As film history's oldest and one of today's most prominent and often-consumed forms (on both old and new media platforms), the live-action short film has both historical and contemporary significance. In this book, Felando discusses the historical significance of the general short film, identifies the live-action fiction short's storytelling and aesthetic conventions, and offers two general research categories: the classical short and the art short. To convey the development, diversity, and richness of the form, she considers national and international titles from throughout film history, including landmark and better-known shorts, as well as several lesser-known yet noteworthy titles.