Script - Rochelle Parker

The protagonist is walking through the entrance of Richmond Park and is talking directly to the camera.

Harley: “I’ve had enough of boys. My last three have been absolute jokes! First there was James, he was with me...and about three other girls too! Then Connor, he was beautiful but he kissed like a bloody hoover. He had to go. Finally, there was my most recent boyfriend Nathan. Don’t even get me started on him. I mean, everything started out great. At the beginning he was  lovely and I really liked him.

Cutaway

  

Harley (Voiceover): He used to take me out to all these posh restaurants and surprise me all the time. He even bought me this beautiful necklace. He was THE most perfect boyfriend.

Cutaway shows the couple walking along Richmond Bridge holding hands and the boyfriend giving his girlfriend a necklace.

End of Cutaway

Harley: But then, he started to get a bit...controlling. It started out innocent enough like a few texts here and there to see where I was... 

Cutaway

Harley (Voiceover): It started out innocent enough like a few texts here and there to see where I was...but eventually he got more possessive, starting full blow arguments just because I went out with my friends! I couldn’t deal with it anymore. I had to end it.

Cutaway shows protagonist and her friends dressed up ready to go out, laughing around at a bus stop. Protagonist then walks away and is having an argument with boyfriend on her phone. Argument is made obvious by body language and facial expressions.

End of Cutaway

Harley: I wanted to remain friends with him but he made it impossible. He was practically stalking me...turning up everywhere I went, begging me to get back with him. I mean babe...get over it!

Cutaway

Harley (Voiceover): Anyways last night I was on my way back from Stacey’s house and he turned up accusing me of cheating on him when we were together.

Cutaway shows protagonist walking through park on the phone unaware that her ex-boyfriend is watching her

End of Cutaway

 Harley: I told him he was mad and that my biggest regret was ever going out with him. That’s when flipped...Look what the psycho did to me.

Synopsis - Rochelle Parker

The shot opens up to a teenage girl walking down a spacious street and eventually entering a big park. Whilst walking she directs the camera and talks about her three previous boyfriends. She talks the most about her most recent boyfriend and goes on to describe the stages of their relationship. As she describes, a series of cutaways are shown to illustrate what she is saying. The further she walks, the more secluded her surrounding area becomes. Eventually she stops walking and says her final line ‘Look what the psycho did to me…’ A body lying on the floor then comes into view and we see that she is looking over her own dead body.

London Short Film Festval

The London Short Film Festival was founded in 2003 by Philip Ilson and Kate Taylor. The festival originally started out as the Halloween Short Film Festival but later in 2008 changed to The London Short Film Festival.

The 2010 LSFF was the 7^th edition and took place in January in ten different London venues over a period of ten days. It is a popular event with over 6000 tickets being sold each year. LSFF accept submissions from different styles and genres of short film and some of the awards given out are:

• UK FILM COUNCIL AWARD for Best Film of the Festival
• VAUXHALL AUTEUR THEORY AWARD
• Darryl’s Lo-Budget Film Award
• Sci-Fi London Award for Best Horror Film

Funded by the UK Film Council, LSFF works with some of Britain’s imminent filmmakers to showcase over 200 films at their events. They also run a programme called Transformative Training offering expert advice through one on one sessions for both experienced and new filmmakers.

Submissions for the LSFF in January 2011 are now open

‘Cannes may have Borat in a thong, Sundance may have condiments with Robert
Redford’s face on them, but only the freakiest film festival in town can offer poledancers and a film competition judged by Larry Clark. How d’you like them apples,London?’ - Empire     

Short Film Festivals

Short film festivals are normally held annually worldwide. From independent filmmakers to established studios, they all gather together to celebrate short film and award the shorts that have managed to amaze the judges and the audiences. They are a way for aspiring filmmakers to gain recognition in the film industry and show off their work.

Many short film festivals started off small scale, created by independent filmmakers wanting somewhere to showcase their work. For example Shane Meadows created ‘the short film festival ‘Six of the best’ because there was nowhere for him and others to exhibit their short films. Over the years film festivals have grown into the acclaimed events that they are today.

Depending on the festival, the requirements for entry can be different. The amount of films shown and the number of awards can vary but in general the common awards at all of the festivals are:

• Best short film
• Audience favourite
• Best Director
• Best script

Short Film Websites

CoffeeShorts

A top quality website supporting filmmakers by allowing them to upload their music videos, documentaries, experimental, animation and independent film trailers.  Only the best make it on to their site and many of the filmmakers have won prestigious film awards. CoffeShorts also has a directory of some of the top short film and independent film directors for people to view and do their own research on.




BBC Film Network

The BBC’s video site has over 400 short films uploaded by British filmmakers. Categorised by animation, artist’s moving image, music, drama, comedy and documentary it is simple for users to navigate their way around, and rate and comment their opinions on the films they watch. Any British filmmaker can submit their film onto the BBC Film Network with the following details:

• your contact details
• your film's details - including length, funding details, production company, a synopsis (of less than 100 words) and log line or short description (20 words)festival screenings and award details
• crew and cast names
• a short fact about the making of you film

The film may not be published but it will definitely be viewed by the panel at the BBC Film Network.

How the internet has changed Short film

The internet has been the saviour to short film, enabling it to regain its once highly regarded place in the film industry. The internet has acted as a portal allowing anybody’s experiments and ideas to be viewed, rated and shared by the masses.

The different styles and genres of short film are broad so sites such as Youtube, Vimeo, Veoh etc. offer the public a chance to share their short films and see them appreciated by others with interests in that particular field.

Thanks to the internet, short films can rapidly be spread from person to person. Social networking sites such as Facebook & Twitter mean that if just one person were to share a video with their friends list, it could potentially be viewed by more than a thousand people.

However it isn’t just amateurs who use the internet to show their short films. Top film directors also do this including director Spike Jonze. His short film ‘I’m here’ was made available via the internet. This is fast becoming the case for many directors. At the click of a button a director can get worldwide recognition without even needing a budget.

Now that more and more people are using the internet (2010 world statistics- 6,845,609,960 people worldwide) and the internet can be reached virtually anywhere - phones, home, work, school etc. the future for short film seems as though it can only get bigger and continue to grow.

Case Study:SilverFilms

Janey De Nordwall is the producer of the award winning short film ‘ About a girl’. She owns ‘Silverfilms’ along with director richard oliver who joined her ten years after she started the company in 1996.

Silverfilms combine filmmaking and advertising which is evident in much of their work, particularly their automotive work. They make commercials for big name brands such as Lexus. Unlike other car commercials, Silverfilms give the cars character and through use of lighting, camera angles and editing techniques effectively set the desired mood to target their audience.  This shows that they are versatile to their working subject and can still create an effective narrative.

Silverfilms worked with a major charity to raise awareness of their cause and created ‘Gardens with Red Roses. Through their work, Silverfilms try to convey messages. Whether it be ‘buy me (car commercials)’, ‘help me’ (Gardens with red roses)’, or ‘look at our society’ (About a girl).

De Nordwall and Oliver are open to new talent and give freelancers the opportunity to work with them by just sending an email.