E136 - What Makes a Great Short Film?

In this episode of The Directors' Take podcast, your hosts Oz Arshad and Marcus Anthony Thomas are joined by absolutely no-one this week, as we decided to create a list of the short films that have inspired them. We break down their story structure and try to deconstruct what makes these films and filmmakers so great. This conversation includes:

 

-What is a concept short film?

-Should you use voice over in your short?

-The use of vignettes in short films to expand time.

-When is it appropriate to do a one take short?

-Traditional narrative shorts and authored voices.

-When should you do a proof of concept short?

 

Concept Shorts

The Retreat - Marcus Anthony Thomas

Pitch Black Heist by John Maclean

 

Voice Over Shorts

Getting On by Ewan Stewart

Stutterer by Benjamin Cleary

 

Vignette Shorts

Small Deaths by Lynne Ramsay

Festival of Slaps by Abdou Cisse

Over by Jörn Threllfall

Standby by Charlotte Regan

World of Glory by Roy Andersson

 

Long Take Shorts

Thunder Road by Jim Cummings

Mama by Andy Muschietti

With a little Patience by Laszlo Nemes

Incident by a bank by Ruben Östlund

 

Narrative Shorts - Authored Voices

Believe by Paul Wright

The Mass of Men by Gabriel Gauchet

Azaar by Myriam Raja

Six Shooter by Martin McDonagh

Wasp by Andrea Arnold

Boy and the Bicycle by Ridley Scott

Gasman by Lynne Ramsay

Nosebleed by Luna Carmoon

 

Proof of Concept Shorts

Boiling Point by Philip Barantini

Brian & Charles by Jim Archer

Lights Out by David F. Sandberg

Whiplash by Damien Chazelle

 

Documentary Short

Black Sheep by Ed Perkins

Black Cop by Charish Oteka

 

Credits

Music by Oliver Wegmüller

 

Socials

The Directors' Take: Twitter (X) & Instagram

Marcus: Twitter (X) & Instagram

Oz: Twitter (X) & Instagram

 

If you have any questions relating to the episode or have topics you would like covering in future releases, reach out to us at TheDirectorsTake@Outlook.com.