The Script:

The Script:Marilyn Milgrom, script consultantWhy am I making this film:Why are some directors driven to write their own scripts?Out of frustration and desire to get on with making something.You shouldnt make an intense character study if you are scared of what?Actors.What should you be careful of if you only have 5k to make your film?To not develop an action story that will require stunts, car chases and special effects.

What is a short film:If a feature film might be described as a novella, how might a short be described?Like having an idea for a novella and then deciding to tell it as a haiku. What are the length boundaries different film festivals stipulate in their shorts sections?Most festivals accept anything under 30 minutes, but many curators and programmers find it difficult to place longer short films (over 20 minutes). The majority of UK funding accommodates sub 10 min projects.If the function of your short is to make your audience laugh, how long should it be?2-3 minutes max.

Finding the story:What are the three basic elements any kind of dramatic story requires?A world, a character, a problem.What do most short films focus on?One moment or event in the life of one main character.What do a lot of the most successful short films have in common?Play out more or less in real time.

The world:Why can it be useful to set your film around a familiar event/ritual?You can take for granted the audiences familiarity with the situation and have immediately placed your characters into a story world full of barely supressed emotions which can create dramatic tension and story events.Why can a literal journey be a good setting for a short film?So that the story inevitably takes the character on a metaphorical journey.

The character & the problem:What are the 5 most important questions to ask when you begin to develop your story?Who is the main character?What is their problem?How will the audience recognise the problem?Are the stakes high enough?Am I telling the story from the best point of view?One of three things must drive your character through the story. What are they?A want, a need, an obligation.What crucially must accompany this element?Something that is making it hard for the character to pursue their want, need or obligation.Why are a lot of short films about children and teenagers?Because of their age and lack of experience of the adult world provide a rich source of universally recognisable problems.Making problems manifest to the audience:What is one of the most important ways that you can demonstrate your skill as a filmmaker and nit just as a storyteller?How you turn a characters inner problem into the heart of the film an ensure the audience see it.

Are the stakes high enough:What does ensuring that something is at stake in the story mean the audience can do?It means that the audience can see what the character has to lose if they dont solve their problem.

The best point of view:How can a different POV change a story?It can alter the meaning of the story.Why do many short film scripts fall down?They fall down because the character's journey does not synchronise with what the writer is trying to say.

What does my story mean:Why does an awareness of the meaning inherent in your story matter?It will help you to make vital choices and help the development process of your script.

The tone of the film:What is tone intimately connected to and what are the implications of this?It is connected to genre which implies clues for the audience.How does tone emerge in a film?It emerges in a film by backing up the underlying meaning.

Developing your story:What is a common flaw of most short scripts submitted for funding?They havent had enough development work done on them.What is the ten point plan to test the spine of your story?TitleGenre/tone;Setting(time&place);Main character;Want/need/obligation;Opposition;Catalyst for change;Climax;Resolution;andThe audience feels.(theme)

Unity:What point does Marilyn Milgrom make about unity?Every scene needs to be able to reveal something new about the main character to the audience.

Causality:How can we make sure that what happens in the end could not have happened earlier?Every scene needs to be able to move the story onwards.

The step outline:What is the step outline and what does it ensure?It gets rid of everything that isnt necessary for it to be there.One sentence that summarises what happensWhat is revealed that is significant to the plot?What is revealed that is significant to the audiences understanding of the characters?Is there an indication of significant themes?Every scene of significant action should deliver something on at least two out of three possible fronts. What are these fronts?PlotCharactertheme.What is signified by the order in which to tell the story?Whether the story is told in a forward, continuous, way or backwards, or with flashbacksWhether it is told in a linear or non-linear way.What do audiences instinctively know?When something is dishonest.As a writer what is a crucial thing you are looking to ensure?That the audiences stays engaged and the telling of the story adds meaning.Remember its a film:How do we establish the world and the character?With maximum speed and minimal dialogue.What advice is given for making the film CINEMATIC once you have a good story?Establish the world and characterRemember to use sound and visualsKeep a consistent tone once establishedMake sure that the main character is always activeAlways show a change in a character through action rather then dialogueUse cinematic devices (parallel action, montage)Make sure that everything is significant and engages the audiences in the most visual way possible.The final words:What final advice is given for ensuring that a short is more cinematic, less televisual in feel?Try not to use too much dialogue and always write it last.

The audience for the script:Who is the first audience of your film?The reader of the scriptHow can you help the reader to SEE the film you are intending and not get irritated?Follow screenwriting conventionsRead other scriptsAvoid writing technical directionsWhy is SIMPLE a useful descriptor for your short?A very small story can make a very big impact