Short films, and the people making their first.
Guides for new filmmakers, a directory of short film festivals, reviews, and the archive of a small London festival that gave first-timers a screen from 2011 to 2015.
- 2011 1st edition, New Diorama Theatre The festival began in October 2011 as one evening of curated short films at the New Diorama Theatre in London.
- 2012 2nd edition The second Greenhorn festival in 2012, whose programme included Don't Hug Me I'm Scared, the puppet short that went on to reach millions online.
- 2013 3rd edition, New Diorama Theatre The third Greenhorn, on 6 October 2013 at the New Diorama Theatre, paired screenings with a panel on where short film ends and artist moving image begins.
- 2014 4th edition, ArtHouse Crouch End The fourth Greenhorn moved to the ArtHouse in Crouch End, grew to three days and launched the Young Greenhorn award, won by Ed Chappell's Sandyman.
- 2015 5th edition, ArtHouse Crouch End Greenhorn's fifth festival, 11–15 November 2015 at the ArtHouse Crouch End, with a ten-film selection, a Japan strand and a Best of the Fest award for Charity.
Making and submitting
All guides-
How to choose the right short film festivals
How to build a festival list that fits your short film, from award-qualifying festivals to genre, local and student events, without wasting your budget.
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How to make a short film on a low budget
Where the money goes on a short film, what you can do without and how to make a first short look and sound good for very little.
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How to fund a short film in the UK
The realistic options for paying for a short film, including public funds, crowdfunding, schemes for new filmmakers, in-kind support and your own money, and how to apply for each.
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How to write a short film script
How short film scripts differ from features, how to find an idea that fits the form, how to adapt existing stories and the mistakes programmers see most.
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How to submit a short film to festivals
A step-by-step guide to festival submissions for first-time filmmakers, covering materials, platforms, fees, premiere rules and what happens after you press submit.
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How long should a short film be?
The official limits that define a short film, what festivals actually prefer and why shorter is usually better for a first film.
Where to send your film
Festival directory (18)- York, UK
Aesthetica Short Film Festival
A large BAFTA-qualifying short film festival in York, with many genre categories and a strong industry programme.
- Clermont-Ferrand, France
Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival
The biggest short film festival in the world, and its biggest short film market. What it programmes, how to submit and what to expect as a first-time filmmaker.
- Bristol, UK
Encounters Film Festival
Bristol's festival of short film and animation is one of the UK's most important launchpads for new filmmakers, with Oscar, BAFTA and BIFA qualifying awards.
- Annecy, France
Annecy International Animation Film Festival
The world’s leading animation festival and market, with Oscar-qualifying short film awards and a graduation film competition.
- London, UK
London Short Film Festival
London's main short film festival, held every winter across the city's independent cinemas, with BAFTA and BIFA qualifying awards.
- Tokyo, Japan
Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia
Asia’s leading short film festival, founded in Tokyo in 1999, with Oscar-qualifying awards. It partnered with Greenhorn on a Japanese shorts strand in 2015.
Watching
All films-
What makes a great short film?
Short films are not small features. Seven qualities that festival favourites share, with examples from the films Greenhorn screened between 2011 and 2015.
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Where to watch great short films online
The best free and curated places to watch short films online, from Short of the Week and Vimeo Staff Picks to national film archives.
Short film in London
More London-
Where to watch short films in London
Festivals, independent cinemas and regular nights where you can see short films on a big screen in London.