SHORT FILMS

 

ESSENTIAL SHORT  FILM LIST

Learners are required to make a study of at least three short films in preparation for their production. The total running time of the films selected must be at least 80 minutes.

               FILM            DIRECTOR      LENGTH (MINUTES)           

Meshes in the Afternoon (Deren, US, 1946)   14’

La Jetée (Marker, France, 1962)       28’

La Ricotta (Pasolini, Italy, 1963)      34’

The Grandmother (Lynch, US, 1970)     34’

A Girl’s Own Story (Campion, Australia, 1987) 26’

Elephant (Clarke, UK, 1989)      39’

The Wrong Trousers (Park, UK, 1993)     30'

When the Day Breaks (Forbis/Tilby, Canada, 1999) 09'

About a Girl (Percival, UK, 2001)        09'

Wasp (Arnold, UK, 2003)         24'

High Maintenance (Van, Germany, 2006)           09'

Connect (Abrahams, UK, 2010)         05'

Night Fishing (Park, South Korea, 2011)            33’

Pitch Black Heist (Maclean, UK, 2012)         13

Curfew (Christensen, US, 2012)       19'

Swimmer (Ramsay, UK, 2012)       18’

The Gunfighter (Kissack, US, 2014)       09'

Stutterer (Cleary, UK, 2015)      12'

Here's direct links to all of the films we can find.....we may not cover all of them and you don't need to write about all of them but this should give you more than enough to analyse and influence your own ideas....




Curfew  ( Christensen 2012 )


 Comedy/drama with extensive use of traditional, efficient  and effective use of film form to build  narrative tension, show relationships between characters, create narrative structure and iconography to support the film's theme


                Connect (Abrahams 2012 )

Simple short film

        High Maintenence  ( Van 2006 )

Scifi ? 

The Gunfighter  ( Kissack 2014 )

Comedy Western relying on subverting the concept of voiceover                 


  The Wrong Trousers ( Nick Park)  

Action comedy British animated short , featuring narrative twists, enigmas, a character's journey, action scenes, humour and links to other genres.



Wasp ( Armold )

Drama

     Elephant ( Clark  1989)   part 1   part 2  part 3   part 4

 Violent  and realistic  British short film about the troubles in Northern Ireland in the 1970s and 1980s. No music and minimal narrative and use of dialogue.

                    Le Jetee  ( Marker  1962 )

                 An experimental short  scifi film

NEXT...

Pitch Black Heist ( Maclean 2012  )

a short crime drama  focusing on two characters with some experiments in film form.

                              The Grandmother      ( Lynch )    
    
another experimental film short from a director who started as a visual artist : experimental and non-realistic in mise-en-scene and sound)

Meshes of the afternoon  ( Deren 1946 )

Earlyish experimental silent  fiim with a circular dreamlike narrative

You should consider the following connections between these short films and your own ideas:

Influence on ideas of linear/non linear narrative structure

Similar or contrasting narrative elements, enigmas  or plot points

Similar social or emotional themes

Similar genre or genre conventions used

Similar characters or character development

Similarity in   film form elements : e.g handheld camera, mise-en-scene, use of sound such as music or dialogue , editing techniques, shot selection , use of colour and lighting

OTHER SHORT FILMS



THUNDER ROAD  ( best short film at Cannes 2016 )


BEAT ( 2015 )

"CASTELLO CAVALCANTI" by Wes Anderson

END OF THE LINE ( 2018 )


Whiplash ( 2012)


Short films 2018

OVERVIEW

2021-22 : Production work

Learners are required to submit the following tasks :

     

  a screenplay for a short film of between 1600 and 1800 words which includes one of the following:

• a narrative which has a distinct genre 

• a narrator 

• a narrative which has parallel stories

 • a non-linear narrative

Screenplay should closely  follow the standard screenplay format( look at examples ) and should be written in the present tense. 

It can be very descriptive in terms of mise-en-scene and action 
 The screenplay can also describe all elements of film form such sound elements in detail .

  
Consider issues like dialogue revealing plot and character, narrative structure and narrative tension in your screenplay as well as careful use of all elements of film form you have learnt from other films and screenplays.

and 

a digital storyboard  covering  half of the whole narrative 

 ( approximately 16-20 storyboard shots).    

The storyboard cshould be accurate and relevant in terms of framing, shot type, type of setting  and lighting as well as any intsructions and content about film form . 

or

A short film of between 4 and 5 minutes which includes at least one of the following  

• a narrative which has a distinct genre 

• a narrator 

• a narrative which has parallel stories

 • a non-linear narrative

and 

An evaluative analysis

Learners can also  complete an evaluative analysis of their production of between 1600 and 1800 words and make reference to some of the  short films selected for study from the compilation set by WJEC 

(at least three short films totalling a minimum of 80 minutes). The evaluative analysis must include:

·          narrative structure of the short films – an analysis of  the narrative features , film form and dramatic qualities of the  short films studied ( at least three from the list, totalling at least 80 minutes ),  highlighting key ideas  of film form and narrative which informed learners' own production.

·         cinematic influences – an analysis of how visual/audio elements of other professionally produced films or screenplays, including short films, influenced their short film or screenplay. If you created a screenplay, this should include mention of at least one screenplay and how it may have influenced dialogue,content and style of script, use of film form, mise-en-scene etc

·         how your own work creates meaning and effect – an evaluative analysis of how your production creates meanings and generates responses for the spectator in relation to other professionally produced films or screenplays, including at least one of the short films studied.

Learners must submit the evaluative analysis in the form of extended writing (which may include sub-headings). It must be word-processed and should be illustrated with screen shots or screenplay extracts. Screenplay extracts used to illustrate the evaluative analysis are excluded from the word count of  1600 – 1800 words.

GUIDANCE 

50 screenplays in various genres

Download or read examples to help with planning content and to refer to in evaluative analysis