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.
The official definition
The Academy Awards and the BAFTA short film awards both define a short film as 40 minutes or less, including credits. That is the outer limit. In practice, very few festival shorts are anywhere near it.
What festivals prefer
Programmers build programmes of roughly 90 minutes. A 25-minute film takes the space of three or four shorter films, so it has to be much better than all of them to earn its place. That is why many festivals:
- set their own limits, often 15, 20 or 30 minutes;
- say in their guidelines that they favour shorter films;
- run separate strands for very short films, under 5 minutes or even under 1.
The Greenhorn festival’s 2014 call for entries, for example, accepted only films under 15 minutes from early-career filmmakers. In its 2015 programme, Tusk and Two Films About Loneliness each ran under six minutes, and the award winner, Charity, ran 12.
A rough guide
| Running time | Notes |
|---|---|
| Under 5 minutes | Easiest to programme. Also suits online release, animation and comedy. |
| 5–10 minutes | The sweet spot for most first shorts. |
| 10–15 minutes | Fine if the story needs it. Every minute must earn its place. |
| 15–25 minutes | Harder to programme. Suits strong drama and documentary. |
| 25–40 minutes | Rarely selected unless exceptional. Consider whether it is really a short. |
How to make it shorter
- Cut in the script. One page is roughly one minute. See how to write a short film script.
- Enter scenes late and leave early.
- Trim the credits. Long opening titles and slow end credits add minutes, and festivals count them.
- Show the film to people who don’t know you. Watch where they lose interest.
If your film has to be long, that’s fine. Just be aware of it, and research the festivals that welcome longer shorts before you submit.
Questions people ask
What is the maximum length of a short film?
For the Academy Awards and the BAFTA short film awards, a short film is 40 minutes or less including credits. Many festivals set lower limits, such as 15, 20 or 30 minutes.
What is the ideal length for a festival short?
For a first film, under 15 minutes, and ideally under 10. Shorter films are easier for programmers to fit into a programme, so they tend to be selected more often.