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Carl B Harrison · Joined: 22 Jul 2005 Posts: 1491 Location: UK

What's Best ?.

Neil a new member to the forum asked me what is better to make as your first movie, a short or a full length feature....?

My answer speaking from what I've heard, read and seen is, it depends on which genre you are aiming at and what do you class as success.

For example and not taking into consideration what genre the movie is.... A short movie under 10 mins will give you many more opportunities to enter into Film Festivals, it could win you awards and get your name about but at the end of the day unless you had a good budget to make it and pay yourself (at that point you probably won't earn any money from it) but it might have opened doors for you.... On the other hand, if you made a feature film (depending on the genre again) you can only enter certain Festivals but the benefits of a feature, regardless of the fact that it could win you awards, is that there might be a buyer or distributor in the audience and you could make some financial gain by selling some rights to show it say on TV, or for it to be distributed at the cinema.

Depending on the genre.

I emphasised a lot that the genre plays an important part in deciding what length movie you want to make.

An animated movie, unless you have an entire production crew behind it, would make it nearly impossible to do a feature, so under 10 min would be best. It would probably still take you about three years to make but at least animations can be sold to the likes of Channel 4 and animation compilation DVD's. Also there is a big following if you become known.

Horror Movies ... probably one of the best genres for making a feature at any degree of budget, because horror movies usually have a lot of cult status and will always sell.. from the straight onto DVD releases up to distributed horrors that go from Cinema, DVD, Cable Pay For View, Cable Norm, TV and then all over the place on cheap DVD ... sometimes they get re-released... it just goes on (Horrors are a good choice to make).

Action Movie's... probably a feature length because it might cost a lot to make and you would need to get your investment back ... again if it's only a short ... the festival may enable you get it shown on TV ... you just never know.

Sifi .... to make a feature, unless you've got a story that has no effects and is just story driven, then you would be ok, but if it has even the tiniest amount sfx your talking serious investment before you start. Again if your talking a short, it will also allow for a degree of lack of funds in the visuals to make it, but again with the short you can only release it at a festival and unless you win some money prize you probably won't get anything back other than getting a name for yourself (Which isn't bad for future movies)

As with all the other genres and the above, at the end of the day you should still go with what you feel and try whatever you want because, yes the above will probably happen, but there is also exceptions and a possibility that you make a movie regardless of all the obstacles, restrains, rules and make something that just hits the right spot .. love or hate them, just look at the movies that have managed to suprise everyone and to be honest the above rule didn't apply.
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Carl B Harrison

Neil · Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 31 Location: UK

Hi Carl. Many thanks for the reply. This is going to help me with my decission on the script I'am working on. Smile

By the way I great is this website.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oddbodd · Joined: 04 Oct 2005 Posts: 855 Location: Castle Dracula

Carl B Harrison · Joined: 22 Jul 2005 Posts: 1491 Location: UK

Mr Tickle · Joined: 20 Oct 2005 Posts: 60

Sylvester · Joined: 27 Jul 2005 Posts: 227

hisomuhito · Joined: 23 Jul 2005 Posts: 557 Location: UK

Hi Neil, welcome to the mad house Wink

Have we met or are you a different Neil?

I reckon you could do a sci-fi or action short with minimal budget as long as you weren't to bothered about some of the effects looking cheap and fake looking CG. There's plenty of fan movies out there based on Star Wars, Star Trek or pretty much any other popular sci-fi show or movie you can think of.
I'll admit you'd probably need more people to help with it.
Here's a link to a couple of guys who've proved it can be done very well.
http://www.ryanvsdorkman.com/

Ok its not really much of a story but still enteraining.

Carl B Harrison · Joined: 22 Jul 2005 Posts: 1491 Location: UK

Liz · Joined: 02 Aug 2005 Posts: 158

oddbodd · Joined: 04 Oct 2005 Posts: 855 Location: Castle Dracula

Jigararter · Joined: 11 Sep 2006 Posts: 143

Neil · Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 31 Location: UK

Hi everyone. Sorry it's taken awhile to get back on line, sometimes difficult. Thanks for the greetings, it's great to meet all of you and many thanks for the advice you have all given me. Hope I can speak to all very soon again.

Philster · Joined: 27 Oct 2005 Posts: 321 Location: sunderland

Hi Neil

Welcome to the forum, finally!

From what I was taught, it is really best to do a full feature. This is because of the time and effort it takes to make any movie. There is no problem if you want to do a short one though. The story you have to tell may not take long and you don't want to drag it out.