Making a feature film can be an expensive, time-consuming, and laborious process. It’s never an easy task or place to start, especially for up-and-coming filmmakers who may not have the resources or money to do so. That’s why many people start out making short films as a way to get their projects off the ground.

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Making a proof of concept allows filmmakers to showcase their voices and vision, and give a taste of what they might be able to do with a bigger budget. Even some of Hollywood’s biggest movies were initially short films before they were given the feature-length treatment. Condensed and lower-scale versions of their higher-budget counterparts, these shorts were able to convince producers and executives that they deserved to be showcased on a larger scale.

‘9’ (2009)

Tim Burton's '9'

9 is the creepy post-apocalyptic animated film from director Shane Acker and producer Tim Burton. The film follows a rag doll who awakens in a grim world post-war between machines and humans, and unknowingly holds the key to humanity’s salvation.

The film is based on Acker’s original short of the same name, which he made while studying at UCLA. The short took four and a half years to make, but his hard work paid off as it earned him an Oscar nomination and the attention of Burton, who was obviously impressed with the artistic vision on display.

‘Marcel the Shell with Shoes On’ (2021)

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Image via A24

A24’s Marcel the Shell With Shoes On is an unabashed dose of wholesomeness, following an adorable 1-inch-tall shell named Marcel (Jenny Slate). With the help of a documentary filmmaker (director Dean Fleischer-Champ) who is observing him, Marcel sets out on a journey to find his family.

The film is based on a trilogy of short films on YouTube, which collectively have millions of views. Like the feature, they are also stop-motion, directed by Fleisher-Champ, and star Slate. The animation isn’t quite as sleek due to the lower budget, but they all have just as much heart.

‘Whiplash’ (2014)

Andrew tries to impress Fletcher with his drumming skills in Whiplash.
Image via Sony Pictures Classics
 

Regarded by many as one of the best films of the 21st century so far, Whiplash is a tense and electrifying experience. The film follows the volatile relationship between aspiring jazz drummer Andrew (Miles Teller) and his abusive teacher Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons).

Director Damien Chazelle originally made Whiplash as a proof of concept short in order to get the attention of producers. The short is an extraction of the famous ‘Not quite my tempo’ scene, where Fletcher’s brutality is revealed for the first time. J.K. Simmons plays the same part in the short, while Teller’s role is played by Johnny Simmons.

‘The Babadook’ (2014)

Essie Davis as Amelia reads to her son in The Babadook
Image via Screen Australia

Monster is the short film that inspired The Babadook, the thematically rich and elevated horror hit. It’s a condensed version of the same concept - a single mother protecting her son from an evil entity that enters their home through a children’s toy (a picture book in the feature).

While the short follows similar beats and scares, it isn’t quite as layered due to its shorter runtime, and many elements are expanded upon in the feature. The short was screened at multiple film festivals, which allowed director Jennifer Kent the publicity and opportunity to make her feature.

‘Lights Out’ (2016)

lights-out-movie
Image via Warner Bros.

Swedish director David F. Samberg originally made his horror short Lights Out for a film competition. Under three minutes long, it went viral on YouTube and Vimeo, allowing Samberg to direct the feature version in 2016, produced by James Wan and starring Teresa Palmer.

The short showcases the feature’s core concept of a creature that vanishes and reappears when the lights are turned on and off, and with terrifying effect. While the 2016 film is obviously more fleshed out, the scares are arguably more effective with a lower budget in the short.

‘This Is the End’ (2013)

James Franco, Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel looking up
Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

This Is the End is the star-studded apocalyptic comedy featuring everyone from Michael Cera to Emma Watson playing fictionalized versions of themselves. When the end of the world strikes, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson become trapped with James Franco in his house.

The film is based on the 2007 short Jay and Seth Versus the Apocalypse, which only features Rogen and Baruchel. In a scaled-down version of the feature, the pair are at each other’s throats while hiding out in an apartment during the apocalypse.

‘Napoleon Dynamite’ (2004)

Efren Ramirez's turn as the deadpan Pedro in 'Napoleon Dynamite' was a hit
Image via Fox Searchlight Pictures/Paramount Pictures

Napoleon Dynamite is a film that’s gained cult-following status with its offbeat humor and bizarre characters. In order to make the feature version, director Jared Hess made a proof of concept short called Peluca for a university project.

Jon Heder appears in the short as his beloved character, but his name is Seth instead of Napoleon. Shot in black and white, the film follows a day in the life of Seth, featuring some of the iconic lines and catchphrases from the movie. It has that same mundane yet quirky feel to it, planting the seeds for the 2004 comedy hit.

‘Saw’ (2004)

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Despite churning out nine films (with another on the way) and delivering some of the most profitable horror movies in Hollywood, the Saw franchise had humble beginnings. Director James Wan and writer/actor Leigh Whannel couldn’t get Saw made in Australia, so they took it to the States and had much better luck.

In order to attract producers, the pair made a short that takes the same story of the feature, but removes certain elements due to a lower budget. Whannel’s character David tells of his ordeal fighting for survival in Jigsaw’s twisted game to a police officer, post-escape.

‘District 9’ (2009)

law enforcement on alien's doorstep

District 9 is the highly acclaimed sci-fi mockumentary that was nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars in 2010. Before attracting the attention of Peter Jackson, who would go on to produce the feature, writer/director Neill Blomkamp developed his idea into a short called Alive in Joburg.

The proof on concept documents a world where aliens are forced to live in slum-like conditions in Johannesburg – a storyline that is largely expanded upon in the feature adaptation. While Sharto Copley plays the main character in District 9, he only has a small uncredited role in the short.

‘Boogie Nights’ (1997)

boogie-nights-philip-seymour-hoffman-mark-wahlberg
Image Via New Line Cinema

Boogie Nights, Paul Thomas Anderson’s drama set in the porn industry, is loosely based on the mockumentary short The Dirk Diggler Story, which he wrote and directed as a 17-year-old senior in high school. It focuses on the character played by Mark Whalberg in the feature, here played by Michael Stein.

The short follows the life of the adult entertainer, honing in on a more comedic tone than the feature. While both iterations are quite different, Boogie Nights features a number of almost identical scenes that were extracted from the short.

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