Writing a short film...

UncleBenji1977

UncleBenji1977

Well-known member
I've read a dozen books that give you specific step by step guidelines on writing a full length feature. Does anyone know of something similar for a short film? Is there such thing as a process to writing short films? Anyone know of any books that would help? Thanks for the help.
 
there are a couple books on writing shorts, but the basics are the same as with writing features. i think having a great concept is even more important because you have less time to develop the story. also, you haev to have a good ending. i personally don't like shorts that have no real ending and aren't complete stories in themselves, and are supposed to be part of a longer piece. i would also suggest you try writing out the story out in prose as a short story if you get stuck. good luck.
 
I think you'll find vastly differing opinions on how to write short films. For example, kiyong said "i personally don't like shorts that have no real ending and aren't complete stories in themselves, and are supposed to be part of a longer piece." I am completely opposite. If the short is less than, say 15 minutes, I don't believe there is enough time to wrap things up. Beyond that, it becomes much more feasible to tell a complete story without forcing the action.

I'm not sure there is much out there in the way of guidelines or instruction on how to go about the process, but something I would suggest is learning how to write short stories. In the world of short stories, there is a wealth of information and work to fall back on. In the end, whether in screenplay format or prose, the writer is essentially doing the same thing; telling a story. If you can learn to effectively tell a story in one format you will have a much stronger grasp of telling one in other formats.

Eric
 
kiyong said:
i personally don't like shorts that have no real ending and aren't complete stories in themselves, and are supposed to be part of a longer piece.
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I'm in-between on this issue. While it can be frustrating to not have resolution, a short that is a fragment of a larger story can still be worth watching. Check out The Father, Unblinking.

IBEJohnson said:
If the short is less than, say 15 minutes, I don't believe there is enough time to wrap things up. Beyond that, it becomes much more feasible to tell a complete story without forcing the action.
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I totally believe that there are lots and lots of shorts that are under 15 minutes and have a beginning, middle, and end. While there's often more development that could be done in these films, they are certainly complete in themselves.
 
johnlabonney said:
I totally believe that there are lots and lots of shorts that are under 15 minutes and have a beginning, middle, and end. While there's often more development that could be done in these films, they are certainly complete in themselves.
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Yes, well, I didn't mean to sound so definitive. But generally speaking I believe this to be the truth. And, upon further thought, I probably meant to say 10 minutes. You really can do a lot in 15.
 
IBEJohnson said:
Yes, well, I didn't mean to sound so definitive. But generally speaking I believe this to be the truth. And, upon further thought, I probably meant to say 10 minutes. You really can do a lot in 15.
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I respect your opinion, but still disagree. I would agree that there are plenty of shorts out there that are fragments of longer stories. At the same time, it is quite possible to present a complete story in less than ten minutes. Take a look at some of the dvxuser festivals as examples. There are lots of complete stories in those shorts.
 
It's not always easy, but you can tell a complete story in 10 minutes, 5 minutes, or even 30 seconds. You just need to choose the right size story.
 
So, I got busy, but thanks for all the comments. I would like to find some of these books that kiyong was talking about... Anyone know of any?
 
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