Short Films

Firstly what is a short film? A short film is classed as a 'short' if its under 40 minutes. They are usually made with a low budget and have a simple idea and plot line. Many are filmed in one location within a short period of time and tend to deploy the Tordov plot structure. The genre can be identified easier and a lot quicker and a lot of short films tend to have a twist at the end. The

I think one of the elements of a good short film is a simple yet intriguing story line. This is due to the fact the film is short so there may not be enough room for viewers to understand a complex story line meaning they may not find it enjoyable. Another key element to making a good short film is having a twist at the end so it is unpredictable therefore the audience is kept on their toes. Also having a cliffhanger similarly to longer films, tv shows and even books is always more gripping as it leaves the audience with questions and lets them make up idea's of their own.

A short horror film that I watched is The Smiling Man. 

I thought it was a very good and well put together the music intensified as the film progressed which made made a large contribution to the tension. The villain who is the smiling man was only slightly revealed throughout the film until the end where we saw his full body this also created tension and mystery as I was curious as to who was in the house. It featured a child who was being curious, blood and death which are typical features of a horror film. It was also set in it a typical location and wasn't dark and gloomy like your typical horror film. It cleverly used no speech but I still understood what was happening in the film and the visuals completely told the story.