The importance of genre

Before engaging in the planning of my short film, it is important that I know which genre I should make, and have an adept understanding of that genre in short film. Short film in itself is a genre that has it's own conventions apart from other media sources. For instance, due to short films having a short run time, it is important that the audience can follow the plot with ease. This is managed through various conventions:

• A strong opening shot
• A simple theme
• Limited plot points
• Tidy mis-en-scene

By sticking to these conventions, it is less likely for the audience to get distracted from the what you are trying to convey in each sequence.

Furthering this I looked into the purpose of various short films. Most short films tell a simple story with a main message or moral that is established towards the end of the film. View points on this topic do not change that much throughout the short film due to the short run time. This differs from a feature film in which views on a topic, or multiple topics, often contrast and develop- the long run time allows the director to deliver this message slowly, and has more freedom in the path he/she takes to do so.

Through watching various short films, I have discovered that film-makers often approach each genre with a more artistic approach. By this I mean that the mis-en-scene and camera angles gives extreme depth to sequences, unlike some feature films in which these conventions are more basic and generic. I will further this research when analysing various short films. For now, I can only assume this is due to the low budget of short films. The low budget allows directors to experiment with conventions as they do not have to make something that the mass markets will like; short films attract to a more niche market.