Make A Short Film?

Nigel, one of the kind and generous souls who contributed to Origin, my short, has asked: what does one need to make a short film?

Well, in this day and age, you need very little. You can shoot and edit a short film using your phone and your computer. Or, you can throw a bit of money at your production and borrow/hire a digital camera, create homemade SFX, use your mates as actors, and bish bosh, you've got yourself a short. Or, you can throw a decent amount of wedge into the film and try to make something that will stand out from the crowd, that will attract industry plaudits, and maybe even an award or two. Presto, your Hollywood career takes off.

So, if you are thinking of making a short film, you might want to consider the following, drawn from my own prep/humble experiences:

1. NO-BUDGET/FOR LAUGHS/EXPERIENCE

This is the one where you'll shoot on anything. A camcorder, mobile phone, the video option on your digi-camera, or even using the built-in camera on your computer. Whatever. All you need to do is to write a script or a sketch that can accommodate a no-budget scenario, and away you go. I did this with my first short film effort, On The Death of His Wife. I decided I'd only shoot normal everyday things ('cos they wouldn't cost me any money) and once I figured out a bit of emotional context and voice-over, I had meself a short film I could be proud of. Shot it in one morning at my cousin's place while he was nursing a hangover and joking around with his flatmate's friend. The film has found an appreciative audience in America, thanks to YouTube.



2. THE DECENT SHORT

This is where you throw a bit more money in. Not much but a little. All depends on what you have available. It could be the cost of a few pints or a night out, or a few hundred pound (or is that the cost of a night out these days?). The point is to make something a bit more ambitious than the no-budget short. Something that's still fun and valuable but shows a bit more talent in front and behind the camera. Something that might play at a film festival, perhaps. However, don't be limited by budget. Colin was, allegedly, made for £45, and that was a feature film. Paranormal Activity was shot on a camcorder, and that was a MASSIVE hit. If you can be clever, and have a story you want to tell, then perhaps think beyond short film. Think feature.

3. THE PROFESSIONAL SHORT

An actual budget! Actors! Special effects! A crew of more than two people! Caramba, you're making a film! This is the one where you want to show people what you got. You want to make a stylised, original short film that will wow the industry (winning short film festivals) and kick-start your career, or raise your profile at the very least.

A lot of short films are 'shot on digital, at the weekend, with your mates', which is absolutely fine (see 1 & 2 above) but for Origin I was willing to throw a substantial amount of my own money (and raise some online) in order to have a budget that matched my ambition and expectations. I wanted to have a decent stab at directing and show the industry what I could do. I rolled the dice. The financial expense was stressful but the experience was genuinely amazing, and I'm so glad I did it.


OK, so those are the key approaches. Now, the essential question: HOW?

Break it down into common sense chunks.

1. SCRIPT
If you want to make a short film, you'll need a script. If you're not a writer, find one. Do a shout-out on Shooting People or the blogs or Twitter or whatever. Watch a lot of short films in the meantime. Get a feel of the stuff people are making; why it works, why it doesn't, why it won that film festival, etc. Shorts are hit and miss. A lot miss. You want to avoid that samey quality. Do something fun, original or distinctive, if at all possible.

2. BUDGET
Decide on how much you can spend, or how much you want to spend. Think about fund raising initiatives. A pub quiz. Sell your car/body/soul. Raise money on your blog and/or Twitter. Ask all your friends/family for £20 each or whatever they can afford. Check out your local council for potential funds or investors. There's bits of money here, there and everywhere. It all adds up.

3. EXPECTATION
What do you want to get out of your short film? Do you want to make a no-budget film for the laugh, a decent short or a professional piece? Chris Jones set out to win an Oscar for Gone Fishing. He got down to the shortlist (ten short films) before the official nominations were announced. He didn't get nominated but he came close. The point is he aimed very high, right from the start, and has now got a professional film that has opened up a whole new world of opportunity.

4. CAST & CREW
Get help. But how do you get actors involved? What about crew? For actors, you approach their agents or get a casting director on board (I got Jeremy Zimmermann!!). For crew, you can do a shout-out on Shooting People or trawl through your local screen agency's crew database (highly recommended), or get referrals/recommendations. Then, you make a call and ASK. People will generally respond to your passion and personality, as well as your script, and the cast & crew jigsaw will start to fall into place.

The single most important thing I did on Origin was do a search for a producer on South West Screen's database. This led me to meet Paul Sarony, who became exec producer on my project. He introduced me to Benjamin Greenacre, line-producer extraordinaire. Up until this point, I had managed to get some crew together - casting director, special effects, DOP, art department - but once Ben was involved, he was a wizard in assembling a top-class crew and maintaining a high level of professionalism for the shoot. I was very lucky indeed. Every film should have a Ben.

5. JUST DO IT
If you think about it long enough, you'll convince yourself not to do it. Truth is, there is no excuse nowadays for NOT making a short film. Even if you're only vaguely interested, you could shoot a montage of stuff and play music over it, and you've got something to show your mates/family. It all depends on what you want to get out of it. There's no money to be made in short films. The audience barely exists. It's mainly for industry purposes; to showcase new talent. It's hard work. It's time-consuming. It's financially draining. But it's the best fun you can have with your clothes on (or y'know, off, if you're THAT kind of filmmaker). Whatever the case, if you fancy yourself as the next Neil Blomkamp, then you gotta get out there and make something.

Festive Fare

So, there you have it. 2009. Whoosh. Gone. Just like that. "Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." (RIP John Hughes)

An interesting and exciting year, by all accounts. Two episodes of EastEnders, wrote & directed a short film, and a couple of other bits and pieces. Short film and EastEnders being the obvious highlights. Still have the short film to finish (just waiting on final bit of post-production) but hopefully that will be done and dusted in the New Year. After that, who knows? Push for more commissions. Try to create more opportunities. Write new scripts. Get the short film out there. Do more directing. Make another film (sssh, don't tell my wife).

It's been the Year of the Twitter, too, hasn't it? That's been fascinating, to say the least, especially as I managed to raise £1k with the Twitter Short Film Fund. Although blogs seem to have taken a dip in content and use, social networking sites are all the rage, and there are emerging opportunities for writers (e.g. games for social networks, check them out).

Any-old-hoo, time for a break. Let's see what 2010 has in store. Until then, have a cool yule, yo, and see you in the New Year.

Shadow Schemes/Trial Scripts

If you're keen to make it as a TV writer, then an inevitable step in the process is to write a trial episode for one of the soaps. These trials are also known as 'Shadow Schemes'. Essentially, you'll go through the process of writing a real episode from the official storylines without it actually being broadcast. There usually isn't any fee for trial episodes although some of the one hour dramas may offer some remuneration.

A trial episode is a big deal. It's your foot in the door. It's make or break time. In some instances, you'll be asked to write a handful of sample scenes to see if you're suitable to write an entire trial episode. Other times, the sample scenes will be enough to guarantee a commission. It varies from show to show. Let's break it down.

SAMPLE SCENES:
'Sample scenes' may sound fairly straightforward but you'll probably be asked to write 10-15 scenes, or maybe even half an episode. This will usually be the A story of the intended episode, to see how you get on with the characters, dialogue and the arc of that particular plot line.

TRIAL EPISODES/SHADOW SCHEMES:
First draft, notes from script editor, second draft, then a decision is made on whether or not you're suited to the show. Naturally, writing the entire episode gives a much fuller indication of how well you know the series, the characters, etc. It's also a lot harder than you think. You might be good enough to write for the show but there's a lot of competition. You won't be the only one doing a trial episode. Make your script shine.

APPROACH:
Some soaps use scene-by-scene breakdowns (written by the storyliners), and you write the script from there. Others give you a 2/3 page outline of what happens in your episode, and it's up to you to come up with the scenes, structure, etc. Whatever the case, you may settle down telling yourself not to stray too much from what you've been given, and to give them what they want.

This is a bad approach. As it's a trial, they want to see your take on the episode, your original voice. This means giving them what they want but not necessarily what they expect.

Work out the stories. What's really going on? Is there a better beat to be had? What's the character feeling? Is my B story really the A story? Follow the flow of what you need to do but don't just hit the beats. Add flavour, humour, surprise, something that says 'YOU' but within the acceptable context of the show.

When you're familiar with a series and its characters, then follow your instincts on how they would react and behave. When you're unfamiliar, you probably just want the writing gig and your lack of passion or awareness will show.

If you want to break away from some of the storyline, do not be afraid to speak to the script editor and discuss your thoughts. Give solid reasoning why a character would or wouldn't do something. Script editors will know more than you in terms of the wider impact of what you're suggesting, so if they agree with you, you're on the right track. If they think you should stick to the storyline, then listen to what they have to say.

DOING THE NOTES:
It's important, nay vital, to take on notes but it's equally important not to slavishly follow what you've been told (especially if you disagree or don't understand). Absorb the notes as much as possible so you understand the underlying emotions and motivations of what you're being asked to do. That way, you can still remain creative in your dramatisation (sometimes surprising the script editor) but still sticking to the overall sense of what they wanted. Avoid using script editor's suggestions verbatim. Notes are guidelines and suggestions, not instructions or demands. They can be very specific at times but there's usually a good reason. It's a tricky balance. Handle with care. If in doubt, SPEAK TO YOUR SCRIPT EDITOR.

NOT GETTING THE CHARACTERS RIGHT:
This is the most common form of rejection when writing trial episodes. So, while you may think you've done what you've been told and followed the storyline, it may read quite bland or safe. You haven't given the characters some personal sense of detail, dialogue, humour or an unexpected (but plausible) turn of behaviour. So, the most important part of any trial episode is to KNOW THE CHARACTERS. Know how they speak and behave, and what personal history/relationship can be interwoven into the storyline.

HOT TIP:
Watch the show with the subtitles on. Get familiar with the rhythm, tone and tempo of how various characters talk. Soap dialogue can be very tight and sparse but the subtitles occasionally trim the lines back further. Watch and learn.

OVERVIEW:
TV writing is hard work. There's a lot to consider, not to mention negotiating the practical documents that detail what sets or actors are available, and other restrictions. But this is the process, this is the reality. Do your research. Immerse yourself in the show as much as possible. Be prepared and then impress them with your love of the show, and how your original voice will add to the series' continued success.

For a full rundown on the BBC's shadow schemes, check out the dedicated page on the writersroom.

Previous posts on trial episodes: Not Going Out, UK TV specs, Introduction to EastEnders.

BAFTA response

BAFTA were kind to give me a quick reply to my letter (see previous post). They address the Best Screenwriting award issue and why it doesn't get higher billing in their film award show:

"We present 25 awards on the evening of the Awards and, although we consider all our nominees and every award to be equally important, some awards do have to go earlier in the evening. What we try to do, especially for the viewer at home, is to intersperse the more specialist categories with the more familiar categories, including our two screenwriting awards.

By putting the award in the early part of the show, we are not devaluing it at all - quite the opposite - we are using it as one of the highlights of the early portion of the evening."


Here is my reply:

"Thanks for your reply, much appreciated. However, I would disagree with your logic. Writers get treated badly by the industry. I think the media, and BAFTA in particular, need to celebrate and promote screenwriting amongst the higher profile categories, as it would help to raise the awareness and importance of the work. I am not suggesting they take top billing but merely stand shoulder to shoulder with the top gongs. Writing is a craft (as is acting and directing) but it is a vital part of the creation and development of any given project.

Also, I think there is a bigger grievance in placing the TV writing award in the Craft Awards, separate to the main BAFTA TV awards, which seems inappropriate.

A lot of interest has arisen in this issue in the last few days. You may have received similar correspondence recently. I know the Writers' Guild are keen on the topic so I hope they can convince you to change your mind for future award ceremonies."

So, while they will probably remain firm on giving the screenwriting award low billing in their film show, we should be able to persuade them to move the TV writing prize from the Craft Awards into the main TV show. If you'd like to let BAFTA know your thoughts on the matter (politely, please, no need to gnash and wail), then follow this link and fill out the rest.

In slightly related news: wasn't it great to see Graham Linehan win the Ronnie Barker Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award at the Comedy Awards? He was the only comedian to receive a standing ovation for the entire night. A writer. Man alive, imagine that.

Dear BAFTA

Yesterday on Twitter, I was reminded that BAFTA treat their Best Screenwriting award with considerably less fuss than certain other categories, placing it in the craft section. I even made a comment on it last year at the top of this post.

From Twitter discussion, it emerged that BAFTA were adamant that the writer's award belonged with make-up and sound. This annoyed me, so I moaned about it a little, targeting BAFTAonline with a few comments. However, I felt the complaint needed to be expressed in more than 140 characters. So, here's an open letter to BAFTA which express my feelings on the matter (copy also sent to their offices). Feel free to agree, comment or share.

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Dear BAFTA

As a screenwriter, I am always surprised and disappointed at the lack of time and attention given to the Best Screenplay award at your award ceremonies. Whilst screenwriting is indeed a craft, it does not belong in the craft section alongside make-up and sound. Every year at awards season, we are treated to the same lip service (from actors, directors et al) that “a good script is the most important part of the process”. Anyone involved in production will agree. Without a script, you don’t have a story. Without a story, you don’t have a film.

So, if you follow that obvious logic, it doesn’t make any sense for the Best Screenplay award to be sidelined in the craft section. Last year, Best Visual Effects got higher billing than screenwriting. Come on BAFTA, if screenwriting is the most important part of the production process, which it clearly is, then give it the attention it deserves. I would politely request that you place it in the main awards, alongside the high profile categories. Let's celebrate and promote screenwriting rather than treat it as a functional cog in the system.

Yours faithfully

Danny Stack

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Guiding Lights 2009

Here's official blurb for this year's Guiding Lights mentoring scheme. Well worth a look/punt.

GUIDING LIGHTS LAUNCHES AGAIN

Are you a talented, ambitious filmmaker with at least two years professional experience?

Have you reached a critical point in your career where high quality industry support would help you reach the next level?

Would a mentor’s expert guidance enable you to achieve your full potential?

If so, Guiding Lights is for you.

Following two successful rounds of Guiding Lights, we are looking for another 25 up-and-coming film professionals to match with top industry talent. Successful applicants will benefit from 12 months of one-to-one mentor support from an established practitioner. Previous mentors include Danny Boyle, Paul Greengrass, Gurinda Chadha, Kenneth Branagh, Alison Owen, Christopher Hampton and Bill Nicholson.

We welcome applications from across the community and will select participants from a range of industry disciplines. The scheme is open to directors, producers, screenwriters, cinematographers and professionals working in sales, distribution, exhibition, marketing, publicity and business affairs.

Please check the website for eligibility criteria, guidelines and FAQs.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 1pm Wednesday 23rd December 2009

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Also, if you're based in Brighton, you might be interested in a FREE screenwriting talk this Thursday 3rd December, at the Lighthouse.

From Script to Screen – Understanding The Market
Thursday 3rd December
6.30pm: Doors open
7.00pm: Event start
@ Lighthouse, 28 Kensington St, Brighton BN1 4AJ
Entry: FREE

Lighthouse presents an exclusive opportunity to hear industry experts give their best insights on how to negotiate the balance between the creative aspects and business considerations of filmmaking. Hear their thoughts on what's hot and what's not, ways to up the pulling power of your project, the F word... finance – where to find it and how to access it, approaching sales agents and distributors, the best routes to market and a road map to get you there, the do’s and don’ts of schmoozing and top tips on how to increase your chances of success in a high risk industry.

Chaired by David Castro of Screen South, with guests, Dan MacRae (Head of Development, Optimum Releasing) and Nicky Bentham (Producer, Moon, Taking Liberties)

For more information about the event and panellists please visit the website.

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Effective Script Reading

There's a new script reading course on the scene, run by the very brilliant Evan Leighton-Davis. Not only was he script editor on Origin (m'short film), he's one of the leading script consultants working in the UK today, moving and shaking with the best of them (BBC Films, Ealing Studios, Working Title, Pathe, Warner Brothers etc etc).

Evan's rounding up all his expertise and industry savvy into the course, so it's ideal for folks who want to sharpen their development instincts and/or for those who want to know how to find those much sought after reading gigs. The fee is £150, which includes detailed course notes, a contacts overview of the UK industry, and refreshments. Places are strictly limited so please book early to avoid disappointment (although more courses are planned right through to May). It's cheaper than Script Factory and will take place in London in the New Year, more details below.

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Effective Script Reading
Saturday 30th January 2010 in London
How to write great script reports and source paid script reading work

This course teaches participants how to analyse film scripts effectively and produce quality coverage, as well as delivering knowledge on how to source regular script reading work in the UK and beyond. Ideal for those new to the industry looking to build a career in development, sales or distribution, the course is also valuable for people looking to develop contacts in development and earn an extra revenue stream from script reading.

The course focuses on how to deliver constructive feedback to writers both in person and on the page, and participants examine both produced and unproduced scripts, and also deliver a script report which will be marked by the course tutor. The course also delivers an overview of the key production companies, distributors, sales agents and funding bodies operating in the UK marketplace, for whom script readers are vital.

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Email info @ industrialscripts.co.uk for more info or visit the website here.