Conventions of short films

These are conventions of short films:
  1. Characters - Short films tend to stick to 2 or 3 main characters. Short films don't have time to create deep backstory for the characters, therefore character numbers are kept low in short films to allow the viewer to relate to the characters in a small amount of time. 
  2. Twist - Short films nearly always contain a 'twist'. The reason for twisting the storyline is to make the short film more interesting as they don't have much time for other aspects, that you would see in feature films. Without a twist in a short film the storyline would simply not be interesting. Example: J'Attendrai Le Suivant 
  3. Budget - Short films typically have a low budget. This is because most short film directors are independent without the sufficient backing in terms of funding. They keep the budget down by sticking to sticking to to one or two locations and only using one or two actors. 
  4. Length - Short films are typically 'short' and usually have a max length of 35 minutes. They are typically around 5-10 minutes in Length. Examples: Connected - 7:30, Luv Deluxe - 5:21, Heartwork - 9:26 
  5. Situation - Short films usually take an everyday situation that we can all relate to and then flip it on its head in some way. This allows the viewer to relate to the short film, but also intriguing the viewer. 
  6. Todorov - Todorov's theory of equilibrium is typically applied to short films. Everything is normal, a problem occurs, and the problem is solved, everything is normal; However a change is is noticeable. 

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