It’s near to impossible to predict the future of the film industry, especially in the context of a global pandemic, social unrest, financial turbulence, and instability.
However, even if the current situation is fluid, there are plenty of cues that help us see through the blurriness of our times and make our estimates as to where the short film production is heading this year.
Whilst ongoing significant changes, such as the decline of movie theaters and their gradual replacement from streaming platforms, are already happening, COVID-19 seems to accelerate the process. Major theaters and independent providers are seeking help from government support to make ends meet or in some cases, they go bankrupt.
Against all odds, theatrical releases are not yet dead and short filmmakers are still finding the way through.
The transition to the virtual format has not proven deadly for short-form film content. Streaming platforms seem to have given space and helped the creation of some sort of short movie hype.
Short-length narratives that can be produced and distributed quickly work well in this case as the lockdown restrictions require versatile solutions. Things are changing fast and the element of immediacy seems to be key.
What is for sure is that nothing will be the same moving forward so here are three takes on how things in the short film business will be like in 2021.
- Streaming platforms have resurrected short Films
In recent decades, the popularity of lengthy, multi-reel formats has become predominant and an even more recent craze for series has turned short films into the underdog of the film industry. However, a combination of a digital tech revolution and a worldwide pandemic has brought about an unprecedented demand for streaming companies which in turn triggered a shifting landscape.
Short films are growing in demand as the emerging streaming platforms have come with a new, growing online audience and an appetite for different types of content.
Short-length films have started getting remarkable traction.
Here’s a couple of good examples:
- The Neighbors’ Window – Director: Marshall Curry (2020)
- Netflix’s “Homemade” – produced by filmmakers from all around the world (2020)
- Bloeistraat 11 – director: Nienke Deutz (2020)
Even though still great hosting sites, Youtube and Vimeo are now not the sole hope of someone who wants to try to explore the fascinating world of short films.
Platforms like Discover Film, Criterionchannel, and Miniflix.TV are now great places one can find award-winning short films featured together with a well-curated selection of other short films.
- Recent days social turbulence requires immediacy
A global pandemic, Black Lives Matter, US elections 2020, the killing of George Floyd are some of the critical events that triggered unprecedented international social response.
Mass movements and social indignation have spread across the globe and created the need for immediate capture of the unfolding events.
With a smartphone camera being ubiquitous and a vision for social justice, great short films naturally sprung up addressing social issues such the BLM, police brutality, national lockdowns, the integrity of democratic elections, and many more.
Short films and genres such as video essays focused around an idea rather than a plot per se. Current events of our time have been put under the spotlight and short film storytellers discussed, amongst others, growing social and financial inequality, power relations within the society, and social unrest.
In this context, short-length film productions have been proven to be more relevant and versatile over lengthy features. The velocity in which things are developing nowadays requires immediacy, an instantaneous response so that the events around us make more sense.
As access to technology is getting more and more democratized, it would be reasonable to expect more growth in documentary shorts, film essays, footage shorts, and other where people can voice their standpoints on sensitive social affairs.
Drive-In Theater might be the answer
During the first part of the pandemic as well as in recent months social distancing has become the norm and lo and behold, Drive-In Theaters are back. These types of theaters have grown popular in parts of the US and Europe as they offer exclusivity and allow for people to keep a safe distance.
Having a theatrical experience while being with others in an open-air theater has emerged as the predominant niche in the US box office during the pandemic. It seems that for the most part, drive-ins dominated the film scenery.
This poses a unique opportunity for short filmmakers who aspire to screen locally to find their way to vast audiences that are even oblivious of the concept of short-form movies.
Short film producers are catching up with this growing trend before features leveraging curated series.
Having said that, it’s needless to say that of course, the traditional movie theater is not
going anywhere yet. but we’re just stressing out the fact that this is great momentum and opportunity for short-form film stakeholders.
2021 is going to be a fertile ground for experimentation in film distribution and the arrival of talkies has to come to confirm this. There will be whole new spaces where short films can be seen and embraced by people.