How Do We Consume Short Films?

Film Festivals

USA

The Sundance Film Festival is one of the largest independant film festivals. It is a showcase to introduce new independant filmmakers for both feature length films and short films. It was established in 1978 and in 2012 they had over 46,000 attendees. The festival was founded by the actor Robert Redford (famously played Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby); the name Sundance came from his role in Butch Cassidy and the Sundace Kid where he played the Sundance Kid, an American Old West outlaw.



UK


Established in 2002, the London Short Film Festival is recognized as the UK showcase for cutting-edge independant films. This year (2013) had over 7,000 tickets sold, more than 75 events and over 300 films screened. The Guardian call it "The Best Short Film Festival in the World".




The Encounters film festival was established in 1995 and is held in Bristol each year. It offers the chance to see the very best short films, as well as workshops, talks and exhibitions. It attracts a public audience of around 8,000 each year. It is branded to be "The UK's leading competitive short film festival".








BBC Film Network

This website is an interactive showcase alternative for upcoming British filmmakers to promote their short films. The BBC have often backed these directors/film or have taken a keen liking to short film to add to their collection. It also offers filmmakers great tips and instructions on how to make a film and the exhibition process, plus the chance to submit your own film. This link http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/organisations/category/festivals-and-competitions/ has a selection of festivals and organisations that sponsor and include shorts from the website.


DVD Extras

It is very common for DVD's to have special features, and sometimes this include shorts by the production un related or related to the film. For example Pixar often show an unrelated short before the main feature at the cinema and on DVD's they usually include both related and unrelated shorts. On the Monsters Inc. Special Features there are two short films - Mike's New Car and For The Birds.

 





Mike's New Car follows the two main characters Mike and Sully in a comedic situation that fits in with the ideal we have for each character following the main feature. Producers often create shorts like this because they want to prolong the characters and situations they get into.

For The Bird is Pixar's child friendly way of demonstrating the segregation that humans suffer every day due to racial differences, which in this case is demonstrated by different bird species. It teaches young children the value that by excluding someone for their race comes back as karma - "What Goes Around Comes Back Around". Pixar often add their interpretation of adult situations to transmit to children norms, value and ideals that are widely shared in society.