Short Films offer unique teaching opportunities for media teachers. They are, first of all, short; they usually run less than 30 minutes. Many are under 10 minutes long. This means that most short films can be shown multiple times in a single class. This brevity allows teachers to prompt students to go beyond the story and to consider how the story "works." Short films focus on a single idea or make a single statement. They are excellent beginning points for engaging student in discussing possible meanings and for engaging students in visual and narrative literacy activities. They can also be used with young students. For example, you can watch how an elementary teacher used the short film, Dangle, to inspire emergent writers. (To learn more about the short film Dangle, you can also watch an interview with its creator, Phill Traill)
In addition, short films are widely available online. Film schools often require students to complete short films and these films are often posted on the Internet. Awarding-winning films, such as the terrific short--The Mantis Parable--, can be purchased for $1.99 at the Apple iTunes store. To get started teaching short films, you can begin with general film teaching techniques, such as those touted in the British Film Institutes' Moving Images in the Classroom.
Short films also provide a way of supporting students in developing narrative literacy, an understanding of how stories work. Students can describe the initial situation of the film and focus on the actions that alter that situation. In a short film, such as Kiwi, see below, students can see how a filmaker creates a Why question and provides information that poses possible answers to that question. For more information on heurmenuetic questions that be posed in film visit the Narratology site.
Resources for Short Films: PBS Independent Lens; Media that Matters; My Hero (documentary shorts)
