How Long Should Your Shorts [Film] Be?

[@cromthor]

I love it how you are very technical and precise, as the rest of your channel shows, and at the same time focused on --and a servant to-- storytelling. Lots of people fall back on techicalities to cover up for their lack of artistic sense (myself included).

[@RaimarLunardi]

once I saw a short with 11 min that was dragged and boring... and a 30 min short that ended in what felt just a few minutes...

[@RCAvhstape]

And there are 3 hour movies that leave you wishing they were even longer (Blade Runner 2049)

[@TheGingerburger]

@@RCAvhstape and then Peter Jackson's LOTR ,The Hobbit and King Kong which drag to fuck

[@SymonSaysTV]

Interesting and good overview of the whole thing. Something I’m sure you know John but just wasn’t mentioned is that, one should know that some major festivals have maximum length. As for example: if you aim for the Cannes film festival, be aware that they don’t accept submissions over 15 min. in their short films competition. Many other festivals have similar rules and some even shorter maximum length. Always a pleasure to watch you John. Keep it up!

[@FilmmakerIQ]

Didn't realize Cannes was so short...

[@tomasfu0]

just discover your channel and I olready love it. Thnks from Madrid Spain

[@ArchivoHumano]

Excellent thumbnail!!

[@xhevdetmuharemi4637]

Archivo Humano muzik

[@designmediaconsultants2867]

Thanks for the excellent research and commentary. It makes sense that a longer short would probably win more awards. Think about it, you have more time to develop and tell a story. I can also see why many filmmakers would not want to make a longer length short, it takes more work, resources, and planning, etc. Too often people are fooled by common misconceptions, thank you for the clarification!

[@TheKevChambers]

Great information! As a SAG-AFTRA actor, stunt man, and fight choreographer. I’ve been slowly transitioning into directing and writing. If you need help with anything please let me know. I’d be more than happy to help you in any way I can.

[@MindNow]

Yes, I totally agree with you on the fact that it DEPENDS! I don't know where my one would fall into, but I guess it's between "micro short" and "sketch short" so it's a "micro sketch"? Hmm, that's actually quite a good name for a channel LOL Winny out...for now 😉

[@bredmond812]

I hate shorts. It makes it hard in the summer, but I'm just so self-conscious.

[@HackMyControlSystem]

Wow, excellent research; however, our three short films' production times are horribly inefficient. Thanks for posting.

[@GregoryOcol]

I like them to go as far down as the middle of my knee but just before is fine

[@drunkenmasterii3250]

Gregory Ocol I like them to go just over the curvature of my ass.

[@DysnomiaFilms]

I've always prefered telling stories that have a certain amount of character depth andfulfilling arcs so glad to hear there is a place in festivals for over 15 minute films.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

To me that's where most memorable and powerful shorts reside, closer to 22 minutes - the half hour TV show. Look at Whiplash and it's 17:59 run time... You can't say that wasn't successful...

[@chitranshutapas]

This is really great 👍

[@DavidMFChapman]

When it comes to averages, including standard deviations is relevant, to give a feel for the range of values.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

It's a non-normal distribution, standard deviation would not be very descriptive. Beyond "normal" distributions is really above my pay grade when it comes to statistics.

[@Seafox0011]

Dave Chapman Showing the distribution is interesting over a time a axis. Given that the actual physical medium used to record footage has significantly over the last 15 years. Needless to say the economics of production will and has had an impact on film making of all kinds down the years.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

Well the data is easy to find if you want to look at it yourself. I didn't notice much of a trend. That's because short film length has very little to do with filmmaking technology, at least not in the "Oscar winning" category of short films. There may be distribution effects because shorts used to play along with features (though I don't know when the practice died out). Even though there are changes underway in capturing technology, we shouldn't fetishize it. The realities of filmmaking, the need for story, actors, sets are still there, perhaps even more important now that the physical film barrier of entry is gone.

[@WalrusisintheMatrix]

Do you think a mid-range short film like 5-20 minutes could also work in a traditional 3-act structure format?

[@dangerouslytalented]

Walrus is in the Matrix try it.

[@charliepotatoes001]

If you remove the title intro and the end credits along with that one time commercial break from most half our shows you will notice that most shows are 18 minutes in run time. This makes it perfect for three act structure. You get roughly six minutes per act with a commercial break (or intermission) at the mid point of the second act.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

I would argue that the three act structure (in it's loosest form) appears in pretty much everything. Everything has a beginning, middle and end.

[@cromthor]

Yes, yes, yes! Every scene should have that 3-part structure, every act should have it, every story should have it in a way spectators can easily perceive. This is true wether said story is written, played on stage or filmed, or even if it is the script for a magic show! Thank you for restating that "3 act" is "3 act", and not only the famous template everyone thinks of now. BTW, please, please, someone kill the cat... ;)

[@DysnomiaFilms]

What camera are these episodes shot on, John? Just curious.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

C200

[@DysnomiaFilms]

Filmmaker IQ Thanks!

[@snehasishguhathakurta9338]

Hello! everyone... first of all, thank you, sir, for this video. I have been making a short film about a struggling writer. the shooting has been completed, almost. now I am facing some problems regarding the sound effects. please help me with providing any website or link to get foley sound effects.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

Watch our Foley video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXvdn6ybZc6kj6c KZbin is a great free resource for sound effects. I also use Videoblocks.

[@snehasishguhathakurta9338]

thank you, sir. thank you very much :)

[@agnessas5904]

Love this!

[@fen0221]

Put a dip on 15.000 Hz and above!! I literally heard a peep

[@apxplexie7318]

Have you example of micro-short other than ads

[@FilmmakerIQ]

Vines (back when they existed). Viral videos. Zach King's magic (he was once known as the Final Cut King in filmmaking parlances).

[@apxplexie7318]

Filmmaker IQ thks I feel stupide now :) . So there ain't no "real" production who does micro-short ?

[@FilmmakerIQ]

Sam Tiss well lots of viral videos are "real productions" and then there's commercials...

[@apxplexie7318]

Filmmaker IQ when i say "production" i mean the people like miramax etc sorry for my Bad english i'm french :) and yes it's logical

[@FilmmakerIQ]

Well I'm sure there are companies that specialize in viral videos, but they make their money on advertising (commercials). But companies like miramax would be in the feature film business

[@teddyboragina6437]

what about things less than 5 seconds

[@FilmmakerIQ]

I can't wait to see your 4 second short film!

[@SharpDesign]

Scariest short ever. The toast was burnt.

[@Rahensul]

We call them photographs ;)

[@EchoHeo]

hi

[@Pieceoreece]

as long as you want it to fucking be

[@bryancolley1409]

i.e. the longer your film, the better it has to be.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

Bryan Colley, no, that's the wrong conclusion. Every film length needs to be right for the story. A five minute film can drag while a twenty minute film can feel like it flew right by. Every film length needs to be as good as it can be.

[@bryancolley1409]

Fair enough. I retract my statement!

[@blueseanomad7435]

Can I get that T-shirt?

[@FilmmakerIQ]

They're in our store, or become the top points earner on Filmmaker IQ for the month. These are the kind I give away.

[@Pongowl]

dove

[@fk319fk]

I really like your break down of content vs time. I did a 3 minute video of two birds and a bird house, to the right audience it was the right length, but to everyone else, it was to long of an intro.

[@mechajay3358]

*_Who makes Short Shorts? I make Short Shorts!_*

[@xhevdetmuharemi4637]

Jay 2.0

[@xhevdetmuharemi4637]

Jay 2.0 .mjzik.