I cannot remember exactly how or when I came across the world of YouTube short films. I have always had an appreciation for movies and film and to me, these films are no different. Indie is one of my most favored genres to watch. I think that the creativity that exists on this platform is tremendous and the proliferation of this industry is so important in shining a light on young filmmakers. I guarantee you will be surprised about the talent that you see in these films. Many of them involve extremely gifted actors, writers, directors and everything in between. I am so excited to share with you some of my favourite short films that YouTube has to offer.
Pretty Boy is the perfect place to start. It’s like a breath of fresh air and the character dynamics are completely unexpected. The story revolves around Sean’s 18th birthday. For this milestone, his father decides to gift him a night with a hooker, mainly because he has as suspicion that Sean is gay. Honestly the entire storyline is genius. The relationship between Sean and Katie, the hooker, cannot help but make you smile. It starts and ends on completely different spectrums and it will have you feeling every emotion you can think of. This is the most recognized film on my list, but when you will see it you will understand exactly why. I’m a sucker for a good metaphor and the muffin scene cannot be beat.
There is so much to say about this film. Mikey Murphy is a filmmaker that I have been watching for years. Perception is one of his more recent films and it is is my favourite of his. To start off, I have to commend the fact that it was put together in only 48 hours. When considering that, this film is truly ingenious. As a whole it’s not perfect, but the plot is developed in a surprising way. The ending is everything. I love Murphy’s work so much and I believe that this is one of his best films.
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Before watching this film, I had absolutely no idea what to expect, and quite frankly it surprised me. The characters were appealing. It had an extremely dynamic sequence of events surprising for a short film. It always amazes me how complex these films can become in such a short amount of time. I found that I became so attached to the characters and once it was over, it left me wanting more.
Now these are the types of films that I love: low budget indies made by sheer creativity. This film brings in aspects of Limbo, another short film about what it’s like to live in Hell and The Truman Show, about a man who is unknowingly the star of a TV show. It’s one of those films that really makes you think about life, reality and existence, types of thoughts we try to ignore. Sam Katz and Jonah Green executed this storyline in such a creative way, and I can’t wait to see what they do in the future.
This film was utterly disturbing, yet exhilarating. I have a love hate relationship with suspenseful and thrilling films, just like this one. It left me shocked and confused, but also amazed. The whole trope of loneliness still has my mind churning. I have truly never seen a short film such as this one, it is honestly one of a kind. Everything from the music, to the costumes, to the change in scenes is truly a work of art. It leaves you asking questions and urging for more. I could easily watch an entire TV series based off of this concept.
This is definitely the most unique film on this list. I really enjoyed the opening scene, I find the dialogue so relatable and the perfect way to introduce what the film is truly about. Though the acting is fairly amateur, the character drama, visuals and camera angles more than make up for it. I found a similarity between House Party and Dawn in being that they revolve around a man saving a woman or a girl from being lonely. This film really extenuates the cycle of party culture and the dangers that exist within it.
Without the amazing actors and dialogue that exist in Runaway, it would not be the same. The character’s relationships and their exchanges of words and emotion makes you feel like you are watching a feature film.. It is a narrative you don’t hear that often, but it is so important. It portrays the resounding effects of domestic abuse, especially on children. It is a 21 minute roller coaster of emotion and I would be lying if I said that I didn’t cry.
This was one of the very first short films I ever saw. I can easily say Bertie Gilbert is my favourite short film maker. I think Playground encompasses what short film making is all about. It reminds you of your imagination and what it’s like to be a kid again all while basing it off of the characters self-turmoil. If you had to choose one film on this list to watch it must be this one. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry and it will make you fall in love with short films. If you have not heard of Gilbert’s work, I recommend checking it out. I have a feeling that he has a lot of great things coming.
Edited by: Amanda Cloutier-Santos