So, you want to make a short film but don’t know where to start. If you are an aspiring filmmaker, making a short film is a great learning experience and who knows, it may even take off on the big screens.
Even though short films only run for about 40 minutes or less, creating a quality short film requires time, energy, and patience. Therefore, it’s important to learn how to make a short film properly to show off your best work.
If you’re wondering how to make a short film, this helpful guide will provide you with everything you need to know. Keep reading to learn more!
Preparing for Your Short Film
First things first, you will need to make sure you are fully prepared to take on a short film. One of the biggest mistakes a filmmaker could make is to start creating a film, only to realize they bit off way more than they could chew.
So, before shooting, make sure you first think about the story and genre of your short film and what kind of budget your film will have.
Then, decide on the people you want to be involved in the collaboration of the production, such as the producer, cinematographer, assistant director, sound recordist, and other crew members.
Next, plan out everything that will be needed to make the short film happen. This includes props, location, movie editing software, and quality film equipment like a DSLR camera (you may also simply choose to use your smartphone).
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Writing the Script
The next most important part of shooting a short film is to ensure that you have a script. A script will serve as the blueprint of your film’s storyline.
Now if writing a film isn’t your forte, you can contact a screenwriter whose work you admire and ask for their permission to use their screenplay.
If you do choose to write the script yourself, however, you mustn’t overuse dialogue. That’s because when writing a short film, you are limited to a script that’s 50 pages or under. Too much dialogue will take away from the entire plot of your story.
Therefore, try to convey your story with actions and other visual elements instead.
Storyboard Your Short Film
Storyboarding is an essential part of the movie-making process. This involves drawing out the scenes and shots of your film in chronological order.
Don’t worry, you don’t need to be an artist to storyboard. Many directors simply draw stick figures of each scene and shot.
You can also choose to download software to help your storyboard. Some popular softwares include FrameForge, Studiobinder, and Adobe Creative Cloud Express.
Casting Your Short Film
So, you’ve prepared for your short film and obtained a script and storyboarded. Now it’s time to hire your actors.
If you have family and friends that fit the roles in your film, you may choose to cast them. Though chances are, you will want to hire those with acting experience.
If you opt for professional actors, Backstage is a great platform to post casting call advertisements. During auditions, you and other crew members can collaborate on who you feel is the best part for each role.
Once your actors are cast, make sure you hold a table read with your cast. A table read will help you get a feel of how your actors sound reading the dialogue. It is also a good time to offer them character advice and possibly change certain things around within the script.
Filming Your Short Film
After all these pre-production measures have been taken, it is now time to start filming your short film. It is recommended to film three pages of your script a day. However, this varies depending on the length of your short film, so preparing a schedule for your production is a good idea.
Make sure to rehearse with your actors before filming and redo scenes that are not up to par. Watching scenes after shooting is recommended and will help you know what might need to be redone.
Remember to also give your actors and crewmembers ample breaks and provide meals throughout the production process.
Post-Production Editing
So, you’ve successfully completed your short film. Now, comes the editing process.
Using video editing software like iMovie and Final Cut Pro, place each scene in order and observe the flow of your movie. Also, be sure to take out unnecessary scenes that don’t add to the quality of the film.
This is the time where you will add sound effects, music, and voiceovers to your short film. Another important step is to color grade your film which will make it appear much more professional.
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Once your short film is fully edited, watch the film with your actors and crew members to see what they think of the finished product.
How to Make a Short Film
This in-depth guide taught you everything you need to know about how to make a short film. If you are an aspiring director, a short film is ultimately a great way to showcase your talent. While it does take hard work, in the end, it’ll all be worth it.
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