Short Films 101: How To Make a Short Film by Connor Curlewis
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Short Films 101:
How To Make a Short Film by Connor Curlewis
A collaboration with
Have you been wondering how to make a short film? Don't worry because we're here to help you through the process of making your first.
In this article, you will learn what a short film is, how long your screenplay should be, and a 10-step guide on how to make a short film.
Connor Curlewis
Short Films 101: How To Make a Short Film by Connor Curlewis
Have you been wondering how to make a short film? Don't worry because we're here to help you through the process of making your first with Connor Curlewis.
Trailer
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Intro
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What is a short film
34
Types of short films
88
How to make a short film
152
How to write a script
659
A-roll and B-roll
877
Short film gear
1002
Editing a short film
1459
Tips and tricks
2210
Inspiration
2467
Wrap up
2695
Meet Your Instructor
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What you’ll learn
Short film is 5-20 minutes long and is not a scene in a feature film.
If you're keeping a journal you can use it as an idea for your scripts.
You don't need a great camera but a good microphone is a must.
A-roll is the skeleton of the story, and b-roll is those adjectives in the script.
You will go through development, pre-production, production, editing and distribution.
You must be able to explain what vision you have quickly and inspirationally.
Masterclass chapters
What is a short film?
A short film is a story from the start to the end told in video form. The duration can be between 5-20 minutes, and it has to be a story that is easy to understand for the viewer.
Types of short film
Short films are more personal, and story-driven, but can be action films or experimental films as well. A short film is not a documentary or a music video but a narrative. Connor will tell you more about the different short film genres in this chapter.
Making a short Cofilm
Making a short film has five stages: development, pre-production, production, post-production and distribution. In this chapter, Connor will tell you in detail about each phase.
Writing a script
You start with an idea and a blank page. Make a skeleton for your story. Write a few lines at the top of the page which explain the topic of your short film. From there, you can drag it down to many pages, going into details with looks, discussions and more. In this chapter, Connor tells you more about creative script writing.
A-roll and B-roll
A-roll is the skeleton of your story. These are the bits of your script which are telling the next steps. B-roll are the adjectives in your script. These bits are adding weight to the short film.
Best gear
Making a short film is not about the equipment. You need two things: a good microphone and a camera. In this chapter, Connor will show you what equipment he uses for shooting short films, such as a camera, microphone and lighting.
Editing a short film
Connor is using Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve when it comes to post-production. He will walk you through the editing process of a short film project.
Tips and tricks
Communication is key. You must be able to explain what vision you have in your mind politely, quickly, and inspirationally. In this chapter, Connor will tell you his best tips from personal experience.
Inspiration
As a filmmaker, you are a storyteller. You want your viewers to have a certain emotion after watching your short film. Connor says, that inspiration comes from real life. Real life is where you get those raw emotions from people like fear, jealousy, anger or happiness.
Connor Curlewis
Filmmaker, videographer, producer, and director
Auckland, New Zealand
“Communication is the most important. You must be able to explain what vision you have in your mind politely, quickly, and inspirationally.”
Connor is a filmmaker, videographer, producer, and director and has been telling stories since he was a kid. He is a video producer at Debutify and a founder of Stray Path production company in Auckland that tells authentic stories in educational, music, and corporate video.
If you enjoyed this masterclass, make sure to check out our article about the 10 essential steps to create your first short film!
