Short/Feature Length at DVinfo.net

Kevin Lee · April 21st, 2004, 09:38 AM

What length/duration distinguishes a short from a feature?
short = less than 60 mins?
feature = over 60 mins?
Is there an official standard amongst filmfests and distributors?

Cheers.

Ed Smith · April 21st, 2004, 10:07 AM

I thought shorts were between 5 - 30 minutes?

Thanks,

Ed

Keith Loh · April 21st, 2004, 10:27 AM

Anything less than feature-length is not a feature. That's all I know. A feature length is around 90 minutes, though they've also released a 74 minute feature theatrically this year. Most of the straight to video kids movies are less than feature-length. For example, the sequels to popular theatrical films.

Documentaries are judged differently as I've seen documentaries that are categorized as documentary features sometimes no more than 60 minutes in length.

Kevin Lee · April 21st, 2004, 10:51 AM

thanks for the replies thus far.

Any more?

What do the more notable film fests accept as a feature length (minimum)?

I'm pretty sure straight-to-video/dvd is an open field provided content is compelling...

Keith Loh · April 21st, 2004, 11:07 AM

You could look it up on their websites...

Kevin Lee · April 21st, 2004, 11:18 AM

And i sure did. Thanks Keith.

Had a peep at Cannes...
The short film length for Cannes is 15mins. Feature is longer than 60 minutes.

Interesting....

Imran Zaidi · April 21st, 2004, 11:23 AM

75th Academy Awards Rules
http://academyawards.20m.com/rules.htm

Interesting... a feature is "defined as over 40 minutes".

Who woulda thunk it.

Kevin Lee · April 21st, 2004, 11:33 AM

And.... Slamdance short is 10mins...

40mins? hmm...

Federico Dib · April 21st, 2004, 12:55 PM

To my understanding (around here at least)
There are:

- Short up til 30 min.

-"Medium Film" (don´t know the name in english) from 30 to 60.

- After 60´ everything is Feature.

Of course, then every festival I´ve seen has it´s own rules, and most of them don´t take more than 15 to 20 for short films.

Allthough I´ve seen a few "Medium Films" I´v actually never seen the "Medium" category anywhere but in books or classroom.

Evan Fullwood · April 21st, 2004, 05:50 PM

I would have to say that
Short-5 to 30 minuets.
Featured Film-60 and up

Thats what i would think anyway.short films are usually like 5 or 10 minuets but then there are some that are a half hour.

Josh Brusin · April 21st, 2004, 06:09 PM

I'm trying to stretch a feature right now to 75 minutes having heard 74-78... depends on the festival and usually for distributors.

Glenn Gipson · April 21st, 2004, 09:22 PM

To my knowledge, everything under 79 minutes is a short (technically) and anything over 79 minutes is a feature. In other words, anything at least 80 minutes is feature length.

Robert Knecht Schmidt · April 21st, 2004, 09:47 PM

If you're making a short, try to keep it right around 6 minutes. Those are the ones that tend to get the most attention, get accepted to festivals, win prizes, etc. 30 minute shorts have virtually no market. Keep it brief, keep it good.

Further, I would say: don't try to tell a story with a short. That's what features are for. With a short, your goal should be to say something new about some theme, to innovate rather than strictly elaborate. If you start to get wrapped up in characters and plotting and twists and suspense, you're going to find yourself with a 15 to 45 page script that really won't please anybody. The best shorts actually tend to have very little dialogue.

Rob Lohman · April 22nd, 2004, 02:09 AM

Is the middle called TV? So therefore it would go something like:

< 20 minutes = short
20 - 60 mins = TV episode / series
> 60 mins = feature

But ofcourse to every rule are exception. Just think about the
Taken mini-series. Each episode was 1.5 hours without taking
commercials into account I believe.

Dean Bull · April 22nd, 2004, 03:54 AM

This is in response to Robert on his generally good advice about short films.

On a whole many short films have been very successful (i.e. getting people jobs working in Hollywood, or winning awards in the completely apolitical festival arena) that have demonstrated many of the principals Robert mentioned (6min length-no plot-one note-one theme-etc) However I find it rather difficult to completely endorse an idea that to make a good short film one must disregard the fundamental purpose of movies -- storytelling. Not to create a philosophical argument about the "real" purpose of the motion picture arts -- but I will suggest that perhaps a few too many short films have colored our perception of what a "good" short film is because of the success the filmmakers experienced afterwards, and now many short films feel empty (at least to me) because they are completely one note-one idea-plot less and as satisfying as a fast-food lunch.

The most refreshing short films do not shy away from telling the big story; instead they use an economy of technique and rely on subtext and world consciousness to paint the larger picture.

What a ramble on about short films from me! Anyway, all I can say is short films are short so if one doesn't work for you make another and all that can really happen is you get better and discover what you want to spend your time REALLY doing.

Dean

April 21st, 2004, 09:38 AM	#1
Kevin Lee Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 224	Short/Feature Length What length/duration distinguishes a short from a feature? short = less than 60 mins? feature = over 60 mins? Is there an official standard amongst filmfests and distributors? Cheers.

April 21st, 2004, 10:07 AM	#2
Ed Smith Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Hampshire, England Posts: 1,545	I thought shorts were between 5 - 30 minutes? Thanks, Ed __________________ Ed Smith Hampshire, UK Good things come to those who wait My Skiing web www.Frostytour.co.uk For quick answers Search dvinfo.net \| The best in the business: dvinfo.net Sponsors

April 21st, 2004, 10:27 AM	#3
Keith Loh Air China Pilot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2,389	Anything less than feature-length is not a feature. That's all I know. A feature length is around 90 minutes, though they've also released a 74 minute feature theatrically this year. Most of the straight to video kids movies are less than feature-length. For example, the sequels to popular theatrical films. Documentaries are judged differently as I've seen documentaries that are categorized as documentary features sometimes no more than 60 minutes in length. __________________ -- Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com \| stuff about living in Vancouver \| My Flickr photo gallery

April 21st, 2004, 11:07 AM	#5
Keith Loh Air China Pilot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2,389	You could look it up on their websites... __________________ -- Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com \| stuff about living in Vancouver \| My Flickr photo gallery

April 21st, 2004, 12:55 PM	#9
Federico Dib Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Barcelona Posts: 312	To my understanding (around here at least) There are: - Short up til 30 min. -"Medium Film" (don´t know the name in english) from 30 to 60. - After 60´ everything is Feature. Of course, then every festival I´ve seen has it´s own rules, and most of them don´t take more than 15 to 20 for short films. Allthough I´ve seen a few "Medium Films" I´v actually never seen the "Medium" category anywhere but in books or classroom. __________________ Messenger Boy : The Thessalonian you're fighting, he's the biggest man I've ever seen. I wouldn't want to fight him. Achilles : That is why no one will remember your name.

April 21st, 2004, 10:51 AM	#4
Kevin Lee Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 224	thanks for the replies thus far. Any more? What do the more notable film fests accept as a feature length (minimum)? I'm pretty sure straight-to-video/dvd is an open field provided content is compelling...

April 21st, 2004, 11:18 AM	#6
Kevin Lee Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 224	And i sure did. Thanks Keith. Had a peep at Cannes... The short film length for Cannes is 15mins. Feature is longer than 60 minutes. Interesting....

April 21st, 2004, 11:23 AM	#7
Imran Zaidi Trustee Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 1,315	75th Academy Awards Rules http://academyawards.20m.com/rules.htm Interesting... a feature is "defined as over 40 minutes". Who woulda thunk it.

April 21st, 2004, 11:33 AM	#8
Kevin Lee Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 224	And.... Slamdance short is 10mins... 40mins? hmm...

April 21st, 2004, 05:50 PM	#10
Evan Fullwood New Boot Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Fernandina beach florida Posts: 13	I would have to say that Short-5 to 30 minuets. Featured Film-60 and up Thats what i would think anyway.short films are usually like 5 or 10 minuets but then there are some that are a half hour.

April 21st, 2004, 06:09 PM	#11
Josh Brusin Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 439	I'm trying to stretch a feature right now to 75 minutes having heard 74-78... depends on the festival and usually for distributors.

April 21st, 2004, 09:22 PM	#12
Glenn Gipson Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Plainfield, New Jersey Posts: 927	To my knowledge, everything under 79 minutes is a short (technically) and anything over 79 minutes is a feature. In other words, anything at least 80 minutes is feature length.

April 21st, 2004, 09:47 PM	#13
Robert Knecht Schmidt Wrangler Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 1,933	If you're making a short, try to keep it right around 6 minutes. Those are the ones that tend to get the most attention, get accepted to festivals, win prizes, etc. 30 minute shorts have virtually no market. Keep it brief, keep it good. Further, I would say: don't try to tell a story with a short. That's what features are for. With a short, your goal should be to say something new about some theme, to innovate rather than strictly elaborate. If you start to get wrapped up in characters and plotting and twists and suspense, you're going to find yourself with a 15 to 45 page script that really won't please anybody. The best shorts actually tend to have very little dialogue. __________________ All the best, Robert K S Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| The best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

April 22nd, 2004, 02:09 AM	#14
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	Is the middle called TV? So therefore it would go something like: < 20 minutes = short 20 - 60 mins = TV episode / series > 60 mins = feature But ofcourse to every rule are exception. Just think about the Taken mini-series. Each episode was 1.5 hours without taking commercials into account I believe. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

April 22nd, 2004, 03:54 AM	#15
Dean Bull Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 106	In response to short film's not needing story This is in response to Robert on his generally good advice about short films. On a whole many short films have been very successful (i.e. getting people jobs working in Hollywood, or winning awards in the completely apolitical festival arena) that have demonstrated many of the principals Robert mentioned (6min length-no plot-one note-one theme-etc) However I find it rather difficult to completely endorse an idea that to make a good short film one must disregard the fundamental purpose of movies -- storytelling. Not to create a philosophical argument about the "real" purpose of the motion picture arts -- but I will suggest that perhaps a few too many short films have colored our perception of what a "good" short film is because of the success the filmmakers experienced afterwards, and now many short films feel empty (at least to me) because they are completely one note-one idea-plot less and as satisfying as a fast-food lunch. The most refreshing short films do not shy away from telling the big story; instead they use an economy of technique and rely on subtext and world consciousness to paint the larger picture. What a ramble on about short films from me! Anyway, all I can say is short films are short so if one doesn't work for you make another and all that can really happen is you get better and discover what you want to spend your time REALLY doing. Dean