Keep it short, sweet!

Gurnaaz Kaur

To stop this pandemic means to sit at home. Now, that means finding something new and entertaining to stay occupied. As part of binge-watching, most of you would have already exhausted the entire catalogue of movies and shows on OTT platforms. So, what next? What about those who do not have the energy or bandwidth to invest in a full-length feature film or eight seasons of a show? Whether you are out of content or do not want to commit to something time-consuming, it is short films that can come to your rescue!

Family affair

Featuring a stellar cast, including the likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth and new-age actors, such as Priyanka Chopra, Ranbir Kapoor and others, Family is a short film that is ‘made at home. All in four minutes, the film depicts a minor crisis and how a family deals with it. But it has an underlying message. It urges one to stay at home and highlights the importance of hygiene as well as social distancing. What’s more, it is for a cause - to support the workers and daily-wagers of the film industry.

Regional tadka

Message being central to all short films, this lockdown has seen the release of other films in the format. There is a Telugu short film Manasanamaha, which has been garnering appreciation. Written and directed by Deepak Reddy, it is a story of a youngster recounting experiences from his past relationships and musing on the nature of love.

Mobile mode

This 21-day period of being home became an inspiration for Kerala-based Vivek Ramachandran, who attempted a Malayalam short by the same theme. Titled Lockdown Days, it has been shot on mobile cameras and DSLRs by people from various parts of the world.

Animation rocks

If you are an animation fan, there is a surprise for you as well. Disney too is getting some real work done from home. On April 6, it digitally released a short film featuring animated snowman Olaf from Frozen. It’s made by Josh Gad, voice behind the character, and animator Hyrum Osmond,. This is not all, At Home with Olaf will consist of 20 unique shots to help keep quarantined kids entertained.

Remain indoors

These are examples that show crisis can bring out creativity. And National Award-winning director Onir believes it too. In his recent tweet, he invited budding filmmakers to use their time in the lockdown in making short films indoors, which Sanjay Suri and he will judge. He said, “If you are getting frustrated indoors, if you ever wanted to make a film, if you are an aspiring filmmaker, use this time to make a 2-minute film. The film has to be shot strictly indoors following all lockdown guidelines. Practice social distancing.”

Satire realm

Making a short film is one aspect of the craft, working on it is another. Actress Pavleen Gujral, who has worked in two short films Astley ka Intezaar, a Ruskin Bond story, and her latest being, The Dirty World, shares, “It is a satire on the business of filmmaking, particularly the film festival circuit.” The film is especially being liked by filmmakers. But that’s the thing about this format, “I think short films are a great medium to explore out-of-the-box ideas.” Among her favourite short films are Chutney and Juice.

Sahil Brow, who has acted in short film The Icebox, agrees with her. He says, “It’s a very tough task when it comes to conceptualising and executing short films. While budget and technical aspects can pose a challenge, a filmmaker can take more liberties with this format.”

Having worked in many TV shows and movies, including Mission Mangal, Amitt K Singh has debuted on the digital platform with web series Bhaukaal on MX Player. He wants to make sure to tick the short film experience on his list. But it has to be something like Bombay Mirror. “This short film is a perfect example of originality, well-crafted piece of cinema with a strong message.”