Spotlight: Adam E. Stone

His featured works, including the acclaimed one-minute poem film An entombing(dis)entombing, showcase his talent for layering visual and verbal meaning into compact, thought-provoking experiences. Stone believes that the best short films should leave audiences wanting to watch repeatedly, unpacking new layers of meaning with each viewing.

What sets Stone apart is his commitment to experimental filmmaking as a tool for social change. His unconventional, boundary-pushing approach aims to present not just original images, but fresh ideas and perspectives that can enrich and transform viewers’ understanding of the world around them.

In our conversation with Adam, he shares insights into his experimental philosophy, his belief in short films as an independent art form, and how confronting the unknown drives every aspect of his filmmaking journey.

Shortly: What sparked your passion for short films, and what unique storytelling qualities do you find in this format compared to other mediums?

My passion for short films has evolved as my personal storytelling style has developed. My first short film was 20 minutes long, my next was 10 minutes long, and my next was even shorter. I love the challenge of presenting a compelling story in a short amount of time. This requires concision and a laser-sharp focus on what you are trying to say, and how you want to say it. One of my most successful short films to date, “an entombing(dis)entombing,” is a one-minute poem film, but it is packed with meaning, both visually and verbally. A good short film should leave the audience wanting to view it again and again, to “unpack” those layers of meaning. Typically, there is a lot of “filler” space in a feature film, which makes it difficult for most viewers to have the time to really dig into it. A well-made short film on a streaming service like Shortly allows viewers to watch and rewatch at their convenience, in between other activities in their busy lives. Sometimes the best content comes in small packages, deeply explored!

Shortly: What elements of your storytelling approach do you believe resonate most with audiences and juries?

Because my films are experimental, they are unconventional and outside of the mainstream, which in turn makes them, I hope, novel and refreshing for audiences and juries. I try to present not only images that are original and thought-provoking, but ideas and perspectives that are as well. To me, experimental film is about pushing boundaries – not only cinematic ones, but intellectual and emotional ones too. An experimental film should challenge the status quo, and hopefully inspire people to see the world in new ways that can enrich and transform their viewpoints and lives.

Shortly: How do you envision the evolution of short films – as an independent art form or primarily as a stepping stone to feature filmmaking? And what projects are you developing that reflect this vision?

Both perspectives are legitimate, but for me personally, short films are very much an independent art form, in the same way that short stories or poems are independent of novels. I believe a good short film is like a Zen koan – a short, concise gateway that pushes us to challenge what we think we know about the world, and that encourages us to dig more deeply to understand our lives and the meanings they hold. I am continuing to create new poem films, and new nonverbal films, that reflect this belief, and that I hope viewers will find engaging and moving. Stay tuned!

Shortly: If you could personify your greatest creative challenge, what form would it take, and how has confronting it shaped your filmmaking journey?

It would be a question mark. I am driven forward by the unknown, by searching for new ways to tell stories, with the hope they will lead to a deeper understanding of the human experience. I have never had any interest in making conventional or “safe” films, because I believe that if we do not challenge the status quo, we do not move forward as a species. Clearly, there is great unhappiness and suffering in the world. That tells me that the status quo is failing, at least for many, many people. We have to do better, which starts by seeing our world differently. Short films can play a role in changing thinking, which is what it takes to eventually bring about positive change. Confronting the unknown impacts every aspect of my filmmaking journey, from thinking about what kind of stories I want to tell, to how I want to tell them visually and verbally.