The short films in the Blue Dragon collection are some of our proudest works. This format helps tell a much more succinct and targeted story or express an important point more directly than feature length films sometimes allow. Short films, also, are where we began and will continue to be a strong presence in what we do for years to come.

The other thing that’s nice about short films? They’re free to watch! You can check out our collection right here:

 

Good Girl Betty

“Good Girl Betty” is a short film produced as a student project back in late 2013. This was the first collaboration between Jason Phelps and Alana Murphy (and features the voice of Matt Barham, who would later become a regular in Jason’s films). Alana, in fact, makes an appearance on screen as Susie. This short was filmed entirely on 16mm film stock using a Bolex camera. Most effects were also done in-camera, though editing and sound design were managed digitally.

 

The Legend of the Dragon Sword

Inspired through a combination of films he would watch with his father at a young age and a collection of 35mm prints shown at the International Film Series, Jason Phelps created the first in a long-running series of Kung Fu comedies. The Legend of the Dragon Sword,” produced in early 2014, earned the Grillo Award at the University of Colorado at Boulder that semester.

The story itself is familiar, playing on the classic themes of revenge and the bond that forms between teacher and student. It was important for the production team that the actors were more martial artists than actors (a tactic to keep in tune with the original films this short pas homage to), and that the separate voice actors never saw the performances of their on-screen counterparts. The result is whimsical story with over-the-top characters that manages to leave its audience wanting more.

 

The Return of the Dragon Sword

Speaking of wanting more, the following year, the sequel to the popular Dragon Sword short was produced, called “The Return of the Dragon Sword.”  Using much of the same talent, this time around the production was bigger and the story included many more characters (including the introduction of the blacksmith who created the sword).