Tuesday, March 10, 2009

What Makes a Great One-Minute Film? We revisit our favourite question.

As we kick off the Filminute 2009 Call For Entries, we thought it appropriate to revisit our favourite question "What makes a great one-minute film?" We selected some of the most illuminating answers from the Filminute jury, beginning with 2006 juror Ekow Eshun’s much-quoted response (part of a wider and very popular interview).

The insights and perspectives below will stir the imagination and will surely inspire a fresh wave of submissions to Filminute 2009!

EKOW ESHUN
  • A great one-minute film will last longer than a minute! Sometimes in a full-length film, you'll get one scene in the film that resonates beyond the length of the full film. The one-minute film is the reverse of that, in one minute, a great one-minute film will capture an idea that stays with you far beyond one-minute. - Ekow Eshun, Artistic Director, Institute of Contemporary Arts (London) and Filminute 2006 Juror
KLAUS EDER
  • A good film, short or long, should show me something about our (inner and outer) world which I didn't know. As well, it should concern me, hit me emotionally - Klaus Eder, FIPRESCI General Secretary and Filminute 2008 Juror
ANDREA DITTGEN
  • A great one-minute film has one surprising moment that changes your perception - just like the very first movies made in the 19th century. – Dr. Andrea Dittgen, Head of the German Film Critics Association and Filminute 2008 Juror
CRAIG DAVIS
  • [A great one-minute film is] something that makes you lean forward and want to get involved. Something that resonates and lingers. Something that leaves you with the feeling of needing to be satiated by another episode. Something you can discuss as opposed to consume. – Craig Davis, JWT Chief Creative Officer Worldwide, Filminute 2006 Juror
PAUL HAGGIS (in reference to one of his 2008 Jury commendations)
  • The film made me ask uncomfortable questions, and it made rethink something I thought I knew. That is quite an accomplishment for any film -- but to do all that in one minute? That is the art. – Paul Haggis, Academy Award-winning screenwriter, producer and film director, Filminute 2008 juror.