Everybody knows about features, and features tend to be the ones that are most commonly talked about and watched. However, short films, whether five minutes or forty are a lesson for every aspiring filmmaker to take to heart. Short films show how to tell a complete story in a short amount of time, with a small budget, and with the resources you have at hand. These are my opinions on the best short films to watch to learn from, so feel free to disagree. Regardless, I suggest watching them all.

1. "Hair and Brimstone" by KickthePJ

A twenty minutes short film by British YouTuber PJ Ligouri, "Hair and Brimstone" tells the story of a hair salon that during the day caters to the likes of the normal, but at night caters to the strange and abnormal in from "the Dark Place." When a hairball goes out of control, the staff has to figure out how to deal with it.

This short film--as with any by PJ--is a lesson in never doubting the absurdity of your idea. "Hair and Brimstone" is lit brilliantly and amazingly to tell the darker side of the story. The props are amazing, the set design is cool, and the whole story works together amazingly. This is also one PJ's darkest films, widely different than his other films, but still with the KickthePJ style.

2. "The Roma Project" by Harry Kennan and Evan Scott Russell

A student-made short film from University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), The Roma Project tells the story of Patrick, a teen who wakes up after a car accident in a suspicious hospital.

Not only is this a student-made film (which is something to look up to) it is brilliantly made. The cinematography, the story, the acting, everything works together like a charm. The story is so intriguing it doesn't feel like twenty minutes, and the filmmakers went on to work on Hollywood productions like "The Revenant". Whenever I need a short film to recommend, this is always my go-to. I haven't stop thinking about it since I saw it first in February.

3. "Ghost House" by Film Riot

Film Riot is a fantastic YouTube channel to watch for any aspiring filmmaker, but their short films are also awesome. The most recent one, "Ghost House", is a horror-comedy short that takes inspiration from classics like "The Conjuring".

Complete with several behind-the-scenes videos to talk about how it was made, "Ghost House" is definitely worth a watch. Also, Andrew Kramer (who worked on the VFX on movies like "Star Wars VII") worked on it, which is always a bonus.

4. "The Lullaby Cube Trilogy" by KickthePJ

Another KickthePJ classic, rather than one short film, this one is three short films that string together a story that kind of goes together. All three films were made to be a trilogy, even though they may not go in a typical story.

These three are more KickthePJ style of bizarre than "Hair and Brimstone", but they work together beautifully. These were some of the first KickthePJ films I ever saw, and they hooked me instantly. Telling the progressing story of one boy's quest to be able to sleep and remember his dreams. This can teach young filmmakers a lot about how to tell a story with only one actor, as well as telling a larger story.

5. "The Fleeting Little Life of Peter Wright" by TimH

TImH, another British YouTuber, makes a variety of different genre of films, from comedy to drama, to everything in between. "The Fleeting Little Life of Peter Wright is a short film about Peter Wright", who is trying to commit suicide when his roommate walks in and finds him. They then talk about what would really happen if Peter committed suicide.

This drama/comedy is extremely touching, and not only shows a young filmmaker a lot about storytelling and cinematography, but also ends on an uplifting message than anyone--not just young artists--deserve to listen to.

Watching films as a filmmaker is like reading books for authors. Watching films helps filmmakers learn, even if just subconsciously, and short films are always the best to watch for young filmmakers. Short films not only teach how to tell a story in a shorter amount of time, but also--when made by low-budget filmmakers--teach how to make things in a low budget. Short films are always worth watching, and these are just a few of my favorites.