Members of our Experimental Fiction Filmmaking community were asked to make a short experimental fiction film in just one week based on a set of creative limitations. The interest in the competition was strong, and submissions came to us from all around the world.
The best films were screened at the 2024 INEFF Festival on 19th July, where the audience had a chance to vote for the best film. The best film and the runner up won a digital film camera! You can view some of the competition films below.
The best films were screened at the 2024 INEFF Festival on 19th July, where the audience had a chance to vote for the best film. The best film and the runner up won a digital film camera! You can view some of the competition films below.
What is a creative limitation?
Creative limitations are rules that restricts the filmmaker in some way in their process or how they tell and show their story. The creative limitation restricts the creative options available, which is freeing in it its own right. Even more importantly, the creative limitation has the potential to inspire creativity through complicating, transforming or derailing the content or form of the film, but also by opening up the productive world of connotation and ambiguity.
The creative limitation can also free the filmmaker from being preoccupied with perfection and production values, and opens up opportunities for experimentation and innovation. Furthermore, creative limitations inspire a greater focus on methods and process, rather than being too committed to a specific outcome from the outset. In other words, it creates a space for the discovery of the outcome rather than the filmmaker focusing primarily on executing an idea or a plan.
For the competition, we asked the participating filmmakers to combine three types of creative limitations:
– One focused on technical or formal aspects.
– One focused on the connotative theme of the narrative, which can be interpreted in any way.
– And one concerned with specific words to be present in the film, which nevertheless have the same connotative potential as the narrative theme.
The creative limitation can also free the filmmaker from being preoccupied with perfection and production values, and opens up opportunities for experimentation and innovation. Furthermore, creative limitations inspire a greater focus on methods and process, rather than being too committed to a specific outcome from the outset. In other words, it creates a space for the discovery of the outcome rather than the filmmaker focusing primarily on executing an idea or a plan.
For the competition, we asked the participating filmmakers to combine three types of creative limitations:
– One focused on technical or formal aspects.
– One focused on the connotative theme of the narrative, which can be interpreted in any way.
– And one concerned with specific words to be present in the film, which nevertheless have the same connotative potential as the narrative theme.
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creative/technical limitations •A single take (there are no cuts in your film) •All shots in the film precisely one second long •Only use Extreme close-up shots in your film |
“abstract theme” creative limitations •Secret Connection •Behind the Closed Door •Foolish Desire |
dialogue, voice-over, or on-screen text “We know nothing about the future. Or the past.” “I have no strength left. Maybe I love you.” “You just play with me. I’m not a toy.” |
It is especially the interaction between the three different creative limitations, which simultaneously exert some force on the creative process, that has the potential for inspiring unique outcomes.
While the competition itself is an experiment, with unpredictable outcomes, we believe that all the films submitted to our competition clearly show the value of creative limitations to experimental fiction filmmaking.
While the competition itself is an experiment, with unpredictable outcomes, we believe that all the films submitted to our competition clearly show the value of creative limitations to experimental fiction filmmaking.
24/7 Competition films (2024)
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Joe Reyntiens
United Kingdom "You just play with me. I'm not a toy." Abstract theme creative limitation: Behind the Closed Door Creative/technical limitation: All shots one second long |
COMPETITION WINNER |
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Naomi Aiwekhoe Oghomwen
United Kingdom "We know nothing about the future. Or the past." Abstract theme creative limitation: Foolish Desire Creative/technical limitation: Only use Extreme Close-up Shots |
RUNNER UP |
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Tom Bridger
United Kingdom "We know nothing about the future. Or the past." Abstract theme creative limitation: Behind the Closed Door Creative/technical limitation: Only use Extreme Close-up shots |
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Samaré Gozal
Czechia/Germany Sound design by Armin Mell "We know nothing about the future. Or the past." Abstract theme creative limitation: Behind the Closed Door Creative/technical limitation: Only use Extreme Close-up shots |
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Celia Bennett
United Kingdom "We know nothing about the future. Or the past." Abstract theme creative limitation: Behind the Closed Door Creative/technical limitation: All shots one second long |
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Cole Miles
United Kingdom "We know nothing about the future. Or the past." Abstract theme creative limitation: Behind the Closed Door Creative/technical limitation: A single take |
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Satyajeet Rajenimbalkar
India "I have no strength left. Maybe I love you." Abstract theme creative limitation: Foolish Desire Creative/technical limitation: All shots one second long |
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Joe Pellow
United Kingdom "You just play with me. I'm not a toy." Abstract theme creative limitation: Behind the Closed Door Creative/technical limitation: All shots one second long |
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Khushi Gupta
India "I have no strength left. Maybe I love you." Abstract theme creative limitation: Secret Connection Creative/technical limitation: All shots one second long |
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Annika Boholm & Kersti Grunditz Brennan
Sweden/Belgium "You just play with me. I'm not a toy." Abstract theme creative limitation: Behind the Closed Door Creative/technical limitation: Only use Extreme Close-up Shots |
