Directing An Extremely short movie

[Joseph Nesbitt]

Hi,

 

I'm hoping to enter this 100 second film festival, the main challenge is directing a movie in that short time span. How should I pace it, how should I shoot it, what should the actors be doing? Any advice will help alot.

[Jason Outenreath]

I think that really depends on the story you want to tell... Every movie you'll notice is paced differently, with the actors doing different things.

[Nicholas Jenkins]

I think that really depends on the story you want to tell... Every movie you'll notice is paced differently, with the actors doing different things.

 

Agreed. It all depends on story.

[Pablo Herrera]

I say having no dialogue would help. If everything can be told with motions. But thats just my thought.

[Joseph Nesbitt]

Thankyou, I think that is definetly something I will consider for the piece, I think that will definetly help create a good piece.

[Galen Carter-Jeffrey]

What film festival is it?

[Bill DiPietra]

Why the 100 second time-restriction? You should allow the story to unfold naturally, no matter how long or short it winds up being...

[James Steven Beverly]

If it where me, I'd shoot it like it was a feature with really quick cuts that show just a small portion of each scene with a different location for almost each cut and only 2 or 3 words of dialog for each cut. Make it something dframatic and high concept llike a sweeping ove story or action movie that would be some big film if it where a feature but the quick cuts and short sequences make it funny but because of the whole idea of the director and writer trying to squeeze a feature film into 100 seconds, spoofing the whole idea of doing a 3 act film in 100 seconds and be SURE to make it EXACTLY 100 seconds as though you COULD tell the story in any less time. But that's just what I would do. B)

[Robert Lachenay]

If it where me, I'd shoot it like it was a feature with really quick cuts that show just a small portion of each scene with a different location for almost each cut and only 2 or 3 words of dialog for each cut. Make it something dframatic and high concept llike a sweeping ove story or action movie that would be some big film if it where a feature but the quick cuts and short sequences make it funny but because of the whole idea of the director and writer trying to squeeze a feature film into 100 seconds, spoofing the whole idea of doing a 3 act film in 100 seconds and be SURE to make it EXACTLY 100 seconds as though you COULD tell the story in any less time. But that's just what I would do. B)

So you're essentially suggesting he create a trailer?

[James Steven Beverly]

So you're essentially suggesting he create a trailer?

 

No. More of an abserd comedy piece where the entire movie is told in 100 seconds, the comedy derived from the fact that the film is a full leangth feature compressed into an abserdly short space of time. A trailer is designed to entice the audeance to come and see a full leangth film by showing a few select highlights, this film would be an entire movie with scenes lasting only 1 or 2 seconds and cutting to the next scene but taking it's self very seriously, and there in lies the humor. B)

[Leo Anthony Vale]

A trailer is designed to entice the audeance to come and see a full leangth film by showing a few select highlights,

 

The trailer to 'Sister Act' did a good job of compressing the entire movie into a couple of minutes.

[James Steven Beverly]

The trailer to 'Sister Act' did a good job of compressing the entire movie into a couple of minutes.

 

Don't really remeber the trailier.

[Leo Anthony Vale]

Don't really remeber the trailier.

 

You're lucky. I saw it too many times.

 

I later read it was the poster child for trailers reveiling too much of the movie.

[Hans Kellner]

If it where me, I'd shoot it like it was a feature with really quick cuts that show just a small portion of each scene with a different location for almost each cut and only 2 or 3 words of dialog for each cut.

 

That reminds me of these 30 second parodies of famous movies:

 

http://www.angryalien.com/

 

Good examples of telling a complex story in a very short amount of time. But, I don't know how much of that works because of my prior knowledge of the movie(s).

[Hal Smith]

Good examples of telling a complex story in a very short amount of time. But, I don't know how much of that works because of my prior knowledge of the movie(s).

I checked out a couple of movies I haven't seen (Borat for one) as well as a bunch that I have. They don't work very well if you don't already know the taglines. Nothing wrong with that, but it does make the point that making an original REAL short movie that makes sense ain't easy.

[James Steven Beverly]

Yeah, kinda like that. :lol:

[Joseph Nesbitt]

I really like The Idea Of The Quick Cuts, That's something I think I can Pull Of Pretty easily, the story is going to be hard, making something good and short, the hardest part I think will be getting a backround story that will explain itself. Anyway I really appreciate all the help with this

[Dan Goldberg]

I say having no dialogue would help. If everything can be told with motions. But thats just my thought.

 

I'd have to agree. Personally, I think the quic cuts for the whole movie would make me feel that the director simply wanted to fit a story too large for the length into the time limit, which can often looked rushed and hard to follow.

 

I'd definitely make it as beautiful as possible. Make the film as pleasing to the eye as possible. Beautiful lighting, settings etc. I'd make the film slightly abstract with a hidden meaning of some sort. Do you ahve any idea what the plot (if there will be a plot) or what you want to make a film about?

 

Cheers!

[Joseph Nesbitt]

yea, but it's usually just a scramble to fit into the time limit, I tryed writing everything from a Doomsday clock scenerio, the last 100 seconds or a race, the last 100 seconds of a gameshow as well, that was the best one I felt becuase All it required was the host saying and we're back, playing some corny music, then have the contestent, sweating out the answer to this question for a million dollars or something but I also want to incorporate different ideas, the idea of only motions and quick cuts into whatever piece I do. And Also to try to incorporate humor into it, since I'm a young director I don't want to look like I take myself to seriously.

[Guest JTH]

I think you need a script to figure that out.