Research: How to make a short film

 

Research: How to make a short film 

     The words short film are a teaser. Although the name may sound like it's an easy quick process, short films take a lot of time, effort, and energy. I learned from this video that planning is one of, if not the, most crucial of all steps in the short film making process. One of the most key takeaways in planning I got from this video is that it is crucial to write for the kind of movie you are trying to make. Now this sounded obvious until I thought about it deeper. When writing our script and planning for the creation of our movie it is key that we do not bite off more than we can chew, meaning do not try to incorporate things into our film that we know will not be possible for us to create. For example, we must make sure we do not go over budget and include pieces that will cost more than we would be willing to spend, and not writing for a cast that would include more than the people we know will be accessible to us. After setting that into our heads, we can begin the writing process. This is when we will develop our plot, introduce protagonists and antagonists, develop our main story, and set up a beginning, middle, and ending. A good piece of information that I gathered while watching the video is to attempt to keep the audience guessing and not make the next move in the film obvious. This will help in keeping the engagement of audiences and develop a level of confidence in our film. Another piece of information was to let theme guide the story, such as how the characters act and what comes next. The last part of preparations should be to create storyboards and review script. This will help in envisioning how the final product will look and give guidelines to how the filming process will go even if there are subtle changes along the way. The video put emphasis on casting and how all members of the cast should have 100% commitment to make sure the film looks as realistic as possible. The script should also play to the cast's strengths and weaknesses so that cast members feel comfortable in the role they are playing. Sound also plays a crucial role in filming so we must make sure that sound can be heard and is uninterrupted throughout the film. The last and most important bit of information the video gave was to make sure that others give feedback on the film, and it is not just you. Other people may have different opinions on the film that may change our opinions and how we look at the film as a whole. Overall, the video really did an excellent job in giving the basic rules of creating a short film and I believe if we follow these rules, we will be set up for success in our film making process.