Advice from a short film judge at the Rhode Island International Film Festival: “Whether you are making a short film for class or planning to submit into a film festival, your film should include a few important elements that will be sure to give you that A, or potentially an award at a festival.”
- Keep It Short
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The length of your film will play a large part in holding your viewer’s attention. If your film is over two hours long, or even 30 minutes, no one is going to want to watch that all the way through, so keep it short.
- The First Five Minutes Need to Be Interesting
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The beginning of your film needs to be interesting to hold your viewer’s attention. Don’t spend too much time with introductions in the first five minutes. Maybe start with an important action, or some ambiguity to keep your viewer engaged. Like the first few lines of a book, the first few minutes of a film sets the tone for the rest of the story taking place.
- No Cheesy Dialogue
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Cheesy, unnatural dialogue is an immediate turnoff for the viewer. Reread your dialogue to make sure it sounds natural before you start filming.
- Symbolism is Key
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Film is an art form. Each scene must be constructed in a way that gives meaning to each item, character, and color in the scene. If you want to impress your teacher or a judge, dig deeper than what’s being displayed on the surface of your film. Add some symbolism to the placement of objects in your scenes, or even make a hair color or name symbolic. Adding symbolism gives your film a whole other dimension that will be sure to impress your audience.
- Good Lighting and Sound
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It’s simple – if your short film doesn’t have good lighting or sound, you absolutely will not be winning any awards. Before submitting your film, make sure that the lighting in your film is not overexposed, and that the sound isn’t muffled. It’s helpful to record sound separately with a microphone or boom pole, and then link up the sound to your clips in the editing process.
- Hire Good Actors
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Good acting always impresses your audience. Sometimes having your friends star in your film can be fun, but they may not always be the best actors. It doesn’t hurt to seek out professional talent for your film, especially if you are planning to submit it to festivals.
- Pacing
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The pacing of your film is essential for holding the attention of your audience. If you have a static shot that’s five straight minutes and nothing interesting is taking place, your viewer may stop watching. Introducing new characters after act one can help pace your film.