Don Swaynos‘ Six Hundred and Forty-One Slates is one of those genius short films that makes one wonder why nobody had ever thought to make it before. It is, on the surface, a simple construct of exactly what the title says — the deletable clapper takes of every scene shot for the feature-length comedy Cinema Six.

But it’s not just a slap-dash compilation. Swaynos gives the short a snappy rhythm, knowing when to pause for humorous effect and when to speed things up right when the concept seems too repetitive. It’s not just the idea that makes the short so loveable, it’s the execution.

Cinema Six is a feature-length comedy written and directed by Mark Potts & Cole Selix; and was produced by Swaynos, Nick Tankersley and Kelly Williams. It was, if you couldn’t tell, also edited in full by Swaynos. (However, the film was originally titled Splice of Life, which is what you see on the slate.) It debuted earlier this year at SXSW and recently screened at the Dallas International Film Festival, where it’s been earning lots of praise.

Please check out the official Cinema Six website to find out where you can see it.

For more info on Don Swaynos, please visit his index page on the Underground Film Journal.