how to make a short film
3. Story structures for the short film
One sure way to keep your cost down is to write a screenplay with a low budget in mind. Limiting the number of locations in the script, for example, will enable you to contain your number of shooting days to a few, and consequently your production costs to a minimum.
Keep in mind the kinds of stories that travel best on screen and in a short time. Most stories for the short film are of the slice-of-life category, but even these have to subsist in some story structure (ie. beginning, middle and end; a narrative in a causal-effect relationship where one thing leads to another in a series of consequences).
Short films also allow for non-narrative forms of storytelling. These tend to be more experimental in nature, and do demand more of your potential audience. If your audience cannot decode your film adequately, you’ll end up with a frustrated mob who feel cheated of their time (and money), and your film will bomb. If you’re planning to go the way of non-narrative forms, be sure to know your audience and construct images in a language they can understand from their everyday lives (and not just something only you understand).
The four types of non-narrative forms are categorical, rhetorical, abstract and associational. In each of these types, images are presented one after another (or one over another), and create some meaning for the audience to read. When writing, be aware that film is a multi-sensory, multi-dimensional and immersive experience. You need to weave together elements of action, dialog, movement, colour, sound and music to depict harmony and conflict, and evoke an emotional and/or cerebral response in your audience.
In all, your challenge is to present at least one element that will find resonance in your audience, to interest them to stay until the end of your piece. You will invite them to willingly suspend disbelief that this is a construct, and you do so with the full potential of the screen medium.
There are many books and courses on offer to help you learn the craft of writing for film and television. Do check out our events page for courses we offer, or contact us if you want to attend a course in screenwriting. If you already have a screenplay in hand, you may drop us a line to learn more about our Script Clinic services.
