When studying “How to Structure a Short Film” it is important to understand that every film conveys an idea or story. A short film differs from feature films in its form and structure. Because there are more restrictions and limitations with a shorter time length. The techniques of handling full-length stories on screen can be applied to short films as well. But it may result in failure when the filmmakers are not able to include all elements used before.
The key elements that need to be included in each scene of a narrative structure would depend on the duration of the film. Thus, structuring becomes crucial for creating narratives. It helps determine which scenes should be filmed first and what order they will follow throughout production.
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What is A Structure Short Film?
A “short film” is defined as a product that usually lasts no longer than thirty minutes. Sometimes it can be called a movie, another word that means all films of longer length for instance. Full-Length Feature Film, “Short Film”, and Telefilm. But the working definition in Hollywood is: anything over 110 minutes will probably become known by studio executives as…well you get the drift!
Story Structure for Short Film
Understand what the audience expects from short films. The general public is open to different kinds of films. But that does not mean it is ready for unconventional movies. The story should be captivating and well-written for an audience to enjoy it. It would also help if you are able to make a character likable or disliked in the beginning scene.
The ideal length of a short film ranges from 5 minutes to 30 minutes with the standard being about 15 minutes. Although some audiences prefer short films lasting close to 10 minutes because they do not want anything long or complex while others prefer 20-30 minute length. As there is more time for developing characters and elements such as plot and sub-plots.
The biggest challenge in making a film is to tell the story within that time frame. This can only be done if you have an outline of your script, character development, scene breakdown, and all other elements that will contribute to good filmmaking (Genovese & Brindisi, 2010).
What is A Storytelling?
Storytelling is simply defined as the method of creating interesting tales. It features great acting, scriptwriting, and well-shot shots complementing each other well in order to create a lasting impact with the audience. The moral or theme you want your audiences to learn through your story will also factor into this process heavily if not altogether.
Short Film Story Outline Structure
There are different story outlining formats that will assist you in the writing process of a decent short film. It would be better if that outline is organized and presented well to avoid errors or distractions whilst depicting scenes effectively. The following is a sample story Outline for making a short Film:
“A fantastic film started from an ordinary day.” A day in the life of John who is still single has been living at home with his mother and sister Sally. The movie features characters such as Sally’s friend Audrey who suffered a severe anxiety attack over her boyfriend Rex, only to find out later Rex found another girl in town. Rex was having too much fun to stop himself from sexually harassing Lucy whilst she has accepted him after all. But finished up looking down on them because they were not rich enough compared to him.
The Best Short Films For Every Filmmaker
The filmmaker can make a short film in a few days, and it’s easy to shoot and edit. A filmmaker needs to have an idea for the story he wants to tell. But what is more important is that they should be able to articulate their ideas well enough so that the audience understands them easily. The filmmaker must know how much time will be needed for each step of making a short film.
3 Act Structure for Short Films
A successful short film differs significantly from a feature film and the most notable difference is the time factor. In a short film structure, you need to get all your message across with as little screen time as possible. It must be very efficient without dragging too much. This is why it needs an admirable three-act structure to tell the story in only 15-20 minutes.
The short film story structure script should be broken into three Acts with each Act having its own length and part.
Here I have explained a short film of act structure below.
Step#01
Act 1 would have 5-15 scenes (Bogart & Cargile, 2008). This is only a guideline to help you understand the process of writing a complete screenplay. Some films may not follow these numbers. But the idea is that you need to prepare your material in such a way that it can be shot within the time frame provided by agencies or film festivals for submissions.
Act 1 or Setup Act opens with an establishing scene that introduces characters and sets up the conflict in one location like at home or workplace.
Step#02
Act 2 or Confrontation Act takes the main character to the problem-solving stage or from one location to another, like traveling by bus, boat, or car. Maintain conflict in every scene of this act. For example, if the conflict demands a solution and the problem has already been resolved in Act 1 still there will be problems that can arise.
Depending on your intention of writing this storyteller. It should have scenes that reveal other characters or shows other events than what you initially planned.
Step#03
Act 3 or Resolution Act solves the problem created in Act 1 and ends with a closing scene that gives the audience an impression of closure to events/conflict.
The best way to learn more about great short films is to read sample scripts available on the internet. Look for completed samples with good reviews. You’ll learn how writers bring out the best story from their minds in minimal time and space just like writing your blog posts.
Screenplay Length
The length of a film script depends on the genre and style used in filmmaking. A typical screenplay should be between 80-120 pages with most being at least 100 pages. If you plan to enter a short movie writing competition, then 100 pages are the ideal length.
Screenwriting Books
Screenwriting books are there to teach the process of writing a screenplay and also how you can improve your skills to become one.
The Screenwriter’s Bible by J. Todd Harris is considered the best screenwriting book according to Amazon readers’ reviews (4,2/5 scores). This comprehensive guide breaks it down into 8 stages: The Idea Stage. This stage involves brainstorming about ideas an outline forming and expanding that idea into a story structure plan Proving It Out in Script Form. Understand what movie compelling story experience has shown us.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions to know to get to structure a short film.
Q: How do you Structure A Short Film?
A: In order to answer this question, we need to understand the basic steps involved in making a short film.
There are many steps involved in making a short film. First, you need to brainstorm ideas for your short film. Then you will have to write a script and work on filming it. Finally, editing is required which can be done with software like Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere Pro CC.
Q: How to Make A Short Film for Beginners?
A: Making a short film is not an easy task. But, it can be made by following these steps:
1. Research and write the script.
2. Hire people to work on the script and make sure they have clear instructions for what they need to do.
3. Find funding from a bank or investor that will provide the money you need to create your film.
4. Make a schedule of all the people who are going to be working on your project and their schedules. You know when things are going to happen in order for them to get done before time runs out or there’s no budget left for anything else that needs doing!
Q: How many Scenes Should Be in A Short Film?
A: The number of scenes in a short film depends on the length of the story. A good rule of thumb is that you should have between three and five scenes in your short film.
Q: What are the Elements of A Good Short Film?
A: A good short film has a well-defined narrative and clear themes. It is also rich in dialogue, symbolism, and imagery.
Here are some elements of a good short film:
• The story should be easy to follow for viewers who don’t want to watch an entire feature-length movie.
• A solid script with characters that are memorable.
• Rich dialogue that draws the audience into the story.
• An emotional core that gives the audience a reason to care about what happens next.
Conclusion
In this article, I have tried to give you an idea about the length and structure of a short film. However, remember that there is no definitive rule when it comes to writing scripts for shorts. Remember that your viewers expect to be impressed within a limited time frame so you should not go into lengthy details in any scene but limit yourself to one location with maximum conflict possible.
