Hey Everyone! I am now beginning to work on a script for a short film idea that popped into my head the other day. I thought I knew where I wanted it to go, until I started writing. I am not a screenwriter. The most I can say about my screenwriting ability is that I know how to format it. That's all. Long story short, as I am writing I am starting to wonder what I really want it to say, what story am I telling? What I mean by that is, I've followed many short films from filmmakers far better than myself for years and sometimes they have a purpose, a deeper meaning, and other times I see shorts that appear to be an excerpt from a larger film as opposed to a complete story themselves. A good example of this is the Lin Oeding short Interpretation. It is about knowing your enemy as well as you know yourself. This of course can apply to more than just fighting, but he shows it in the context of a mugging. Then there is a short he did in 2012, called "Wake" which doesn't seem to have much rhyme or reason to it, other than to be entertaining. So I guess my question is this, should a short film be a complete story, with a typical build up to a climax and then a conclusion? Or is it alright to make a short film that simply entertains? Any advice is welcome. I know I have a lot to learn.
Screenwriting : Short Films vs Feature Films by Matthias Claflin
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Hi Matthais. It is all up to you. You are the creator of your story. I know there will be some people who will say, it has to be complete and it must entertain. But how you want to go with it is solely up to you. My advice is to write until you know it is time to stop. I am currently writing my first feature length screenplay, and when I started writing it, it was going to be a short film, but I could not stop writing because the story just kept evolving and it is still evolving. For me this is a great thing because I can finally express myself. No matter what you do in life you will always be met with criticism, so just do you own thing and make yourself happy. That is all that matters. Good luck, and contact me anytime you need some "friendly creative advice". Talk to you later on. Talya. :)
Thanks for both responses. I found some inspiration this morning and know exactly where I'm going to take it!
A film is as long as it takes to tell your story.