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10 thoughts on making a short film…
by Scott Allison-Levick (short film maker)

1. Have fun. Don’t get so caught up in the process that it becomes a chore. Keep a positive attitude so that the rest of the cast and crew will take your lead, and it will be an enjoyable experience for everyone.

2. Be adaptive. With an amateur short film there is usually not enough time or money. You probably won’t be able to fully capture the grand vision in your head. Be prepared that every thing will not go smoothly, so you can adjust and just get on with making your film.

3. Be prepared. Pre-production is your most important stage of film making. Don’t be your own worst enemy, do not leave everything to the last moment. There is a lot involved in making a short film, regardless of how small it is. There is the script, the equipment you will need to film and record sound, lighting, props, etc. You will need to organise locations, and make sure they’re available at the right time of day. You will need a cast and also people to help behind the scenes. Go through your script, and write down everything you will need, with props and locations.

It is also helpful to have a plan of the shots you will need, this is called a shot list. It’s helpful to know what you are going to shoot when you arrive on location, to save umming and ahhing. Go through every scene and picture how you see it, and think about everything you need to get that shot. If you do not do it before hand, it’s too late on the day.

4. Catering. This another of the very important aspects of film-making. You need to keep cast and crew satisfied, so make sure you remember to supply food and drink. Schedule food breaks. You need to keep your energy levels up, and those around you. You don’t want to push your cast and crew to mutiny.

5. Rehearsal. Leave plenty of time for rehearsal before shooting begins. You don’t want to be wasting time on the day of shooting while your cast get familiar with their roles. Set an aside an afternoon or two to act it out with your cast. This will give you a better idea of how you will shoot it, and on the day, your actors will hopefully know what they’re doing so no time is wasted.

6. Script. Try to make it as strong as it can be. Get the advice of friends who could give constructive advice. Decide who will be the audience of your film. Is it easy enough to understand? Is there anything that obstructs your message?

Just a word on length - a typed page of script equals about a minute of film time as a general rule of thumb. That won’t always work if there’s a lot of action happening on the page or if it’s particularly heavy on dialogue, but as a general rule it’s not too bad.

7. Framing and camera usage. Generally speaking, you don’t want to give too much head room in the shot, that is, the space between your actor and the top of the frame. Likewise you don’t want to squash your actor into the edge of the frame. Give more space to the direction your actor is looking and the edge of the frame, so he or she has got some “breathing room”.

Also, when filming two people talking to each other, if they’re facing each other, make sure they are facing the opposite way to each other in their respective shots, not facing the same way. These are just some basic general rules, and you should feel free to ignore them if you think it helps you achieve what you’re after. I would also recommend avoiding hand held camera work, and stick the camera on a tripod. But do not lock off your tripod when filming, so that you are able to respond to the actors when they move.

8. Scheduling will be your most important thing to be aware of during production. Have you set enough time aside to film each scene? If you run over time, where can you pick up the shots later or what things can you cut to get back on schedule? On a major film you have assistant directors who oversee the majority of this task, but you probably won’t, so be prepared.

9. Editing capabilities and limitations. If you do not have software that allows you to do a lot with the sound, then you need to make sure you get a clear sound recording during filming. Also be careful not to bury dialogue under a soundtrack, or have a soundtrack which is too loud. You want your audience to be able to clearly understand what’s going on and enjoy the experience.

10. Let it go. Finally, be prepared to let go of your “babies”. If a shot or scene is not working, be prepared to let it go so that the film as a whole does not suffer.

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