Short and powerful
Short and powerful! The common thread of Go Short. At the sixteenth edition of Go Short, we collaborated with the Dutch Directors Guild to zoom in on the question how to make optimal use of the medium of short film. During the masterclass, moderated by Aderinsola Ajao, a panel consisting of Shariff Nasr, Stefanie Kolk and Benjamin Sprengers reflected on crafting an interesting story and offered an inspiring insight in the filmmaking process.
Shariff, Stefanie and Benjamin discussed the decision to work on a short film rather than a feature film. “Don’t doubt your own abilities if you want to make a short film instead of a feature film. It’s about the technical aspects and is definitely no less than a feature film,” according to Stephanie.
It is important to listen to others, but also to trust your own abilities and knowledge. “Trust your vision but do not forget to remain open. You need to recognize it when the actor, stylist or another crewmember has a good idea,” advised Shariff. Discussions with your cast and crew can help you to understand if the core of the story works well. “Place yourself in the audience who is experiencing your film for the first time,” continued Shariff, “be concise. Can you tell your story in a more simple and straightforward way? Cut it out.”
The panel members also agreed that short films are not inferior to feature-length films. Short films actually derive strength from their brevity and the unique perspectives they can offer. With a strong structure you can set the stage for a creative and layered story in a short time. At the same time, the short format offers freedom and the opportunity for experimentation. Benjamin, who himself created a film from the perspective of a house, agreed and explained: “You don’t need many elements. You have to make choices and create the film around those.”
Throughout the panel, recommendations were shared on designing a story that fits within the limited time of a short film, the show don’t tell principle, and avoiding stereotypes. Finally, the filmmakers in the audience were encouraged to get to work and realize their ideas, even on a limited budget, as this leads to more creative freedom and valuable learning experiences. Hopefully we will see the result next year in the competitions of the seventeenth edition of Go Short!