Hey, my university is dropping the time constraints again this year for our campus-wide film fest and it's going down to five minutes. Does anyone know of any decent stories that could really be fully played out in five minutes? I got one short down to seven minutes for this year, but that was extreme pacing all the way through and most people watching said it would've been better if I had stretched out since I didn't have time to really show enough conflict to fully develop characters. Since last year, my shorts have hovered between 10 - 15 minutes.

Even completed short films would be fine. I'm just looking to get myself thinking straight about it. Or, if you want to work with me on a script, that would be cool as well.

How about a screen for five minutes saying 'Screw this festival. I need more time' ?

No?

Five minutes is some time, at least, but that constraint is pretty absurd. Usually festivals accept anything under 15 minutes (although 10 minutes or less is preferred).

Why such a tight leash? They accept everything and want to keep the program length down?

I would say your best bet is come up with a simple idea, one that people can connect with easily so you don't need to tell as much story. An example (maybe not an excellent one) could be, always getting stuck at red lights when you're in a hurry. Just something like that, that people can quickly connect with.

I think that is an excellent festival idea. More time becomes a leisure. If you can't tell a simple story and hold an audience's attention for 5 minutes, you sure as hell can't do it for an hour and half.

We had a five-minute film festival in our town a few years back. Every month they had a new theme and you submitted a film. While the reason was pratical - time constraints - it forced people to be incredibly creative with their work. Some really great films came out of that.

Here are two that my friend and I submitted, both under five minutes.

La Nina del Desierto
Dearest Nora

Don't start thinking you "need" more time. Take it as a chance to flex your creative muscles. The best way to feed your imagination is to have restrictions and boundaries. Then you start exploring.

To answer Evan... Yes. The guy running my school's festival accepts everything and shows each film completely at the awards ceremony. Most people don't have the ability to keep an audience interested for 5 minutes (one film actually was close-ups up a dead fish and sand with music). However, i did bring up accepting everything and only showing the winning films completely, then clips of the others, but he thought that might hurt people's feelings. This is also the same person that doesn't think it's a big deal if they give a $5,000 prize to the winner when they had copyright all over their music.

mmrempen, yes, I agree that it does inspire creativity to have such a short time length, but you must admit that charecters can't get too deep and theme can only really be seen from one example.

One word: Commercial.

Two words.

Is good.

0-;=D

One minute films, now THOSE are difficult. To make a good short film you need to think of an idea (a problem for your characters to face) which does not need much explaining. You need to have characters who are already developed, and don't need elaborate introductions. And, you need an ending that's easier to wrap up than a traditional ending. Ironic, or bad endings tend to be the best.

I have made a one-minute film:

http://home.wanadoo.nl/mundy/TheNakedSlug.wmv

Its about a little boy and a slug.

Yeah, one minute films are really hard. I find using stereotypical characters in a new situation the easiest to do with such short time. It needs no character development, yet the plot can still hold surprises if whatever stereotype you're using is in any environment not regular to what is the common conception of his stereotypical surroundings. If that makes any sense.

Five minutes gives you time for at least one solid scene, just a suggestion, look at some of your favorite films and see what scenes stand really well on their own. It's a b*tch but strict confines are a great way to force creativity. On a side note, five minutes is probably the best "onlie" format as it's very difficult to sit through a poorly paced 15 minute online film with so many reasons to click away.

RED has the right idea. Simplify! Especially in the beginning. Don't worry about complex character arcs until you can successfully tell a simple one. All I'm saying is that this is an excellent opportunity. If you're looking for inspiration, look at real life! How many times does something amusing or interesting happen to you, and it takes you all of five minutes to relate your story to a friend or relative? Take that, and film it!

quote:

Originally posted by Jerry:
I have made a one-minute film:

http://home.wanadoo.nl/mundy/TheNakedSlug.wmv

Its about a little boy and a slug.

Aw... your film was cute.. my mom didn't get it, but only because she thought the slug was inside the boy's house.

quote:

KtoI

Thank you KtoI,
The slug is indeed not in the boy's house, only in the selfmade paper house.