Codes and Conventions

Generally, short films consist of very few main characters, for example one to three. This is due to the duration of the film as it makes creating relationships between the audience extremely difficult. Mis-en-scene is important, as shown in the short film Goodbye Mr. Snuggles:



the characters clothes and the overall presentation of the film creates a lot of imagery. From the surrounding we can tell that the characters are wealthy and also the way they are dressed enforces this. The use of music in short films, is often used. Depending on genre, music can be used for atmosphere, tension, sadness and happiness. In the short film Joyride, we can see how the use of music is effective in creating suspense.



Short films also allow the recurring theme of hybrid genres, this creates an interesting and unique film. For example the short film Le Cheval 2.1, features a mix of French art house genre and a comedy. Short films are often made to break through into the industry, by creating a hybrid genre film your film is more likely to standout and be noticed.



In general, from watching a selection of short films, we can see that they sometimes tackle various subjects, including serious or humorous messages. The narrative is fast-paced and usually there is a sense of a morals and consquences for certain actions.