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Marilyn Horowitz

Marilyn Horowitz

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How long should a short film be?

January 24, 2010 by Marilyn Horowitz

My students are quite prolific and write both feature-length and short films. The number one question I’m asked about a short film is: How long should it be?

There’s no official rule about a short’s length but I recommend writers try to keep it under fifteen minutes. It’s hard to get it seen or sold if it’s much longer.

One of my colleagues spent more than $10,000 to make a 30-minute film. A year later they still can’t find a distributor,

On the other hand, two of my students made films of 12 minutes or less. Both placed highly in short film festivals.

Short films are a unique form – and just as difficult to write as a feature-length – that can be thought of as a short story with a punch line.

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  • Home
  • About
  • Writing Services
  • Writing Guidance
    • Writing Evaluation
    • Writing Guidance
    • Comprehensive Packages
    • Ongoing Coaching
  • Classes & Seminars
    • New York University Classes
    • Seminars
    • Free Video Tutorials
    • Movie Breakdowns
    • Online Stores
  • Books & Media
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Scripting
    • What is Scripting?
    • Scripting Cheat Sheet
    • Free Scripting Class
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