel like it would be quite childish but the way the robots were represented in a modern society made it feel very mature but moving at the same time.

The emotion that was portrayed throughout the robot's feelings made me fascinated by the short film, I felt like I wanted to watch it over and over again. It was a unique portrayal of love within society portrayed through the future development of robots and technology. The close ups of the emotions in the main parts were moving, they made you feel and relate to them; like you were living the story that was going on. The story followed a male robot living life as an outcast in future society, and as he went through life trying to be normal we experienced all aspects of his life with him, following him through work, abuse but mainly love. When he met the female robot the mood enlightened and we felt this through the music/lighting/techniques etc as he was in a happier mood, so the rest of the film turned to a happier mood to display it.

It was also ironic that he felt human emotions as he was a robot and robots are usually expected to feel no emotions whatsoever, which made it very intriguing.

Genre

What is meant by the term 'genre' ?
-Genre is defined as "a class or category of artistic endeavour having a particularform, content, technique, or the like: the genre of epicpoetry; the genre of symphonic music." which is said by 'http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/genre'.
Give one example of a film genre and list typical codes and conventions for that genre.

-Romance as a genre is very popular within the film industry, and typical codes and conventions for this would be the idea of the boy meets girl love story is typical of the genre. Also the films are usually aimed at women of all ages as they are most likely to understand and relate to it. Usually has the sub-genre, for example 'rom-coms'.