Film making Articles and Creative Blogs

The Smalls is an online showcase for non-commercial creative work. We are here to inspire and to offer a medium where emerging talent can display work not only to fellow members of the contemporary creative community, but also to our subscription members in the broadcast, film and advertising industry.

It’s your first project as a budding young filmmaker.  You’re finally ‘on set’, and you feel fully prepared.  Your cast and crew has the latest version of your script, your cinematographer has set up the camera and lights, your sound guy is ready with the boom mike, and you are set to go.  Suddenly, your lead actress storms off, refusing to shoot.  What do you do?
 
First of all, don’t panic.  You’re not the first filmmaker this has happened to – actors have been around much longer than films have, and their artistic temperament is much more deeply rooted in history than yours.  Don’t take it personally.  But do approach the situation with some amount of sensitivity.  In a sense, you need to be like a therapist, and be ready to listen.
 
Actors are not robots.  They’re people.  Just because they are told what to do and what to say in the world of your film doesn’t mean they lose all perspective, sense of self, or ego – use your common sense and try to figure out the situation.  Did you do or say something to insult your actor?  Is the working environment causing stress, tension, or drama?  Look at the big picture and once you know what is causing the distress, you –as the filmmaker - have to be the boss and figure out how to get your actor back on board.
 
Whatever you do, don’t steamroll.  A filmmaker needs to be a leader, not a dictator.  Even as the director, you need to be able to listen, understand, and respond.  The true test of a filmmaker is being able to balance the power in any situation; control the shoot even if it takes making the actor feel like they have more input and power than they do in actuality.
 
In some cases, a difficult actor will try to control your shoot, or raise a tantrum only to get attention.  Let them do it – and then make them stop.  In this case, you are the babysitter, letting your actor go through whatever he or she needs to do.  Don’t let them get out of hand, but don’t ignore them either – validate their behavior just enough so they can focus on the task at hand.  Acting in YOUR movie.
 
THEN you won’t ever have to talk to them again

Anyone with a dream to succeed in filmmaking faces a common hurdle - getting other people behind your dream.  No matter what you think, filmmaking is a collaborative art, and from camera people to actors, you need to be able to wrangle and rally people behind your vision.  Follow some simple tips to put your filmmaking team together.

Put yourself out there:  Don’t have any filmmaking friends (or perhaps, any friends at all?)  Posting a paper solicitation on a bulletin board either at your local film school or arty café always draws in interest.  Online bulletin boards work just as well.

Find common ground:  You like gore and horror, they like Hello Kitty.  I don’t see much of a future here for collaboration… do you? 

Be nice: You’re probably starting out on a shoestring budget.  Your team is probably going to be doing this as a favor, so be appreciative.  If you’re making a film just to be an absolute tyrant, there are other activities that may be more suited to you. 

Make sure you have an idea:  We just had a horrifying vision that you did the above, with no project to make.  Write a script!  Make sure you have a film to shoot!  Otherwise, putting a non-functional filmmaking crew is just creepy…

CUT TO:

Flashback – 1997

Senior year at college.  Night.  I’m typing an email (as usual), trying to coordinate (again) my friends to work on a little short film, in between everyone’s conflicting pot smoking sessions and general malaise. 

Having run out of weed myself, I had nothing else better to do.

During those days, everything I wrote, everything I made, had to do with one girl – Caroline.  She was an actress, and in this little capsule of a school, a famous member of the student body, popular with the jocks, lesbians, vegetarians, you name it.  She could do no wrong – I’m sure she could kill and skin a small animal in the college center and no one would blink.

And somehow she and I ended up being a couple.  Don’t ask me how.  We had a weird sixth sense about each other –

“Hello, it’s Caroline”

Like I said, like how people with air pressure sensitivity can sense when a storm is coming –

“Hello?  Ricky?”

I just know when she’s calling.

“Hey.  Caroline.  Sorry, my mind was just –“

And I’m back in present time again.

“Have you heard from Jasper?  I’m worried, it’s not like for him to...”

She starts to tell me she hasn’t heard from Jasper in weeks.  I am kind of surprised at this point.  And kind of relieved.  Whatever is happening has cut off communication between them too.  She keeps yapping, as I try to throw as many “mm hmm” sounds in there as I can.  I remind myself to take notes after the call because someday, their complicated web relationship drama may indeed be my screenplay opus - the greatest love affair of all time.

I pour myself a scotch and sit down, listening to her spout.  I’m tempted to tell her about the time Jasper went to Carnivale in Rio and never mentioned it to her.  “Don’t sweat it Caro, I’m sure he’s enjoying himself with one… maybe three hospitable ladies…” disappears in my throat. 

“Sorry Ricky… how are you?”

Oh, that’s my cue.

“Well I –“

“Shit, that’s my call waiting – it might be Jasper I’ll call –“

She clicks away so fast she even cuts herself off.  I just stand still, as though any movement will send the stacks of papers around my apartment to the floor.

So that’s the introduction for Caroline.

Flashback – 1997

I’m writing an email.  I get an email from two people, almost at the same time.  Barely remember who they are.

One says: “Sorry, man.”

The other:  “Call me if you want.”

Caroline walks in.  She has this determined look on her face.  Her hands are clasped together – one of her few bad acting habits.  And she probably rehearsed, in fact I’m absolutely sure she did.  But when she opens her mouth, I know she’s forgotten what she was going to say, and tells me the absolute truth.

“I slept with Jasper.”

And my response?  I slowly turn my monitor toward her and point at the emails I just received.

“How did these jokers find out before me?”

What made our relationship so unexplainable allowed her breaking up with me to make so much sense. 

Somehow I became that little animal.  Skinned alive.  And no one cared.

DO… Ensure you have a solid idea and a to tell. Watch a ton of films to discover what you think is a good idea or concept vs. bad ones, and learn from the experience. Also, it is worth pitching your idea to yourself in the bathroom mirror. If your own pitch doesn’t raise your level of excitement within the first 60 seconds, probably good to splash some cold water on your face and go back to the drawing board…

DON’T… Ever assume that what makes good news (i.e. true stories) translate into Oscar worthy short films. While they sometimes do, more often than not reality is not really that exciting on as on screen "entertainment" (unless you are indeed an Oscar worthy documentary filmmaker in the making of course).

DO…. Make sure that you have a good script. Continue to condense your story and fine tune your characters. Your script will be the spine that carries your story through from shoot to screen, without it you could be a lost ship.

DON’T…. Rush into production. Make sure your script (or at least your story) is in solid shape. While production will allow you to see new things and venture into new territory, you will not find your way back unless you know where you are going in the first place. Don’t lose your story before production even starts, by neglecting the importance of your script.

DO… Pick good collaborators. While your best friend, who also happens to be unemployed, is dying to be your cinematographer – remember that skill and experience is everything in a filmmaking team, so choose your collaborators wisely.

DON’T…. cast drama queens or time optimists. Or actors that suck. One bad actor can ruin your film. Much like one that is always late or a no-show can break your budget.

DO… Apply perfectionism. If you don’t know how to do something, find people who do. So what if your friends know nothing about filmmaking – find people who do, here on TheSmalls.com for example - the members section even lets you search by category - from writer to DP, they're all there and they are probably pretty brilliant. It is much better to find someone who knows sound to work on your film, than to try to learn it yourself and risk your film as a testing ground. If you have a good idea, chances are qualified people will want to work with your for nothing or close to nothing.

DON’T… Let your film go on and on and on and on…. Us the editor for editing. If hesitant about any part of your film, take it out and see what you think – less is almost always more when it comes to short films. However, if it stinks, only cutting it down to 00:00 will help you.

DO… Get creative. Don’t be afraid to be different. Who said you can’t make a short film about the emotional life of daffodils? If you are going to go out there, go all the way.

DON’T… Get caught up in repetition. Don’t make short films for stupid people, make it for people who are switched on enough to get your joke in one twist, don’t kill off your story and comedy or drama with exposition and repetitious ****shit.

DO… Remain true to yourself. And you will succeed.

Good luck!!

And then there were five… Out of all the entries that were sent to us from around the world we have finally whittled them down to a short list.
A massive congratulations to the film makers who went through, and a big thank you to everyone who took part in the competition.
It has not been an easy job for the panel to decide on a short list due to the high quality of entries, but here are the five top scoring films in no particular order:

WELLDUN - A New Prescription Medication – Dir. Dorian G. Stone
Piss Artists – Adventures of The Workshy – Dir. Simon Sprackling
Matt, Ben and Buscemi - Dir. Liam Johnston and Stuart Hamilton
Speechless – Dir. James Cooper
Metermob – Dir. James Spence

The winner will be announced at The Comedy Smalls Awards at Corbet Place on the 9th of July.

Thank you all and congratulations to the short listed entrants!

The Smalls Team

What a night. 

Possibly one of the most crowded events we have hosted, THE CAN this month was brimming with excitement.  The buzz got around that we were screening selections from THE COMEDY SMALLS competition, and all our loyal regulars and a large crowd of new faces came out to support the filmmakers and get a peek of the entries before the shortlist announcements were made this week.

From the podium, it looked like everyone was having a great time well before the films even started.  Whether that was the free drinks sponsored by devilfish or all the funny filmmakers working the crowd and their guests, the vibe was just right.  Everyone was ready to laugh – but I don’t think anyone expected to laugh as much as they were about to.

The eight films we selected at THE CAN made us laugh as we put together the screening DVD, and the audience laughed non-stop for the hour-long screening.   This was especially great for the local NYC filmmakers who were there last night.  Highlights included Dorian Stone’s WELLDUN – an amazing parody of prescription medication ads – Jesse Scaturro and Yannis Pappas’ biopic turned musical TALE OF THE ARMLESS NAZI, and the short and sweet ZOMBIE KITTY by Jenny Rose Costuros.  Thanks to all of them for their hilarious entries and for coming out (and bringing people!)

Also, a special thanks to Tim and the team of creatives from A&E who attended THE CAN for the first time.  Their presence defines exactly what we are trying to do – give young, budding filmmakers a chance to get their work seen by the leading creative forces in the industry.

See you next month!

Hugs,

The Can

Our selections were:

Matt, Ben and Buscemi - Liam Johnson and Stuart Hamilton
Piss Artists: Adventures of the Work Shy - Simon Sprackling
Zombie Kitty - Jenny Rose Costuros
WELLDUN, A New Prescription Medication - Dorian G. Stone
The Tale of the Armless Nazi - Jesse Scaturro
Porn Queen - Alex Kuciw
Meter Mob - James Spence
Speechless - James Cooper

Photos courtesy of Jonathan Swerdloff:

Are you a filmmaker or artist? Do you have some kind of idea or expression you feel could be filmed on your mobile, and that covers a central theme of how music tells the story of humanity? Then you should probably check out nokiaproductions.com and see how you as a filmmaker ‘of the people’ could work with recognized director Spike Lee.

No, this is not a joke. It’s real. And, it’s already started. The first act is already completed, and the winning mobile phone video footage for that first act is available on the website. Filmmakers, photographers, musicians or writers who want to submit material can now do so for the second act.

Works like this: The final product, the film, will be by Nokia Productions, and it will unfold across 3 acts. Each act has its assignment announced online, and then the audience has 4 weeks to produce a submission. Director Spike Lee will check in on the material and guide the production towards what will be a short film made by a group of people who have used their mobile phones as a tool.

If you are ready 4 Spike Lee, this could be your opportunity to collaborate with the famous director and other emerging filmmakers, writers, photographers and musicians.

Check out nokiaproductions.com to learn more.

The boundaries of genres and subjects are always being pushed and changed in whatever media, be it writing, art, short film or theater. What doesn’t change is the degree of focus on current events, political affairs and global issues. Now there is a website that shows free video clips of leading thinkers, experts and activists with a passion and opinion of everything from business and design to the environment and social sustainability; it is called Big Picture TV (www.bigpicture.tv)

Every short film, or video clip, gets you (the viewer) straight in front of the decision makers and opinion makers – leaving out the middleman. You get to hear directly from scientists, journalists and politicians where they stand on issues of poverty, health, religion or globalization.

The site is very easy to navigate; you can quickly search your subject through the menu or simply enter your keywords using the search bar. When you first arrive, you’re sure to stay for a while. It is simply hard to imagine another place that lets you easily find subjects that really matter to you, and hear everyone from Annie Lennox to HRH Prince of Wales or Desmond Tutu speak on film about them. Every short film or video clip has something to say.

If ever you need inspiration for your documentary or short film, this is a goldmine. You can of course just use it to study the world that we live in, or to give you a boost of enthusiasm on any day of the week.

Discover Big Picture TV by going to www.bigpicture.tv

Some of the coolest Asian films hit New York City in June & July each year. This summer you can catch great Asian short films, and features, in three festivals hosted across town:

New York Asian Film Festival (20 June - 6 July)
This is the seventh year for the New York Asian Film Festival, a festival that has achieved recognition as one of the leading festivals for Asian cinema in North America. Go for the features or go for the short films. Whatever you do, if you like Asian cinema – just go.
Learn more by going to http://www.subwaycinema.com

Japan Cuts (2 July - 13 July)
“Rich and varied” is how the New York Times describes this festival – a fabulous showcase for contemporary Japanese cinema. Presenting around 20 feature films and more than 60 short films, Japan Cuts truly brings a modern Japanese film vibe to Manhattan. This festival shows both box office hits and smaller, sometimes controversial films – so to make sure you don’t miss the latest from Japan, be there. Go to http://www.japansociety.org/japancuts to learn more.

Asian American International Film Festival (10 July - 19 July)
The first and for sure the longest running film festival for Asian American film in the United States, the Asian American International Film Festival shows works by filmmakers of Asian descent and is a great showcase for independent Asian and Asian American film. Don’t miss it! Go to http://aaiff.org/2008/ for schedules and more details.

A lot of us filmmakers and dramatic writers get nervous about someone stealing our great new idea for a short film. With all right – you cannot copyright an idea! You can only copyright a screenplay or a film. So, until you have your fabulous short film idea down on paper or film, you are probably right in being cautions. But once you have your idea down on paper it is time to ACT. While intellectual property law is complex, protecting your script doesn’t have to be.

One of the most basic tips a teacher of mine once gave me, was to just “put your script in an envelope and mail it to yourself, since this proves the date of creation”. Simple, right? It is. Just take your short film script and post it to yourself as soon as it is completed!

But there are also other copyright offices you can refer to for more information.

In the UK, go to the UK Intellectual Property Office (www.ipo.gov.uk/copy) and read up on how you can protect your work. You can also go to The Script Factory (www.scriptfactory.co.uk) and register your short film script.

In the US, check out the United States Copyright Office (www.copyright.gov) - there is plenty of information there. Or, if you have a screenplay ready, why not register it with the Writers Guild of America West or East (www.wga.org or www.wgaeast.org)?

Finally, always remember that while the copyright automatically becomes yours once you have created your script, proving the time when it was created is the difficult thing. So, always do whatever you can, such as mailing yourself a copy, as soon as you can. It will help you sleep better at night.

Finally, to make it clear to everyone else that you have copyright – always mark your short film script with a © next to your name and date.

Got questions about copyrighting your short film script? Contact one of the resources above, or contact us here at The Smalls and we will try to point you in the right direction.

Good luck!

Are you intending to use music for your short film? Then make sure you got all your rights sorted out before anything hits the screen – any screen. Maybe the easiest way for you to stay clear of any problems around music in your short film is to hire a composer or a local band you know to create your very own original soundtrack, but if you really want to use a famous song or piece – what do you do?

There are enough answers to this, to fill a couple of pages worth. But let’s say you are a London based filmmaker, and let’s say you really want to feature a famous song in your next film. Here is a very short version of what to do (if nothing else maybe this can kick-start you on your search for the music rights for your short film):

There are two main licenses you need to get in order to use the piece of music you wish: a recording license and a publishing license.

The recording license you get from whomever actually performed the version of the music that you want to have in your movie. For example, if you really want to use a piece by Chopin you need to first decide which recording and then get a recording license from that source (for example the Stockholm Symphony Orchestra maybe).

The publishing license comes from whomever owns the copyright to the piece. The copyright is in turn owned by whomever owns the rights to the lyrics and composition. Oftentimes filmmakers think they can plea to an artist’s good heart to use their music to ‘perfect their art’, when in fact the artist himself/herself rarely owns the copyright to that piece – but a studio or recording label more likely does (that frankly don’t care much about your short film).

How to find who can give you a publishing license for your music? Usually you can find what label to contact by simply searching for your music on amazon.com or another regular place to buy music. To find the record label’s contact details you can use a site like www.musicweekdirectory.com.

If you have no luck with the record label, don’t know a composer or are not buddies with any cool band, there is always the option of paying a one-off fee for royalty free music for your short film.  You can start your search for music here on /Music.go or maybe go to http://www.royaltyfreemusic.com/ and see what you find.

Good luck!

Are you a UK filmmaker? Have you ever wondered what your rights are as a freelancer in the film industry, but been afraid to ask your co-workers or fellow filmmakers? Check out Workline UK – a great resource for all UK filmmakers and other film industry workers.

While Workline UK only offers guidance, not legal advice, the advisors on hand are experienced in all the common situations that can occur between employers and employees in the UK film and television industries – and can advise you if you are either an employee or an employer. Filmmakers can call or email in with questions, and all conversations are confidential.

Who is behind this? Women in Film and Television and the UK Film Council are sponsors, supported by Goodman Derrick LLP (Employment Lawyers).

Go to www.workline.org.uk to learn more.

Good luck!

When we said Virgin Media Shorts was your chance to have your work seen by the top dogs in the film industry, we weren’t joking.

We’re delighted to announce that one of the judges is not just a Hollywood mover and shaker but, like us, he’s a champion of undiscovered talent. It is of course… Kevin Spacey.

Reviewing your work alongside Kevin, will be:
-    Sir Richard Branson, chairman of the Virgin Group;
-    Lenny Crooks, Head of the New Cinema Fund of the UK Film Council;
-    Daniel Barber, Oscar-nominated short film director. 

And watch this space - there are more big names to be added to our prestigious line-up. We'll be unveiling the rest soon!

If you haven’t submitted your film yet, there’s still time. Submit your work to Virgin Media’s Short Film competition by June 30th and you could end up seeing it broadcast in front of millions, online, on TV, through mobile internet and in 211 cinema screens, nationwide (not just once, but for a whole year). Plus, you could win up to £30,000 and work direct with the UK Film Council and Virgin Media to shoot your next film.  Click here to find out more

We have some excellent animated films available here on The Smalls. If you haven’t already seen them, you have to. Discover the moving Ce que je suis, cute Airline, hilarious Round Zero and Burning Safari and of course the creepy Tidy Monster.

Animated short films come in all types of moods and style. From cute to tragic, they have been with most of us since childhood. Here are a few animated short films out there in the online universe that I think are worth your time (for some reason 4 out of 5 of these animated short films have cats or bunnies in here):

Starless Night – This short film is about a cat that‘s in love with stars but is sad when they disappear one night.

Cat Man Do – This short film will feel very familiar to anyone who has a cat...

First Aiders – This is a Disney short film from the 40’s starring Figaro, Pluto and of course Mini Mouse.

Bunny – An Academy Award winning, tear jerking, short film by Chris Wedge.

Think I’ve missed a great animated short? Do share. 

They say that today’s mobile phones have more technology built in than Apollo 13 did. No wonder we are connecting so fast, so often and even have phones equipped to make movies.

Mobile phones have been extremely quick to advance over the years, originally they were huge blocks of plastic (recall: phones in “Clueless”) and you could only make simple phone calls. Today mobile phones are extremely high tech – with cameras, internet access, Bluetooth and even satellite navigation built in.

Some operators, like Orange, have even opened short film festivals in order to encourage more people to take advantage of the camera capabilities of today’s mobile phones. Judges in these competitions are everyone from industry celebrities to high-profile operator executives. One festival this year, organized by operator Orange, even had their awards presented live at the Cannes Film Festival. Talk about a raised profile for short films shot on mobile phones…

Check out all the films and members here at TheSmalls.com that evolve around this hot subject, watch films shot on mobile phones and some just showing the struggle of the mobile phone filmmaker, by clicking here /Search.aspx?terms=mobile. Scroll down the list and take your pick!

Hey all you film buffs – here is another site for you to check out: www.raindance.co.uk

The Raindance website is packed with stimulating film-related pages such as the Raindance founder's top ten favorite films, writing, producing and directing courses, indie film tips, competitions and information on Raindance special events.

Joining the Raindance website for just £50 per year gives members the opportunity to make better quality films with a cheaper budget by taking discounted courses and diplomas, free advice, advertising and discounted film festival tickets amongst many other perks.

Their latest project is RaindanceTV – an internet channel reminiscent of Youtube where enthusiasts can watch the latest short films in the comedy, documentary, drama, animation, music, horror, romance and extreme genres.

How it all began? In 1992 the very first Raindance event was launched and founded by Elliot Grove, an ex artist and set designer. Since then Raindance has grown to incorporate a film festival, a television channel and a website – all founded by filmmakers, for filmmakers. Some of their greatest achievements include the launch of the Nokia promotional short film competition in 2003 and their weekly newsletter, read by over 26,000 fans.

The website is incredibly easy to navigate, with a page menu just underneath the Raindance logo on the home page, news at the bottom and a central widget with film previews and links for easy short film viewing. The Raindance team seems particularly eager to bring filmmakers young and old together to throw around ideas, inspire and create a thriving community.

You should check it out too! Go to www.raindance.co.uk.

As you all know, each and every year the Cannes Film Festival sets the stage ready for hundreds of feature films and short films to be viewed by experts in the film industry. From Best Actor to Best Director, the feature length films are big here but the short films play an important role in the program too. Short films come in all shapes and sizes and the Cannes Film Festival is a great place to see the up and coming directors, actors and producers for the current year.

So, who won for best short film this year then?

The Best Short Film award this year went to Marian Crisan for her production of the short film “Megatron”. “Megatron” tells the story of Maxim who lives together only with his mother in a village near Bucharest.

The duration of this short film is 15 minutes and the writer, Marian Crisan, also directed and produced the award winning piece. The editor was Tudor Pojoni and set design was done by Cristina Barbu along with Tudor Mircea who was the Cinematographer for “Megatron”.

This is actually the second year that the Romanian film industry has won an award at the Cannes Film Festival; Cristian Mungiu won the Great Trophy in 2007. The award this year, for “Megatron” was presented to Marian by the President of the Cinefondation and of the Short Film section, Hou Hsiao Hsien.

Each year the Cannes Film Festival brings, to the eyes of many, new and exciting feature and short films that are in production. A BIG CONGRATULATIONS from us here at The Smalls to Marian Crisan this year!

MINI has always been good at creating new and interesting ways to celebrate originality. In the UK they have previously had the famous “MINI adventures” campaign running in cinemas across Britain and now they are involving themselves in short film again through their 2008 collaboration with Future Shorts.

Screening a series of short films for a four-month period and showing them in major UK cinemas this spring/summer, MINI and Future Shorts have created a lot of interest for talented new directors. All the films supplied for this creative race came from the global short film label Future Shorts, and three of the many who applied for this opportunity are having their short films shown in UK cinemas until the end of June of 2008.

The short films that are celebrating their 2008 cinema debuts thanks to MINI and Future Shorts are:

“Procrastination” by Levni Yilmaz – this is a short film about a man who is continually procrastinating while trying to get his “stuff done”.  (To view this film, go to www.vuze.com)

“Park Football” by Grant Orchard – originally called “Football” this short film tells a story of a bunch of people playing football, when unexpected events occur.

“Neighbour” by Eric Lynne – A short film about a neighbor "popping round".

Congratulations to MINI UK and Future Shorts - and of course, the filmmakers.
 

INSERT:  DAYS LATER

No call from Jasper.  No email from Jasper.  No new pages written.  No answer to my dilemma.

I realize some time has gone by as I open up what I thought was fresh Chinese leftover take out.  Not so fresh anymore.

I start searching the internet for some hint at where he could be.  It’s not inconceivable that he would be away.  But a writer like Jasper is easy to track.  I presumed something would pop up – a book tour, a lecture.  But… nothing.  Not a thing.  Not even a gossip item, which of all the things is the strangest missing detail of them all.  A couple of expired pages – old news items.  I actually have very little understanding of what his life is like, whether he is working on anything.  I feel guilty for not being so inquisitive.  That’s just me though I suppose.  Take, take, take.  I can’t expect anything more.

I scan my bookshelf.  He had sent me a new manuscript recently.  Nicely bound, as a limited edition from a publisher.  I haven’t read it yet.  It always takes me a while to start reading, because it makes me jealous.  Like jumping into a friend’s new Maserati.  Even before you open the door, you are told how fast, brilliant, and unattainable it is.  For the record, I don’t even have my license.

As a screenwriter, what do I have to look forward to?  No leather bound edition, no airport paperback, or at least new jacket with silhouettes of Ben and Matt when the movie is released.  If and when I work on something that is eventually made, I get a film that’ll be a butchery of my script, a byline in an article somewhere, and no one will think of me when they pick up the DVD a few months later in the 2 for $10 bin.

I’m probably being overdramatic, but that’s my job.

I notice in my diatribe, I’m holding the phone to my head.  I’ve just called Jasper - again.  And voicemail – again.

I hang up.  And the moment I do, the phone rings.  And though every part of me fights the urge to pick it up, it’s as though I am absolutely powerless to stop.  I hope I’ve made it clear in previous entries that I never, NEVER pick up the phone.  Which means it can only be one person on the other line.

VOICE
Hi, it’s Caroline.

Excuse me as I stop typing so that I can get a grip.

Our friends over at Rooftop Films have been showing films of all lengths and ambitions for over a decade; and yes, primarily on the rooftops of buildings across all the boroughs.  If you live in NYC and haven't heard about them yet, you may need to get yourself checked out - it is indeed one of the best NYC events during the summertime.  Where else can you watch new, rare, and inspiring films against the incredible skyline, with other people who love films as much as you do? 

On Friday June 6th, join them for their Opening Night show, which is all about short films.  For more information and to buy tickets, Click here!

From the Rooftop Films Press Release:

Fri., June 6
This is What we Mean by Short Films
Rooftop Films 2008 Summer Series – Opening Night!
Live music presented by Sound Fix: Dirty on Purpose
Venue: on the roof of the Open Road Rooftop Project
Address: 350 Grand Street @ Essex (Lower East Side, Manhattan)
After Party: Open Bar at Fontana’s Courtesy of Radeberger beer

“Adventures are as common as rooftops.” We kick off our 12th year of “Underground Movies Outdoors” with short films that don’t take long to astonish, amaze and inspire.  Whether your best friend is a monkey or your father is a middle class mystic, if your practical joke gets your girlfriend crushed or your best friend popped like bubblewrap, this program of short films is all about sticking together, staying loyal, and finding the magic of cinema one quick glimpse at a time. 

Unbreakable: With one of the worst endings in the history of filmmaking, maybe this would have made for an excellent short film instead (left open ended, that is…).

The Hottie and the Nottie: We’ll always have Paris. If only we had a little less of her. Say, if this could have been made into a short film of the –0:01min kind.
 
The Blair Witch Project: This is personal. Respect to those who can endure 86 minutes of stomach churning home videoing. For me, 8.6 minutes was enough to keep me freaked out for 86 years.

Crash: The 1996 version that is. A very strange film about “car crash fetishists” which should’ve been a short film called LUNATICS.

Michael Clayton: So much style. So much Oscar buzz. So little meaning. So little impact. So much better as a short film? So not sure why I am even wasting time thinking about it.

Failure to launch: Failure to launch, land or loop. Maybe better as a short film featuring Matthew McConaughey’s white teeth in closeup.

Hollow Man 2: Maybe as a claymation short film? Starring a Brad Pitt clay look-alike? 

Glitter: Who plays themselves and still mess up? Maybe as a short film on how not to make short film. 

Son of the Mask: I wish I could have worn a mask over my eyes. And earplugs. But it could have worked as a short film, if Jim Carey would be in it. Maybe.

Aeon Flux:  A bad movie that was only made worse because it ruined really good source material. Short film? Fat chance.

Anyone with ideas for films that could have been better as shorts? Hit me back.

Sure it may be completely impossible to say when the first short film was made, much like it seems impossible to say when the first peanut was cracked open.

But, looking back it is possible to say that in the US it all kicked off in the early 1900s with the Charlie Chaplin, and of course Laurel and Hardy, short films. Chaplin’s iconic “tramp” character was born during this time, and while these shorts were shown as precursors to full feature films, they were not trailers. Instead of advertising anything they were in fact films in their own right. In the UK, short film also became more popular around this time. But while the US brought new stars onto their screens, British short filmmakers instead started experimenting with new techniques and formats.

Between 1918 until 1940 the success of a film (whether short or full feature) was determined by the profile of the actors starring in it rather than the way it was depicted, the message or the talent of the producers and directors. Because stars such as Laurel and Hardy and Charlie Chaplin had moved onto full feature films in 1935, the success of short film was deteriorating. This was especially apparent when the Television was invented and the numbers of visitors to the cinema fell considerably. As a result the short film was no longer shown in movie theatres. But this was maybe not all that bad – after all, had the short film not been set free from the restrictions of the theatres, we may not have seen the development of the short film format as a means to produce and express views that cannot be shown in feature films, and that test the boundaries of cinema.

Wonder where the short film format will go from here…

(V/O)

My name is Ricky Tokio, but that is not my real name.  That’s the armor I put on to write these days.  As my insides have gotten softer, this armor has gotten harder.

I don’t mean this in a cute Charlie Kaufman sort of Way.  And yet I do.

Ricky lets me drink more than I can handle the day after.  He is the one who seduces the girl with a single smile.  He is the one who walks into some high stakes poker game in a back room – and then pulls a gun when he loses.  Sometimes he can do that when he wins, too.

And yet, neither one of us have actually done any those things.

DISSOLVE TO:

I pick up the phone and do something I rarely do.  Dial a number.  Indeed I do have a phone.  I have three, actually.  They mainly take my calls.  I check them regularly enough for me to handle.  After listening to voicemails, I begin the much speedier process of responding by writing back emails.

Phone calls are for important people during important situations.  My crisis has gone far beyond writer’s block.  I started this journal to record my dreams, and now I’ve realized I don’t dream anymore.   I’m just sleeping.  And I have no idea what to do in the face of this.  Except to call Jasper.

Jasper is eternally young, and the only person I can imagine relating to my plight.  My mentor, my best friend, I many ways the person I try to model myself after.  A decade ago, when I was an undergrad, he came to my little liberal arts school in the Hudson Valley to parlay his recent success into a guest teacher position.  Correct.  For the young, impressionable female (as far as I know) part of the population.  I never understood back then, but on the border of becoming a lech myself, I understand now.

I picture him in his trademark scarf, surrounded by all of the hot wanna-be writer-girls.  Him in his goddamn cravat.  His goddamn cream colored cravat.  Something perhaps Ricky and I both agree never to wear.

If anyone is going to have an answer, it’s Jasper.  He --

Crap.  The phone – it goes to voicemail.  I’m forced to hang up.

It’s a ritual with him and me.  Eventually, he’ll figure out all those missed calls are me, and he’ll call me back.

Until then, I guess it’s back to drinking my next best friend.

The final five of those top ten short films NOT on The Smalls. Enjoy!

“The Man Who Planted Trees” by Frederic Back is an incredibly touching animation about a shepherd reforesting a barren valley. Oscar for Best Animated Short Film, 1988. http://www.moviesfoundonline.com/man_who_planted_trees.php

“Vincent” is a short film no Tim Burton fan (or other film fan by the way) should miss – about a boy with ghoulish aspirations! http://technorati.com/videos/youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DfxQcBKUPm8o

“Modern Day Arranged Marriage” by Rehana Mirza is a clever, funny short film about the new meaning of the phrase “arranged marriage”. 
http://www.logoonline.com/shows/events/short_films/details.jhtml?cid=1552664&popThis=popVideo (scroll down for link)

“What’s Opera, Doc?” directed by Chuck Jones for Warner Bros. Cartoons in 1957, this is an absolute classic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxF4d8FcQ-I

“Bullet Proof Vest” by May Lin Au Yong is a short film from 2006, about Richmond California where at the time of filming these kids felt they couldn’t go to the park alone – “Your parents need to be there with you, so they can block the bullet”.
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/insideindies/shortsfest/player.html?chosen=bulletproof

Got more ideas of short films that deserves a shout out? Let us know!

As film lovers, we here at The Smalls know there are so many fabulous sources of inspiration all over the internet, inside and outside our own community. Because we so often celebrate our own members, we thought we would take a few minutes to also give some other great short films online a shout out. These first five are a few of the new, old, weird, beautiful and important short films that we think you should take a look at (if you haven’t already). More to come in Part II.

"Muto" by Blu is a 7 and a half minute-long short film using graffiti animation. Cool and scary. http://www.blublu.org/sito/video/muto.htm

"More" by Mark Osborne is a short film about an inventor spending his daily grind dreaming of bringing back his youth. Beautiful and moving.  http://www.gethappy.com/watchmore.html

"Dear Mandela" is a powerful documentary short film from Sleeping Giant Films about South African forced evictions. A must see. http://www.abahlali.org/node/3356

"The Key to Reserva" is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s unrealized films. Scorsese brings the style of Hitchcock back in homage. See how in this short film. http://www.scorsesefilmfreixenet.com/video_eng.htm

"Mabel’s Strange Predicament" is a work of art that any short film fan and/or comedian should see this, as it is of course where Charlie Chaplin’s "Tramp" character debuted. http://www.archive.org/details/CC_1914_02_09_MabelsStrangePredicament

See you soon for Part II of this list!

When we watch acclaimed films directed and produced by widely celebrated filmmakers, we often consider how they got to create such great pictures. In most cases, they started by making their own independent (i.e. not produced by a major studio) short films on shoestring budgets, building a reputation before collaborating with other seasoned filmmakers on full features.

One of the most iconic of filmmakers to start small and make it big is Martin Scorsese. This AFI Lifetime Achievement Award winner began his filmmaking career with his NYU short film 'The Big Shave' which reflects how America was caught up in the Vietnam War. This indicated the start of his rise to fame, which was confirmed with the box office hit 'Mean Streets' (starring a young Robert De Niro and Harvey Keitel). Even in the present day, Scorsese is admired for maintaining his personal filmmaking style.

Another of the filmmakers who began their career making short films is David Lynch. His first work was the 57 second long 'Six Men Getting Sick', a stop motion animation that can be viewed online. It is a signature piece of Lynch's deeply disturbing, nonsensical and nightmarish work. Like Scorsese, this bizarre, dark theme runs throughout many of his works and is what gained him recognition.

If you fancy yourself a big fan of major filmmakers then why not seek out their early work? While some filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino went straight into full feature work, some have interesting small, several minutes long insights into how their career began.  These days, if you dig around on the internet long enough, you may find them.