What Makes A Short Film Different To A Feature Length Film?

The difference between a short film and a feature length film is defined through a number of ways. The most obvious is the amount of the time the film is. Short films tend to range from 5-20 minutes, whereas feature lengths are anything from 90 minutes to 180 minutes. The main reason for this the difference in the budget. Feature Length films are usually funded by big film production companies like Paramount, Universal or Warner Bros. While short films are funded by smaller companies, like the UK Film Council(until it was disbanded last year). The difference in the budget allows bigger films to be made in  studios and use more advanced technology to develop the film. Where most short films are filmed on location so that more of the budget is used on editing or distribution. 

This means that they can add more elements to the story and theme of the film that the companies make. This also helps when it comes to distribution as they have a wider audience that the films are aimed at.
Short films however tend to stick to one genre which is Social Realism. They don't intend to enterain and are used as a experimentation or starting point for aspring films directors. It means that they can find different ways of stylistically representing a theme.


An example would be in the short film, Gravity(direcdted by Colin Httuon), he uses a 180 degree titlt to represent the travel of a bullet in the film. Or in the use of the change of colour on the screen. The film had to be more stylistically shot and relies on the dialogue and titles to convey the meaning of the film.



The film uses a range of different techniques, like cross-cutting, for example, to show to the audience different meanings or parts of the film. Although this film is may be uncomfortable to watch for some, as it tackles the deal of innocence and gun crime(the kids handling the gun).

Challenging the social norms

It does show how short films have more freedom in the content that they can out in the film. Even in such little amount of time. This also highlights how the conventions of a film can be explored. By taking different points of view of certain characters in a story.



Another example would be in Double Take(directed by Toa Stappard). He takes on the view of a thief who gets his own comeuppance.

Taking the viewpoint of a different character

In a feature length film, the view point would be more exaggerated and more sinister. Short films are more realistic and represent different ascpects of people's lives in sometimes more graphic detail. It shows that the 'guidelines' for the content of a short film is more free-willing. This is because their aim is not profit-orientated. So therefore, they can have take on a taboo subject within today's society.

The recent success of Spanish director Fede Alvarez with Panic Attack shows how short films have to be more stylistically different in the cinematography or special effects in this case to be noticed.




He ended up with a $30 million contract which is also being sponsored by Sami Rami(director of the Spiderman trilogy). It shows how the increase in technology has made it easier for aspiring film directors to get noticed. Within 4 days of Fede uploading the film, which cost him only £186 to make, he was contacted about a contract. It is a clear example of how the internet can make one thing easily noticeable which now means that more and more short films directors are relying on the internet to create a buzz. However not all short films are made by unknown directors. Another recent example would be with Neil Blomkamp with Alive In Joburg.


Neil used this short film as a film pitch. It shows the origins of District 9, which he went on to make and direct. This film shows how he can mix different forms of media. The footage he uses with people talking about how they dislike the way peopl are living is actual footage taken from newsreels. It shows how technology is changing the way films can explore different ways of presenting an idea or purpose through the cinematography.

In terms of potential ideas and influences for a short film. After watching Double Take, I think that taking on a more taboo subject as a basis for our short film would be more effective because there are many different ways of addressing certain subjects and presenting them to an audience. I think it would be easier in terms of planning because you could use a certain taboo subject like death, for example, to your advantage as it makes it easier to experiment with different ideas and stylistically create a solid idea. That will be easily recognizable with the audience and also excel you as a director or another member or the production team. Also I found that not all short films have to be dark and take on a more darker view. For example, Veronique or Sign Language, focus on a everyday subjects such as falling in love or just your average job. They're both quite light-hearted and I think there are some elements that we could use in our short film.