WGSA MAG Issue 14 (June 2013) | Page 93

Asian short film Just a Love Story takes place almost entirely in an elevator. Write for locations that are interesting yet practical, think of access and control, and avoid remote locations requiring driving for miles.

3 MAKE IT VISUAL

“ Film is a visual medium”.“ Show, don’ t tell.” Those are the golden rules of screenwriting the gurus keep telling us. Yet it’ s astonishing to see how talky most scripts are. Film is about telling stories in pictures, which is the most economical way of telling a story – and when you make a short film, economy is everything. Create visual backstories for your characters. Externalize through visual images their temperament, their profession, their status, etc.

In the Lunch Date the posh lady polishes her fork before using it. What does it tell you about her? Note how there is no dialogue in this short film, a short film that went on to win an Academy Award for best live action short film.

4 FIND SINGLE MOMENTS

The best short films are often a single moment that is played out, but one that has a story at its heart. What do I mean by story? I mean a conflict that has to be resolved, where there’ s a dilemma at stake and a choice that the protagonist has to make. Strive to add a deadline, or ticking clock. It is not necessary but it will add some tension to your short film. The short On Time is a good example of a short film that meets all these conditions. It tells the story of a heart-broken young man can peek into the future and must act on it on the spot.

5 TELL A STORY

You should always try to tell a compelling story. Beware of ideas that are concept-driven or just aim at breaking all the rules for the sake of breaking rules. Short films are a great opportunity to push the boundaries of what cinematic storytelling can do, yet they must still engage your audience emotionally. As a rule of thumb, unless it is extremely brief a short film should have a hero with a goal and an obstacle / antagonist in the way. Watch

I love Sarah Jane. It shows a bunch of teenagers in a ghost town where adults have turned into zombies, yet at the core it is a love story about a young boy who can’ t reach through to the older girl he loves.

6 ENGAGE THE READER

Since you have so little time to make an impression the impact of page one is crucial, just as it is crucial to hook the reader in the first 10 pages of a feature length script. What is the world of the film? Do we root for the main character? Does the world and story of the film feel authentic? The ending is also essential as it’ s rare to truly feel moved at the end of a short, so work towards a meaningful, satisfying ending.

7 BEWARE OF CLICHES

There are many clichés in short films, and much navel gazing. How come everybody feels the need to write about hit men for hire, heists, people seeing themselves die, children representing innocence, incestuous relationships, etc? Avoid stereotypes unless you have a fresh slant on them. That’ s what The Descendent does. In this short film a couple of bewildered hit men actually have to kill a seemingly cute little boy and one of them gets cold feet until he realizes that the child is a supernatural being who terrifies his mother. Write what you’ re familiar with and what resonates with you rather than writing something you borrowed from other films. Don’ t shy away from small stories, short formats are the perfect vehicle for them and you won’ t often get the opportunity to tell small stories as a professional writer.

Last but not least, watch as many short films as possible. There is no replacement for knowing what is out there, and knowing what you as an audience( as well as a writer) think and feel about it.

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