DiReCTiNG & ScReENwRiTiNG ReSoURcEs
ScReENwRiTiNG
To download “Writing A Short Screenplay - The MMM Information Packet,” last year’s comprehensive guide to writing short screenplays, click here.*
*Please note that the event summary, dates, and rules of the competition listed in the packet are from last year’s event and are not applicable to this year’s MMM.
In addition to these materials, please see below for some great information and links about writing short screenplays.
“The path to success in Hollywood has never been easy. You need connections, time, talent, smarts, and luck. A great or very good script used to open doors, and still can. But a great short can get you noticed faster, and into meeting rooms with people whose job it is to
say yes. The reason? It takes less time to watch a short film, and if it's good, it's far more enjoyable than spending a couple of hours
reading a screenplay.”
Linda Cowgill, in Creative Screenwriting 05/11/04
Here are some resources that will help you get started on your short screenplay:
LINKS
BECAUSE OF MAMA: CREATING A SHORT FILM by Karen Gocsik and Serguei
Bassine, the writer and director of the short film, Because of Mama, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
On this well designed Website, you will learn how to “Unpack” your idea and turn it into a story.
THREE CLASSIC SHORT FILMS TO WATCH:
THE LUNCH DATE by Adam Davidson (Academy Awards winner)
OMNIBUS written by Sam Karmann and Christian Rauth. Directed by Sam Karmann.
THE RED BALLOON by Albert Lamorisse
AND MANY MORE YOU CAN WATCH ONLINE
Has an extensive collection of amazing
short films from all over the world.
Check out Offsides (2001)
BOOKS
WRITING THE SHORT FILM by Pat Cooper and Ken Dancyger
WRITING SHORT FILMS - Linda J. Cowgill
WRITING SHORT SCRIPTS - William H. Phillips
MAKING A WINNING SHORT: HOW TO WRITE, DIRECT, EDIT, AND PRODUCE A SHORT FILM - Edmond Levy
STORY by Robert McKee
SCREENPLAY by Syd Field
HOW TO WRITE A MOVIE IN 21 DAYS by Vicky King
MAKING A GOOD SCRIPT GREAT by Linda Seger
CREATING UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTERS by Linda Seger
TEN TIPS FOR WRITING SUCCESSFUL SCRIPT: (Excerpted from “A short-cut to Hollywood Success” by Linda Cowgill, Creative Screenwriting 05/11/2004)
Below is a list of tips to consider before you shoot your short film.
1. Know who you're making your film for. If you're making it for yourself, that's who you have to satisfy. If you're making it as an
entry into the industry, your film needs to work dramatically as well as technically. Competition is stiff.
2. The longer the story, the better the film has to be. Length comes down to what the story dictates. But if a film is over 15 minutes, it really has to be great to keep people watching. I can't tell you how many boring "short" films I've seen because directors can't figure out what they can cut to make it better.
3. Write the script you can produce. Don't write a script with production values you can't achieve.
4. The best ideas are simple. Focus on one main conflict, then develop and explore it in surprising ways.
5. Set up your film in the first 60 seconds. If you're writing a ten-minute (10 page) movie, you can't take the first five pages to introduce your characters before getting to your conflict. Establish your conflict as soon as possible.
6. Make sure conflict escalates. Know what your character wants (the goal) and what's preventing him from getting it (the obstacle), and make sure your audience understands it, too.
7. Try to develop the conflict in one main incident as the set piece of your project. Many great short films develop the conflict in one incident to great effect, exploring character in ways feature films rarely do because they rely more heavily on plot.
8. If your film is less than five minutes, one type of conflict might be sufficient to satisfy your audience. But if your film is over five minutes, you're going to need to various obstacles or complications for your hero to face.
9. Just because your film is short doesn't mean it's impossible to have an effective midpoint and reversal. Anything that keeps your audience from guessing your ending is an asset.
10. Make sure your ending is the best thing about your great film. Your payoff is what you're leaving the audience with, and it's how they're going to remember you.
DiReCTiNG
Check out our official
MMM Directing Tips & Techniques Packet.
More Directing Resources coming soon.
ThE MoViE MaKiNG MaRAtHoN
THE 2ND ANNUAL 24 HOUR FILMMAKING CHALLENGE
MARCH 29-30, 2008 | DUKE UNIVERSITY
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ThE MoViE MaKiNG MaRAtHoN2008
