Don’t Forget These 5 Focus Points when Creating a Short Film

Creating short films or short videos is essentially an everyday task for early cinematographers. Like a right of passage, you have to create so many excellent short films before you are finally accepted for a longer film project. So, as you’re creating short films, make sure you’re focusing on the elements of engagement, interest and trust that you can develop with your audience to keep them interested. As a short film creator, you must focus on making a big impact, in a short time.

As you start your next short film project, make sure that you begin with a fresh outlook on what it takes to succeed with short video production. Telling your story will be a vital element to the success of your short film. How you tell it will determine whether your audience sticks around or not. Here’s what you need to do.

1. Start with a Great Script

But it’s a short film, why does it need a script? Yep, so many early cinematographers think that way and it’s not going to help you succeed in short film production. Every great short film begins with a great short script.

The script should be written such that it outlines all basic elements of the story:

• The engaging beginning.
•  
• The characters and their buildup to a climax.
•  
• The way the story ends.

2. Storyboarding

Another element you may have thought could be overlooked for a short film is the storyboard. However, storyboarding is vital in short film production as it draws out the major elements of the creatives that will be required to produce the film.

The more you can get a clear picture of the finished film the better your production process will be less time consuming the entire process will be. You are on a budget, aren’t you? Now is not the time to waste time.

3. Location Scouting

Where you film your short video is another key element of the success or failure of the video itself. Successful short films come together following the location scouting that defines the perfect zone for the elements of the storyboard to be carried out in full detail.

You’ll need to plan the shoot with the location owners and prepare for any potential permitting or other requirements upfront. Now is not the time for surprises.

4. Talented Actors

We realize that short films are often low budget too, but you have to splurge somewhere and sometimes the best place to splurge is on your talent. Consider looking outside your immediate area for talent to help you bring your short film to life on camera.

Now is not the time to hire your distant cousin for the assignment–unless said distant cousin happens to be a famous actor, in which case, go ahead and hire him!

Of all the decisions you make when producing your short film the talent that you choose will be what you see and feel the most for the duration of the success or failure of the film. Great talent will literally guide the film to success. Poor talent may guide you right to the trashcan.

5. Post Production

Once you’ve done everything you can to fulfill the best possible pre-production phase and you’ve produced the footage to the best of your ability, there’s only post-production left. At this point, making your short film production a success is all about finishing touches.

Editing and post-production steps that come into play here really depend on the film itself and your skills or budget. A low budget short film will surely result in the significant cutting of corners in post-production.

Now is the time to do what you can to make the film a success. You may even consider a sponsor or other grant of sorts to pay for post-production if you feel that the rest of the film production process went unhitched. The goal here is to finish the film so that you can distribute and succeed.