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A Guide to Short Filmmaking

By: Lorabella

They are short, they are sweet and sometimes not-so -sweet but they make an impact as much as any regular 16mm big screen production. Yes, short films are as important to viewers today as any regular movie format. One of the primary reasons for the popularity of this medium is that short films are sharp, they are snappy and they tell a story often within ten minutes. Also most beginners start experimenting with filmmaking through short films first. Shorts films are also much more economical for amateurs as their budgets can be mostly sponsored by the maker. In this digital age, perhaps making a short film totally makes sense because you can upload your film on the internet and in a matter of seconds millions of viewers will have access to your film. That’s the best way to get noticed.

Just like a short story, writing a short film is perhaps the toughest medium in films. You have only a couple of minutes to tell your story, cover every aspect of drama and emotion, and most importantly move the story forward. Your film has to look sleek, appear fast paced and end with a bang. While writing your story you have to keep it short and crisp but not compromise on the quality. For starters, perhaps you can adapt a short story by a known author and write a script out of it. Or you can take a famous script off the internet and shoot your own version of it. But be sure that you don’t violate anyone’s copyright in doing so.

Even if it’s a short film, all the characters in your film have to be very well etched out. You need to do some detailed character development. Right from who they are, where they come from and why are they in your movie has to be justified. Once the script is in place, start experimenting with your shots. If you don’t know how to handle a camera, now is the time to take some online tutorials or read some books about it. Remember it is all about experimenting so start exploring shots, camera angles, locations. You will need to know how to shoot and record on your camera from beforehand. Figure out how to work your camera beforehand.

Draw a detailed scene-by-scene storyboard of your short film, jotting down details as well as doodling the scenes pretty much like a graphic novel.

Once your equipment and storyboard is ready, you need to screen test some actors for your films. Put up a notice on your college bulletin or post it in a café where your peers hang out. Audition your actors by giving them lines from your short film. Tell them that it’s free for the time being but when you make that great movie one day you will surely acknowledge their hard work. You can even shoot candid films documentary style.

Once the shooting is done, the film needs to be edited. Since your short film probably has only a couple of minutes on hand, the editing needs to make the film as crisp as possible. This is the time when you will need to concentrate the most. Do away with unnecessarily long footage, keep the lines simple and trim the film to make it within the time slot.

There are several software available online that you can download and use for making edits. This is the time when you add some music to your footage.

Once your film is done you need to spread the word about it as much as possible. Spread it online, show it to your friends, and enter amateur short film contests as you can.

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