The history of short films
Short films have long been the heartbeat of independent cinema. They offer filmmakers a space to experiment, tell personal stories, and showcase their creativity without the limits of big-budget production. For many, short films serve as a calling card, a way to develop their artistic voice and explore new genres or techniques. The Norwalk Film Festival celebrates this form by giving independent filmmakers a platform to share their stories with the community.
From the earliest one-minute motion pictures of the 1890s to today’s digital shorts that premiere on streaming platforms and social media, the short film has evolved alongside the art of cinema itself. Understanding this history reveals how short films not only shaped the movie industry, but also continue to inspire the next generation of storytellers.
A Short History of Short Films:
1890’s - The Birth of Cinema
Movies start out short.
The Lumière Brothers first screenings were under a minute long and it amazed people. One included just a train moving!
Nickelodeons (early theaters) put together several short films together for people to have a “night out” including news, gags, and travel scenes.
1910’s-1920’s - Silent Comedy
Silent comedians like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd build careers on “one-reelers” and “two-reelers” which were 10-20 minute films.
These short films were cheap, fast, funny, and easy to distribute to the public.
1930’s-1950’s - The Golden Age of Shorts
Disney’s “Silly Symphonies” and Warner Brother’s “Looney Tunes” set the animation standard. This shaped generations to come.
Every ticket included a cartoon, a newsreel, and a comedy short before the feature which brought in audiences.
Live action groups like the “Three Stooges” keep audiences laughing and continuing to come to the theater.
1950’s-1970’s - TV Takes Over
With the proliferation of TVs in homes, audiences could watch short content in the comfort of their own home, caused studios to cut back on theatrical shorts.
Cartoons moved to television and newsreels were replaced by nightly broadcasts.
The short film faded from the mainstream but never disappeared completely.
1970’s-1990’s - The Festival & Film-School Era
Film schools, festivals, and art houses are now keeping the art of short films alive.
Martin Scorsese, David Lynch, and Tim Burton start honing their craft on short films which turns into huge careers overtime.
Martin Scorsese - The Big Shave (1967), a six minute commentary on violence: https://youtu.be/317_uIAWpbE?si=ZD7bda5fbyWx34qC
David Lynch - The Grandmother (1970), a 30 minute mix of live action and animation that feels like a dream and a nightmare at the same time: https://youtu.be/4y0rYWVcxF4?si=EETUSo33gZtl-g2Q
Tim Burton - Vincent (1982), a six minute black and white stop motion short narrated by horror legend Vincent Price: https://youtu.be/fxQcBKUPm8o?si=6uFdGfwJK9-0QKV-
2000’s-Today - Digital Comeback
The digital revolution of the 2000’s made cameras cheap and editing software accessible. Now anyone can produce a short film.
Social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok can give people a global audience overnight.
Streaming platforms and festivals showcase shorts alongside big features.
The Oscars hand out statues for Live Action, Animated, and Documentary Short films.
Short Films began as cinema’s first experiment and now has turned into what the cinema world is today. We almost have gone full circle since small sized stories like TikTok’s, Instagram Reels, and Youtube Shorts are dominating right now;. It doesn’t seem like the short film is going anywhere. If you’ve ever wanted to try filmmaking, start small. A short film is still the best way to learn, experiment, and share your story with the world. So many famous directors started there and so can you.
Come to the 2026 Norwalk Film Festival, or one of our events through the year, to meet other filmmakers, get inspired, and get started telling your stories!
