Hi everybody i am new to this site and hoping its more friendly than other forum sites. Anyways i need some help/ideas Im in need of a short script 5-7 pages mostly interior. Im a horrible script writer i was never good at writing to begin with im more interested in editing but im required to shoot something soooo if anybody can give me some ideas or even want to write something quick doesn't have to be elaborate or anything like that i just need something to shoot i will pay but please take into consideration that Im a broke college student lol. Anything would help so thanks guys really appreciate it.
Need help Film 2 class
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Randall_Oelerich
Veteran
You might take a look at inktip.com in their shorts section.
O/w why not write something yourself, 5 pages is not much. Best if you choose one location, a location you can easily have access to, preferably indoor unless weather is not a factor. Small cast of 1-4. Come up with a dramatic event to present and resolve. Write it out as a 1/2 to 1 page narrative 'short story' written in present tense, then you will be ready to write it up in screenplay format.
randall
O/w why not write something yourself, 5 pages is not much. Best if you choose one location, a location you can easily have access to, preferably indoor unless weather is not a factor. Small cast of 1-4. Come up with a dramatic event to present and resolve. Write it out as a 1/2 to 1 page narrative 'short story' written in present tense, then you will be ready to write it up in screenplay format.
randall
j
Veteran
Randall's right. Even if you want to only want to edit, you must have a good understanding of story. Don't worry if you don't now, in time you will. But you first must make crap then learn from your mistakes. So - by all means: crap out a story. At least it'll be yours and your next 2 or 3 or 7 or 10 will get better and better.
You might become a good editor by learning all the buttons, but you will never be a great editor without understanding story.
I forgot who it was on this site who has the tag line: Story is a hero who has a need who must overcome obstacles in order to achieve their goal.
It's really nothing more than that. Keep it simple, keep it clear. Even if it's stupid simple.
Page 1 there's a hero and you learn a little bit about who he is and where he is at.
Page 2 Something important happens that causes the hero to work to achieve a goal
Page 3-4 the hero tries different things, getting close but problems always seem to set the goal just out of reach.
Page 5 the hero tries something outlandish and it either works or doesn't but it resolves the situation.
Easy breezy, just fill in the blanks. In time you will find ways of making the characters more interesting and the situations more intense, but that's in the future.
Best of luck.
You might become a good editor by learning all the buttons, but you will never be a great editor without understanding story.
I forgot who it was on this site who has the tag line: Story is a hero who has a need who must overcome obstacles in order to achieve their goal.
It's really nothing more than that. Keep it simple, keep it clear. Even if it's stupid simple.
Page 1 there's a hero and you learn a little bit about who he is and where he is at.
Page 2 Something important happens that causes the hero to work to achieve a goal
Page 3-4 the hero tries different things, getting close but problems always seem to set the goal just out of reach.
Page 5 the hero tries something outlandish and it either works or doesn't but it resolves the situation.
Easy breezy, just fill in the blanks. In time you will find ways of making the characters more interesting and the situations more intense, but that's in the future.
Best of luck.
Randall_Oelerich
Veteran
Another aspect of 'story' that someone said that has stuck with me (not sure it pertains to shorts necessarily) is that the story is the single most important event that has, is, or will happen to the protagonist, it is the biggest event of their life-- whether it is befriending alien Transformer robots, or learning one is going insane, or whatever. But it is must be the biggest event of the protagonist's life.
Now for shorts that can be toned down greatly. A short can be a comical or serious dramatic event in the life of the protagonist, even something quirky, but it must be entertaining and cinematic (visually told).
Now for shorts that can be toned down greatly. A short can be a comical or serious dramatic event in the life of the protagonist, even something quirky, but it must be entertaining and cinematic (visually told).
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geckopelli
Member
Well, you've got your scenario: an interrogation.
Now-- who's doing the questioning? Who's being questioned? Answer these two question in depth, and you're story will organically follow.
Now-- who's doing the questioning? Who's being questioned? Answer these two question in depth, and you're story will organically follow.
Randall_Oelerich
Veteran
I once heard or read someone explain how a 30 second dishwashing liquid commercial or something like that had all the plot points and acts of a story.
Chris Messineo
Veteran
Check out MoviePoet.com too. We have over 2,000 short scripts (all 5 pages or less) and you can even search them by genre and cast size. Just make sure you get permission from the writer first before shooting anything. FYI, the vast majority of writers aren't looking to get paid for their short scripts - they just want to see them brought to life.