Bigger does not always mean better.

That’s what area artists proved at the D.C. Shorts Film Festival this week, an annual event that brings together local filmmakers.

“In all seriousness, audiences like films made for shoestrings as much as, if not more than, the blockbusters,” said Jon Gann, the founder of the event. “They’re different kinds of film.”

With the average feature film in Hollywood costing $35 million a pop, “keep it short, keep it reel” was not only the motto of the festival, but a requirement of those who submitted films. Gann estimated that the more than 800 filmmakers who participated in the event only spent between $50 and $100,000 on creating each short.

Held at the historic Landmark E Street Cinema, the sixth-annual festival was originally the concept of Gann who, after attending numerous events during his filmmaking career, said he was growing disillusioned with the atmospheres surrounding other festivals around the country.

“Most had been set up more to be about money, parties, and sponsors than the films being presented,” he said.

It was at the Ashland Independent Film Festival in Oregon that Gann realized he needed to bring a new type of show to the District.

“They didn’t know what they were doing, but they did it right,” he said about the annual Pacific-Northwest showcase.

What Gann created in the capital has become a week-long presentation of original films no longer than 20 minutes. During the premiere weekend, awards were presented to the best of the competition and then each of the selected films were screened for the public based on genre and style.

The most competitive aspect of the festival, however, occurred before any of the shorts were seen in the theatre. When the films were all submitted, they were ranked by a panel of local filmmakers and industry volunteers. If the film fell within the top 200 submissions, it proceeded to a second round of judging done by a committee of filmmakers and festival veterans.

Gann also created a unique system of response for those who submitted a short based on encouraging them to make strong film projects. When the acceptance or rejection decisions were made, the judges opened their comments and scores to the filmmakers.

But D.C. Shorts allowed festival attendees to do a little judging of their own too. On Sunday night, awards such as Audience Choice, Outstanding Local Film and the Festival Director’s Choice were awarded to filmmakers. Prizes included money and gift certificates.

The culminating “Best of the Fest” showcase will take place Thursday Sept. 17 at 7:30 and 9 p.m.