Short Films by Famous Directors, Before They Were Famous

It is inspiring to learn from the masters, but it is even more inspiring to see how they approached filmmaking when they were just starting out. Here are eight short films from top directors, made before they were famous. If you are planning your own first film, they are a good reminder of how much can be done with very little.

Damien Chazelle, Whiplash (2012)

As every filmmaker knows, getting a film financed is incredibly hard. That is exactly why Damien Chazelle made Whiplash as a short: to showcase his vision as a taster for the feature film. After it premiered at Sundance in 2013, Chazelle secured funding for the feature-length version within four months.

Wes Anderson, Bottle Rocket (1993)

Wes Anderson is widely regarded as one of the most distinctive visual directors working today. Even before he had a budget to work with, it is fascinating to see the early stages of his style seeping into his first short, Bottle Rocket.

Lynne Ramsay, Small Deaths (1996)

Lynne Ramsay gained worldwide recognition for We Need to Talk About Kevin. Her first short, Small Deaths, was her film school graduation film, and it shows a great deal of her style even at that early stage. It won the Prix du Jury at Cannes in 1996.

John Lasseter, Luxo Jr. (1986)

Now one of the biggest names in family films, Lasseter has an impressive list of credits with Disney and Pixar. He created Luxo Jr. as a short to showcase Pixar's capabilities, and it is striking how well defined Pixar's style was from the very beginning.

David F. Sandberg, Lights Out (2013)

Perhaps one of the best-known success stories in the horror genre, and it never fails to inspire. Sandberg was living in Sweden, working a normal job and making no-budget shorts for fun with his wife. With limited resources and pure creativity, he created one of the scariest short films of its time. It went viral and propelled him into a career directing Hollywood films.

Ari Aster, The Strange Thing About the Johnsons (2011)

Aster rose to fame in 2018 with his critically acclaimed horror Hereditary. As an AFI graduate, though, he had been making shorts for almost a decade before that, struggling to find finance for his features. One of his most talked-about shorts is The Strange Thing About the Johnsons, which went viral for its taboo subject matter: a son abusing his father. It showcases Aster's distinct style and his interest in the darker side of family relationships in suburbia.

Christopher Nolan, Doodlebug (1997)

With one of the biggest names in Hollywood, it is hard to imagine what his early films could even look like. Nolan directed Doodlebug, his third low-budget short, while struggling to obtain funding. It won awards and led to bigger things. Not only does it show his flair for story structure, it shows that even the greatest directors struggle, and that you should never give up.

Jennifer Kent, Monster (2005)

You may be surprised to hear that The Babadook (2014), one of the biggest independent horror films of the 2010s, evolved from the director's earlier short. Comparing the two, it is intriguing to see how the themes and atmosphere developed from a concept into a complete story and world.

Why this matters for your own films

It is reassuring to see that even the biggest names had to battle their way up, and a reminder that you should never give up. Several of these shorts were made specifically to prove a concept and unlock funding, which is still one of the best reasons to make a short on a micro budget and get it in front of film festivals. Who knows, one day you might be on a list like this.

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