Shorts 2 Features: Panel Discussion

New to Encounters this year has been the very welcome introduction of the Shorts 2 Features strand, in which directors who started off in short film but have now gone on to direct feature-length pieces introduce screenings of their new films, accompanied by a question-and-answer session with the audience afterwards; a hugely valuable series of events not just for those interested in cinematic forms but also for other makers of short film seeking advice about how to follow in their footsteps.

Saturday afternoon at the Festival saw a panel discussion examining the implications of such a move to longer duration filmmaking, revealingly divided into three segments. Speaking first, Producers Chris Moll and Kate Swan discussed the economic challenges in making the leap to features; underlying nearly all of what was being said was the upcoming redefinition of the UK Film Council funding structure which, given the relatively plentiful monies available in last 5 or 6 years but the projected tougher times ahead, will probably result in many fewer films gaining this form of 'soft' financial assistance. Therefore, filmmakers in the future need to start considering seeking other funding streams such as branding and equity. Emphasis was also placed on the problem that many 'British' films receive significant financing from abroad, and that in order for auteur voices to emerge the UK needs to adapt its funding structure to a model closer to that of its more successful continental equivalents.

Discussed as being of central importance to the success of a feature film, particularly in non-mainstream cinema likely to be restricted to a niche market, is ensuring that that potential audience is made sufficiently aware of its existence in the marketplace. So too, it was argued, is there an onus on the filmmaker themselves to tell a story which transcends individual concerns and communicates something to that audience; if British film is to have a wider cultural value, then self-indulgence must be sacrificed. That is not to say there is no space for individuality - indeed, Chris Moll stressed that the short film was important as a calling card for drawing attention to a director's interest in particular themes and the visual language they employ – but cited David Puttnam's speech at Edinburgh early this year which called for engagement with the wider culture in which we live.

The second strand of the discussion focused on the technical side of feature film, featuring BAFTA-nominated Dubbing Editor Paul Cowgill and award-winning cinematographer Terry Flaxton, during which two major themes emerged. Firstly, whilst copious, detailed preparation is essential to a successful shoot, as soon as the camera rolls for the first take, the filmmaker must be able to be flexible. Flaxton amusingly described the regular 'Wednesday' moment in the middle of a shoot when the director often breaks down at the huge gulf between what they had hoped to shoot and what they were actually getting in the can. The lesson is that shoots never go entirely according to plan, and the trick for the director is to work those creases into their aesthetic. Lost in La Mancha is therefore essential viewing for a glimpse into the real, messy world of filmmaking.

The other main comment, and perhaps gripe, on the speakers' part, was the way directors tend to follow stylistic paradigms when it came to approaching a film's visual and sound design, playing it safe rather than doing anything interestingly experimental. If the chief concerns when choosing a Director of Photography should include their ability to shoot beautifully, inexpensively and quickly, then so too should be their ability to stretch themselves beyond the standard range of shooting; thus, while having an seasoned technician on set to advise a rookie director can be a benefit, there may also be a drawback, and a director must sometimes trust their own intuition and vision above those of their often more experienced shooting team.

The final strand of the panel discussion welcomed to the stage two writer/directors who cut their teeth in the short film format but who have now made their names in making features: two-times winner of the Cannes Jury Prize and also winner of a Best Short Film Oscar Andrea Arnold, and experienced music video and commercials director Eran Creevy, whose debut feature Shifty was released earlier this year. When asked what the main difference between making shorts and features was, Arnold likened the former to a poem or a song which may be quickly written and have a poignant simplicity, whereas the latter requires a great deal more writing and consideration of character development. However, for her the distinction between them is not a simple, discrete one: a film is a film, regardless of its length.

One common emphasis both speakers made was that writers shouldn't over-think when it comes to getting their ideas down on paper; Creevy drew the analogy of a sculpture – the first draft is the block of stone which must first be present before it can later be shaped and finely altered down to a finished script. Arnold strongly advocated that writer-directors need mostly to disregard the influence of others' expectations and discover their own voice – if your work lacks personal passion then why should an audience care about it? Both also mentioned the need to forge a trusting, close working relationship with collaborators – specifically Creevy with his producers and Arnold with both her DP and Sound Recordist.

While the two directors talked of much in common with their experiences, what was actually most revealing were the differences. Creevy spoke of the directors he has seen at work previously – including Woody Allen and Antony Minghella – and how differently they approached their craft; during the talk it emerged that while he as a filmmaker is a meticulous planner, taking weeks at a time out to prepare and rehearse with his cast and crew, Arnold by contrast operates on a much more ad hoc basis, preferring things to emerge whilst on set. Further evidence to show that filmmaking has not one but many varied approaches to its craftsmanship.