Short films can often be great ways to tell a concise story, express a meaningful sense of art, or in this case, act as a sizzle reel for a larger feature film. Along with a completed pitch deck and script, Rocky set out to film a 3 minute short that would provide a teaser for what the blockbuster would look like. Now, what are the advantages of a short film like this, and more importantly, what exactly should you film? Below are a set of 3 key points that can help guide you in your process:
3 KEYS TIPS TO MAKING A SHORT FILM
- Know your purpose
- Show what can only be “shown”
- Know how to shoot it
KNOW YOUR PURPOSE
Short films can range from 4 seconds to 40 minutes, they can be complex or simple, they can be cheap or expensive. The point is, a short film can be anything you want it to be, but it shouldn’t be everything you want want it to be. Trying to make your short be all to all… would be a colossal waste of money and time. But then again, if your objective is to showcase a colossal wasted of time/money, then troll-on friends. (And please keep in mind, these points pertain to narrative short films, rather than music videos or fashion editorials. Those fields have different expectations and “rules” to consider.)
Knowing the purpose of your short can help save you so much time and money and effort. In The Last 5 Minute’s case, Rocky set out to specifically film an action sequence that would take place deep into the 2nd act of the feature script. The beauty of knowing these parameters meant he didn’t need to film the setup or a conclusion. He didn’t need to introduce the characters or show how their journeys would arc. This short film would primarily be shown in pitch meetings, and thus, the pitch and presentation would setup the premise, while the script would provide the conclusion.
If your desire is to tell a story in the entirety of 7 minutes, then the questions and expectations your audience will have are drastically different. But in this case, the primary goal was to answer 1 key question that Rocky knew he needed to answer: yes, he’s great at commercial and digital advertising, but can he handle blockbuster action?
And so, Rocky set out to create a sequence that could answer that specific question.
SHOW WHAT CAN ONLY BE “SHOWN”
In deciding what section of the script to film, Rocky decided it was paramount to focus on something that only visuals could offer. It’s true, our imaginations are infinitely more powerful at times, but the problem is when you read “an eviscerating explosion swallows up the men”, 10 people can have 10 totally different ways of imagining this sequence. What angle does the scene look like? Is it real time or slow motion? Is it dark or well-lit? What’s the color of of the set? Are we up close with the fire, or far away? These questions are why using powerful visuals can instantly get everyone you’re pitching to on the exact same page.
With this in mind, Rocky knew the key was to create a build up of suspense and action while ending the scene on some kind of “BANG”, so when the short was over, the next question the exec would ask would be: “so what happens next?” And fortunately, this has nearly always been the case in every pitch meeting.
KNOW HOW TO SHOOT IT
It’s true, sometimes you don’t know how to do something till you actually do it. But that’s why you work with industry professionals like Rocky who can bring a team of experts and specialists to accomplish the vision. In the case of the Last 5 Minutes, Rocky knew he had to narrow down the action to be able to fit for micro-budget, yet generate the most impact — literally, get the biggest bang for the buck.
This resulted in selecting an action sequence that would require a number of visual effects and compositing, but none that would paralyze the budget or crush the vision. The truth is when shooting a short film, budget is always an issue. Rarely is it not. And if money isn’t an issue – why shoot the short when you can shoot the feature? Once you know the purpose of your short and what must be shown in it, you must think like a producer and understand how you will execute it. Do you have the money to hire the right crew? The right stunt team? The right post team? This takes experience or plenty of research with those that have the experience to know. And in Rocky’s case, he was confident in not only the execution, but the effectiveness.
A quick note – as filmmakers, we should always take risks to strive beyond what we think we can do. How else will we grow? But we must also understand there is a risk involved in our artistic choices. And if you can’t walk the walk, unfortunately, all the time, money, and effort you and your entire team have spent may never come to fruition. Sometimes, it hurts more to attempt your vision and fail, then to just dream about it. The good news though, is often you don’t fail, and as the saying goes, “rather, you fly.”
IN SUMMARY
Due to the importance of being able to showcase the action, pacing, suspense, and visual sensation that storyboards or words wouldn’t fully convey, Rocky and his creative team set out to create a short film with a very specific purpose. He knew why this short was important, and he knew how it would get done. He’s proud of the final short film and all the cast, crew, and donors that were apart of the project. (A big thank you to everyone involved.) And hopefully, in the near future, we’ll see the blockbuster $50 million dollar version of it on the big screen. Now go get after what’s yours!
To see more of Rocky Jo’s works: Showreel
TAGS: Short film • feature film • digital advertising • video production services • film production company • film director