A micro movie is a type of

microcinema The term "microcinema" can have two meanings. It can describe low-budget or amateur films shot mostly on digital video, edited on a computer, and then distributed via videotape, disc or over the Internet. Or it can describe a mode of low-budget exhi ...

which refers to a short/micro film of any genre. Micro movies originated in

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...

in 2010.

Karen Mok Karen Mok (born Karen Joy Morris (), 2 June 1970) is a Hong Kong pop diva who is one of the leading Asian pop singers and actresses with a career spanning three decades. She is the first female Hong Kong singer to win the Golden Melody Award and h ...

(Hong Kong based singer/actress) and Adam Duke starred in " Cadillac," which is regarded as the first micro movie. Afterwards, micro movies became a trend in South Asia. As professional-grade technology has become more accessible, amateurs hoping to enter the film industry have turned to the micro movie format to avoid limitations imposed by television and film studios. The accessibility of production, along with a growing popularity, has led to a wide range of subjects being featured and examined in the micro movie format.

Characteristics

* Short film duration * Distributed via

social media Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...

websites * Good connection to daily lives * Low budget * Commercial or non-commercial * Includes all genres

Censorship

Movie censorship is the legal process that regulates whether a movie, film, video, or cinema has content that is permissible to undergo broadcast and distribution. While certain movies are permitted to undergo public disbursement and release, other types of movies are limited to private screenings—in certain cases, movies are prohibited and banned in their entirety. Movie censorship regulation takes length, content, and subject matter into consideration with regard to altering or banning the work. Obscene and violent content is avoided in the process of making micro movies due to national

censorship Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by governments ...

policies. In

, all films are required to undergo the motion picture rating system, which is organized by the Office for Film Newspaper and Article Administration (OFNAA). Movies are rated I, IIA, IIB, or III. Scenes deemed to be unacceptable are censored. The Chinese State Administration of Press, Publication, Video, Film and Television oversees the theatrical release, to ensure that immoral content is not promoted in the movies. The goal of these measures is to protect the audience from receiving extreme and unhealthy messages. In Australia, The Office of Film and Literature Classification is responsible for classifying films,

video Video is an electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving visual media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, which were quickly replaced by cathode-ray tube (CRT) syst ...

publications, and

PC games A personal computer game, also known as a PC game or computer game, is a type of video game played on a personal computer (PC) rather than a video game console or arcade machine. Its defining characteristics include: more diverse and user-dete ...

according to the National Classification Code and the Classification Guidelines, which are approved by the Commonwealth State and Territory Ministers responsible for censorship. There is, however, more leniency in censorship online—especially on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...

. That is why most micro movies are accessed through social media websites and online databases. Some countries even block all internet access to YouTube.

Cinematography

Micro movies are created by cinematographers of all skill levels, ranging from a first-time producer to a high-level producer with a top-level cast and crew. Film techniques used in micro movies are similar to those of traditional movies seen in theaters. For instance, the types of shots and angles are the same, but they typically differ in film length, equipment level, budget, number of cast and crew, and acting skill. There are, however, exceptions to the rule such as the grou
Rocket Jump
or prime-time TV commercials.

Application

Micro movies are used for

advertising Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...

and entertainment purposes. The short length of micro movies allows them to be promoted and published on platforms such as

and

Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Mosk ...

. This makes micro movies free, easy to access, and able to go viral online. There are both

commercial Commercial may refer to: * a dose of advertising conveyed through media (such as - for example - radio or television) ** Radio advertisement ** Television advertisement * (adjective for:) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and s ...

and noncommercial needs for micro movies. Commercials are now not only selling a product, but telling a story— th
Budweiser
an
Extra Gum
commercials are examples of this. Micro movies have become a new way to promote products and brands. People also create and shoot micro movies for fun. There are several micro movie film festivals and platforms for both amateurs and professionals to tell their stories and be recognized for their work.

Examples of micro movies

* OPPO endorsement film Find Me * Route 66 * The Bright Eleven-Old Boys * Rapido (Long Distance Love) * J'attendrai le Suivant Sub Chinois * Love is All You Need * Finch's Landing * Holding the Rain * The Elevator * 2088 * Curtains Down: The Last Rod! *The Black Hole

Examples of micro movie competitions

* Nottingham International Microfilm Festival (NIM) * Beijing International Micro Film Festival * Lander University Film Festival

References

{{reflist Chinese culture Film genres