A fun collection of comedy shorts
New art community HOUSE23 put on a limited selection of comedy shorts from up-and-coming talent, with a Q&A with a BAFTA award winning director and a BAFTA award winning writer at Riverside Studios to discuss their work.
The evening started off with a friendly and warm welcome from Molly, the founder of House23. A small group had already formed and were talking to each other, several of whom either knew or had worked with each other before. After brief introductions and a short chat with an actor-writer, we were given a goodie bag and ushered into one of the cinema screens. The screen itself was small, maybe a 40 seat capacity, but it was perfect for the screening and the seats were really comfy. Other short film screenings have not been in such venues and that alone made this event stand out.
There were five films being screened, each of around 20 minutes. Each short was of high quality and what was produced on presumably a small budget was impressive. It is easy to produce very amateur productions on small budgets but none of them felt like that. Each was polished, engaging plots, well acted and good soundtracks or sound design and the filmmakers involved clearly were experienced. A standout short being “Egg Timer” which deals with the pressures of society expecting women to have children, which is very topical at the moment. All five shorts were equally funny and got a good reception from the audience. It was clear to see why several had been winning awards and festivals. There was one actor who appeared in a couple and it had been curated so that we saw the actor play a character avoiding noise and socialising to another character who was “hired” by a couple, making the audience feel like we were going on a personal development journey. Only in comedy short screenings would that level of attention to detail work and actually made the second screening even funnier, given how we had previously seen him.
The Q&A was brief but a good insight into what it takes to develop a short film, highlighting many challenges that filmmakers face. What was being said clearly resonated with the audience as many were nodding in agreement. It was interesting to hear how the director went from shooting shorts to working with Saturday Night Live UK and how she approached the step up. Equally it was an interesting insight to hear how the writer was organising a rehearsal for the bbc on a silent film and the process of the filming. The night ended with more networking, discussing what was thought of the films and friends catching up. In an industry that relies on connections and your network, it was lovely and refreshing to see a group of people come together to support each other.
After having a brief discussion with Molly about where she wants this art community to go, as someone who works in the industry and a fellow creative, it is reassuring to hear that there are people who are wanting to create a sense of community and support, especially when the arts is largely accessible for people who have the funds to do so. It’s exciting to know that there is a startup that is looking to address issues that filmmakers face and the realities of being a creative, even more so in uncertain times.
You can keep up to date on upcoming events via Instagram @HOUSE23_LTD or email hello@house23.co.uk for any enquires.