Short Film Rules - must include at least one of these 10 to get into festivals; 1 - You must hire Eric Roberts 2 - You must hire Michael Madsen. 3 - Open the film on an eyeball opening. 4 - Include a metaphorical chess match. 5 - Someone is in purgatory. 6 - Use the 'f word' as much as possible to really 'punch-up' your, otherwise, bland dialogue to try and sound like Taratino. 7 - Finish in black and white (it covers a bad story but festival always fall for it). 8 - If you have a bad film, shoot it on a phone and keep reminding people of that; in every possible cover letter, interview, festival Q&A. 9 - Create some amazing backstory for the filmmaker; war-torn land, broken home, etc. Get creative - it's like catnip for festival programmers. 10 - Go full pretentious and have a scene with actors wearing animal masks around an orange-lit table.
A story doesn't have to have a beginning, middle or end, for it to work, sometimes, you can tell it out of sequence, sometimes, the end is the beginning or you can start at the middle...I've always loved tarantino and the way he told stories in movies, how it jumps around...I try to write stories like that....
I've recently set aside the script for a sci-fi short I'd been writing/developing for a while because I realized the story was more fitting of a feature length film. So, now, I am thinking about stories that are better suited to a short film. Listening to Kim Adelman in this video has really helped me with the process of developing a story for a short film. Film Courage always comes through with inspirational guests.
As an experimental filmmaker you can also shoot at sub standard frames rates like 16 frames per second instead of 24 if you are using traditional photographic emulsion. Especialy in films where there are no people.
Very important topic. I feel like this is something a lot of writer's struggle on; structure. I can guarantee that a lot of these well-known directors in Hollywood don't sit in their chairs wondering if they should follow the Hero's Journey or the standard three act structure. It's still a story, whether good or bad. The more we focus on that, the more we get lost on what to write next or "writer's block". When we're telling friends or family a story that happened in real life we don't focus on which part should go in what act or what should come next, we just tell the story as it goes and it flows as it's supposed to. And I think it should be like that for writing as well. Just tell your story.
this was very helpful. I have aspirations to make a short film, but I haven't gone to filmmaking school. this video basically schooled me on a lot of things I didn't realize and unschooled me on the things that I had been spending too much time worrying about(like the credits). bookmarking this for later. this information has been very encouraging.
Hi, I have recently completed a 35-minute short film, following a paradigm reminiscent of classical filmmaking, wherein visual storytelling takes precedence over dialogues. Much like Kim mentioned in her video, my film centers around a single, impactful dialogue. I am delighted to share that my short film has been honored with the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Award for Best Short Film - Runners Up. Furthermore, I am excited to announce that it will be released on the esteemed JIO Cinema platform on October 17th, a renowned OTT platform in India. I am keen to showcase my work to Kim and seek her invaluable critique. However, locating her official social media handle for communication has proven to be quite challenging. If anyone could assist me in this endeavor, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you ☺
I feel like I wanna take her UCLA online class. Not sure if I will. I think and believe I have everything it takes to make it happen and I been shooting it now and editing real soon. Thanks Film Courage for all the information over the years! When my project is completed in a festival, I will let you know. =) Keep "making" filmmakers!
Starts with "there is no structure in short films" and that they can do anything, but goes to define her rules for short film - including that "everything about the structure is make sure it starts good, make sure it ends good, make sure everything that needs/has to be in there...etc." So it needs a beginning, middle, and end. Quite conflicting advice, yeah?
I think she meant more - make sure the start is good, make sure the parts after the start are good and then make sure the last part we see is also good. You can then have what ever the hell you want in those places. Beginning is reffered to as the temporal start of the movie not the classic beginning in terms of narrative structure. Or at least, this is how I intepret it.
Thank you Film Courage 🎥 just wrapped up a docudrama titled , 'A Woman Called' which premiered in May 2022. Credits done ✔️ was so appreciative of your tutorials .
@@filmcourage I shall. Doing a screenplay for a second film 🎥 after the success of the previous one. I cannot thank you enough for helping me to grow in this art form. With love from Barbados 🇧🇧
This woman has no writing credits, so her telling filmmakers that a short film doesn’t need structure is BS. Just because a film doesn’t have dialogue doesn’t mean it doesn’t have structure.
Wait... everyone, pay attention. She is using the terms, "beginning, endings, middles..." and then insisting that that there are no rules in short film structure, there is no structure to short films, "screenwriting" a short film isn't worthwhile because, after all, it is just a short film, what would you be screenwriting? She counsels against complex short film narratives - avoid secondary storylines, concentrate on the main one - make your film as one-dimensional as possible. And she insists over and over that there is no definition of what a short film is... or what the ideal structure for a short film might be. Short films can, of course, be anything, any kind of narrative (or non-narrative) that your imagination dreams up but, that is not the same as saying that short narrative films can disregard structure. Structure is the basis of all dramatic creation - it is one of the defining elements of narrative. This kind of advice, so enthusiastically given, is the most dangerous and counterproductive advice you can get and you must not take this to heart. Here is a very short story; "“For sale: baby shoes. Never worn.” Is it short? Yup. Does it tell a story? Yes. Does the story have dimension and resonance? Is it well-written? Does it have structure? Of course it does. Hemingway's short story works BECAUSE of its well-designed structure, not in spite of it. The best short films you will ever see are gems of narrative structure. Of course good screenwriters can play with the structure of short films - exactly as they do with feature films - the principles are exactly the same. To imply and overtly state that structure is not as important in short form is irresponsible advice coming from someone with an impressive resume who really should know better. Is she being so dismissive and bombastic in order to earn clicks and attention? I don't know, but listen carefully to what she says before you decide that anything goes. And please take a look at the most awarded shorts of any year and decide for yourself if attention to narrative structure played a part in their success.
If you like this channel .. Like I do. Consider clicking 'Join' and pay a tiny monthly fee to support the Great Content on this Channel. It took me too long but finally did it recently. ; )
@@Adarkane325xi Haha. _Wow,_ stalking me across videos now? _Super-cool._The bounds of your patheticness really know no bounds, huh. And for the record, Film Courage cares what I think ;) Have a great day, Mike!
She's wrong. A lot of people actually like sitting through/reading the credits. I'm one and I'm not alone... I'll even read all of the credits in films/shows I'm streaming. I get mad when credits run too fast or are too small to read. If it wasn't for that preference/habit I'd have missed the hidden teaser hints about sequels or aftermath scenes at the end of some film credits. Just sayin... And why us she talking so fast?! These interviews don't have time limits.
Here is our full interview with Kim - th-cam.com/video/8DD3zGzHL30/w-d-xo.html
Short Film Rules - must include at least one of these 10 to get into festivals;
1 - You must hire Eric Roberts
2 - You must hire Michael Madsen.
3 - Open the film on an eyeball opening.
4 - Include a metaphorical chess match.
5 - Someone is in purgatory.
6 - Use the 'f word' as much as possible to really 'punch-up' your, otherwise, bland dialogue to try and sound like Taratino.
7 - Finish in black and white (it covers a bad story but festival always fall for it).
8 - If you have a bad film, shoot it on a phone and keep reminding people of that; in every possible cover letter, interview, festival Q&A.
9 - Create some amazing backstory for the filmmaker; war-torn land, broken home, etc. Get creative - it's like catnip for festival programmers.
10 - Go full pretentious and have a scene with actors wearing animal masks around an orange-lit table.
Haha! Perfect!
@@filmcourage I wish this wasn't true, haha. Even Stranger Things just did the chess scene in S4 with Eleven and Vecna.
thank you.
u genius fr, i'll 100% listen to ur words
A story doesn't have to have a beginning, middle or end, for it to work, sometimes, you can tell it out of sequence, sometimes, the end is the beginning or you can start at the middle...I've always loved tarantino and the way he told stories in movies, how it jumps around...I try to write stories like that....
You do not know how much i needed to hear that shit omgoodness I'm definitely going to watch this with a clearer enough lens omgoodness
I got some news for ya. It's That's still a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end. It's arrangement doesn't matter.
there's no such thing as beginning middle end - it's all in your head! Its just a conceptual tool.
That is just not true. If your end is the begining it’s still the beginning.
Without three structure, anything is a story, not anything without structure is a story
The FREEDOM that goes along with making a short film is what appeals to me. It's incredibly liberating.
I've recently set aside the script for a sci-fi short I'd been writing/developing for a while because I realized the story was more fitting of a feature length film. So, now, I am thinking about stories that are better suited to a short film. Listening to Kim Adelman in this video has really helped me with the process of developing a story for a short film. Film Courage always comes through with inspirational guests.
Make it into a series or break it into parts 🙃
As an experimental filmmaker you can also shoot at sub standard frames rates like 16 frames per second instead of 24 if you are using traditional photographic emulsion. Especialy in films where there are no people.
Very important topic. I feel like this is something a lot of writer's struggle on; structure. I can guarantee that a lot of these well-known directors in Hollywood don't sit in their chairs wondering if they should follow the Hero's Journey or the standard three act structure. It's still a story, whether good or bad. The more we focus on that, the more we get lost on what to write next or "writer's block". When we're telling friends or family a story that happened in real life we don't focus on which part should go in what act or what should come next, we just tell the story as it goes and it flows as it's supposed to. And I think it should be like that for writing as well. Just tell your story.
They actually do. But they know film and story so well that it is organic and naturally structured as most movies are..
True that but on which ground were structural rules innovated?
@@Met9171 story is 1000s of years old.. all had beginning middle end.
this was very helpful. I have aspirations to make a short film, but I haven't gone to filmmaking school. this video basically schooled me on a lot of things I didn't realize and unschooled me on the things that I had been spending too much time worrying about(like the credits). bookmarking this for later. this information has been very encouraging.
This is amazing advice, I digested every morsel of information that was contained in every word of her answers. Thank you ma’am
Glad it was helpful!
Love her! She explained short film ideology exactly as I needed to hear it.
Hi, I have recently completed a 35-minute short film, following a paradigm reminiscent of classical filmmaking, wherein visual storytelling takes precedence over dialogues. Much like Kim mentioned in her video, my film centers around a single, impactful dialogue. I am delighted to share that my short film has been honored with the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Award for Best Short Film - Runners Up. Furthermore, I am excited to announce that it will be released on the esteemed JIO Cinema platform on October 17th, a renowned OTT platform in India.
I am keen to showcase my work to Kim and seek her invaluable critique. However, locating her official social media handle for communication has proven to be quite challenging. If anyone could assist me in this endeavor, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you ☺
Congratulations on your success.
I don't write films, but I'm watching this for short story tips. I love that this works for both!
I feel like I wanna take her UCLA online class. Not sure if I will. I think and believe I have everything it takes to make it happen and I been shooting it now and editing real soon. Thanks Film Courage for all the information over the years! When my project is completed in a festival, I will let you know. =) Keep "making" filmmakers!
Thanks for affirming a few points about short films! She is awesome 💖💖
Such a great video from such a great woman who is clearly well-versed and with her ear to the ground :)
Keep creating Martin!
Wow. She's great, just what I needed to hear..... right on what I'm looking for. Great interview!!! Thank you !!!!
Wonderful perspective!
this! i need this!! thank you so much..
A complete list of the films Kim has produced can be found at IMDB. 😊
How long can a short film be and still considered to be a short film
Starts with "there is no structure in short films" and that they can do anything, but goes to define her rules for short film - including that "everything about the structure is make sure it starts good, make sure it ends good, make sure everything that needs/has to be in there...etc." So it needs a beginning, middle, and end. Quite conflicting advice, yeah?
I think she meant more - make sure the start is good, make sure the parts after the start are good and then make sure the last part we see is also good. You can then have what ever the hell you want in those places. Beginning is reffered to as the temporal start of the movie not the classic beginning in terms of narrative structure. Or at least, this is how I intepret it.
Thank you Film Courage 🎥 just wrapped up a docudrama titled , 'A Woman Called' which premiered in May 2022. Credits done ✔️ was so appreciative of your tutorials
.
This channel is absolutely priceless🥰
Congrats Heather! Keep creating!
@@filmcourage I shall. Doing a screenplay for a second film 🎥 after the success of the previous one. I cannot thank you enough for helping me to grow in this art form. With love from Barbados 🇧🇧
@@corpsefoot758 you are absolutely 💯
Cheers! 🇧🇧
she's Great!
I wanna watch credits, that's the part where the music is the best :)
This woman has no writing credits, so her telling filmmakers that a short film doesn’t need structure is BS. Just because a film doesn’t have dialogue doesn’t mean it doesn’t have structure.
Wait... everyone, pay attention. She is using the terms, "beginning, endings, middles..." and then insisting that that there are no rules in short film structure, there is no structure to short films, "screenwriting" a short film isn't worthwhile because, after all, it is just a short film, what would you be screenwriting? She counsels against complex short film narratives - avoid secondary storylines, concentrate on the main one - make your film as one-dimensional as possible. And she insists over and over that there is no definition of what a short film is... or what the ideal structure for a short film might be. Short films can, of course, be anything, any kind of narrative (or non-narrative) that your imagination dreams up but, that is not the same as saying that short narrative films can disregard structure. Structure is the basis of all dramatic creation - it is one of the defining elements of narrative. This kind of advice, so enthusiastically given, is the most dangerous and counterproductive advice you can get and you must not take this to heart.
Here is a very short story; "“For sale: baby shoes. Never worn.”
Is it short? Yup. Does it tell a story? Yes. Does the story have dimension and resonance? Is it well-written? Does it have structure? Of course it does. Hemingway's short story works BECAUSE of its well-designed structure, not in spite of it. The best short films you will ever see are gems of narrative structure. Of course good screenwriters can play with the structure of short films - exactly as they do with feature films - the principles are exactly the same. To imply and overtly state that structure is not as important in short form is irresponsible advice coming from someone with an impressive resume who really should know better. Is she being so dismissive and bombastic in order to earn clicks and attention? I don't know, but listen carefully to what she says before you decide that anything goes. And please take a look at the most awarded shorts of any year and decide for yourself if attention to narrative structure played a part in their success.
This is EXACTLY the kind of comment I was looking at. Congrats sir.
If you like this channel .. Like I do. Consider clicking 'Join' and pay a tiny monthly fee to support the Great Content on this Channel. It took me too long but finally did it recently. ; )
We're humbled and grateful Derek! Thank you for your support! 🙏
Great information 😊
Thanks for watching!
Kim rules. I want to watch films with her.
@@Adarkane325xi Haha. _Wow,_ stalking me across videos now? _Super-cool._The bounds of your patheticness really know no bounds, huh.
And for the record, Film Courage cares what I think ;) Have a great day, Mike!
👍 👍
Generally, I think all films have a structure. Otherwise, we just have a scene or sequence.
Fun trick! If u really want people to sit tru ur credits! Insert bloopers by the other side of the screen 😂😂
Amen
What are short films for? Do people like short films? I’ve never seen one I like.
This was a great video I generally make short films to long and I’m going to try and make something shorter
Lol I met her in my class 🤣. And I worked on a set w her.
Interesting.
i think a better title would be 'who needs short films?'. we call know long form movies are where its at.
Without the three act structure, all you have left is noise.
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥💯
Don't tell that to the pretentious festival programmers
👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
Or Disney Star ward films lol
This makes me cringe. Short stories still have a structure. It's a partial structure.
She's wrong. A lot of people actually like sitting through/reading the credits. I'm one and I'm not alone...
I'll even read all of the credits in films/shows I'm streaming. I get mad when credits run too fast or are too small to read.
If it wasn't for that preference/habit I'd have missed the hidden teaser hints about sequels or aftermath scenes at the end of some film credits. Just sayin...
And why us she talking so fast?! These interviews don't have time limits.
This was so worthless
Generally, I think all films have a structure. Otherwise, we just have a scene or sequence.
Generally, I think all films have a structure. Otherwise, we just have a scene or sequence.