Planning Blog: How To Make A Short Film

Greetings and salutations!

Welcome to Media TL;DR, the series where I break down my greatest projects so you can easily dive in and understand my original ideas. I'm your host Jaydon Smith! And today's topic is my research into how to make a great short film.

Plan Practicality

The most solid piece of advice I came across during my research was to avoid writing or planning for what you don’t have. For example, if you don’t have the resources for professional-quality audio, aim for limited or even no audio. Similarly, if your budget is tight, make sure your project reflects that limitation. The key is to stay practical and grounded in what’s realistically achievable.

Team Triumphs

Another important point is to work with your crew in a way that highlights their strengths. While this may seem obvious, it’s more about understanding the unique skills of your team members—whether it’s your actors, your director, or even your filmer—and tailoring the project to fit those strengths. Building a positive and respectful relationship with your crew is also crucial, especially since they might not be getting paid. Kindness and accommodation on set go a long way in creating a smooth working environment.

Issue Identification

Ensuring there are no major issues before filming begins is another vital step. Preparation is everything. When problems arise, having a team that can work together to troubleshoot and adapt makes all the difference. Proper planning and communication can prevent a lot of headaches down the line.

Impactful Integration

All this research has influenced how we’re writing, planning, and collaborating within our group to create the best short film possible. By working through these strategies, we aim to ensure our final product is both practical and polished.

That’s all!

That’s it for this research blog, everyone! These tips have been invaluable as we tackle our short film project, and I hope you found them as helpful as I did. Thank you for reading! And until next time, stay cool and attractive.