This was an interesting situation that happened to me last week and so I bring up for composers as well. It turns out, that I paid the entry fee for one of the (currently) two films I will be scoring for the upcoming 168 film festival in LA at the end of Aug (which sort of makes me a 'co-producer'). So last week, I was at a film mixer and one of my film friends was showing one of her shorts (from some years back) on Human Trafficking. As producer, I approached her and wondered if she would be interested in writing the screenplay for another short on the same topic. Now this is one of the more well known producer/directors/screenwriters here in Houston who has had her features shown on regular Lifetime networks and in theatrical releases, for example.
She told me:
1. It is not a good idea for someone who has been involved in many features to go back and get involved with shorts
2. Since film festivals tend to be 'competitive' (most have individual and film nominations and awards), it would not be fair for her with her experience and background to competitive with those who are at the beginning of her careers.
So for those of you who have scored features, how do you 'feel' or treat requests for scoring shorts.
I've done a feature, and I am working on three more right now. But I enjoy working on shorts. I feel like they are a completely different puzzle to solve. And I feel going into the future I wouldn't abandon shorts for strictly features.
I mean, look at people like Martin Scorsese, he's done shorts as recently as two years ago.