LaBeouf short goes viral

There's no doubt that a short film can captivate an audience and get people talking about a subject matter, but when actors like Shia LaBeouf make a mistake..and unintentionally copy other work, well, people immediately recognize it.

LaBeouf's new 'HowardCantour.com' short film faced criticism after fans of artist Dan Clowes discovered the film was very similar to his work.

LaBeouf's 12-minute homage to the comic artist made no mention of his name despite taking many themes from his work, with the plot and dialogue almost copied directly from Clowes' comics.

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However, LaBeouf immediately apologized in a number of tweets and realized his mistake. This particular incident shows how quickly a short film can generate discussions and lead to massive media attention.

I deeply regret the manner in which these events have unfolded and want @danielclowes to know that I have a great respect for his work

— Shia LaBeouf (@thecampaignbook) December 17, 2013

There are literally hundreds of newspapers and blogs talking about this right now, and it's all because of a 12-minute video. Are you look at making a short film?

Check out our guide on how to make your films Oscar worthy.