So you’ve made the decision to write a short film. Great! You set your alarm early, brew a pot of coffee, pull up Final Draft, and type FADE IN. There’s only one small problem: You don’t know how to write a script. Don’t worry! There are many tricks for selecting your first script, especially if you want to film it yourself.
In this article, we give you a few quick tips on how and where to find new ideas. Also, before you start, make sure you know how to format a screenplay properly.
Where Do I Start?
Want an easy place to begin finding answers for how to write a short film? Try looking in the mirror. Ask yourself these simple questions:
- What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to me? Why?
- What did I do to overcome it?
- What was I willing to do?
- What happened after that?”
These questions form dramatic story beats that naturally generate interest.
If you’re not interested in telling a personal story, look to your subconscious instead. Dreams provide vivid imagery that can inspire great ideas.
For example, James Cameron had a horrible nightmare about “a chrome skeleton emerging phoenix-like out of the fire”. Because he couldn’t get the image out of his head, he kept drawing the skeleton until it became The Terminator.
Notice how James Cameron’s sketching was a combination of both personal and conceptual inspiration. It exemplifies how our emotions and personal stories are the core of even the highest concept ideas.
Another great question to ask yourself is: “What’s the movie I want to watch?” Maybe your unique perspective on your favorite movie genre could lead to a fresh idea.
Here’s what James Cameron thought after all of those Terminator sketches: “’That was cool. I’ve never seen that in a movie before.”
Start Reading Other Film Scripts
In addition to this, one of the easiest and cheapest ways is to read free short film scripts. Here are our top 3 free script resources from across the web.
Go Into The Story
The official blog of The Black List, Go Into The Story might be the web’s most comprehensive screenwriting resource. Featuring analysis, writing exercises, screenplays, and interviews, Go Into The Story is an incredible asset for any screenwriter.
Shooting People
Shooting People introduces you to a network of indie filmmakers looking for short film scripts, crew, bursaries, competitions, and training. Check out the Pitches section to see what kinds of projects are circulating and test the strength of your idea!
Script Notes
John August & Craig Mazin’s widely popular podcast has an episode for just about any question you could have about screenwriting. They keep the discussion fun and friendly while providing keen insight for writing a great short film script. Additionally, their website features a library full of scripts, treatments, and other useful writing examples.
Know Your Audience
Before coming up with movie ideas, you need to know your audience. That is to say, every film has a different purpose. Your film might be for a school project or a competition.
Sometimes there are rules you need to follow to show your film to a particular audience. For example, some film festivals have running length limitations. Often short films need to be between 5 and 15 minutes long.
It also would be a good idea to watch films that have the same audience as yours. For example, previous award-winning films, or short films within your genre and budget.
Find Inspiration From Other Sources
Ideas for a film can come from many different sources. The easiest way is to seek inspiration from other mediums such as books, art, music, newspapers, and even other films. For example, there have been many adaptions taken from the bible.
Being inspired is not stealing; you can modify the story to your style. You might like the conflict, twist, or characters within an existing film and use these elements in your own short film idea.
Also, if there is a film or book you like, write down what you enjoyed about it. Understanding what makes a good story is an important part of scriptwriting.
Real-Life Stories
As well as fictional stories, there are also real-life stories. You can create movie ideas based on your own life experiences. Everyone has a story to tell, and it could simply be about your relationships, and experiences in school or work. However, make sure to change the story slightly in case someone sues you or it offends someone in real life.
Short film ideas don’t need to be as in-depth as feature-length films. A short film can be a single scene, a character piece, or a joke. Often filmmakers use short films as calling cards for future work.
Genre Conventions
Ideas for a film can also come from genre codes. These are basic rules that almost all films within that genre follow. For example, the genre codes of horror are darkness, evil, unexplained things, and fear. The genre codes affect all aspects of a movie from setting, plot, character, and props.
Most importantly, by writing within genre rules, you make it easier to create short film ideas. Many screenwriters have a genre in mind before they start writing. This allows you to have an exact audience for your film, which will help when you go to sell it. There are also genre-specific film festivals.
Emotional Impact
Firstly, your film’s story needs to have emotion to connect to its audience. When coming up with short film ideas, you can use emotion as inspiration. For example, you can write a film around the theme of love, anger, jealousy, pride, or happiness.
Each of us has had different life experiences, but everyone can relate to emotion. By grounding your movie ideas in emotion, you can be sure that your audience is involved.
Try using a mix of techniques to write your stories. Such as placing your real-life experience of love, into a horror genre. Doing this can create different layers into your screenplay and make it unique.
Budget
Lastly, ideas should be mindful of the film’s budget. Your budget will determine what type of film you can make.
So, if you are a student, you might not have the budget or knowledge to make a science fiction film. Likewise, a film producer will not take a chance on an expensive film by a first-time writer.
By all means, you can be creative when you write your short film. Just keep in mind the budget and how you are going to make the film when writing.
Another tip is to write a list of what you already have access to, such as a list of locations, props, equipment, and crew. This way you can write a film around what you know you have.
Also, this is particularly helpful if you know that you will be working with a low budget. 👍
Wrapping Up
In short, when it comes to independent filmmaking and how to write a short film, the old adage “necessity is the mother of invention” becomes the rule of thumb. With creative thinking, a good attitude, and a little luck, you can find compelling story ideas from all around you. Go on.. have a go!
