Conntributed
Director Chris Browne says that before he did the feature film, 'Third World Cop', he did several short films, among them, 'Final Verdict' and 'Entry Denied'.
Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
"A short film works as a calling card to show people what kind of work you want to do," explains Frank E. Flowers, director of Haven and Swallow. Swallow, Flower's first film, was a short and helped him get the recognition he needed to get his first feature film, Haven, made. Flowers recently won the HBO Director to Watch award. He also explains that a short film allows a would-be filmmaker to showcase his/her style, as well as what they can create with no budget.
Director Chris Browne (Third World Cop) has experienced the value of creating a short film and he too agrees with Flowers that short films make a good tool for aspiring directors. He believes that creating a short film is a great learning experience. "It's like drawing. It's practice, if you can afford it," he says. So long before he brought Third World Cop to life he practiced his art through a series of short films, namely So It Go, Cross Fire, Country of the One Eyed God, Final Verdict and Entry Denied.
Great tool
Browne argues that the length of a short film makes it a great tool for advertising one's works. "The good thing about a short is that if you don't like it it's over pretty quickly," he says. He also points to the opposite, explaining that if the film is liked then you leave your viewer wanting more.
Browne argues that some of today's budding directors first cut their teeth on music videos rather than short films. He points out that music videos give you some experience in telling a story through a visual medium and, rather than having to fund the film yourself, you get someone else to pay you to do it.
He points out, however, that it is harder to transition from a music video to a feature film. Though short films work differently than features, one still has to fully grasp the idea of telling a story and
making sure all the elements connect. "You just have to work with what you have to tell a story. People will see your ability, whether you can tell a story, whether you can entertain," Browne said.
Browne believes that the develop-ment of short films is also significant to the encouragement of the Jamaican film industry. He also argues that it would greatly help if could be made more financially viable through cinemas and cable television shorties.
"I think that's the first place to start if they could find an outlet to sell it," Browne says. He argues that there should be outlets other than film festivals to showcase short films.
Money aside, Browne explains that there are great benefits to
having a short to use to showcase one's work. "It's rewarding to have it to show, but it's a challenge," he explained. He points out that even now, with a feature film under his belt, if someone wants to see what else he is capable of his short films come in handy.
Short form fits short budgets
The long and short of the movie-making business is that although feature films rule the roost, short films also have their place. These 'shorties' have different uses for different directors, but the general verdict is that they can be very instrumental in developing a career in film.
The problem with shorts is that currently there is almost no money to be made from them. On the other hand, shorts can provide a ticket to the big box office break. Even if the film is only a minute long, a short film can speak volumes about a director's or writer's skill, and so it is far more eloquent than the most elegantly designed business card or beautifully structured resume.
Infancy
Jamaica's film industry, though 30 years in the making, remains in its infancy. Movement forward depends on a number of factors, among them the development of new filmmakers. However, one of the greatest gatekeepers to film-making is the cost. Changing technology and particularly the advent of digital cameras, which get increasingly sharp and distinctive in the pictures they capture mean that the cost of creating a film can be significantly less than it would have been 10 years ago.
Yet, making a film for 90 or 120 minutes can be a daunting prospect, from both the financial and artistic perspectives. Biting off that much at one time, especially when one is attempting to break their cinematic virginity, might well mean choking. So short films are often the route selected by budding filmmakers as they learn their craft. These films are then used to showcase their skills and get them longer projects.
For this reason, many film schools or even workshops use short films as their teaching tool. Upon graduating, students also then have a project they can use on their resume as they try to become the next great director.
However, the young directors at Firefly Films are using short films to simultaneously get exposure for their work though the Flashpoint Film Festival (slated for December 1 - 3) and attempt to get financing for their work.
The legs
According to Storm, the method is to create a short film with 'the legs' that can be extended into a feature film. He argues that this method is effective for first-time directors as it allows him/her to learn about their characters and develop them fully before taking the big leap to a feature film. "Because you can contain it all in a short you can put all your energies in a short and then people are more likely to go with you," he said.
As such, Storm is preparing the first part of his film, Better Must Come, for this year's Flashpoint. This segment, he argues, can stand on its own as a short film, but is intended for life as a feature. The shorter version will then be used to woo investment to make the longer one.
So though the creation of a feature film may be the dream of many an aspiring filmmaker, it is through a short film that he/she may avoid coming up short.
- T.B-S.
