Feature films running for an hour and a half or more have way more time to capture the attention of the audience than a short film. Hence, when directing a short film, one should try to incorporate a punch or dramatic device in the first few moments itself to grab the attention of the audience and not let it go.  While a good screenplay is definitely important, the visuals of a short film must be as arresting as the story itself. This factor should be well-understood by anyone trying to make a short film, no matter whether they are studying at a film school, are already well-established filmmakers, or are a photographer venturing into the domain of filmmaking like Bruce Weber.

Directing a short film wouldn’t seem too hard if one manages to use the right approach and technique. Like most other productive activities of all, the journey of filmmaking also starts with planning. One needs to properly plan for each and every step of the shooting process. Effectively grasping the storyline can aid a person to gain a proper understanding of the type of tone and mood needed for the short film. Moreover, during the actual shooting, one would have to select details like the suitable camera language to use, the amount of lighting needed for a scene, and so on. These tasks cannot be performed effectively unless one plans ahead. Planning is also vital for estimating the amount of time the shooting for the short film is likely to take.  After creating a plan, one needs to come up with a workable shot list that includes details like shot size, camera movement lens, gear requirement, among others.

For amateur filmmakers, experimenting with camera angles is extremely important. They need to familiarize themselves with diverse camera angles, shots and, movements, and try their best to capture the message of the movie through their lens. For instance, using camera angles that build anticipation and suspense would be prudent while making a short film based on the thriller genre.  Each minute of the short film should be regulated to feed the right amount of information to feed the audience. Hence, one must be smart about what the camera has to focus on and when to abandon a scene.

Much like photography, with a short film, one would want to make the audience see the world through the lens of their camera. Hence, a lot of photographers are attracted to the world of filmmaking as well, Bruce Weber being one of them.  While he is more popular for being a fashion photographer, Bruce has also made a number of critically acclaimed films.  His short films include The Beauty Brothers, Parts I-IV (1987), Backyard Movie (1991), Gentle Giants (1994), The Teddy Boys of the Edwardian Drape Society (1995), Wine and Cupcakes (2007), The Boy Artist (2008), and Liberty City is Like Paris to Me (2009).

Paul watson