Short films can convey entire worlds within minutes through their creative use of visuals and succinct storytelling. As both an art form and a medium, short films have seen a major surge in popularity on video sites and festivals in recent years. Show
Writing reviews of short films serve multiple useful purposes. For viewers, it provides helpful critique and analysis to evaluate a film’s strengths and weaknesses before watching. For aspiring filmmakers and students, reviews can provide insights into how to craft compelling stories and technical execution. For festivals and competitions, judges have to write critiques. So how exactly should you critique a short film and write an effective review? Follow the guidelines below to cover all the key elements. Watch Closely and Take NotesStart by viewing the short film once or twice to grasp the full experience. Resist the urge to be distracted by your phone or laptop during the screening, since shorts require close attention to detail. Take notes during each viewing on aspects you notice:
Pay attention to subtleties like costumes, props, and set design that might provide additional context. Your notes will provide the evidence to back up your analysis later. Analyze All the Key ElementsA short film review should examine each of the main aspects individually to assess their effectiveness. Consider the categories below when analyzing: Story and Plot
Acting and Characters
Cinematography
Light and Color
Sound and Editing
Identify if the film follows conventions of or subverts its genres. Look for any symbolism conveyed visually or metaphorically. Examine if the setting is used purposefully to drive the narrative or make societal comments. Provide Background and ContextGive readers context on when this short film was produced, where it fits in the filmmakers’ careers, and what awards or festivals it has been a part of. For example: “Directed by Wes Anderson in 2004 while he was an up-and-coming indie icon, Hotel Chevalier serves as a prologue to his feature The Darjeeling Limited. Running just 13 minutes, it stars Natalie Portman and Jason Schwartzman as former lovers reconnecting in a Paris hotel room. The short premiered at the Venice Film Festival and was later released through iTunes to build anticipation for Anderson’s full-length film.” Background details like the ones above help set the stage for deeper analysis. Also, call out if the short is part of an anthology or based on a pre-existing story. This background should be concise, only 1-2 paragraphs. Discuss Your Impressions and ReactionsA short film review should absolutely share your subjective thoughts, impressions, and emotional reactions as a viewer:
Be specific in calling out 1-2 of the most powerful moments that left an impact. Discuss why they worked well based on cinematography, acting, and editing choices that brought the scenes to life. Evaluating a short’s ability to evoke specific reactions or feelings in the viewer is an essential part of the critique. Evaluate Overall Success and ImpactYour review should judge the effectiveness of the short film as a whole. Important questions to answer:
Essentially, you want to assess the level of impact the short film had as an immersive experience. This involves both an objective eye to issues with execution and a subjective feeling of its emotional resonance. Provide Recommendations for ViewersWrap up your short film review by clearly recommending whether or not readers should seek out this title – and why: “With its unique blend of stylized animation and a thoughtful allegory on, Brotherhood achieves impressive depth and complexity in 25 short minutes. Fans of allegorical fiction and visual storytelling should not miss this timeless, poignant work.” You can draw parallels to existing writers, directors, or specific works that could help give viewers a sense of what tone or style this short channels. Highlighting film festival accolades can further validate it as a must-watch. Conclusion – Short Film ReviewsWriting a compelling short film review requires not just analyzing the technical elements but also the emotional impact of concise visual storytelling. Follow the steps above to examine themes, style, and execution while conveying your personal impressions. With these guidelines, your reviews will provide help both viewers looking for new short films to watch and aspiring filmmakers looking to learn. What short films have you seen lately that you would recommend to our readers? Let us know in the comments below! Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat should be included in a short film review?A short film review should include an overview of the plot, an analysis of technical elements like cinematography and editing, a discussion of major themes, an assessment of the acting performances, your subjective reactions and impression of the film, and a summary opinion on whether it’s worth watching. What are the 7 steps to writing a movie review?The 7 steps to write a movie review are:
How long should a short film review be?A short film review should generally be between 500-1,000 words long. This provides enough space to summarize the plot, analyze key elements, and give an opinion without being overly long. What are the 4 components of a film review?The 4 main components of a film review are:
How long is a typical short film?Short films are usually defined as anything less than 40 minutes long, but most range from 5-30 minutes in length. The average short film duration is about 20 minutes. How do you structure a film review?A film review should open with an introduction that gives background context, followed by a discussion of technical elements and themes, give subjective impressions, and wrap up with an evaluation and opinion on watching the film. How long should a short film review be?While film reviews tend to be fairly short (approximately 600 to 1200 words), they require a lot of preparation before you begin writing. Prior to viewing the film, you may want to get a sense of the bodies of work by the director, writer, or individual actor. How do you Analyse a short film?A short film should be analysed almost the same way as a feature film. However, as a short film is a lot shorter than a feature film, elements such as setting and characters are treated differently. Often, there is only one character in a short film and setting may not be of relevance. What are the 7 steps to writing a movie review?How to write a movie review. Content. A film's content includes its plot (what it's about), characters, and setting. ... . Form. ... . Watch the movie. ... . Watch the movie again and take notes. ... . Evaluate the film's form and content. ... . Write your review. ... . Create citations. ... . Revise and proofread.. How do you write a short review of a video?To inform – the review needs to tell people who made the video, the type of video (e.g., interview, animation, etc.) and where it can be viewed. To describe - the review should describe what the video is about (the subject) To analyze – the review provides an opinion on whether the video is good or not and why. |