Film critic David Thomson is already saying that awards for short films, documentary and all, should be removed from the main night to make the event crisper.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which gives the most publicized and recognized awards for short films does not seem to distinguish between short films made in the U. S. and those made in “foreign” countries.
There seems to be more recognition for short films in Europe and Asia than in the U.S.
BAFTA, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts opens its short films awards contest only to shorts made in the U. K. We assume there are enough shorts made there and plenty to interest to sustain such a competition.
There isn’t yet a single extensive treatment of what a short film is; how the form of short film persists and how it is set to flourish in the age of digital film making and distribution.
We want to pursue over the next few months these and related questions on short films. Students at Arcadia University will join us in their semester-long study of the topic.
March 3, 2009 at 1:58 pm |
Briefly, I believe that short film in the US is viewed as a “foreign” format; not really something produced here, but instead, a way of becoming “cultured” by including other nation’s works alongside American feature films. I think that the mindset that is used to approach short films and the restrictions placed on filmmakers (such as joining various unions, finding crews, etc.) strongly discourages the creation of these films.
August 16, 2009 at 1:19 pm |
I must admiit that I have not given short film much thought until now. Certainly, no thought of the restrictions placed on filmmakers as Jolynne suggests.
I am a fan of short stories so I guess this is a natural leap. I plan to explore, through the blog and others, the richness I seem to see in this genre.
September 9, 2009 at 2:02 pm |
Short film is and will continue to be an integral part of the film industry, regardless of how they are recognized or awarded by BAFTA or the Acadamy.
Short films are how many directors, actors and other artists in the industry find their start or branch out in different genres. Many short films have either been expanded into feature films or have inspired them in one way or another.
Also, through the propagation of online video, as well as the decreasing costs of digital filmmaking, short films are finding new audiences every day, and consequently, more filmmakers are contributing their art to the growing market.