“Construction paper, glue, and a very old 8 mm film camera” *

Filminute is looking for the best one-minute films from around the world, films with compelling narratives that provoke thought, emotion, reaction and action. These are the films that will resonate beyond one-minute, that will provide the ideas, themes and characters with room to grow into serial pieces, short films, TV shows – even feature films.

One example we have shared often is the development of South Park, which started off as a short made from “construction paper, glue, and a very old 8 mm film camera.” * That short got noticed by an executive at Fox, who commissioned Matt Stone and Trey Parker to develop an animated Christmas card (‘Spirit of Christmas’).

The card’s success led to Stone and Parker being hired to bring South Park to life on television in 1997, and two years later on the big screen with South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut.

What Filminute points out is that the first piece was short, lean, broadcast quality, and featured characters and a narrative that captivated and engaged an audience. The best one-minute films will have a life that goes far beyond Filminute.

* The Spirit of Christmas. (2006, August 8). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 11:16, August 8, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Spirit_of_Christmas&oldid=68346065.