The Tips You Need for Creating a Short Film
A short film is something that many strive to make but struggle to bring into fruition. Here are a few tips you need for creating a short film.
Short films are terrific explorations of the artistic medium, as they are wholly unique.Unfortunately, many think that a short film is a cheap version of a feature film, butthey are incredibly different things, each highlighting different techniques and artistry.Read on to learn some more tips you need for creating a short film.
Keep Things ShortAs mentioned already, a short is not a discount version of a feature film. Instead, it isentirely different, so you must approach it differently. You can create a short film thatlasts anywhere between a few minutes and half an hour, but once you go over thatten-minute line, you are going into dangerous waters. A short film is a great way toshow viewers and critics that you can tell a cohesive and compelling story with asmall number of tools. Padding the length and taking too long to create somethingshows an inability to focus on the important story beats that matter the most.Find the Right LocationsOne of the first and most important things you need to know when shooting yourshort film is that you must find the perfect location. Since it is a short film, you canchange things around to fit your sites, accommodating for including some beautifulsights instead of an alley near your house. Of course, you can make a great shortfilm all within your apartment, but this won’t show off your technique and talent.Instead, you should find some great spots to film, like the Griffith Observatory, orbehind the Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles.Create Realistic ExpectationsBefore doing anything with your short film, you must take a step back andunderstand your situation. You cannot create a script with the wildest things in it andreasonably believe you can bring it to life. You can include some special effects andexciting editing techniques in your short film, but this takes a lot of time and capital tocreate. You should take the time to thoroughly consider what you want to make, thefeasibility of creating it, and how much of a time and resource investment you’rewilling to make. Short films are shorter than features, but that doesn’t mean they areeasy to make, and you must acknowledge this before putting yourself in a nearlyimpossible position.Creating a short film is not easy, but with these tips, you’ll have a much easier timeand better understand everything that goes on to create one. Of course, it still won’tbe easy, as you’ll need to create a stellar script and have good directing skills andactors, but you’ll at least know what you are doing.