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sound, clunking along for 90 minutes to two hours. The shorts had the edge in that they only had to conjure their tricks for 10 or 20 minutes at a time.' (ibid.) Filmmakers were learning their craft, and at the time they were simply better at producing short work than long. There was less risk of boring the audience, and with the abundant crop of available music entertainers and vaudeville professionals, the results were often more diverting than the main features.' (ibid.)

The Short film is still used in the same way. Experimentation, obviously vital to the growth of the short film is still something that sets it apart today. Coupled with the freedom of expression enjoyed outside the rigid studio system of the 50s and 60s, saw more experimental work and bolder subject matter.' (Turner Classic Movies, 2005) And now there is further technological advancements to reinvigorate short film-making again: the digital camera, the internet and computer editing facilities.' (ibid.)

Works cited:

Bafta.org (2006) British Academy Short Film rules [online] available from http://www.bafta.org/site/page 45.html (accessed 6 March 2006)

Eder, B (2004) The Hollywood Short Film A History [online] available from http://www.criterionco.com/asp /in_focus_essay.asp?id=10&eid= 208 (accessed 27 Feb 2006)

Hawkridge, J (1997) British Cinema from Hepworth to Hitchcock London: Oxford

Oscars.org (2006) Rules for Short film entry into Academy Awards [online] available from http://www.oscars.org/74academ yawards/rules/rule19.html (accessed 6 March 2006)

Quinn, A (2006) Interview conducted by Daniel Stephens with Andrew Quinn at Slack Video Hull

Robinson, D (1997) Charlie Chaplin Biography The Oxford History Of World Cinema London: Oxford

Rodriguez, R (1995) Rebel Without a Crew New York: Faber and Faber

Shone, T (2004) Blockbuster How the Jaws and Jedi Generation turned Hollywood into a Boomtown London: Simon and Schuster

Turner Classic Movies (2005) A Short History of Short Film [online] available from http://tcmonline.co.uk/microsi tes/classicshorts/classic-shor ts-short-history.jsp (accessed 5 March 2006)

Wilson, A (2005) Interview conducted by Daniel Stephens with Andrew Wilson at Short Circuits Huddersfield

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