History of Short Films

The History of short film dates back to the beginning of cinema, short films have moved from being the only form of cinema to only today representing a small fraction of the industry. The first films made were shorts they were about a minute long usually documentary, music hall acts or dramas and the beginning of cinema largely relied on the audiences amazement's so as people became accustomed to the wonders and revelations of moving images it meant the complexity, depth and length of films were increased and a programme would be made up of a number of films.

The first public show was held by the Lumiere Brothers in Paris in the year 1895, it come to London in February 1895. The next month the first British film gained its first exhibition organised by R.W Paul. Interest in moving image was high in Europe and the United States and ideas for equipment, techniques and content spread between countries.

Milies become a specialist in fantasies films using trick photography, he bought his first camera from Paul when the Lumière Brothers refused to supply him with one, and many film makers were involved in the production and exhibition of older technologies. Moving image composition often used photographic conventions while drawing on theatrical devices for framing and staging action an example of this is in ‘Workers Leaving a Factory’ the camera is static and gates open and close just as curtains would in a theater.

Between 1896 and 1906 thousands of short films drama and documentaries were produced by film companies across Britain for example The Hepworth Manufacturing Company at Walton-on-Thames produced a hundred films a year. The art of film making was growing and complex drams using spectacle or emotion were introduced to appeal to the audience and trick films using double exposure appealed to audiences eg. G.A Smith ‘The Corsican 1897, The Fairy Godmother 1898 and Faust Mephistopheles 1898. Narratives were extended and become more complex.

Competition increased mostly form the USA and this led to the amount of films being shown and money being invested in British film industry falling.Wars saw a great decline in the European Film industries the Cecil Hepworth’ studio continued until 1923 when it went bankrupt, from 1927 legislation was brought in to try to protect local product against imports and to encourage investments.

Since 1939 state subsidy in various forms has ensured that short films continue to be made. Government commissions particularly of documentary animation and feature films, become important during wartime. Nation film finance corporation was set up in 1949 new directors and maker of short films were among these who helped. Priority was feature film production in the years 1973-81 they only contributed to funding only six shorts.

The Eady Levy began in the 1950 a percentage which went to the BFI Production Board, the board has been a great pioneer of short film and has helped promote more culturally diverse productions. National Film Finance Corporation and Eady Levy were dismantled in 1985 and British Screen set up in 1986. Funding was also came through the Arts Council and regional arts board. In 1995 National Lottery become important in short film funding also which also saw the launch of Film Council in 2001 has increased budgets being devoted to short films.

Phil Parker. (2006). Short Film. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_film. Last accessed 29/01/2010.

Eileen Elsey and Andrew Kelly (2002). In Short, A guide to Fil-making in the Digital Age. British Film Institute: BFI Publising. 1-2.