I am aspiring filmmaker myself and I have an animated short film in the works! I learnt that short films can be anything between 15 seconds and 45 minutes. Quite a range.
In a short introduction to an enlightening article by Kathryn Burnett for filmsourcing.com on tips for writing a short film, she says the following;
" The key to writing a short film is to keep it simple. It’s just not possible to squeeze a feature film idea or a particularly complex idea into a short format and do it justice. It’s a bit like trying to squeeze a novel into a short story – they’re different animals."So on this 'different animals' matter and my own quest to acquire knowledge, I set out to find out if some animals were more equal than others.
I randomly sent the same quick fire questions to some filmmakers who have made experimental and award winning short films. Why this route and has it paid off?
Ehizojie Ojesebholo
Ehizojie Ojesebholo- Image credits: Ehizojie Ojesebholo |
At the 2015 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA), his film Jand Hustle was nominated in the Best Comedy category.
Why do you direct short films?
First of all, film making is my passion. I make short films because I enjoy making them.
Also, short films are the first and easiest way to prove to yourself; and others, that you are a film maker.
Without a couple of short films in your archives or CV, no one will hire you to handle bigger projects.
Are they easier than feature length films?
Nothing about filmmaking is easy in my humble opinion. Filmmaking
requires great passion, skill, and logistics. All departments have to
be on-point no matter the budget of the project.
Although, thanks to digital technology, these processes can be easily learned and executed professionally.
Some
feature length movies can be completed in 10 days, while some short
(documentary) films can take as long as 10 months to complete.
Do short films require the same kind of expertise,cast,crew, pre-production, actual shoot and post production?
As stated above; YES.
How do you make money from short films since they mostly end up online and are not screened for fees in the cinemas?
Some online platforms pay a fee if the short film has a lot of views. The most popular of these is YouTube.
What has been your most memorable personal short film project till date and can you tell us a bit about it?
My most memorable short film is titled CHILL PILL. Produced in 2008 by
Ibironke Ojesebholo and Victor Okhai, written by and starring Femi
Balogun, and directed by me. It won the Focus
Dialogue Award, at the Sehsuchte International Student Film Festival in
Potsdam, Germany. It was produced on a shoestring budget, and was my
graduating student film from The International Film and Broadcast
Academy, in Lagos, Nigeria.
It virtually launched my career
into feature film making. Up until then, I was more into animation
(cartoons), music videos and TV programmes.
Matthias Aragbada
Matthias Aragbada- Image credits: Matthias Aragbada |
Providence, his first short, is period film meet some horror(I could not believe I sat through it as I don't like the horror genre at all. Well, its not too horror) meet interesting cinematography(done by him)meet 'artiness'!
I think film's arty nature downplayed the horror aspect for me.To buttress my point it was selected and screened at Fright Night Film Festival in Louisville, Kentucky in 2016. It was also among the short film selection for the 2016 African International Film Festival(AFRIFF).
Why do you direct short films?
To experiment or convey an idea without large budget.
Are they easier than feature length films?
Yes
and No. It's easier in terms of volume of work but I think is also
harder because you have a shorter time of expression or building up
emotions.
Do short films require the same kind of expertise,cast,crew, pre-production, actual shoot and post production?
Yes they require same process and resources but on a smaller scale.
How do you make money from short films since they mostly end up online and are not screened for fees in the cinemas?
I
don't think they are designed for money making. You could probably only
earn from competition with financial rewards, that's if it wins anyway.
What has been your most memorable personal short film project till date and can you tell us a bit about it?
Providence is my official and only short.
Tolu Ajayi
He has directed several socially conscious,'making sense' short films and if till now you have not watched his award winning--The Encounter film based on true events, (it has been on YouTube since 2015) you are sleeping on a Raleigh bicycle and i cannot help you!
Tolu has even filmed and directed underwater for his Thirst and Blink films.
Tolu Ajayi-Image credits: Yetunde Babaeko |
He has directed several socially conscious,'making sense' short films and if till now you have not watched his award winning--The Encounter film based on true events, (it has been on YouTube since 2015) you are sleeping on a Raleigh bicycle and i cannot help you!
Tolu has even filmed and directed underwater for his Thirst and Blink films.
We are waiting for something directed from the sky as fire might be too dangerous!
He has also done a one hour TV film A New You, directed a web series Knock Knock, directed TV for Tinsel season 2 and directed and produced a TV show Paradise Way for EL TV.
He has also done a one hour TV film A New You, directed a web series Knock Knock, directed TV for Tinsel season 2 and directed and produced a TV show Paradise Way for EL TV.
Seriously though, his most recent work Closed, done for Etisalat via Up In The Sky for awareness about adult literacy, will leave you.........
Why do you direct short films?
I have a demanding 9-5pm job in TV production also in advertising.
I have done several long films from TV series Tinsel to a one hour TV film called A New You. I choose stories I care about and length is not an issue.
Theatrical releases have a lot riding in them and they have to be financially successful to make a return. I'll have a feature film done so it's underway.
Are they easier than feature length films?
Not
really. My key concern is subject matter and story. Time is money and
to do a feature properly you need to invest time into it.
Do short films require the same kind of expertise,cast,crew, pre-production, actual shoot and post production?
Very much so! Blink had a very long underwater scene. Pre-production for it was at least a month.
How do you make money from short films since they mostly end up online and are not screened for fees in the cinemas?
There are platforms for good short films in Nigeria and outside the country.
Short films screened at prestigious festivals pay a screening fee in foreign exchange.
What has been your most memorable personal short film project till date and can you tell us a bit about it?
Silence was quite an experience.Shot on a real motor park in Agege and it was subject matter i was quite excited to explore. Written by Bose Oshin, it explores a very different urban setting. The one we walk past everyday at bus stops, car parks and local canteens. Its a tale of innocence and hard aspirations. It was quite fascinating.
Talking about Silence, it was one of the 5 short films selected for screening at the just concluded fifth edition of Nollywood Week Paris and it has also been nominated in the Best Short Film category at the 2017 African Movie Academy Awards(AMAA).
These people interviewed/featured are sort of linked like a Venn diagram(hope you remember your sets from mathematics class or you were among pencil chewing bunch in maths class!)
They are all photographers and visual artists in addition. Ehizojie and Matthias attended the same tertiary institution while Matthias and Tolu work in advertising and have several commercials done from their respective director's chairs.
The ability to tell a story in a space a seconds to a few minutes sure help here I presume. I suppose some form of restraint/ discipline is needed for short films while still telling a convincing story is key.
Prospective filmmakers who want to try their hands on short films can learn a thing or two here...
To find out more about these creatives and their work, look them up on their social media.
Ehizojie Ojesebholo
Youtube channel - Ehizojie Ojesebholo
Twitter and IG - @ehizojesebholo
Facebook - Ehizojie Ojesebholo
Matthias Aragbada
Youtube channel - Dudutoonz
Website - Dudutoonz.org
IG - Dudutoonznigeria
Tolu Ajayi
Youtube channel - Tolulope Olamide Ajayi
Twitter - @teeman14
Instagram - @tolulopeajayi
Twitter - @teeman14
Instagram - @tolulopeajayi
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