Six Reasons to Create Short Films and My Experience with 'The Heart of Texas'

      The common belief is this: don’t do it.

      Gregory Kasunich is the director of the short film “The Heart of Texas,” which he co-wrote with its star, Lauren Noll. The film will be screened this weekend at the El Dorado Film Festival. In the following piece, he explains why making short films is worthwhile.—M.M.

      “It’s crazy,” they’ll say.

      “A waste of money, time, and resources,” they’ll murmur.

      Avoid making that short film. Skip the film festivals. Don’t invest your heart and soul into a brief piece of cinema when there are other options available.

      It is, to be fair, seen as a rather poor choice.

      Yet, despite all the reasons to avoid making a short film—of which there are many—I went ahead and did it anyway. My journey, transforming a small idea jotted down on a scrap of paper in my bedroom into screenings around the world, from Beloit to Bulgaria, may have been the best decision of my career. I never expected that this little film would end up on the Oscar long-list and be considered for an Academy Award.

      Last spring, I brought my cast and some crew to Waco, Texas, to film “The Heart of Texas,” a 15-minute live-action short about Janie May, an aspiring singer-songwriter trapped in a paycheck-to-paycheck life who experiences a life-changing moment on her way to a career-defining opportunity, compelling her to confront the price of her American dream at another’s expense. If that sounds a bit vague, it is, because there’s a pivotal twist I wouldn’t want to spoil here.

      Production was challenging, battling the intense Texas sun, dealing with the classic combination of insufficient time and budget, among many other hurdles. Nevertheless, we managed to wrap it up in just three days. Exhausted, sunburned, bruised, and financially strained, I returned home questioning if I had made a colossal mistake. Perhaps they were correct; maybe short films aren’t worth making.

      I acknowledge there is a compelling argument against it. In today’s landscape, you contend with shorter attention spans, apathetic executives, and the whims of the prevailing algorithm. Selling a short film is quite difficult. Sure, you might get it on a streaming service or an airline playlist, but truly recouping your costs is unlikely.

      Producing and promoting a short film is costly, and even more time and money are spent on festival submissions. Once you calculate travel, accommodation, food, car rentals, printing posters, and postcards, festival expenses can escalate quickly, not to mention the opportunity cost of forgoing other projects. Often, shorts can disappoint or fail (forgive the pun) to advance the careers of emerging filmmakers, even when adorned with the prestigious accolades from film festivals. In fact, getting friends and family to attend a screening can be so challenging that SNL even highlighted it in a sketch, or having them stay engaged long enough at their computer to reach the high point (we have the Vimeo data; we know when viewers log off early), which is completely understandable. Your audience owes you nothing. If you’re going to ask someone for 15 minutes of their time, you’d better earn it.

      So why undertake it? Why endure the difficulties and stress of creating a short, particularly when today’s technology makes it feasible to produce a feature instead? Honestly, I’m not sure. All I can say is that my experience has led to a continuous influx of opportunities, discoveries, friendships, and amazement that I wouldn’t have encountered had I not said yes.

      Thus, I humbly present to you, dear reader, my imperfect and subjective: Six Reasons to Produce a Short Film.

      Short Films Are Achievable

      Perhaps you lack the time, budget, or resources to commit to a feature film. Maybe you only have a weekend, a two-person crew, or one location. Create the short. It’s preferable to have a finished short film than an unfinished feature. And while you can create micro-budget features, those generally require more time for shooting and editing. A short can be completed—it’s achievable, so go for it.

      Short Films Build Skills

      Filmmaking is akin to a sport. You must possess the strength and stamina to succeed. Shorts help you develop those skills. When shooting a short, you engage in all or most of the functions necessary for a feature, just on a smaller scale. You might acquire knowledge on how to obtain a filming permit or utilize a new piece of equipment. You work on set with actors and crew members, facing challenges, making creative compromises, and managing resources. Making shorts is like going to the gym for filmmakers. No pain, no gain.

      You Get to Attend Film Festivals

      This is a major advantage. Film festivals present significant opportunities for both emerging and established filmmakers.

      First, you'll encounter numerous people: fellow filmmakers, audiences, producers, writers, cinemat