Apr 14, 2014
With the popularity of illegal steaming and downloading it can be quite refreshing to watch something legally. And being an avid short film lover, shorts are what I like to watch. If you’re like me, trying to get into short film or a filmmaker scouting what’s out there, here follows a list of some of the best places to (legally!) watch quality shorts on the web.
Online Short Films, lists Oscar nominations and winners which is awesome! It can be really hard to find them and find them in good quality.
http://onlineshortfilms.net
Films-short has an excellent collection of short-shorts and the editor’s choice is always good.
http://www.filmsshort.com
Short of the Week Blog-spot has wide variety of categories that each spans geographical territories.
http://www.shortoftheweek.com/
The Irish Board, Media Hub, has all the IFB funded shorts over the years.
http://www.thisisirishfilm.ie/shorts
Know any more good places? Email me lorna@disfmf.ie
Lorna Buttimer. Follow me on twitter @buttimer_lorna
Shorts Bay has good genre categories, and lists some of the best short film festivals globally
http://shortsbay.com/
DC Festival Shorts archive lists all the shorts that have made it into the festival since 2004, they only have 330 films but what’s there is quality.
http://festival.dcshorts.com/archive/
![Auteur Directors and their Commercials]()
Apr 6, 2014
I’ve never really taught about commercials. I always considered them not part of the film industry, somehow different, somehow apart. That’s been a fairly silly mistake on my behalf. Commercials can be an excellent stepping stone in the career of a filmmaker. A successful advert can incite the confidence of financiers or glean the lucrative attention of a production company. Many well-known directors have used commercials to advance their careers…and keep the wolves from the door! In fact some directors make commercials throughout the span of their careers.
In my curiously I’ve had a look around the internet; here are my top five.
1. Wes Andeson
In 2008, Anderson teamed up with Brad Pitt to make a commercial for the Japanese telecommunications and Internet company SoftBank. Inspired by Jacques Tati’s Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot (Mr. Hulot’s Holiday), Anderson sets the Japanese commercial in a French seaside town and uses one continuous shot to capture Pitt as a bumbling tourist. The advert is infused with Anderson’s notorious style.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0u0oEUcasU&feature=player_embedded
2. Spike Jones
Spike Jonze is the patron auteur of irreverent chaos, so it makes total sense that he’d direct this wild Gap commercial. Jonze captures this full-scale store revolt of Jackassian proportions with his trademark cinema vérité.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=oob5uobmcy8
3. David Lynch
I find this one bizarre. It has to be the weirdest pairing of product and auteur director…ever! The director has made his fair share of Lynchian commercials. Maybe he did this one for the money? Maybe he really loves pregnancy tests? I’ll leave that to you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mcUaVHi9Qgg
4. Ridley Scott
I really love this one. While I wasn’t around for its TV broadcast it is one of the most American commercials of all time. Its 1984-influenced commercial opus was not only the start of a new era of personal computing with Apple’s first Macintosh computer, but it also pushed the creative boundaries for TV ads farther than they’d ever been before. It’s fairly clever stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vNy-7jv0XSc
5. Baz Lurhman
Chanel No.5 is the scent of decadence, and who better to portray that than Baz Lurhman? Based on the William Wyler film Roman Holiday, the 3-minute commercial was lush, flamboyant… oh and expensive!The commercial was so extravagant that it’s considered one of most expensive commercials of all time with an estimated budget of $33 million. Nicole Kidman received $3 million for appearing in the ad alone. Not a bad day’s work!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfoMbir_Qd4&feature=player_embedded
Feb 20, 2014
I have become obsessed with this band, and not just for their music. Their videos are original, artistic and hauntingly beautiful. To me, these days, a good music video is just as important at the music it underwrites. While music is emotive in its own right, the cineaste in me is always drawn to artists that create videos which are creative and thought-proving. And cool. Cool, works too.
The video isn’t new, it’s been knocking around the web since last summer. But it’s still one of the best I’ve seen in the last while. Directed by the collaborative duo Owen and Dave, formerly known as BISON, the video captures falling bodies which are slowed and tracked, mid fall by camera. At first it looks like old re0used footage, but then the spectator is taken around the body 360, as if one was walking around a body, falling, and frozen in time.
The directors claim they hold opposing aesthetics, Dave prefers Polaroids and 8mm while Owen likes the modern ‘Deathstar’ approach to film. They do however, manage to collaborate and combine both tastes into artistic pieces that merge an essence of darkness with unique stylist flair. But simply put, the video is cool, and technically innovative. Check out the behind-the-scenes film to see how they made it, using pinhole cameras and 35mm film.
The video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkeDBwsIaZw
Behind the scenes
http://vimeo.com/66229810
Know any good music videos? Email me lorna@disfmf.ie or comment below.
Lorna Buttimer. Follow me on twitter @buttimer_lorna
Feb 17, 2014
Last October at the Cork Film Festival I attended a talk with Fred and Gemma of Fat Rat Films. They make charity and documentary films, and in one day they managed to get 25 million views for their short, Act of Terror. Which God did they pray to, you ask? Well, no God. They planned the success of their short. Planned? Yes, they planned the whole damn thing. And you can too.
The idea, according to Gemma and Fred is to plan a whole experience. Give your audiences access to everything they could wish to know about your film. Give them an incentive and make it impossible for them to say no to your creation. To that end, here are some of their top tips, with a few embellishments from yours truly.
1. The Right Film at the Right Time
According to Fred and Gemma, having a topical subject always helps. So look at what is going on around you. Whether you are releasing a comedy, drama or a non-fiction, audiences, for the most part want to see stories that they can relate to life stories, experiences and emotions. So look at what is happening around you, look at your own life experiences; and question how you can use it to make a short film.
2. Contributors and Crew
The Fat Rat crew brought this to the forefront of their talk, and I am definitely highlighting it. While it may be mainly directed at those of you who have contributors, I believe the same can be said of the crew and cast. Don’t screw them over. Do so, and you might have already signed the mortician’s certificate on your film. Be very careful in how you represent and treat those you document, and those involved in your film. Make sure they know the terms of work and the intent of the film. You want all of these people to help distribute the film after. You never know who they might know, or be friends with on facebook!
3. Set a Release time and Time
Doing so will create excitement about your film, giving a sense of exclusivity. It will also give you the chance to create an audience through the press, social networking, etc.
4.Visual Art
Get a striking poster and/or logo to go with your release date. Whether it be a still from the film or something ad hoc; it will brand your film and help promote it to the press release and through social media accounts.
5.Website
Fred and Gemma suggest creating a dedicated website for the release of your film. Have on it all the details you want the public to know; release date, production stills, the making of etc. You don’t have to employ someone. You can build your own with virb or wordpress.
6.Social Media
To follow that website link up facebook, Instagram and twitter accounts, (maybe even a snapchat if you’re inclined). Make sure you create an official hash-tag too. The Fat Rat Crew believe they may have lost out by not creating one. As their film grew larger on the day of release they feel they may have actually have had enough tweets/views to officially list as ‘trending’ on twitter, but they couldn’t as they didn’t have an official hashtag. So make sure you have one to promote your film!
7.Email Database
Remember all those festivals, screening and networking events you went too? Well now is the time to pull out those business cards. Create a press package with all the details of the film: website, social media, release date etc. Gemma and Fred suggested personalizing these depending on your relationship with the recipient. You don’t want to spam a future employer or annoy a friend. Also investigate and target relevant groups that your film might connect to. Maybe include clients or former collages too. Email them on the day of launch as well.
8.Research
Have a look around at blogs, websites and journalists who write about short films/the arts etc. Such writers will already have a following and will be able to help attract viewers to your film. Also research any related organisations or writers that your film may be relevant too. Send each of these a personalised email with your press package.
9.Start a Blog
Now this is a clever idea by the Fat Rat duo. By starting up a blog, you can personally keep track of the film’s success for later reflection. But, more importantly, it gives your audience and the media new content to spread after the release of the film. It will help keep the momentum of your film up after the release date.
10.Not to depress you…
…but after all that it may not work. So pick a God and pray anyway.
*The Peril of Advertising
Now, on a side note I want to mention something Gemma and Fred brought up in their talk. Be aware of others trying to make a buck from your film. It may happen, as in the case of Fred and Gemma, that a major organization will want to post your film on their website. This organization may feel, or sense, that your film is viral material, and attach an advert before it. Make sure, in your discussion with the website/organization that you investigate their intentions, and fight your corner for some of the cash if possible!
So, at the end of all that you might have noticed that going viral ain’t easy, it’s a lot of work. To achieve the success that Act of Terror rightly received, Fred and Gemma had to take a week out of work before their release date. But for them it was worth it, as they got their message and film out there.
So, plan, plan and plan again! I wish you good luck. By the way don’t forget to pick that God…
Any thoughts? Email me at lorna@disfmf.ie
Lorna Buttimer. Follow me on twitter @buttimer_lorna
Feb 15, 2014
Sadly, I am biased in this. Naturally I am going to say this festival is exceptional; this festival is unique and that this festival is a great platform. Of course I would say that, I work with the festival. However, I can offer you something else that might convince you; my experience as a submitting filmmaker, which, frankly, was exceptional.
Last Summer I finished a short documentary I had been working on for a number of months and began thinking, (panicking really), as to what to do with the damn thing. Does anyone want to watch it? Where will they watch it? Will I just fling it up on line? These days, I find it all too easy to take the latter option. A delusional part of me thinks, and always will that someday a short of mine will smite down the endless cat videos, twerking ball Miley riffs, and music covers. However it never happens. And likely won’t. Now, that’s not pessimism but realism towards the changes the internet has brought. These days, YouTube, Vimeo et al are essentially modern day on demand TV stations, where the left hand column (for the most part) decides what plays next.
So at the end of making my short film, I decided to curb my YouTube habit, mainly because I felt the film deserved better treatment than waging viral warfare. I turned my attention to film festivals and came across the very one you are now considering.
You have probably noticed with some excitement, and in my own experience with some trepidation, that there are a LOT of festivals. It seems to me that almost every city, and self-respecting town has one. So which do you chose? Well, maybe my reasoning for choosing this festival will help you. I chose DISFMF because of its respect towards the short form.
Not often is it treated with respect by filmmakers; myself a case in point. Rather than respect my work by placing it into competitive and showcasing festivals, I fire it up on line, and forget about it after two or three weeks. There it is also generally forgotten. DISFMF however accepted my short documentary, and with thoughtful respect they placed it with 6 other excellent short films in a collection for screening.
At the screening, I must say I was floored by the quality of film I was placed with, both in production quality and sheer creativity. The experience of seeing my film, considered on par with work such as that was more empowering that all the YouTube and Vimeo hits I have ever had. It made me, for the first time ever, feel truly respected and considered a filmmaker.
Further to that, the direct international focus of the festival is something to note. In my collection, there were films from Mexico to Turkey, to Finland and back. It was such a curious experience to see work from places I have never really considered film making hubs. And all in relation to my own work. It make me think for the first time who in fact as a film maker are my audience? As I would never have thought to watch films from such places. It made me think about who I should be making films for? Me or the spectator? The answer to this I found in the festival itself.
DISFMF asked any film maker in attendance, and wished to do so, to do a pubic interview with the audience. I, of course accepted. It was an intense educational experience. For the first time, I had to engage with the reception of my work by a group of strangers. It was frightening but exhilarating, seeing the understanding and questioning of the issues my documentary was trying to tackle. After the public interview and conversations after, I felt that some of the audience had taken something with them; something from my film. From that experience at DISIMF I learnt that as a film maker I should make films for the audience. I learnt as a film maker I want to educate and entertain them because it is an oddly satisfying experience.
DISFMF for me was an excellent experience. My film was shown respect, carefully considered amongst its peers, and I learned something about being a filmmaker, something I couldn’t have learned behind the camera or from online distribution. It was only something I could learn from a festival, and I think, not to be over sentimental, only from this one. Because, they respect short film.
So why submit? Because who knows what the experience might bring you.
The Dublin International Short Film Festival runs this year from October 3rd to 5th. Submission is €15 via www.reelport.com or www.festhome.com. For more information check out the website!
Lorna Buttimer. Follow me on twitter @buttimer_lorna
