Hotel Mumbai Producer Reveals How to Make Short Films - Mike Gabrawy [Podcast]
Short films are back in the spotlight—and for good reason. In this episode of the KinoLime Podcast, John sits down with producer Mike Gabrawy to unpack why shorts remain one of the best ways to discover talent and launch a career. From crafting tight, self-contained stories to finding the right crew and navigating the realities of financing, Mike shares insights from years of experience and highlights why sometimes a three-minute short can speak louder than a feature.
Full Transcript: Kinolime Podcast Episode 17: Hotel Mumbai Producer Reveals How to Make Short Films - Mike Gabrawy
Participants:
John Schramm - Head of Development, Kinolime
Mike Gabrawy - Producer (Hotel Mumbai, Resident Evil, and Independence Day)
John: There’s nothing worse than a short that’s too long. Ideally, you want your short film to be 10 minutes or less—sometimes even just three or four minutes. Shorts are like popcorn: quick, consumable, and to the point. They show whether a filmmaker can direct talent, move a camera, and tell a story in a compact way.
Joining us live from LA to talk about all things short films—from the creative to production to financing—is Mike G. Mike, how are you?
Mike: I’m very good, thank you, John. Thanks for having me on.
John: You always have this glow of pure joy about you. And I love that 1985 Bruce Springsteen jacket—fantastic.
Mike: Funny story: this jacket was given to me by a very talented director named Hala. I acted in a Poolside music video she directed—Can’t Stop Your Lovin’—which now has over a million views on YouTube. We shot it in Paris, and afterwards she sent me the jacket my character wore. Complete stroke of luck, but very cool.
John: I’d say that jacket is the reason the video went viral.
Mike: (laughs) Maybe.
John: Speaking of virality—the short film market has really changed. Shorts used to be a filmmaker’s calling card, then they seemed to fade, and now they’re making a comeback. You’ve always been a big fan of short films. What’s your take on their resurgence?
Mike: I think they’re back because the barriers to entry have disappeared. Shorts are a fantastic way to find your voice. In many ways, they take longer than features because you push them to be as strong as possible—no shortcuts, no diminishing returns.
When I started out, shorts were the way to spot talent. I’ve had great success identifying directors through them. For example, I produced Hotel Mumbai, directed by Anthony Maras. I’d seen his short The Palace, about the Greek Cypriot War in the 70s, and it floored me. It felt almost like a documentary. That same intensity translated perfectly into Hotel Mumbai.
Shorts are the perfect calling card—they showcase your voice and filmmaking approach. And the best ones really do launch careers.
John: Exactly. That’s why we launched our first-ever KinoLime Shorts Competition. We’ve had over a thousand submissions already, and we just love short films.
Maybe you can help educate the audience. Say someone wants to make their first short. They have an idea—what’s next? How do they shape it into something achievable?
Mike: Great question. Here’s the thing: shorts aren’t mini-features or trailers for something bigger. The ones that don’t work are the open-ended “proof of concept” shorts that only exist to sell a feature. Shorts should stand on their own—beginning, middle, end.
They’re popcorn: quick, sharp, and satisfying. Look at Nash Edgerton’s shorts—Spider and Bear—they’re fantastic. They exist as complete works, not just setups for something else.
From a practical standpoint:
Keep it short—ideally 10 minutes or under.
Even three to four minutes can be perfect.
Make sure it demonstrates storytelling, talent direction, and camera movement.
Commercials from the 80s and 90s are great references too—they often told entire stories in under a minute.
John: So you’re saying it’s better to create a self-contained story with a full arc, rather than just a “teaser” for a bigger project?
Mike: Exactly. Otherwise, it’s not really a short—it’s just a sales tool.
I once did a short called Peacock with Michael Lander as part of Fox Searchlight’s Search Lab incubator in the early 2000s. It was a condensed version of his feature script, which later landed on the Black List and eventually got made by Lionsgate.
But here’s the thing: the short worked as its own story. It wasn’t just a teaser. That’s what caught attention and helped propel the feature forward.
John: That’s a great example. Okay, let’s move to crewing up. Once you have your script, how do you find the right people to make it happen?
Mike: Every medium-to-large city in the U.S. has an indie film community. In LA, it can actually be harder because so much of the industry is corporate. But here’s the trick: find people on their way up.
An art director who wants to be a production designer.
A second AD aiming to become a first AD.
A line producer who wants more producing credits.
These people bring real experience but are hungry for the next step. They’ll invest in your project because it helps their trajectory too.
Look at movements like Mumblecore in Austin or the Blue-Tongue collective in Australia (Joel and Nash Edgerton, David Michôd). They all crewed up on each other’s projects to get them made. Building a team like that is invaluable.
And honestly, people are often most generous with their time and resources when it comes to short films.
John: That’s inspiring. And with technology now, even features can be made on shoestring budgets.
Mike: Absolutely. Look at Sean Baker—his film Tangerine was shot on an iPhone and premiered at Sundance. It sold for a million dollars, and his next film was Oscar-nominated.
That’s proof that compelling storytelling and authenticity matter more than budget. Today, you can make something powerful with a fraction of the resources it once took.
John: Love that. Now let’s touch on financing. It probably should’ve come first, but—what’s your advice for funding a short film?
Mike: Honestly, most shorts are funded through friends, family, and in-kind support. Traditional financing for shorts is rare.
That said, there are incubator programs (like Search Lab was) that exist to nurture emerging directors. Organizations like Film Independent, Independent Feature Project (IFP), and film schools like AFI, USC, or NYU often have grant opportunities or production support.
But ultimately, shorts are usually powered by hustle, community, and resource-sharing.
John: That’s great insight. Mike, always a pleasure—we learn so much every time.
Mike: Always. And I can’t wait to see the amazing shorts coming out of KinoLime’s competition.
John: Thanks to everyone watching. If you enjoyed this, like, subscribe, and comment below. And don’t forget—the KinoLime Shorts Competition is closing submissions next week, so get your scripts in now!
Outro: If you enjoyed this video and want more industry news, screenwriting insights, and all things film, follow KinoLime across social platforms and visit KinoLime.com for the latest updates.
