Student Number : 9905214K - MA research report - School of Dramatic Art - Faculty of Arts / South Africa’s film industry presently has huge, unrealised potential for growth. Currently one of the most vibrant sectors of the local industry is short filmmaking. This research’s main contention is that, for a number of reasons the short form is the most viable form for film-making development to take. The short film’s value as a training tool and essential building block for local film-making is scrutinized. To this end the research incorporates a content and form analysis of selected short films, with special reference made to the modes and economic conditions of production that affect the film industry. To conclude, I take the position that film-making, as a form of artistic and cultural dialogue, has tremendous possibilities for the development of a national identity, the creation and perpetuation of local myths and the fostering of social cohesion. For these reasons the short form is worthy of more concerted institutional support.