One reason I like Independent Short Films is because of what they represent in terms of influence and impact.

For example, the Independent Short Film La Jetée was made in France in 1962, a good location and era for interesting and creative motion pictures.  This 26-minute film was made entirely from still photographs, with the exception of one moving shot.  It’s title means The Jetty (or The Pier) which refers to the outdoor boarding platform at Orly airport in Paris, where the crucial scene of the film is set.  However, the title also has a revealing twist because it sounds similar to the French phrase “There I was” or La J’Tais.

Itself being inspired from Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, this film was the main inspiration for the film 12 Monkeys with Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt, and many plot elements were borrowed by Terry Gilliam (or rather David and Janet Peoples) for the feature-length film.

Peluca

Peluca was an Independent Short Film made in two days and with a budget of less than $500.  It was shot in 2002 and featured in the 2003 Slamdance Film Festival, considered by some to be more “indie” than Sundance.  This nine-minute Independent Short Film was then expanded into a feature-length film, Napoleon Dynamite, which was featured in the 2004 Sundance Film Festival and was sold on the opening day of the festival to Fox Searchlight for $3.2 million and later earned $44 million in box-office sales.  Thus, it can be reasoned that Peluca was directly or indirectly responsible for the launch of the careers of Jon Heder, Jared and Jerusha Hess, and Jeremy Coon, as well as the aftermath of endless quoting, dancing, and nerd-off competitions around the world.

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Originally posted 2009-05-03 17:16:59.

The hidden potential of Independent Short Film (La Jetée & Peluca) is a post from: Independent Short Films

Technorati Tags: 12 Monkeys, Alfred Hitchcock, Brad Pitt, Bruce Willis, film festival, Fox Searchlight, hidden potential, impact, influence, Jared and Jerusha Hess, Jeremy Coon, Jon Heder, La Jetée, Napoleon Dynamite, Peluca, Slamdance, Sundance, Terry Gilliam, Vertigo

In an acting class long ago, a coach once said, “Don’t tell me, SHOW me.”

I think this is probably part of the standard script for acting classes, but it’s a valid point.  Audiences are usually sophisticated enough to figure things out on their own, and if we rely too heavily on monologues and dialogues, it weakens the story.

I’m reminded of this because I’ve observed that I REALLY like Independent Short Films that have no spoken parts, and I’ve posted more than a few of them, some of which can be found here, here, here, here, and here.  (I would have included this one as well, but the radio signal made me second guess myself.)

Needless to say, Independent Short Films without dialogue really speak to me.

Here are a few Independent Short Films, all with MINIMAL dialogue, which have been getting increasing amounts of attention, so I wanted to bring them to yours.

Signs:

The classic love story of so many Independent Short Films, told here with handwritten signs.

Notte Sento:

Notte Sento (English subtitles) from Daniele Napolitano on Vimeo.

In this Independent Short Film, a deaf girl misses her train to Milan and is set to wait overnight in Rome until dawn. However, a chance encounter with a guy changes her plans and the night lights of the capital turn into the background to a tender love story. An extraordinary chemistry made of knowing glances and small gestures fills the few instants that separate them both from the sunrise.

World Builder:

This Independent Short Film was produced by Bruce Branit, co-creator of 405, one of the first Independent Short Films I found online, on ifilm.com almost 10 years ago.  405 is a real gem and got me interested in Independent Short Film altogether.  As a matter of fact, here it is:

Also, for more dialogue-minimal Independent Short Films, check out some of these previous posts:
Lovefield
Lavatory Love Story
Ten Minutes

Keep posted for more to come, and feel free to share the love.

Here’s some bonus reading:

• July 2007 – TCM’s Classic Movie Blog – The Grim Reaper claims two of his biggest fans. I did not want to blog about Ingmar Bergman or Michelangelo Antonioni’s passing away on the same day. Both are giants within the world of cinema and have a vast body of work.
• Going some place? Foreign films hop on Oscar’s train | Analysis … – Foreign filmmakers may not pander to Oscar like some of their American counterparts. But early Saturday morning in front of a packed audience that had even some of the cast from the films scrambling to find a seat, the directors of this …
• TMB’s 4 Rules Before Making A Remake | The Movie Blog – There are some terrific films that have been made over the years that were actually remakes. I’m one of those people who doesn’t mind the idea of remaking an older film. Yes, it has the potential of sucking but so does every movie.
• The Top 10 Must See Foreign Films of the Last Decade « The Pulp … – Like many Americans, I do not see enough foreign films. The massive marketing machine of Hollywood makes great foreign productions difficult to discover. However, some of the greatest movies ever are produced outside U.S. borders, …

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Originally posted 2009-04-12 17:11:59.

Just shut up and start communicating! (Three short films) is a post from: Independent Short Films

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This is another Independent Short Film from the same producers of Offside. Actually, Strangers is part one and Offside is part two of a trilogy, according to youtube. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to locate part three, but I definitely think there’s something interesting that the producers want to say with these films. Strangers had much more crowd appeal because of the happy ending, but everyone in my Independent Short Film Discussion Group found both films equally moving. What do you think?

Originally posted 2008-10-14 10:14:59.

Independent Short Film: Strangers is a post from: Independent Short Films

Technorati Tags: arab, conflict, cooperation, israeli, neo nazi, offside, paris, racism, skinhead, strangers, subway, tolerance, train, underground

This prize-winning Independent Short Film was produced by Vinn Bay and Tee Boon Leng for a video competition as part of the ADI (Alzheimer’s Disease International) conference in March 2009.

Originally posted 2009-10-29 08:50:59.

Independent Short Film: Going Home is a post from: Independent Short Films

Technorati Tags: alzheimers, bi-lingual, dementia

I’ve been sitting on this Independent Short Film for a while, hoping to contact the filmmaker, but no luck so far.  It’s been long enough, and I have to keep you entertained.

This is really well done, and I hope you like it.

Noteboek from Evelien Lohbeck on Vimeo.

Originally posted 2009-10-26 15:27:59.

Independent Short Film: Noteboek is a post from: Independent Short Films

Technorati Tags: internet explorer, laptop, Noteboek, notebook, windows, youtube

Quite a sad little Independent Short Film.

Originally posted 2009-08-07 13:15:59.

Independent Short Film: Unrequited is a post from: Independent Short Films

Technorati Tags: book, boy, Five People You Meet in Heaven, girl, love, Mitch Albom, secret love, Unrequited

In light of the recent election in Iran, I thought this was an appropriate Independent Short Film, offering insight that you might not otherwise hear or find.

Originally posted 2009-06-16 10:07:59.

Independent Short Film: Iran–A Nation of Bloggers is a post from: Independent Short Films

Technorati Tags: bloggers, democracy, Iran, Iran: A Nation of Bloggers, politics, revolution

This is an Independent Short Film that A friend of mine came across and brought to my attention. We hosted a film discussion evening in my apartment and it was REALLY interesting to hear what everyone took away from the film. What are your thoughts? Consider the film from a storyteller’s perspective: What elements of plot, theme, symbolism, etc. can you draw out of the film? Now consider the film from a filmmaker’s perspective: What do you notice about the shots, editing, filter choice, audio mixing, etc. that stands out to you? Leave a comment with your thoughts, and I’ll share some of my thoughts throughout.

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Originally posted 2008-10-11 10:14:59.

Independent Short Film: Offside is a post from: Independent Short Films

Technorati Tags: border, Championship, conflict, game, israeli, mexican stand-off, offside, palestinian, patrol, shootout, soccer, sport, war, WM, world cup

http://www.tylerroberts.net Short story winner of the Cannes Festival, 2008.

The music was composed by Luis Enríquez Bacalov, from Argentina.  

The message of this Independent Short Film is especially relevant to anyone involved in internet marketing, blogging, copywriting or other related fields.

Originally posted 2009-02-20 10:08:59.

Independent Short Film: Historia de un Letrero (The Story of a Signboard) is a post from: Independent Short Films

Technorati Tags: blind beggar, blogging, businessman, Cannes, copywriting, film festival, Historia de un letrero original, internet, marketing, Mexican, story of signboard

A reader sent me this Independent Short Film back in March, and honestly, I don’t know what happened that I didn’t discover it until now.

From YouTube:
This is the story of Arne (Trond Gil), who is convinced he has superpowers. He just hasn’t found them yet. So he decides to put up a wanted note for an archenemy, hoping that it will help him discover his true powers.

Winner – Judge’s Award at the Iron Mule Short Comedy Film Series May 2 screening in New York

Winner – Best Student Film – Wimbledon Shorts 2009

Official selection of the Norwegian Short Film Festival in Grimstad, 2009.

The film is in Norwegian with English subtitles.

Originally posted 2009-07-02 10:05:59.

Independent Short Film: Nemesis is a post from: Independent Short Films

Technorati Tags: fight, heroes, Nemesis, spider-man, subtitles, superman, superpowers, watchmen, x-men