Purpose of Short Films

The most common reasons for creating short films are self-promotion and experimentation. They can be seen as a baby step into film production because it's all about finding different ways of expressing themes and communicating a message within different techniques. Whether it's sound, Mise-En-Scene or the cinematography.



Gravity is a clear example of this as the use of the 180 degree tilt used in the film after the gun shot goes off, makes the audience feel as if they've been turned around.

180 degree tilt

Although the shot is used to change thre setting of the scene. Another example is with the digetic sound, the beginning and the end of the film uses a squeaky swing which is an audio-visual reference. However at the end of the film, the sound of the swing becomes more rusty to change the atmosphere of the film and it makes it a little uncomfortable to watch. The film can be seen as a trigger film, in the sense that it acknowloedges the theme of gun crime within urban areas. Also how what may be harmless fun can actually harm someone/something else. It may have been entered for film festivals and competitions but has possibly been mainly used to educate school kids from year 10 upwards in assemblies and PSCHE classes. Short films are an easier way of highlightinh crime and issues that are not normally addressed in class or on the news.

They can also be used as a way of understanding new Media technology when it comes to filming with new cameras or editing with new software. It can be used to enhance the knowledge of technology and seen as an experiment with different shots, editing techniques and post-production to find ways of communicating a message. While challenging the normal convetions of filming a short film. Also they're mainly funded by the local film production companies like the UK Film Council or BBC Films.