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18 Creative Short Film Ideas for Students [2024]

Discover 18 short film ideas tailored for students to inspire storytelling and filmmaking in the classroom. Learn how to come up with more ideas by yourself.

Learn Filmmaking | By India Mantle

Shotkit may earn a commission on affiliate links. Learn more.

This guide contains a list of our top 18 short film ideas for students to help you get your creative juices flowing and get you started on your next project.

From the hundreds of film ideas we’ve come across, we compiled the following compelling ideas to help you draw inspiration and develop robust concepts for your upcoming films.

(While we’re on the topic of inspiration for short films, may also like to discover some great vlogging ideas too.)

So, if you; ‘re looking for a creative short film idea for your next student movie project, let’s dive into the recommendations.

Table of Contents

Top 18 Short Film Ideas for Students in 2024

Here are our top pick short film ideas that will spark your imagination:

Silent Short Film Ideas for Students

For this type of movie, you can choose whatever story to narrate as long as it can be conveyed in silence.

You’ll need the characters to be good at clearly using nonverbal expressions and gestures. You’ll also need to make good use of music to aid in conveying the idea of your movie.

Here are a few of the best ideas for silent short films:

1. Voiceless World

The story of this movie is set in a world where people lose their voices for unknown reasons. That way, they won’t be able to communicate verbally.

In such a world, actions and emotions would become louder than words. The film sequences will show how people would adapt to such occurrences.

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2. The Mountaineer

The film will record a mountaineer’s experience of climbing a mountain silently.

It’ll reflect the mountaineer’s persistence and feelings at each moment throughout the adventure. You’ll need to use a high-quality  action camera  for this.

The movie’s story metaphorically represents all the critical life milestones that need focus and dedication.

You should work on conveying this idea throughout the  video editing  process by adding proper music and effects. Using proper editing techniques can vividly deliver this message.

3. Real Canvas

It’s a film about a poor painter who draws their paintings and lives inside them. The protagonist will paint real places and experiences and then tap on the artwork to enter them.

Once the protagonist touches the paintings twice, they’ll be transported to the location and experience depicted in the painting.

The movie’s main idea is that your imagination can give you the freedom to live many lives.

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Short Horror Film Ideas for Students

Horror films can effectively convey messages because of their strong emotional impacts. Here are a couple of horror film ideas you can use for your next project:

4. Who’s Coming

A person reading a horror novel starts to hear knocks at their door.

After a few minutes of being terrified, the person opens the door to find a delivery man waiting for them with a pizza.

You may add more ironic events to the story if you want to include a bit of additional complication, humor, or horror.

The main idea of this movie is that things aren’t always as you expect them to be.

5. Faceless

The movie is set in a town where people start losing their faces. They all start to look identical.

You’ll create a story depicting how people would behave when experiencing the complications that can arise when they all look identical.

A  VHS effect  can help take this horror film idea to the next level with its added grain and noise.

Short Film Ideas for College Students

This list of ideas will perfectly suit you as a college student filmmaker:

6. A Day in a Robot’s Life

This movie’s story is set in a world where robots have become highly intelligent and live side by side with humans.

The film shows how robots would deal with humans and their emotions that they find difficult to understand.

The film will briefly discuss how life would become as robots live among humans. You can cover this topic from many angles.

Choose one that you believe will resonate the most with your audience.

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7. The Life of the First Human on Mars

The movie imagines how the first person to live on Mars would start their life on a new planet. It’s up to you to include some complications that will resonate with your audience.

8. An Invisible Person

The movie is about a person who has become invisible for any reason. It shows how this invisible person will approach life in this situation.

To write a good film script for this work, you can simply think of yourself if you grant the ability to be invisible.

Unleash your imagination and write down what you’d do in this situation. Then, pick the most exciting ideas to incorporate into the film.

9. Inside a Suicide Prevention Center

The film is about a life-changing call with a professional at a suicide prevention center. You’ll showcase one or two main problems through the call that drove the person to think of suicide.

These issues can be the absence of social support through a deep depression or any similar story.

Pick a common real-life issue in its extreme case and try to reflect it deeply. You’ll also need to provide a reasonable solution to solve this problem throughout this call.

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10. The Only Person Left on Earth

The movie is about a day in the life of the last person on Earth. What would you do if you were the only person on Earth?

Imagine the empty streets and silent world. Picture yourself as the central character and write down everything you believe you’d do in such a situation.

11. Travel Through Time

In this film, the central character will find a way to travel to the future or the past. The film will address this change in time from different perspectives.

You may select a time with remarkable historical events and provide a unique perspective on this time.

There are a lot of topics you may discuss through this film’s idea. There are also several  camera movements that you can opt for to make your film dynamic.

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Short Film Ideas for High School Students

This is a list of easy yet powerful ideas you can choose for your short film as a high school student:

12. The Sequence of Seasons

The film will show vivid visuals of specific greenery locations and their transformation as each season starts and ends. Your camera will focus on the trees and plants all year long.

Show how the sequence of seasons changes plants.

You may also include an animal in the film sequences and capture how its activity changes dramatically from one season to another.

13. A Day in the Life of Your Furry Friend

The film will focus on the key moments in your dog’s or cat’s day as if you capture life from their perspective.

It’ll showcase all the important moments in the daily lives of the pets from their wake-up until they go to sleep.

This includes how they play, have their breakfast, chase shadows, watch the outside world from the back door, and more.

You can also focus on how your little friend reacts to you and other pets inside and outside your home.

Try to capture as many reactions and real-life events as possible to reflect the pet’s real emotions.

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Easy Short Film Ideas for Students

If you’re looking for ideas that are relatively easy to execute, this list contains a few ones you can count on

14. The Nightlife in a Certain City

You’ll start shooting this film at midnight and end as the sun begins to rise.

The film will feature an aerial view of the city first, and then it’ll start to showcase certain streets and activities.

15. Getting Over a Personal Challenge

Despite the abundance of personal challenges stories in movies, creatively executing this idea will still resonate with the audience.

After all, this is a compelling theme as it speaks directly to the heart of humans. Everyone likes to see the journey of personal growth because it motivates them.

The main challenge to include in the film can be financial hardship, a breakup, illness, or any other adversity.

16. Before the Digital Media

The film is about a few children living in a world without smartphones or digital media.

The movie will focus on how these children would entertain themselves without the existence of today’s digital entertainment.

It’ll showcase how interaction with other people would be without the dominance of digital devices and social media.

It’ll also depict how the abundance of entertaining digital devices distracts people and keeps them weakly connected.

Try to replace the voice of smartphone notifications in the film with a non-digital notification like the tick of a physical watch every hour.

After each watch tick, the children will start a new activity.

3-Minute Short Film Ideas for Students

The following couple of ideas can be turned into 3-minute short films:

17. Stranger at Home

After being abroad for 10 years, a man returns to his hometown to find that everything has changed and no one remembers them.

The film will highlight the disappointments the person will experience as they visit places they used to go to and find they’ve completely changed.

It’ll also show how the people that person expected to find are no longer there.

You might include a happy ending to the movie, such as a neighbor who can recognize the returning person.

The ending scene may be the protagonist spending some time with that neighbor.

18. A Close Look at a Local Landmark

The film idea is about highlighting one of your local landmarks and presenting it through your lens from a deep perspective.

You’ll need to capture the place from a wide-angle view. Then, show it side by side with each of the surrounding buildings.

You’ll also capture close-up scenes of the intricacies of the landmark, showing its smallest details.

You might use a soundtrack in the background for events associated with this landmark. This sound design will evoke the audience’s emotions and boost their engagement with the film.

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How to Come Up With Short Film Ideas

We’ve listed the above 18 ideas to help you draw inspiration for your next short film. However, you always need to have your own method of generating original film ideas whenever you want.

Here are a few tips to help you easily come up with film ideas:

Keep Yourself Updated With the Latest News

By being knowledgeable about the latest and current events, you’ll be aware of the problems and stories the people are interested in.

That way, you can turn these problems and issues into film stories with the addition of a bit of imagination.

Watch Many Short Films With Analytical Eyes

By watching many short films and breaking them down, you can figure out the elements that make a great film. This will allow you to select your ideas meticulously.

You can watch these films online or attend film festivals where you can meet other filmmakers and expand your network.

Watching feature films can also help you generate creative ideas for short films.

Analyze Your Own Life

If you take a close look at your life and those of people around you, you’ll find many stories worth telling.

Pick a bunch of the most interesting stories around you and think of them as film ideas.

When you add a bit of imagination and dramatic elements to these stories, you’ll likely have winning film ideas.

Still, if you plan to use a story of one of your friends or family, ask for permission first.

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Use Generative AI Tools

You can use generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT or Google Bard, to develop ideas for your new films. You’d be surprised by the ideas these handy tools can generate!

Go for a Walk in Nature

One of the best ways to come up with creative movie ideas is to walk in nature. A  study  by Stanford University found that walking can improve creative thinking.

In addition, being out in nature surrounded by a world of various creatures will inspire you.

By watching nature while walking, you’ll be able to come up with a bunch of ideas, whether related or unrelated to nature.

Short Film Idea Generator

Here are the key points from the Short Film Generator clip shown above:

• Each short film must have four different elements: genres, family and friends, separate pieces of paper, and hats or buckets.
• Label three hats: one for characters, one for props, and one for locations, and write down different options for each category to generate ideas for short films and comedy skits.
• Use a random selection of genres, characters, props, and lines of dialogue to create a short film that incorporates all four elements.
• Use a formula with genre, character, dialogue, and prop constraints to creatively tell a story in a short film.
• Other elements in a story don’t have to be the main focus or come from the main character, they just need to appear somewhere, like a pink umbrella used symbolically or a line of dialogue.

For example: “A guy carrying pancakes gets hit by a street and drops them on the sidewalk.”

Imagine You or a Friend in an Unusual Situation

Imagine someone you know well in an unusual situation, like the person being a superhero, and picture the scenario that would result from this.

Keep the ideas flowing and generate more, no matter how silly the ideas seem. The key is to have as many ideas as possible and then filter them to pick the best.

When you select an idea to proceed with, you can use AI-powered story software to assist you in generating a lot of narrative possibilities based on your central concept.

You can also use screenwriting and storyboard software to craft your scenario.

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As the Content Manager of Shotkit, India Mantle brings with her a lifelong love for photography that she developed during her childhood, watching her father document their family moments with his Nikon EM. In her free time, you find her enjoying the awe-inspiring natural beauty of her home, Northern Rivers, Australia.

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Teaching with Short Films in Middle & High School ELA

Teaching with short films in ELA is a great way to strengthen reading skills and increase students’ literary analysis.

Why use short films with students?

Much in the same way that short stories can help reach reluctant readers, short films are excellent for demonstrating literary elements in ways that are approachable, memorable, and engaging. They’re also a fantastic choice for ELLs since many of them have little to no dialogue, and therefore rely on more universal means of communicating their message.

I’ll share some specific tips for the short films I’m shouting out, but here are some activities you can use with any short film:

Practice writing summaries . Since short films are just that (short), they’re easy to summarize in a paragraph. You can make it more fun and challenging by asking students to write a haiku summary. Here’s one I wrote, for example:

“Hobbit gets a ring Simply walks into Mordor Has hairy feet. Ew.”

Practice plot sequencing . Have students practice identifying key elements of the plot structure using a graph like this . Practicing this activity on a few short films is a great warm-up before asking students to diagram the plot of a longer work.

Practice some creative reading . Asking “what if’s” like “What books, movies, or television shows have you seen with this setting?” and “Imagine an alternate ending” are fun, low-risk ways to get students thinking. Learn more about how I use Creative Reading Task Cards in this blog post 🙂

I also have a new resource (2023) that has 15 lesson plans analyzing pop culture short texts, like short films, TV episodes, songs, and more! Check out the 15 Pop Culture Analysis Activities resource here.

Teaching with short films in ELA

Fear of flying (hs/ms).

This charming short by Irish filmmaker Conor Finnegan is great for demonstrating irony and characterization .

The irony is present in many ways. The protagonist is a bird named Dougal who is afraid of flying. When the other birds go south for winter, Dougal is left alone. Dougal then takes a plane to the “sunny south,” and having finally conquered his fear of flying, he finds himself confronted with a new fear: swimming.

How does the film show Dougal’s (literal and figurative) journey to overcome his fear?

How many specific instances of irony did you notice?

What were Dougal’s motivations for overcoming his fear?

What does it mean that Dougal agreed to go swimming so quickly, when it took him months to work up the courage to fly?

Content warning: At 1:44 a minor character uses the pun “Let’s get the flock out of here.” If you wanted to avoid the questionable language, you could skip/mute that few seconds of dialogue without students missing anything important.

Soar by Alyce Tzue (Elementary/MS)

This whimsical and heartwarming tale is the perfect short film for students who are younger, or ELLs. In it we meet an aspiring aeronautical engineer who can’t seem to get her design off the ground (hah!) until she gets help from an unexpected new friend.

I suggest pausing this video at 1:45 and asking students to flex their prediction muscles. How do they think the story will end? What’s in the mysterious bag that our crash-lander is fiercely protecting, and where are she and her compatriots heading to? Then un-pause and let them watch the rest of the film. They won’t get all the answers right, but it will be fun to see what their imaginations come up with. After students finish watching the film, you can ask them what message(s) they derived. (Be kind to others, the importance of perseverance, and never being “too young” or “too small” to achieve their goals.)

Lock Up (8th grade + up)

This short film is very effective at demonstrating and teaching suspense . I don’t want to spoil the plot, but it’s only 3:34, so you can easily find out for yourself.

Here are some ideas of post-viewing discussion questions: What do we learn about the protagonist in the first 45 seconds, and how does that information help increase the suspense? What is the effect of cutting back and forth to the surveillance camera footage? What visual and audio effects did the filmmaker use to create suspense?

Content warning: This film doesn’t show any blood or weapons, but it is highly suspenseful and features some startling (but brief) jump cuts at the end. I think this film is okay for teaching suspense with short films for 8th grade and up, but you know your students best.

If you’re enjoying these ideas using short films for ELA, check out this post about TED Talks for Young Writers !

Hair Love (All ages)

This Oscar award-winning short film by Matthew Cherry is a heartwarming look at a father tackling his biggest challenge yet: his daughter’s hair.

This film has a powerful theme, a fun comic relief character, and a loving family that’s sure to brighten your day. I also love that it also has a training montage sequence with the hair as the chief antagonist.

Pixar Shorts

Pixar shorts provide a wealth of great short films for teaching ELA, I’ll share a few of my favorites, and you can find even more Pixar shorts in this post by my teacher-friend Meredith from Bespoke ELA.

Piper (All ages)

This short follows a young sandpiper on her journey from a fledgling to a fearless shell-hunter. It’s ideal for discussing characterization and character development. How does Piper’s character change/grow over the course of the film, and what around her (setting, other characters, etc) influences her? It’s also good for discussing tone and mood. Although it shows Piper’s biggest fear, the tone remains lighthearted and whimsical overall. How did the filmmaker convey this mood? How does the character of Piper follow the Hero’s Journey archetype?

Boundin’ (Elementary/MS)

Boundin’ is one of the few Pixar shorts to feature dialogue, which in this case is delivered in rhyme by the Cowboy Poet-esque narrator. This film is perfect for discussing themes and metaphor .

After watching, ask students to reflect on these questions: What is the overall theme of this short? What is “boundin’” a metaphor for? How does the rhyming-style narration impact the film?

Purl (High School)

This short features an upbeat ball of yard named Purl who takes a job at the corporate office of “B.R.O. Capitol.” Purl struggles to fit in at first until she changes every aspect of her personality to conform with the office culture. Fortunately, this film has a happy ending in which Purl helps to create a more inclusive and positive workplace by being herself and helping others.

Since entire film is an extended not-so-subtle metaphor for discrimination against women in the workplace, it could be a great jumping off point for a classroom discussion about real-life gender discrimination.

After viewing, ask students to reflect on these questions: How does the setting impact the story, and what does the setting tell us about the other characters? What visual contrasts do the filmmakers use to show how Purl differs from her coworkers? How does Purl change herself to fit in, and what prompts her to change back? What is the dominant theme of this film, and do you think the filmmakers were effective at getting their message across?

I think this would also be perfect to accompany a novel study of The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. (Find more ideas for teaching The Outsiders here !)

Content warning : This short features a couple jokes with some potentially objectionable language (at 1:56 and 4:40), as well as the phrase “kiss our ass.” As always, you are the best judge of what’s appropriate for your classroom.

Final thoughts on teaching with short films:

Need some other media literacy ideas?

✨ Songs to use in ELA ✨ TV episodes to use in ELA ✨ Photo analysis ✨ Video games ✨ Short texts for teaching cultural appropriation ✨ Dystopian unit introductions

I hope this post gave you some fun ideas to shake up your lessons. What are your favorite of teaching short films for ELA? Comment below so we can all learn!

Happy teaching!

Further Reading...

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10 Inspirational Writing Quotes for High School Students

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Colleen C Smith

Great ideas! The suspenseful video drops an F bomb. I debated if I could scoot over it, and I did with the kids and they loved the video. I am trying to find a Pepsi version of this film, is there one?

Carina Assayed

Hi Colleen,

This is Carina, the blog manager for Teach Nouvelle. I am overjoyed to hear your students loved the “Lock Up” video! I rewatched it just now, but I could not find the “F” bomb. Would you mind sending me a timestamp for when this happens? This way I can add a disclaimer for future viewers.

Hmm, I am not familiar with any Pepsi version of this film. I did some quick research, but I had no luck finding anything that sounded like what you are looking for. Would you be able to clarify what you are looking for? I would love to help find the resource! 🙂

Happy teaching, Carina Assayed Blog Manager

The link for Boundin’ goes to a different film.

Thank you SO much for bringing this to my attention! I just fixed this 🙂 I am also dropping the link below should you still need it. Happy teaching! We are almost there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WyR4AqRweY

With gratitude, Carina – Nouvelle ELA Blog Manager

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8 Ways to Teach With Short Documentary Films From The Times

How to use our weekly Film Club feature to teach close reading and critical thinking skills via an eclectic mix of nonfiction videos.

By Jeremy Engle

Death metal-singing grandmothers. Gravity-defying dancers on nine-foot stilts. The dangers of “sharenting.” Coming-of-age with autism. What really happened at Stonewall. The whereabouts of smooth-voiced, permed-haired Bob Ross’s vast collection of lost paintings. These are just a few stories and themes we have explored in our weekly Film Club since it began in 2015.

Every Thursday during the school year, we feature a short documentary film from The New York Times and a set of five open-ended questions intended to encourage thoughtful and honest dialogue, either in your classroom or in the comments section. These films — drawn from Times Video series like Op-Docs , Modern Love , Diary of a Song and Conception — offer viewers an intriguing and unique perspective of the world and ask students to think deeply about themes like ethics, human rights, gender identity and scientific discovery. And each one is typically under 12 minutes.

As with other short texts like stories, poems and articles, mini-documentary films can stimulate discussion, debate, thinking and writing. And, they can serve as a refreshing break from print media to help students explore curriculum themes and practice important literacy skills.

You might use Film Club weekly in your class as a tool for regular writing and discussion. Or, if you’re looking for specific ways to make short documentaries a part of your curriculum, below, we present eight ideas for teaching with the series. For each topic, we suggest several films to watch, questions for discussion and activities to go further.

Let us know in the comments section or by emailing us at [email protected] how and why you are using Film Club and if you have any suggestions to improve our feature.

Explore a Theme or Big Idea

A concerto is a conversation, a virtuoso jazz pianist and film composer tracks his family’s lineage through his 91-year-old grandfather from jim crow florida to the walt disney concert hall..

All right. It’s a real pleasure to welcome Kris Bowers, our composer, who has written a concerto, “For a Younger Self.” Welcome. [APPLAUSE] Can I ask a question? All right, Granddaddy. Can you tell me, just what is a concerto? So it’s basically this piece that has a soloist and an ensemble, an orchestra. The two are having a conversation. And so sometimes that conversation can be this person speaking, and now this person speaking. Sometimes the conversation — It’s a question. — is at the same time. Yeah. And it really depends on how the composer wants to, or how I want to frame that conversation. Did you ever picture yourself doing what you’re doing now? Huh. [MUSIC PLAYING] [APPLAUSE] I’m very aware of the fact that I’m a Black composer, and lately actually I’ve been wondering whether or not I’m supposed to be in the spaces that I’m in, or supposed to have gotten to the point that I’ve gotten to. Well, I can tell you one thing. Never think that you’re not supposed to be there. Cause you wouldn’t be there if you wasn’t supposed to be there. It goes back to slavery. [MUSIC PLAYING] My grandfather, who I found out has cancer a little while ago, I wanted to spend some more time with him and talk to him about his life, about our family, ask him as much as I can before he passes. [BELL RINGING] Granddaddy. Mm-hm? Need a bit of help with this. Do what? Getting this seamed out for the show. OK. Don’t step on the pedals. Push it right in the corner. OK. Wow. OK. We’re going to make it real handsome here. You’re going to be ready to go. Thank you, sir. Growing up in the South was quite a thing for me. Bascom, Florida, as far back as I can remember, I think the plantation was the Bowers plantation. All 13 of you all grew up in that house? Mm-hm. Wow. How all of us stayed in two rooms, I don’t know. We would start on the porch singing. And there were people, I don’t know how they could hear it that far, would come drive in the front yard and listen to us sing at night. People in that area was, the Blacks were Bowers, and the whites was Beavers. Beavers had the grocery store. But when Dad would walk in the store, this kid about my size, small kid — How old were you about this point? Like how old? I probably was 6 or 7 years old. Oh, wow. And he would go up to my dad and say, what could I get for you, boy? That stuck with me forever. Why are you calling my dad a boy? And Daddy would answer him, sir, yes sir, no sir. But it was something that stayed with me because I knew then when I got of age I was going to leave there. I didn’t want no parts of the farm. I didn’t want no parts of that part of the country. I just wanted to leave. Wherever I could get a ride to, that’s where I was headed to. [MUSIC PLAYING] What was that process like, hitchhiking as a Black man in America in the 1940s? I had to be crazy. Now, the first place I remember being is in Detroit. A man picked me up. He was saying that he could get me a job and a place to stay and all this. I asked him, does it snow there? And he said yes. And that was the end of that, because I didn’t want to be any place that was cold. But I hitchhiked from there to Denver, Colorado. And I was in this Greyhound bus station, cause they had two counters, white and Black. So I could get something to eat. And I heard somebody say, Los Angeles, California. I said, that’s where I want to go. Never heard of Los Angeles before. I had $27 or $28. I didn’t know how I was going to make it, but I knew I was going to make it. So I said well, I’m going to pretend to be an employment agency and call around to get a job. Wow. I got the telephone book, started at the A’s. A Cleaners. And I don’t think I made more than five calls, and the phone rang, and it was the A Cleaners, and they said they needed a presser. I got all the information. I said, OK, I’ll send someone right out. And that was me. [LAUGHING] That’s where I met your grandmother. [MUSIC PLAYING] How old were you when you bought the cleaners? I was 20. Wow. So within two years I had gone from homeless to I was in business. [MUSIC PLAYING] But I never could get a loan. And I owned the place. I said, something wrong with this picture. I told them I come in for the loan, and he said no, I don’t have anything. And I left later, and picked up an application, and I mailed it in. A few days later, I got a call, your loan is approved. I said, it’s the color of my skin. I said in the South they tell you. In Los Angeles they show you. From then on we started buying property, I would get things at the cleaner, everything, but nobody ever saw me. Everything was done by mail. People are constantly throwing up things to stop you in life. But you’ve got to know you cannot stop me. [MUSIC PLAYING] My name is Kristopher Bowers, and I want to play “Shining Star in Atlantic City.” My parents decided before I was born they wanted me to play piano. Literally, I think it’s called like “Piano Sampler No. 5” that they used to put on my mom’s stomach every day. Actually, one of the first pieces of music I ever wrote was on this piano. And I remember, you know, just playing around here all the time. But we were up at a restaurant one, I believe it was a Sunday. At Marie Callendar’s? Marie Callendar’s. They had a piano in there, and I asked the guy could you play it. And they said yes. I carried you over there, and you were playing it, and I was proud of you. [LAUGHING] [MUSIC PLAYING] There aren’t that many opportunities for young kids of color to showcase their talents or to interact with other kids of color playing music and doing those things, and you talking about being my manager, essentially, from the very beginning. If I didn’t have that, I probably wouldn’t have been as confident pursuing music. I remember — where were you in school at that I was up there? What, in New York? At Juilliard? Juilliard? Wherever it was, you enjoyed it. So that’s all I was thinking. If you enjoyed making a living at it. I knew that, boy. And the winner is Kris Bowers. “Green Book.” [APPLAUSE] [MUSIC PLAYING] [APPLAUSE] [MUSIC PLAYING] What do you think your biggest challenge is today? My biggest challenge today, being honest, is my health. It’s just trying to stay healthy. That would be my challenge today. [MUSIC PLAYING] I’ve got a few more years to go, but I’m almost to the top. [LAUGHING] Ten more years, I’ll be at the top. [LAUGHING] So now I just keep trying to do the best I can. Yeah. And enjoy seeing my children and grandchildren being successful. That’s glory in itself. It’s just something that I hope I had a little something to do with it. [MUSIC PLAYING] [APPLAUSE] (SINGING) Then sings my soul, my savior, my God to thee, how great thou art, how great thou art. You did it! You did it! You did it! [LAUGHING] See, it surprised you. [LAUGHING]

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Class Assignments for Short Film, Authentic

We are excited to share class assignments that correlates with our Advanced Film Editing Workshop with Stephen Mark, A.C.E. . Sign up for a free school account today and get a one-month free trial with access to all our lessons and the ability to invite an unlimited number of students. 

At EditMentor , we believe that hands-on learning is a crucial element to any film, video, or media classes. Our gamified approach gives students the opportunity to be actively engaged in their learning. But once students complete the lessons within EditMentor, we want the learning to continue. That is why we created this three-part class assignment ! These class assignments are great for upperclass high school students, as well as college students. And you can adjust each assignment for your specific class and their skill level.

Award-Winning Short Film, Authentic

The class assignments focus on the short film, Authentic , which is the main film used throughout our Advanced Film Editing Workshop course. The film is a Tribeca audience award-winning short that is now streaming on HBO.

The story of Authentic explores cultural appropriation, authenticity, and contradiction. Nicolás, a Mexican immigrant, is a dishwasher at a fine dining restaurant in New York. When his head chef challenges him to find handmade tortillas for a surprise addition to that evening’s dinner menu, Nicolás jumps at the opportunity to prove himself, embarking on a journey that ultimately tests the limits of his ambition. 

The raw footage download link (18 scenes, 19.46GB) is available in the first lesson of the Advanced Film Editing Workshop. Watch the trailer below.

Summary of Class Assignments

Assignment #1 – The Story

In the first class assignment, students are asked to work in groups to analyze and evaluate the screenplay for Authentic , then deliver an effective presentation sharing their findings. Read the full the script here.

Reading a screenplay is a crucial part of the editing process, as it gives the editor insight into what to look for when evaluating footage and determining where to place each and every cut. This will ensure students have a solid foundation of the story before they begin editing the film. 

Assignment #2 – The Edit

The second assignment allows the students the opportunity to have hands-on practice editing footage from the professional, award-winning short film, Authentic . Teachers can assign the students to edit one scene, multiple scenes, or the entire film. With a clear story structure, a variety of shot coverage, and challenges like building a montage and understanding subtext, this film gives students the opportunity to put their creative and technical editing skills to work. 

Assignment #3 – Classmates Review of Edits

When assigning a large group of students the same film to edit, it can be difficult to screen every cut in class in a productive way. Class screenings can take up a large amount of time due to varying lengths of cuts and discussions. Also, students’ interest wanes after seeing the same footage multiple times in a row. The students who screen first get more productive feedback compared to those screened at the end of the class.

Instead, the final assignment asks the class to review each other’s edits, of either a scene or the entire edit of Authentic , in a one-on-one fashion. This assignment allows the students the chance to see how their peers have creatively approached their edit, while also working on their communication skills by providing thoughtful and constructive feedback. Then after the students receive the feedback on their cut, have them review the notes given to them and determine how they will productively use it in their final edits. 

Assignments Include :

• Learning Objectives
• Materials and Resources List 
• EditMentor Lesson Prerequisites
• Teacher Instructions
• Grading Rubrics
• Student Step-by-Step Instructions
• Supporting Materials

The documents are hosted on Google Drive , giving you ability to download the files and adjust for your classroom needs. 

Advanced Film Editing Workshop with Stephen Mark, A.C.E.

These class assignments goes hand-and-hand with our Advanced Film Editing Workshop . The course is taught by Stephen Mark, A.C.E. , the talented editor of The X-Files , Deadwood , and Hell on Wheels .

Stephen shares his tried-and-true method for selecting performances, building scenes and montages, and reviewing work with others. Throughout the course, students interact with challenges that will teach them how to identify key story moments, build intrigue with their edit, and create empathetic characters. 

The course includes 13 lessons, 150 interactive challenges, and more than two hours of videos, that range from topics like what makes a story, continuity, key moments and reading lined scripts. Plus, you’ll have access to download the raw footage from Authentic . Watch the trailer for the course below.

Paid education accounts have access to the Advanced Film Editing Workshop! Sign up for a free school account today and get a one-month free trial! The free trial gives you access to all our lessons and the ability to invite an unlimited number of students.

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101 Story Prompts to Kickstart Your Short Film

Do you want to write a short film but need help finding compelling concepts? Sometimes reading simple story prompts is the easiest way to get those creative juices flowing.

We get our ideas from many sources — news headlines, novels, television shows, movies, our lives, our fears, our phobias, etc. They can come from a scene or moment in a film that wasn’t fully explored. They can come from a single visual that entices the creative mind — a seed that continues to grow and grow until the writer is forced to finally put it to paper or screen.

They may inspire screenplays, novels, short stories, or even smaller moments that you can include in what stories you are already writing.

Keys to Writing Short Film Scripts?

Before we jump into our 101 Short Film Prompts, let's quickly go over a couple of important factors of writing short film scripts.

Concept is Everything

The rite of passage for any filmmaker is making a compelling short film. That is where filmmakers cut their teeth and truly come of age. It's also an epic journey through the highest of peaks and deepest of valleys as novice filmmakers quickly learn that it's not as easy as just having a few people, a boom mic, and a camera — you need a great concept.

Showcasing a talking heads short film isn't going to get you noticed by audiences or industry insiders. You need to capture their attention with compelling and engaging narratives that have a beginning, middle, and end within the short film running time of 40 minutes or less (you generally want to stick with 5-20 minutes most of the time) .

Economize Your Storytelling

Short films should also focus on smaller story windows.

• Instead of having your short film tell the dramatic story of your alcoholic character trying to go sober over the course of a year, why not focus on the last day of the last step in their 12-Step program?
• Instead of having your short script tell the epic story of a historical World War II battle, why not focus on one soldier as they deal with the overarching conflict?
• Instead of having your short story tell the horrifying story of a serial killer stalking and killing multiple victims, why not center the story on a single victim in their house watching the news reports of the killings and then hearing a floorboard creak from above?

Watch Short Films

It's as simple as that — watch short films. Here are 10 shorts you can watch online right now to get you started.

(And read a short film script if you can get your hands on one.)

Note: Because we’re all connected to the same pop culture, news headlines, and inspirations, any similarity to any past, present, or future screenplays, novels, short stories, television pilots, television series, plays, or any other creative works is purely coincidence. These true story writing prompts were conceived on the fly or were based on finding interesting true stories that are out there. While some may have proven to be told already, there are always alternative storylines not covered in what has already been written and produced.

1. Someone watching a news report about a local serial killer hears a floorboard creak.  

2. A young brother and sister survive after the apocalypse.  

3. Someone reading a scary book hears a knock at the door.

4. An alcoholic struggles to decide between taking a drink or not.

5. Students in an elementary school dealing with surviving lunchtime. 

6. Students in an elementary school dealing with surviving recess.

7. Teenagers surviving the school politics of lunchtime. 

8. An addicted gambler sits at a table. 

9. A day in the life of the first astronaut on Mars.

10. A day in the life of the first colony on Mars. 

11. A man and a woman keep seeing each other during a night out with their respective friends. 

12. The experience of a character invited to a graduation party of someone they don't know.

13. The first human clone awakens.

14. The lifespan of a dog.

15. The lifespan of a cat. 

16. Dracula is in his coffin not being able to sleep and having to kill time until dusk. 

17. An African-American child's walk to school in a dangerous urban neighborhood.

18. A character wakes up with a gun in their hand and blood all over them . 

19. A day in the life of an astronaut living on the moon. 

20. The first day of school for a new student as they struggle to make a friend. 

'Mean Girls' (2004)

21. The imaginary battle of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. 

22. The life of a handgun when it hits the streets.

23. The story of a pilot that sees a UFO in the skies.

24. A robot comes to life in an inventor's shop.

25. A person struggles to survive after being thrown from their car in an accident.

26. A remake of the original silent film The Great Train Robbery.

27. A day in the life of a puppy. 

28. A German soldier trying to flee Nazi Germany. 

29. A woman in a house is attacked by aliens. 

30. A person is granted the wish to fly. 

31. A person is granted the wish to be invisible. 

32. A person makes a wish to be young again. 

33. A man on his deathbed is taken on a road trip. 

34. A woman spends a night with her newborn child, only to have to give it to adoptive parents.  

35. A day in the life of a professional thief. 

36. A day in the life of a homicide detective. 

37. A day in the life of a teacher. 

38. The new kid in the neighborhood struggles to make friends.  

39. A slave struggles to escape its evil white pursuers.

40. A rock climber's solo ascent. 

'Free Solo' (2018)

41. The day in the life of a professional gamer. 

42. The world shown through the eyes of a drone.  

43. A late-night call at a suicide prevention center. 

44. The duel of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. 

45. The duel of two samurai. 

46. A day in the life of a maid that works for a rich family. 

47. A mother working three jobs in a single day and then coming home to kiss their child goodnight.

48. A day in the life of a truck driver. 

49. An astronaut lands on a desert planet. 

50. A day in the life of an angel on Earth. 

51. Teacher by day, stripper by night. 

52. A vampire decides to commit suicide by sunlight after one last night on the town. 

53. A day in the life of a Vegas stripper. 

54. It's revealed that a sad person has been preparing for a loved one's funeral. 

55. It's revealed that a child's friend is actually imaginary. 

56. A babysitter must save a child when a forest fire bombards the neighborhood. 

57. Surfers are lost at sea after riptides pull them out.  

58. A park ranger discovers a dead body.  

59. A travel agent struggles to hold onto a job that has no contemporary meaning. 

60. A house that is haunted.

'The Conjuring' (2013)

61. An astronaut returns home but no one remembers who he is. 

62. A day in the life of the last man on Earth. 

63. A day in the life of the last woman on Earth. 

64. A day in the life of the last dog on Earth. 

65. When the WiFi goes down, neighborhood kids discover how to keep themselves entertained. 

66. Four female kindergarten teachers and their hilarious lives after the bell rings. 

67. An assassin sent back in time struggles with killing Baby Hitler. 

68. An Uber ride gone wrong. 

69. An Uber driver picks up a hitman.

70. The Angel of Death, in human form, visits its victims. 

71.  Two people are stuck in an elevator together. 

72. Two people are stuck in the rubble of a fallen building and struggle to survive — it's a 9/11 tragic story. 

73. An actor goes through a day of auditions and life in Los Angeles.

74. A character finds a magical item in an antique store. 

75. A man contemplates suicide and finds an unexpected reason to live. 

76. A man tries to become a superhero. 

77. A day in the life of a fighter pilot told within the cockpit .

78. A man and woman fall in love over the course of thirty years of chance encounters. 

79. A man wins the lottery and does good deeds with the money until it's all gone. 

80. A serial killer stalking a victim. 

'Psycho' (1960)

81. A human clone escapes a research facility to find their double. 

82. A man discovers their doppelganger. 

83. A woman discovers their doppelganger. 

84. A child discovers their doppelganger. 

85. A carjacker accidentally steals a car full of rascal children.  

86. A man returns to his hometown only to discover that no one remembers him. 

87. A knight duals with another. 

88. A woman wakes up to discover that everyone else on Earth has vanished.  

89. A young Sherlock Holmes in middle school solves a mystery. 

90. A child wanders off on their big wheel only to be found later that night by a truck driver. 

91. A woman awakens on an island and realizes she is the only survivor of a plane crash.  

92. Someone wakes up with the ability to hear everyone's thoughts. 

93. Someone wakes up with the ability to touch anyone and see when they are going to die.  

94. A cowboy encounters a UFO. 

95. A sailor encounters a UFO.  

96. A reunion between old high school friends goes sour when past issues emerge. 

97. A man in an interrogation room confesses. 

98. A man stuck in a thankless corporate job one day walks out and goes on a road trip.  

99. One day, a woman finally decides to leave her abusive husband. 

100. A coming-of-age tale about a middle school boy confronting bullies. 

101. A first-time bank robber is forced to take hostages as he instantly regrets his choices.    

'Dog Day Afternoon

Share this with your writing peers or anyone that loves a compelling short film. Have some prompts of your own? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter !

Want More Ideas? Take a Look at Our Other Story Prompts !

Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison for Sony Studios and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.

He has many studio meetings under his belt as a produced screenwriter, meeting with the likes of Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, Warner Brothers, as well as many production and management companies. He has had a previous development deal with Lionsgate, as well as multiple writing assignments, including the produced miniseries  Blackout , starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haylie Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric La Salle, and Bruce Boxleitner, the feature thriller Hunter’s Creed , and many Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies

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Short Film Ideas for Students: Unleashing Creativity on Screen

By: Author Paul Jenkins

Posted on July 10, 2023

Categories Filmmaking

You’re a student filmmaker, bursting with creative energy and eager to craft your cinematic masterpiece. However, you may sometimes grapple with the daunting question – what should my film be about? Don’t fret! We’ve compiled an inspiring list of short film ideas specifically tailored for students like you.

From exploring everyday scenarios through fresh lenses, like ‘A Day in the Life of a Pet,’ to crafting heart-warming narratives on ‘Unlikely Friendships,’ we’ve got it all covered.

Imagine taking your audience on a thrilling ‘Time Travel Adventure’ or paying tribute to silent-era classics through a ‘Silent Movie Homage.’

You could also document local history via a ‘Documentary on a Local Landmark.’

Our list includes diverse genres, encouraging you to create unexpected heroes, survival stories, alien encounters, and even psychological thrillers.

So gear up! Your journey into the exciting world of filmmaking is about to begin.

Key Takeaways

• Animated storytelling allows for boundless creativity and unique narrative techniques.
• Small-town mysteries often involve elusive characters, cryptic clues, eerie locations, and shocking revelations.
• Overcoming personal challenges involves confronting adversity and finding strength in vulnerability.
• Historical fiction allows for exploring and understanding the past through creative storytelling.

A Day in the Life of a Pet

Ever wondered what your furry friend gets up to when you’re not around? Let’s dive into a day in a pet’s life, where every moment is an adventure waiting to unfold! This short film idea for students paints an intimate portrait of our beloved companions from their perspective.

Imagine capturing a typical day through the lens of a pet’s perspective. The camera observes as they wake up and start their day: sniffing out breakfast, bounding after toys, pawing at mysterious shadows. Yet it’s not all play; there are moments of solitude too – quiet naps under sunlit windows or intense watching sessions by the backdoor.

The beauty lies in detailing animal communication. How does your pet interact with other animals? What about non-verbal cues like body language or facial expressions? Delving into these aspects can provide fascinating insights and make the narrative more engaging.

This film could culminate in the evening when everyone returns home. Your pet might show signs of excitement or relief. Their world revolves around you, after all! It would be an enlightening exploration that humanizes our pets, making us value them even more than we already do. It’s amusing how much we can learn from just observing them closely!

Unlikely Friendship

In an old, forgotten library, a timid mouse befriends a wise, worn-out book, sparking an unexpected bond that transcends their differences and challenges the norms. This isn’t your typical cross-species companionship; it’s something more magical.

The mouse’s name is Mitty, and his best friend is a wise book named Sage. Despite their unusual pairing, they spend countless hours together in the dusty corners of the library. Mitty listens attentively as Sage shares tales from his pages – stories of knights and kings, poets and philosophers. Mitty tells Sage about life outside the quiet library walls: scampering across fields under moonlight or finding crumbs at a nearby bakery.

Their bond deepens with time; they become each other’s world within those hushed aisles filled with books long untouched by human hands. Even though Sage can’t move or talk like others, he becomes real to Mitty – he becomes his imaginary friend who provides wisdom and comfort in his lonely world.

What makes this tale unique is its gentle exploration of friendship found in unlikely places and forms – a testament to how even perceived limitations can give rise to connections full of warmth and understanding.

Time Travel Adventure

Switching gears slightly, let’s delve into a thrilling tale of time travel adventure that will captivate your imagination. Imagine yourself as a nerdy high school student who stumbles across a cryptic device in the attic that turns out to be a time machine.

Your curiosity piqued, and you decide to embark on an exciting journey through different eras and futuristic societies.

Here are some exciting angles this short film could explore:

• You witness historical events firsthand, providing unique perspectives.
• You encounter paradoxical consequences when trying to alter past events.
• You meet younger versions of your parents and inadvertently change their future.
• You visit dystopian futures where society has been drastically altered due to climate change or war.
• The struggle with ethics: Should you use knowledge from the future for personal gain?

As our protagonist navigates these thought-provoking scenarios, they learn invaluable lessons about responsibility and acceptance. They realize that every action can trigger unforeseen reactions in time – a ripple effect that could alter everything.

This narrative offers students an exhilarating adventure and intriguing insights into history, philosophy, and morality. Embrace the chaos of temporal exploration and create an unforgettable short film!

Silent Movie Homage

Paying homage to the golden era of silent movies, you’re stepping into a world where emotions and actions speak louder than words. Your short film idea is a creative nod to this classic cinema inspiration, utilizing silent acting techniques that convey more through less.

In this intriguing narrative, your characters communicate in an eloquent language of gestures and expressions. Their dialogue is replaced by well-crafted title cards that encapsulate their thoughts or important plot points. Subtle nuances become powerful tools; a glance exchanged between two characters carries the weight of spoken words. Your actors will need to master silent acting techniques such as pantomime and exaggerated facial expressions reminiscent of icons like Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton.

Your setting could echo the past; perhaps an old jazz club or a bustling cityscape in the 1920s, rendered in sepia tones for authenticity. The music plays its part, too – a piano score following the rhythm of action on screen.

This nostalgic adventure gives your audience respite from today’s fast-paced world. Through your short film, they’ll rediscover the magic within silence and simplicity – a testament to storytelling’s enduring power regardless of technological advancements.

Documentary on a Local Landmark

You’re peering through the lens at your town’s oldest landmark, a century-old courthouse that stands tall against the backdrop of modern skyscrapers. Your heart beats in sync with the rhythmic patter of footsteps on ancient cobblestone streets as you aim to capture its historical significance and architectural marvels in your short film.

Your film will be an ode to this local icon, showcasing it as an architectural feat and exploring its role within your community. You’ll delve into stories whispered within these aged walls, chronicling years of trials, triumphs, and tribulations.

The courthouse is more than bricks and mortar—it’s a testament to your town’s resilience and evolution. Through your camera lens, you invite viewers to step back in time and feel a connection with those who walked these halls before them.

A Love Story with a Twist

Imagine: you’re crafting a narrative about a seemingly typical love story, but there’s an unexpected twist that’ll leave your audience captivated. The key characters – a boy, a girl, and their shared best friend – are locked in a dance of romantic confusion. As the director, you must guide them through this maze.

• Inception : Start with the basics; two friends fall for each other but cannot confess their feelings due to fear of ruining the friendship.
• The Catalyst : Introduce the best friend who unknowingly becomes the reason for these unspoken emotions surfacing.
• Unforeseen Complications : Allow room for unexpected endings by creating situations where one character misinterprets another’s actions leading to heartbreak.
• Twist of Fate : An interesting turn of events reveals that all three have been in love with each other all along.

This narrative arc explores complex relationships and challenges traditional storytelling norms around romance films. It’s here that you can truly push boundaries and explore themes such as polyamory or misunderstood affection from different perspectives.

Remember: this isn’t just about shocking viewers with unforeseen plot twists; it’s about showing how unpredictable real-life romances can be, leaving both characters and audiences questioning what they thought they knew about love itself.

An Animated Short

Diving headfirst into animated storytelling, you’ll find it’s a medium that allows for boundless creativity and unique narrative techniques. With animation, you’re not limited to reality; you can create worlds and characters that simply can’t exist otherwise.

Imagine crafting an epic adventure about anthropomorphic objects or an emotional roller coaster with fantastical creatures. The character design in your film becomes paramount as it provides viewers with a clear understanding of each individual’s personality and role within the story.

Consider giving each character distinct physical features, expressions, and movements to make them more engaging and relatable. Remember, good character design tells a story without even uttering a word.

Your choice of animation techniques will greatly influence the overall aesthetic appeal of your short film. From stop-motion animation to computer-generated imagery (CGI), these methods offer different visual experiences. CGI might provide smoothness while stop-motion brings raw charm.

Mastering these aspects may seem daunting initially, but remember that practice makes perfect. Draw inspiration from others’ works but let your creative spirit lead the way. Your animated short could be the next festival darling or online sensation!

A Mystery in a Small Town

In a small town where secrets are as abundant as the local gossip, unearthing a mystery can uncover truths that’ll shake its quaint facade to the core. You’re a high school student with an insatiable curiosity and an eye for detail – traits that’ll come in handy when you stumble upon your latest project: unraveling one of the mysteries buried deep within your town’s history.

As you delve deeper into this enigma, here are some key elements you’d want to explore:

• The elusive characters who’ve become part of the small town secrets, their motives, and their alibis.
• The cryptic clues are hidden in plain sight, waiting for someone sharp enough to spot them.
• The eerie locations linked to the mystery – from the haunted-looking mansion on Elm Street to the dilapidated barn at the outskirts.
• The shocking revelations will inevitably arise as you piece together bits of history and gossip .

Your pursuit of truth might ruffle some feathers among townsfolk eager to keep skeletons locked away. But remember, every secret unearthed brings you closer to solving this puzzle. You’re not just spinning a tale; you’re exposing truths that have been whispered about but never confirmed. Will your short film shatter illusions or stir up more questions? Only time will tell.

Overcoming Personal Challenges

Shifting from the eerie suspense of a small-town mystery, let’s delve into a different narrative vein. Overcoming personal challenges is another compelling theme for your short film project, one that speaks to the heart of human resilience and transformation.

This type of story revolves around a protagonist’s personal growth journey. It’s about confronting adversity head-on and finding strength in vulnerability. The plot could be driven by many difficult situations: physical or mental illness, financial hardship, loss of a loved one – life is full of such trials.

Your character will learn valuable lessons about perseverance, courage, and self-discovery through these struggles. This would make for an emotionally rich film and provide opportunities to explore deep character development.

So grab your camera and start capturing this universal struggle on screen. After all, overcoming adversity is something we can all relate to; it’s an integral part of our shared human experience.

A Tale of Redemption

From the ashes of personal trials, we often see tales of redemption rise, illustrating the power of second chances and forgiveness.

Imagine a protagonist with a stained past – maybe he was a school bully or even committed petty crimes. But now he’s on a redemptive transformation journey, making amends for his past wrongs.

Now let’s break this down into three key elements:

• The Past: Showcasing his previous life filled with mistakes and regrets. Make these scenes impactful to establish his need for change.
• The Turning Point: A significant event sparks his desire to turn over a new leaf. This could be an encounter with an old victim or meeting someone who believes in him despite everything.
• The Redemption Arc: Depicting his forgiveness journey as he makes restitution, seeks forgiveness from those he has wronged, and proves that people can change.

This narrative is not just about rectifying one’s past but also about self-forgiveness and acceptance. It teaches that no matter how deep you have fallen, it’s never too late to climb back up again. Remember, redemption isn’t about becoming perfect but striving to become better than yesterday.

Historical Fiction

By its very nature, historical fiction serves as a fascinating lens through which we can explore and understand the past. It’s not just about rehashing old events; it’s about bringing them to life with creativity and detail.

As a student filmmaker, you can use this genre to tell engaging stories while showcasing your unique vision.

Consider crafting short films around revolutionary narratives that highlight significant societal changes. For example, you could delve into the French Revolution or American Civil War and focus on stories of individuals whose lives were dramatically altered by these events. You could create a narrative exploring cultural shifts during these times – perhaps focusing on how art transformed alongside politics.

Cultural exploration is another powerful avenue for historical fiction. Imagine creating a short film centered around the Harlem Renaissance, portraying the explosion of African American culture in all its vibrancy during this era. You could bring forth the struggles of an aspiring artist caught between tradition and innovation.

So seize the opportunities offered by historical fiction, let your imagination run wild with possibilities from different eras and cultures. With thorough research and creative storytelling techniques, you’ll craft compelling narratives that resonate deeply with your audience.

An Unexpected Hero

Imagine crafting a story where an unexpected hero emerges, someone overlooked by society yet possessing a unique courage that can’t be ignored.

Picture this: A janitor named Joe, who works at the city’s most prestigious university, discovers a secret experiment gone wrong. As he cleans up after the absent-minded scientists, he accidentally gets exposed to the residual radiation. Instead of harm, it endows him with extraordinary abilities.

Use superhero satire to add humor and levity to your film. Let Joe grapple with his newfound powers – cleaning faster than light speed or lifting heavy objects like they’re made of feathers. Use these comedic elements to draw your audience and make them root for our ordinary savior.

Joe doesn’t don capes or fancy suits; instead, he continues his work as a janitor while secretly saving the day. He deals with everyday problems just like us – bills, bosses, and bureaucracy – but also fights crime on the side. His modesty makes him relatable; his courage makes him admirable.

For your climax scene, let Joe use his powers not for epic battles but for solving real-world issues – perhaps even tackling some environmental crisis! This ending will reinforce that heroes exist in every corner of life and sometimes wear overalls instead of capes.

A Story of Survival

You’re lost in the wilderness, with no sign of civilization for miles around – it’s a true test of your survival instincts and resilience. This is not just another camping trip gone wrong but an unexpected twist that lands you on a deserted island. Every moment becomes a struggle against nature, each decision is crucial for survival.

• The First Night: You construct a makeshift shelter from fallen branches and leaves – it’s rudimentary but essential.
• Finding Food: The wilderness is full of edible treats if you know where to look – berries, insects, or fish from the nearby stream.
• Fire Creation: You must create fire for warmth and cooking with only two rocks as tools.
• Signaling for Help: Using reflections off polished stones or creating smoke signals becomes your go-to method for signaling potential rescuers.

This experience tests every fiber of your being as you wage war against the harsh realities of wilderness survival. Yet amidst these trials, there’s beauty in witnessing the raw essence of life stripped down to its most fundamental elements.

And so unfolds this tale of human endurance and spirit battling against Mother Nature’s might—your story—a captivating drama played out on an isolated stage set by fate itself—a deserted island surrounded by endless seas—an unforgettable short film idea about survival at its purest form.

An Alien Encounter

Suddenly, there’s an eerie glow in the night sky. It ain’t no shooting star – it’s a spaceship descending from the heavens, marking the beginning of your unexpected encounter with extraterrestrial beings.

Something about this otherworldly craft sends chills down your spine; perhaps it’s the mysterious aura or the unknown spaceship technicalities that baffle human comprehension.

As you watch in awe, light patterns start forming on the spaceship’s exterior, pulsating harmoniously. It seems like an attempt at extraterrestrial communication. The lights change colors as if they’re speaking through a language only understood by those who know how to interpret them.

Your heart pounds as you realize you’re communicating with beings from another galaxy. You quickly jot down every pattern and pulse of light, hoping to decode their message later. As fear gives way to curiosity, you document this incredible encounter for future generations.

The alien ship then ascends back into outer space, leaving behind nothing but an electrifying silence and your scribbled notes – raw evidence of your intense alien interaction. Despite their departure, one thing becomes clear: we aren’t alone in this vast cosmic arena, and our understanding is just beginning to scratch its surface.

A Psychological Thriller

Your heart races as every shadow seems to morph into an unknown threat, the chilling whispers of your own home turning it into a labyrinth of suspense and fear.

The once familiar surroundings now appear ominous, with each creak and murmur heightening your paranoia.

In this psychological thriller, you’re not battling external foes but grappling with mind manipulation concepts that blur the lines between reality and delusion.

As the protagonist, you’re tasked with deciphering a series of cryptic messages leading you further down a rabbit hole of distorted reality exploration.

Each clue unravels another layer of deception; each revelation pushes you further toward insanity’s edge.

Your mind turns from being your greatest ally into your worst enemy, ensnared in a web spun by masterful psychological puppeteers.

Trust becomes an elusive commodity as the plot thickens while doubt creeps in like an unwelcome guest.

Reality warps around you as if seen through a shattered mirror, each fragment reflecting only pieces of truth within an everchanging maze of illusions.

No longer can you separate what’s real from what isn’t — trapped forever in this terrifying dance between sanity and madness.

So, there you have it. These are just a few short film ideas that can pique your creativity and offer a starting point for your next project.

Whether you’re into crafting heartwarming tales of friendship or thrilling alien encounters, remember – the key is to tell stories that captivate and inspire.

So grab your camera and get started on your filmmaking journey!

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Lesson Plans Using Film Adaptations of Novels, Short Stories or Plays

— with discussion questions and assignments.

For a list of movies frequently shown as adaptations of literary works, see TWM’s Adaptations Index .

Used appropriately, movies based on novels or short stories can supplement units based on the written original, enhance students’ interest in analyzing the written work, and motivate classes to excel in completing assignments that teach the skills required by the ELA curriculum. Filmed versions of plays supply the same benefits and often provide an experience that is close to viewing a live performance. Studying a cinematic adaptation of a literary work will show students how words are converted to visual media and allow a comparison of the written original to the cinematic version, permitting teachers to highlight the techniques of both film and the written word in telling a story. Presenting a filmed adaptation with high production values will demonstrate that movies can be an art form which communicates differently, but no less importantly, than the written word. Moreover, when used as a reward for having read a novel, a filmed adaptation can demonstrate that novel-length works of fiction usually contain a wealth of detail, information, and subplot that cannot be included in a movie. For all of these reasons, filmed adaptations of novels, short stories, or plays, are excellent resources for lessons requiring students to learn and exercise the analytical and writing skills required by ELA curriculum standards.

Note that novels and short stories can be analyzed for their use of the devices of fiction. Plays employ most of the devices of fiction but add the theatrical devices of music, sound effects, lighting, acting, set design, etc. Movies employ most of the fictional and theatrical devices as well as a separate set of cinematic techniques such as shot angle, focus, editing, etc. This essay focuses of the literary devices shared by written works, theatrical works, and film. For an analysis of theatrical and cinematic devices, see TWM’s Introducing Cinematic and Theatrical Elements in Film .

I. SHOWING THE FILM BEFORE READING A NOVEL, SHORT STORY, OR THE SCRIPT OF A PLAY

Usually, a filmed adaptation of a written work is best shown after a novel or short story has been read by students. This avoids the problem of students watching the movie in place of reading the book or story. However, in certain instances, where the written work is hard to follow or when students have limited reading skills, it is better to show the film before reading the written work or to show segments of the film while the writing is being read. Students who have difficulty reading a novel or a short story can often follow the conflicts, complications, and resolutions in a screened version that they would otherwise miss. For example, obscure vocabulary and difficult sentence structure in The Scarlet Letter and Billy Budd make these classics difficult reading for today’s students. The PBS version of The Scarlet Letter and the Ustinov version of Billy Budd are excellent adaptations which can serve as an introduction and make the reading more understandable. Viewing a filmed adaptation of a book by Jane Austen enables students to understand the story and avoid getting lost in the language as they read. (See “Emma Thompson’s Sense and Sensibility as Gateway to Austen’s Novel” by Cheryl L. Nixon, contained in Jane Austen in Hollywood, Edited by Linda Troost and Sayre Greenfield, 1998, University of Kentucky Press, pages 140 – 147.)

Plays, which were meant to be watched rather than read, are usually a different matter. Viewing a staged presentation with actors, a set, sound, and lighting is an experience more like watching a movie than reading a script. One of the few exceptions are the plays of Shakespeare which are usually better when read and studied before they are seen. Students need to be introduced to the Bard’s language in order appreciate a performance.

II. SCREENING ALL OR PART OF THE MOVIE IN SEGMENTS

A film can be segmented, or chunked, and shown before or after the corresponding segment is read by students studying the novel, story or play on which the movie is based. Have students keep up with the reading so that the timing is accurate and the events in the film do not get ahead of their presentation in the written work.

Several of the assignments suggested in Section IV can be modified for segmented viewing. The following assignment will allow students to exercise their analytical and writing skills after a segment of the film has been shown. The assignments can be modified to focus on specific elements of fiction or literary devices.

Discussion Question: What is the difference in the presentation of the story between this segment of the film and the corresponding sections of the [novel/story/play]? [Lead students into a discussion of any important elements of fiction or literary devices which are present in both or which are present in one but not the other.]

Assignment: [Describe a scene in the film.] Compare this segment of the movie with the corresponding sections of the [novel/story/play]. Cite specific examples to illustrate how the presentation in the two media either differ or are the same. Your comparison should include: (1) any elements of fiction and literary devices which are present in both or which are present in one but not in the other; (2) a discussion of the tone of the two presentations; and (3) an evaluation of the two presentations stating which you think is more effective in communicating the ideas contained in the story, including your reasons for that opinion. When you refer to the [novel/story/play], list specific pages on which the language you are referring to appears.

III. WATCHING THE MOVIE AFTER THE BOOK HAS BEEN READ

Comparing film adaptations with their literary sources can enhance students’ ability to analyze, think, and critique the writing, imagery, and tone of a literary work. Differences between the movie and the written work can be used to explicate various literary devices. The discussion questions and assignments set out below, as they are written or modified to take into account the needs of the class, will assist teachers in making good use of a filmed adaptation of a novel, short story, or play.

Before showing the film, think about whether you want to point the students’ attention toward any issues that you want them to think about as they watch the movie. This could be the use of a motif or other literary device or changes in theme. Many of the discussion question and assignments set out below can be easily adapted to be given to students before they watch the film, the discussion to be held, and the assignment completed after the movie is over.

IV. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS FOR USE WITH FILMED ADAPTATIONS

Fill in the blanks with a number appropriate to the abilities of the class and the relationship of the written work to the filmed adaptation. To make sure that students complete the assigned reading, the exercises set out below require a thorough knowledge of the written work with references to page numbers of the text.

• Discussion Question: How is the presentation of [name a major character who appears in both versions] different in the [book/story/play] and the movie? [Follow up with:] Why did the filmmakers change the way in which this character was presented?

Assignment: Describe _____ characters which appear in both the film and the [book/story/play]. At least one of them should be a minor character. Specify how dialogue, action, and physical appearance in the movie define the individual. Using direct quotes from the written work, citing page numbers, describe the characters using the same criteria. Evaluate which presentation is best in allowing either the viewer or the reader to fully grasp the nature of the characters.

• Discussion Question: Were any scenes described in the [book/story/play] substantially altered in the filmed adaptation? [Follow up with:] Why did the filmmakers change the scene?

Assignment: Select at least _____ scenes from the film that were altered considerably from similar scenes described in the [novel/story/play]. Use direct reference to details in order to illustrate the differences. Cite specific page numbers when you are referring to anything appearing in the [book/story/script]. Evaluate the changes in terms of how well the intention of the scene is made manifest in either media.

• Discussion Question: What elements of fiction appear in the [book/story/play] but not in the film? Did this detract from the quality of the story told by the movie?

Assignment: Note _____ examples of elements of fiction that have been left out of the film but seem important in the [book/story/play]. Suggest reasons that may justify the elimination of the scenes, characters, subplots, or settings. Be sure to use direct reference, with page numbers, to the written work in order to support the opinion offered.

• Discussion Question: Did the filmmakers add any characters or events that do not appear in the [book/story/play]? Did this help to tell the story first suggested in the literary work?

Assignment: Often in movies, the screenwriters will add characters or events that do not appear in the original [book/story/play]. Note _____ examples of these additions and suggest reasons that they may have been written into the film.

• Discussion Question: How does the tone of the story told in the film differ from the tone of the story told in the [book/story/play]?

Assignment: Evaluate the tone created in the movie. Cite clear examples of color, visuals, editing, and music that may have contributed to the tone of any particular scene. Compare the tone created in the film to the tone created in the [book/story/play] using the same scene. Cite specific examples, giving page numbers, of the description that created the tone in the written work.

• Discussion Question: Did this film change the theme or any of the ideas presented in the [novel/story/play]? What were they? Did these changes improve on the story underlying both the written work and the movie?

Assignment: Ideas are the reasons stories are told. Themes are the major ideas in a story; however, most stories contain other ideas as well. Some films change the ideas presented in the work of literature from which they were adapted. Pay close attention to theme and other ideas in both the written version and in the movie and write about how they were changed. Evaluate the changes.

• Discussion Question: Which told the story better, the [novel/story/play] or the movie?

Assignment: Often a story will seem to be deprived of beauty or meaning by the changes made in a filmed adaptation. On other occasions, the experience of the written story will be enriched by watching a filmed version. Write an informal essay stating your opinion of the quality of the story told by the movie as compared to the [novel/story/play]. Justify your opinion with direct reference to both the film and the written work; for the latter, cite the specific page numbers for the passages on which you rely.

• Discussion Question: Compare the settings of the story in the written work and in the movie. Is the movie faithful to the [novel/short story/play] in terms of the settings used?

Assignment: How do the settings in the movie reflect the images of place found in the [novel/story/play]? Describe specific details in both the film and the work of literature that support your conclusion. When referring to the written work, cite page numbers.

• Discussion Question: Compare the use of visual images in the movie and in the [novel/story/play] in the description of the various characters.

Assignment: Using specific examples of written descriptions in the literary work and visuals in the movie, discuss the presentation of character contained in both.

• Discussion Question: Describe any important differences in theme between the story appearing in the written work and the story told on screen.

Assignment: Attitude toward subject, meaning the basic topic (such as war, love, politics) can shift dramatically between a [novel/story/play] and its movie adaptation. Explain through example any changes that can be seen between the attitude toward the subject expressed by the filmmakers and presented by the author of the [book/story/play].

• Discussion Question: Were any important motifs, symbols, or allusions included in the work of literature missing or changed in the movie adaptation? Why do you think the filmmakers made these changes?

Assignment: Important motifs, symbols, or allusions contained in a written work of fiction are sometimes missing or changed in the movie. Specify examples of these literary tools that are not a part of the filmed adaptation. Note any replacement motifs, symbols or allusions contained in the movie.

• Discussion Question: What, if any, were the changes in the plot between the [book/story/play] and the film?

Assignment: Rising action, an important part in the plots of both written fiction and movies, may be different in filmed adaptations. Note any changes. Describe details which are important in the written work that have been removed from the movie and details which are not in the [book/story/play] which have been added by the filmmakers. When referring to the written work, give the page numbers of any passages or details to which you refer. Justify the changes.

• Discussion Question: Which ending did you like better, the conclusion of the [book/story/play] or the way in which the movie ended? Explain why.

Assignment: Compare the ending of the [book/story/play] to the ending of the film. Illustrate how any differences either reiterate or obscure the intention of the original work. Cite specifics and support all assertions.

Movies with screenplays that are carefully adapted from novels, short stories, and plays can be an important part of lesson planning. Using the techniques described above, teachers can make film adaptations an integral part of the learning process.

Written by Mary RedClay and James Frieden .

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How to Make A Short Film and Gain Film Experience

Although filmmaking is a highly technical discipline involving a variety of skills, making a short film is a good hands-on way to learn about filmmaking . The entry barrier to making a short film is lower than it has ever been due to advances in technology. Digital cameras require no film and allow for post-processing on standard personal computers. Here are some steps to follow when making a short film.

How to Make a Short Film

Choose A Short Script

Although a filmmaker might be tempted to grab a camera and begin shooting impromptu scenes, the best short films tell a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end. A script ensures that a film tells such a story.  Looking to write your own script? Learn about screenwriting format to meet the industry standard.

One can always write a script, but an alternative that will get you to the filmmaking practice faster is to download a script from the Internet. For example, several sites offer duet acting scripts.

A duet acting script depicts a single ten-minute scene between two actors and often involves nothing but dialogue. Ideal for those just starting out, such scripts offer a great opportunity to dive straight into the process of familiarizing yourself with shooting.

Create A Storyboard

Once a script is secured, one can make a storyboard, that is, a panel-by-panel outline of each shot. A storyboard resembles a comic book and determines the flow of the film and the sequence of its scenes. Much of the work in making a film is in setting up a storyboard, especially given that it saves a lot of time and organization work in the long run.

The advantage of this work is that it is less expensive and time-consuming than figuring out the flow of a film while filming . A good storyboard needn’t be an artistic masterpiece; as long as it allows a filmmaker to focus on camera work when it comes time to shoot the film, it’s a good storyboard. Try finding a storyboard template or examples to help you build it.

Scout for Filming Locations

Although a film’s locale will be determined by the script, it is important to find a suitable location to begin filming.

For example, if a film takes place in a coffee shop, one has to decide whether to film in an actual coffee shop, which would require permission from the owners or to mimic a coffee shop environment. If the film takes place outdoors, one needs to find a safe, legal location to film. If it takes place indoors, one needs to find an indoor spot where filming will not be interrupted. If the film relies on props, those, too, must be considered when scouting a location.

Be mindful that it’s not easy to find locations on the cheap, so unless you’ve got a sizeable budget for this, try to craft your script around filming  locations that you’ll actually have access to rather than places such as banks or supermarkets.

Select A Camera

Traditional motion picture cameras are expensive, but digital cameras provide a far less expensive option for budding filmmakers. In fact, it is possible to use an iOS or Android device to make your film and even a few successful feature films have been shot using only a smartphone.

The main disadvantage of these devices is storage space, so a prospective filmmaker may want to purchase a dedicated digital movie camera. Although high-end digital movie cameras are expensive, there is a market for less expensive consumer cameras. Such cameras can record high-definition film and are highly portable. Moreover, they allow footage to be transferred to a computer easily for editing and post-processing. Learn more about film techniques and the 12 Camera Shots Every Actor Should Know .

Edit Your Film

Raw footage does not tell a story and often contains extraneous material not relevant to the script. A movie is made when raw footage is crafted into a narrative with a distinct beginning, middle, and end.

Don’t know how to edit videos? Fortunately,  editing  has been made easier with the current generation of video editing software . A lthough some can cost multiple thousands of dollars, for short films many of the free software packages usually suffice. Windows, for example, comes with Windows Live Movie Maker, which has stood the test of time for years.

Most Apple Macs come with iMovie, a movie maker designed for newcomers which is actually fairly powerful. If you’re a Mac user looking for a superbly intuitive mid-range option that won’t cost the bank, look no further than ScreenFlow (which is priced at around $100):

Following these steps provides a hands-on experience with filmmaking and will give prospective film students a rough idea of how to make a movie .

Learn Filmmaking at NYFA

Interested in becoming a filmmaker? At NYFA Filmmaking School, our students learn more than just what it takes to make a short film. Visit our Filmmaking School page to learn more!

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20+ Powerful Short Films that Teach Students About Ethics and Morality

In a previous blog post, we presented 15+ fantastic short films with ready-to-use lesson ideas . Since this is one of the most-read posts on our blog, we decided to offer you an extra series of inspiring short films with accompanying ready-made lesson activities.

The selected short films all tell a message related to topics like ethics , morality , inclusivity and diversity . They offer students food for thought and interesting topics to discuss in class. You can therefore use them in religion, philosophy or citizenship lessons, as well as in language classes, where they allow you to work cross-curricularum goals. Social-emotional learning (SEL) is also addressed in all these short films and the accompanying lesson plans.

⚠️ Remember, always preview the entire content of the videos to ensure that they are appropriate for your grade level and students. Also keep in mind that topics such as disability, exclusion, identity, bullying, violence, and more can be very sensitive with certain students.

All the digital exercises are free to use and created with BookWidgets . You can find these ready-to-use short film lesson plans in this group . You can create a free BookWidgets account (if you don’t have one already) and copy the widgets to your account, which will allow you to make some changes where necessary and receive your students’ answers in your account. We’ll explain how this works at the end of this blog post .

But first - drumroll please 🥁 -, BookWidgets proudly presents the selected short films. Click on the name of the film to get the synopsis and the ready-to-use lesson ideas.

Engaging short films for Primary School students

• 🪙 Coin Operated
• 🎁 The present
• 🛡 Cyberbullying
• 💭 Our Friend Martin

Engaging short films for Middle School students

• 🍪 Snack attack
• 📺 Jamais sans mon dentier
• ≠ Different
• 🏷 The labels we carry
• 🫂 Thai Good Stories / Ripple / Giving / Mr Indifferent / When nobody’s watching
• 🧑🏾‍🤝‍🧑🏽 Louis’ Shoes / Cuerdas
• 🐀 Happiness

Engaging short films for High School students

• 🗣 The Power of words
• ☯️ Brothers
• 💵 A moral dilemma

These short films for primary school students tackle important morality and ethics themes like life goals, living with a disability, respect, civil rights, war, and more. As the short films are all animated, they work well with younger learners. Of course, these are still valuable lessons to teach to middle school students, high school students, and even adult students.

Coin Operated

🎬 Director/Producer: Nicholas Arioli & Jennifer Dahlman

🗣 Language: None

🎲 Topics: childhood dreams, life goals

🍿 Synopsis: Childhood dreams and the brevity of life may sound like heavy topics, but they are presented in a very approachable manner in Coin Operated . The story starts with a boy who has the dream to travel in space. He overcomes a first disappointment when a rocket kiddie ride doesn’t help him to reach his goal. He then decides to start selling lemonade to make enough money to get into space one day. Will he eventually get there? Watch the short film to find out.

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: There are quite a few interesting YouTube comments about Coin Operated , so it’s a nice idea to ask your students to read some of the comments and discuss them, before writing their own comments.

The Present

🎬 Producer: Jacob Frey

🗣 Language: English (subtitles in other languages available)

🎲 Topics: video games, living with a disability, pets

🍿 Synopsis: A boy is playing a video game when his mother gives him a present… a puppy! But the puppy is missing one leg and the boy doesn’t seem to be interested in it anymore. The puppy then starts playing by itself and it doesn’t take long before the boy gets infected by its joyful enthusiasm. When he decides to go outside with the puppy, it turns out the boy is also missing a leg.

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: The main theme of the story is living with a disability, but The Present could also be used to introduce topics like video games, pets, free time … with elementary school students. Besides, you could ask your students to analyze the emotions of the different characters (the mother, the boy, and the dog).

🎬 Producer: François Caffiaux, Romain Noël, Thomas Salas

🎲 Topics: war, sports

🍿 Synopsis: In the animated short film Versus , two samurai tribes (a red one and a blue one) try to conquer an island that lies right in the middle of their territory. They are very creative when it comes to finding new war techniques and even get inspired by different sport disciplines to beat the enemy. If you want to find out which tribe wins, you’ll have to watch the short film ‘till the very end (there’s a last plot twist after the closing credits).

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: The short film Versus allows you to discuss a heavy topic such as war and its senselessness with younger students.

Cyberbullying

🎬 Producer: ESET

🗣 Language: English

🎲 Topics: Cyberbullying, social media

🍿 Synopsis: Cyberbullying is a short film for elementary school children that shows how quickly a seemingly funny photo on social media can lead to cyberbullying.

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: Although they are not yet officially of the age allowed, many elementary school children are active on social media. This short film and accompanying questions in the video quiz helps to show and discuss the dangers of it.

Our friend Martin

🎬 Producer: Janice Sonski

🎲 Topics: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Life, The Civil Rights Movement, Equality and Justice, Friendship

🍿 Synopsis: Although technically not a short film, we wanted to include “Our Friend, Martin” in this blog post since it’s a very powerful and well-made animated movie for Primary School students. This video animated children’s educational film delves into the life of Martin Luther King Jr. and the pivotal moments of the Civil Rights Movement. The narrative centers around two middle school friends who embark on a time-traveling journey, encountering Dr. King at significant junctures in his life.

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: We’ve turned Our Friend, Martin into a video quiz for primary school students, click on the image below to open it. If you want to explore the film more after this video quiz, you can inspire lessons on character analysis, historical context, and teach about The Civil Rights Movement.

The following short film activities for middle school students tackle morality and ethics themes like stereotypes, Elderly people, dissabilities, bullying and more. You can share these video lessons with elementary school students and high school students as well. Just, make sure to watch it first to see if it’s appropriate to share with your grade level. And, remember, you can always change the questions or parts of the assignment by duplicating the activities to your BookWidgets account.

Snack Attack

🎬 Producer: Andrew Cadelago

🎲 Topics: stereotypes, young vs old, politeness

🍿 Synopsis: If you like plot twists, you’ll love Snack Attack . An old lady sits on a bench in the train station, when suddenly the boy sitting next to her starts eating her cookies. As a spectator, you’ll quickly think the boy is extremely rude and has no respect for elderly people, but things turn out a bit differently…

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: This short film is a great resource to introduce the danger of stereotypes and judging people too quickly with middle school students. You could start your lesson with pictures of an old lady and a young punk-style boy and ask your students to tell the first things that come to their minds when seeing these pictures. Write them down on the blackboard before watching Snack Attack . It is a good idea to pause the short film a couple of times and ask your students what they think will happen, like in the digital short film activity you can find below.

Jamais sans mon dentier

🎬 Producers: Students from the bachelor 3D Art Animation program at Bellecour École

🎲 Topics: Cooperation, Elderly people, Rebellion

🍿 Synopsis: Four retirement home reseidents want to watch their favorite series Never without my denture , but the remote control is taken away. As a result, they team up to get their remote back.

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: This light-hearted short film is an ideal introduction to get middle school students thinking about their own lives and how they would see themselves when they are elderly. Consequently, this assignment fits perfectly into life skills classes. Besides, this short film can also be used as an introduction to group work since it shows the importance of setting goals, collaborating, and possible failure.

🎬 Producer: Tahneek Rahman

🎲 Topics: disability, being different

🍿 Synopsis: A girl who is deaf encounters a boy who is paralyzed from the waist down, but neither of them know about each other’s differences.

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: Using the video quiz below, have your middle school students reflect on how it feels to be “different” and what impact it has when those around you do not immediately realize these differences.

The labels we carry

🎬 Producer: BeecherFeature Productions

🎲 Topics: bullying, judging people

🍿 Synopsis: In “The labels we carry,” we see a man where all the negative comments he receives literally stick to him. Needless to say, he doesn’t walk around looking very happy, until one time, someone gives him a positive comment….

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: When teaching English, you could ask your middle school students to write down all the labels that show up and then have them search for the antonyms. This way they immediately learn a very extensive vocabulary for describing people. Another idea is to ask your students to read some of the YouTube comments for this short film and discuss them, before writing their own comments.

Thai Good Stories / Ripple / Giving / Mr Indifferent / When nobody’s watching

🎲 Topics: good deeds, caring, helping others

🍿 Synopsis: These five feel-good short films are all about helping or supporting fellow citizens, even though you may not know them and may not always get something in return. The five films deliver a beautiful message in an increasingly individualized society.

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: The WebQuest below details 5 possible lesson ideas for middle school students: a character analysis, a comperative study, ethical dilemmas, a reflection journal, and a creative expression.

Louis’ Shoes / Cuerdas

🎬 Producer: Théo Jamin, Jean-Géraud Blanc, Kayu Leung, Marion Philippe / Pedro Solís Gracía

🗣 Language: French (with English subtitles) / Spanish (with subtitles in multiple languages)

🎲 Topics: school, inclusivity, autism, physical and intellectual disability

🍿 Synopsis: These two short films show that a school is not an easy setting for students who are different .

In Louis’ Shoes , a boy named Louis has to introduce himself to his classmates in his new school. He gives viewers an insight into his life and the additional challenges for students with autism.

Cuerdas is about a student with a disability who enters a new school. He is viewed strangely by most of his classmates, but there is one girl who thinks otherwise and involves him in all activities.

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: In our society, students are often expected to achieve the same goals. Yet everyone is different, so this is not always realistic. Therefore, it is important to engage in conversation about inclusivity to have students understand classmates’ and other people’s thoughts and actions.

🎬 Producer: Steve Cutts

🎲 Topics: money, capitalism, the rat race

🍿 Synopsis: In Happiness , the spectator gets a dark image of the quest for happiness and fulfillment. This engaging animated short film shows the rat race we’re all living and leaves no one unmoved.

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: There are quite a few interesting YouTube comments about Happiness , so it’s a nice idea to ask your students to read some of the comments and discuss them, before writing their own comments.

Some of the short film lessons below leave a big impact as they are about heavy ethics and morality topics like racism, bullying, disabilities, religion and more. As engaging with these topics is important, it’s essential to check whether these short films might for high school students not come across as inteded with students in your classroom. Always make sure to check the provided lessons and make changes when necessary.

🎬 Producer: KJ Adames & Stella Davis

🎲 Topics: identity, masking, conforming

🍿 Synopsis: In a school where students conceal their true selves behind masks, a girls confronts a liberating truth that sets her free.

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: This short film has a story with a lot of depth and different meanings. A thorough analysis of the film and its references (e.g., Plato’s Allegory of the Cave) is a very valuable activity. Of course, you can also discuss with your high school students in what ways the masking of the film is recognizable to them.

The Power of Words

🎲 Topics: handicap, beggers, words

🍿 Synopsis: When an unknown woman adjusts the text on a blind beggar’s sign, he suddenly receives much more money from passersby. However, the woman claims that she wrote the same text, only worded differently. Do you have any idea what she wrote?

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: You can have your high school students engage in a class discussion about beggars and the homeless, but the real message of this short film is about the power of the right words. In the ready-to-use short film lesson plan below, students discover several examples of sentences where wording has a big impact on how the message comes across.

🎬 Producer: Tamara Anghie

🎲 Topics: racism, bulying, acceptance, violence

🍿 Synopsis: A young African boy, haunted by his past, begins his schooling in Ireland, where he swiftly learns the realities of being the new student.

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: The short film in itself is extremely powerful, so simply watching this short film and discussing it with your high school students afterwards is definitely a very valuable activity. In the interactive lesson assignment below, there are also introductory questions provided and we suggest having students in groups each analyze a different character.

🎬 Producer: Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah

🗣 Language: Arabic & Dutch (English subtitles)

🎲 Topics: religion, morality, drugs, violence

🍿 Synopsis: Brothers is a modern parable about two young persons from Brussels. Karim is exemplary and committed to the community, while Nassim goes down the bad path. Sometimes, however, things turn out differently than you might think.

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: Since this short film has scenes related to drugs and violence, it is only recommended for older students. The film ends with an open-ended question about what is good and what is bad, an ideal starter for a class discussion.

A moral dilemma

🎬 Producer: Marcus Marinos

🎲 Topics: Moral dilemmas, honesty, friendship

🍿 Synopsis: What would you do if you found a wallet with cash money on the street? Can you think of a reason not to return it to its owner? The main character of this short film does.

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: Conduct a class discussion with your high school students about moral dilemmas. For example, ask them if they themselves have faced such choices like the main character in the short film. The video quiz below contains questions for a class discussion about moral dilemmas. Another theme subtly addressed in this short film is that it is not easy to make new friends. This is also something you can brainstorm with your students about.

Instructions on how to use these digital short film lesson activities

Above, you can find the 20+ ready-to-use short film lesson activities by clicking on the image. You can use these lesson examples for free. Since they’re all made with BookWidgets, I’ve listed them in this BookWidgets group . Here’s what you need to do:

• Click on this link . It will immediately bring you to the group with all of the short film activities. If you don’t have a BookWidgets account yet, you’ll first have to sign up for free .
• Search for the digital short film exercice that you would like to duplicate. It might be in a (sub)folder. Select the widget(s) and click on the settings wheel , choose duplicate selected widgets . Choose where you want to save the activity in your BookWidgets account.
• Go to your saved short film lesson. You can now click on the black dropdown arrow next to the ‘Show’ button and select Edit .
• Make sure to Enable submitting in the Reports tab if you want to receive your students’ answers for these interactive short film activities. You can make others changes to the digital short film exercice (if you want), like adding or deleting questions, making some design changes, and more. When you’re done, click on Share in the upper right corner.
• Share the link to the short film activity with your students. When they click on the link, students can watch the short film and answer the according questions. When done, they can submit their answers to the teacher by clicking on the submit button.
• As a teacher, you go to “Grades & reporting” in BookWidgets to find your students’ answers.

Of course, now that you’ve got your own BookWidgets account, you can also create new digital short film activities or other assignments yourself!

Do you already use short films in class or are you planning to do so? I hope I gave you some new ideas about teaching with short films that might inspire you. From interactive video quizzes to class discussions, all these digital film resources will engage your students. Which of these ideas is your favorite? Let us know on Twitter! - @ibookwidgets

Or share your own widgets about podcasts in our Teaching with BookWidgets Facebook group so that in turn, you can inspire others!

And most of all… enjoying watching! 🍿

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Seven Short Films for the English Language Classroom

I’ve been writing lesson plans designed around short films for my website Film English for over 12 years. Teachers often ask me how I find the short films I use in my lesson plans. The answer is quite simple: I’ve watched literally thousands of short films and developed an instinct for the type of engaging and simple short films which will work in the ELT classroom. In this article I’d like to share what for me are the seven best short films for the language classroom.

We’ve All Been There

We’ve All been There is a  a moving short film by Nicholas Clifford . Adapted from a short story called What Goes Around Comes Around , We’ve All Been There follows three people’s connection to a flat tyre in the Australian outback, and shows how we are very often connected to each other without knowing it. The film also illustrates that no good deed goes unrewarded. The film has a beautiful twist at the end.

You can watch the film below and read a lesson plan here .

The Notebook

The notebook is a moving short film by Greg Gray and is wonderful for introducing the theme of empathy. It can be used to get students to learn and practise vocabulary related to household chores. You can watch the film below and read a lesson plan here .

The Present

The Present is a gripping short film with a wonderful twist by Jacob Frey  which deals with the themes of empathy, teenagers and disability.  You can watch the film below and read a lesson plan here .

Soar is a delightful short film by Alyce Tzue  which can be used to get students to predict and write a narrative. You can watch the film below and read a lesson plan here .

I Forgot My Phone

I Forgot My Phone is a thought-provoking short film by Miles Crawford which is a great prompt for discussion and reflection on addiction to mobile phones. You can watch the film below and read a lesson plan here .

iDiots is a short film by special effects company BLR_VFX and deals with the themes of technology, mass consumption and instant gratification. It’s a great prompt to get students thinking and speaking about mobile phones and technology. You can watch the film below and read a lesson plan here .

Fear of Flying

Fear of Flying is a beautiful short film by Conor Finnegan which is an effective way to introduce and discuss the theme of fears and how to overcome them. You can watch the film below and read a lesson plan here .

I hope you like the short films and find the lesson plans useful. Are there any short films you’ve used in the classroom that you’d like to share?

If you’re interested in the use of film and video in language teaching, check out our Film and Video in Language Teaching course.

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3 Excellent Short Films For Teens and How To Use Them In Your ELA Classroom

Using animated short films for teens is one of my go-to strategies for instant engagement. It’s a lot of bang for your buck because animated shorts are generally only 2-7 minutes, but students LOVE them. 

After spending only a few minutes watching one of these creative short films, you can ask your ELA students to do any number of things. 

Why I Love Short Films In the ELA Classroom

1.) they’re super engaging.

Teaching grammar is an area that is typically pretty dry for students. They’re used to worksheets and rules that seem pointless. So, if you can engage them with a creative and meaningful film, your grammar instruction will definitely go better. But that’s not the only way you can use them--I go into more detail about all the ways you can use them later in this post. 

Short films are short, so they instantly draw the viewer in. Each second counts in these creative films, so they are incredibly efficient. Each scene, each gesture, each movement purposeful, so your students will be instantly drawn into the story. 

If you'd like to see exactly how to use short films in your grammar instruction, grab my FREE parts of speech grammar unit. It's 7 complete resources to get you teaching grammar in a way that your students will enjoy, and will allow you to guide them toward becoming stronger writers. 

2.) They encourage creativity and engage the imagination

I have a general philosophy on life that includes celebrating anything that is well done. Have you seen animated short films lately?! I mean this industry has BLOWN UP. There are so many talented creators out there, and they are killing it! 

Several years ago I discovered PIXAR shorts and I thought I had found a golden goose, but I had to pay for all these films. But now, there are so many creators, so you can find dozens of extremely high-quality films on Youtube for free. And they are brilliant. 

So, part of the reason I like to use these films is simply to celebrate the awesomeness of what these young creators are creating. 

I also think it’s valuable to give students many opportunities for their imagination to be engaged in the classroom. Of course, this can’t happen all day every day, but it can happen regularly. So if there’s an opportunity I like to take it. 

Engaging the imagination brings creativity and critical thinking. It encourages students to do good work, far better work than what they would do if they were simply told to complete a worksheet. 

Engage students’ imaginations and they will be more likely to be creative themselves.

3.) You can connect these short films to SO MANY concepts

I’ll go into more detail on this in the next section, but I’ll just say for now, that you can connect animated short films to nearly anything you want to do in your classroom: story elements, theme, analysis, commentary versus summary, grammar, logos, pathos, ethos. I mean, the list is endless. 

I’ll show you some practical strategies for a few of these. 

How You Can Use Animated Short Films In Your Classroom

1.) use animated short films for grammar instruction.

I use animated short films in nearly all of my grammar lessons, and here’s the reason why. It wakes students up, provides them with a writing prompt, and allows them to learn and practice in a fun but meaningful way. Here’s how I do it:

I teach a concept like vivid verbs. After I show students several mentor sentences that showcase vivid verbs, students practice writing their own sentences using vivid verbs. I’ll give them a sentence frame that is similar in structure to one of the mentor sentences we’ve discussed.

For the last part of the lesson, I don’t provide a sentence frame; I merely give students a prompt about which to write, and it’s almost always a short animated film. They watch the film, and then I ask them to write several sentences about the film focusing on their use of vivid verbs. 

By giving them a prompt, they don’t have to just come up with something to write about because that would be hard for anyone. They have a topic that they understood completely about which to write. So all their energy goes toward thinking about those verbs!

I started using this technique to teach grammar several years ago and was amazed by how students excitedly wrote their sentences (and shared them) after watching these films. 

If you’d like this entire lesson on verbs, I offer it FREE here .

2.) Use Them To Teach Elements of Story

Sometimes students can struggle to see elements of a story when a “short story” is 15 pages long (I’m looking at you “The Most Dangerous Game.”) But when you introduce the concept of story elements through a short film, students will more likely “get it.” Then, you can have them look for those same elements in literature. 

After watching one of the short films I suggest below, ask students:

• What is the setting? Does the setting of this film play a role in the story that is being told?
• What are all the conflicts you notice (internal and external)? What is the MAIN conflict? How can you tell?
• What is the rising action? List a few things that happen before the climax that lead to the climax.
• Do you notice any foreshadowing? 
• What is the climax of the film? Why do you think that’s the climax?
• What is the falling action and resolution? Is it an open or closed resolution?

I’d encourage doing this aloud for one animated short film and then asking students to do it in pairs for a second animated short film. 

After students feel confident applying these concepts to short films, you can assign a short story for them to do the same. 

3.) Use Short Films To Teach Analysis

Teaching analysis can get pretty tricky pretty quickly because we often ask students to analyze a text they’ve read. If they’re not great readers they may not have the first thing needed to analyze (a thorough understanding of the text). By using short animated films, you take that part out and focus on only ONE concept--analysis. 

Here’s how you can do this:

• Introduce the concepts of analysis by explaining the difference between summarizing a plot and making observations, inferences, and analysis.
• Then, watch a short animated film.
• Next, have students summarize the film briefly, either in a written format or orally. 
• Then, as a class, make observations, inferences, and commentary statements about the film. Remind students that commentary is something that another person could disagree with about the text, but it should be based on what happens in the text

For the film “Mr. Indifferent” (which I describe and link to later in this article) several commentary statements would be:

• The main character is selfish and short-sighted at the beginning of the film.
• The character changes because someone needs him.
• At the end of the film, the character is more full of life which one can infer because he seeks opportunities to serve others.

Again, once students feel confident with the difference between summarizing and offering commentary/analysis, you can move on to applying the same ideas to literature.

3 Films I Love To Use In The ELA Classroom

Mr. indifferent by aryasb feiz.

I mentioned this film earlier when talking about analysis, but I actually LOVE using it when teaching active and passive voice because the main character in the film goes from being a passive person to being an active person--and it’s endearing and awesome.

After teaching active and passive voice, I ask students to write several sentences about the film in active voice. They must circle their subject and underline the verb to check that the subject is actually the one perfomring the action. Then, I ask them to write a sentence using the passive voice, to be sure they understand the difference. 

If you’re interested in using this exact lesson on active and passive voice, check it out here when you join the English Teacher Vault!

Don't Croak by Daun Kim

This video is great to use for teaching adjectives or verbs; it packs a punch. Each second is entertaining. 

Once students understand what adjectives are (after giving them some direct instruction), we talk about different ways to use adjectives that create more interesting sentences. 

I like to ask students to write a sentence with an opening adjective (the adjective is the first word of the sentence) about the video. This creates more interesting sentences than just placing adjectives in the middle of the sentence or at the end of the sentence. 

Terrified, the frog leapt from the table.

Instead of:

The frog was terrified.

We talk about how using this unexpected sentence structure with an opening adjective leads to more fluency and more interesting writing. 

Remember that teaching parts of speech and teaching grammar, in general, is far more useful if it is directly related to improving students’ writing. I have full year grammar programs which you can gain access to instantly when you join the English Teacher Vault! 

Each grammar curriculum contains all the slideshows, handouts, and follow-up assignments that you need to teach grammar so that it sticks. Check out the vault here. 

Recoiled by Missouri State Students

This award-winning film can be used for multiple purposes in your instruction. You could use it to discuss internal versus external conflict, theme, or analysis. 

I explain the concept of theme in literature as a complete thought that can be argued. I tell students to avoid using the word “you,” in a theme statement as that can cause it to sound like a moral.

To get students to think about theme of this film, you could talk about the main conflicts that are occurring. You could discuss the characters: how would you characterize each of them? How are they affected by the words and actions of those around them?

What is one of the messages of the film or what might the creators want the viewer to consider after watching it? These types of questions can all lead to possible theme statements. 

Takeaways On Using Short Films

Using short animated films is a great springboard for so many different concepts that you are already teaching in the ELA classroom because film and literature overlap in so many ways.

If you want instant access to all the lessons mentioned in this article plus over 100 more resources for teaching secondary English, check out the English Teacher Vault, and get instant access to low prep and no prep lessons for high school English! 

Looking for more ways to engage your learners with film? Check out these related articles:

• 12 Short, Short Films for ELA - SmithTeaches9to12
• Short Films To Educate In Values (educationalresources.online)
• 5 Pixar Short Films to Use in Secondary ELA — Bespoke ELA: Essay Writing Tips + Lesson Plans (bespokeclassroom.com)
• 5 super cool short films your ELA students will love | Literature Daydreams
• The Role of Short Film in Education (sciencedirectassets.com)
• Teaching With Film
• Film Shorts: A Storied Approach to Literacy Development (literacyworldwide.org)
• 31 Best Wordless Videos to Teach Problem Solving - Speech Therapy Store

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High School Edition

The High School 48 Hour Film Project

Show the world what you can do as a filmmaker , competitions  , three competitions.

Put your creativity to the test! What can do you in 48 hours? The High School 48 challenges students in their filmmaking skills. In three separate competitions they race against the clock and competing teams.  

January 26-28 2024

The challenge is to visualize what the key components of your film will look like. You will receive a story synopsis and have two days to show your plan.  

April 12-14, 2024

The challenge: Make a Movie in 2 Days  That's right - you have 48 hours to write, shoot and edit a short film. 

What can your team come up with?

October 2024

Receive your assignment on Friday night, then you have 2 days to write a script for a short film

"Beginning in my teens, I have participated in more than twenty 48 Hour Film Project competitions in 4 different locations. The 48 community has helped me grow, practice my skills as a filmmaker and start some wonderful friendships."

Rachelle Henry - A ctress known for Gaslit, My Summer as a Goth, Martingale, and Woodstock or Bust. 

The HS48 Short Script Project Winner  for 2022 is ...

"The Sub Club"

   by Sailor Hunt, Madelyn Gualdoni,  Ava  Prouty, &  Annika     Marshall .  The Governor's School for the Arts, Norfolk, Virginia

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5-Minute Film Festival: Resources for Filmmaking in the Classroom

Explore classroom filmmaking with this video playlist of resources for teachers and students.

I'll admit I'm a bit biased here since I'm a filmmaker by trade, but I truly believe the process of planning and making videos can offer tremendous learning opportunities for students of almost any age. Not only is the idea of telling stories with video really engaging for many kids, filmmaking is ripe with opportunities to connect to almost every academic subject area. As the technology to shoot and edit films becomes more ubiquitous, where is a teacher with no experience in video production to begin? I've shared some resources below to help you and your students get started on making blockbusters of your own.

Video Playlist: Student Filmmaking 101

Watch the first video below, or watch the whole playlist on YouTube .

Young filmmaker Simon Cade 's channel, DSLRGuide , is one of the most popular for filmmaking tutorials. He's got hundreds of tips to share and started making videos when he was just 11.

Getting your filmmaking kit together is one of the hardest things to do on a budget, but you can't begin until you have the basics. There are links to some of the DIY projects to build your own gear on the YouTube page for this video.

One great resource is the YouTube Creator Academy channel , which has a variety of tip videos made by YouTube's most successful creators. This video by Mary Doodles and Whitney Lee Milam is one of the best intros to storyboarding I've seen.

It's less glossy than the other tutorials here, but I love that this video uses footage from student work to illustrate camera angles. It's produced by ChildFund Connect , an Australian organization that provides an online space for kids to post videos they've made.

Nashville video producer and tech reviewer Danny Winget gives excellent advice for filming with smartphones, which is probably the most accessible way to get started. He covers both gear and technique in this short video.

ProjectED was an Amplify program that hosted open video contests for students and teachers. Although they seem to have stopped running these, they still offer some great resources, like this fun advice video from filmmaker Sophia Dagher .

This is long (17 minutes) but fortunately filmmaker Darious Britt is really engaging. His advice is geared towards people trying to break into the film industry, but his tips are sound. Heads up for a little language that may not be appropriate for younger kids. 

While there are hundreds of more informative and concise tutorials on video editing basics, I chose this one because it features Jennifer Zhang , a teen YouTube creator, sharing how she taught herself to edit video using free tools. She posted a Part Two here .

More Resources on Student Filmmaking

As you can see, there are so many things to learn when it comes to basic filmmaking, and there are countless resources available to help get you started. I didn't even dig into sound, lighting, or scripting in the selection above, but you can find tutorials on every aspect of filmmaking on YouTube. Try some of the channels linked from the playlist for more. The list below includes some articles I've enjoyed on the value of filmmaking and digital storytelling for kids. Plus, there are some lesson plans that will help give you ideas. Share your favorite resources in the comments below, and I'll see you at the movies!

• " Filmmaking for Kids: Rough, Raw, and Real " via The Atlantic
• Teaching Film Resources via MediaEd
• Film in the Classroom Lesson Plans via The New York Times Learning Network
• " A Case for Filmmaking in the Classroom " via NWP Digital Is
• 3-2-1 Vocabulary: Learning Filmmaking Vocabulary by Making Films via ReadWriteThink
• " The Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in The Moving Image " via NYC Department of Education
• " 16 Websites and Apps for Making Videos and Animation " via Graphite

How to Make a Short Film for Beginners | A Newbie’s Guide to Short Filmmaking

Short filmmaking for beginners is tricky if you don’t know the process. When I made my first short, I committed so many mistakes where I not only wasted a lot of time but also lost few precious bucks. So, in this article, I am going to guide you along the way to a step by step process on How to make a short film for beginners the right way.

How to make a short film for beginners ? It begins with an idea. Turn that idea into a script and then like any filmmaking process, short filmmaking also undergoes three basic phases – Pre Production, Production and Post-Production. The final result is your short film.

Filmmaking is a collaborative effort and short filmmaking is no different either. We are going to discuss every step in detail but before getting into it, it is important to know why you want to make the short.

Why make a short film?

For newbies, a short film is just the beginning phase. It is the hands-on training in the filmmaking process. But, if you have never held a digital camera or never penned a story, you can still do it with your smartphone and a pen and paper respectively. The process remains the same though in this case, you may have to do it all by yourself.

But for someone who has understood storytelling; knows a thing or two about camera blocking and lighting, short films could be a gateway to feature filmmaking.

Some common reasons for making a short are:

• First-hand Experience
• A great story idea
• Demo Reel – A Gateway to film and television career.
• Participate in Festivals and Competitions
• Assignments from School/ Organization
• To Collaborate
• To Make Money on the internet
• Gags and fun
• Testing out things

But, before making one you have to know the “Why” to have a better approach to your short filmmaking. For a beginner, it is necessary to have your voice in your films for sure. So, now you have got it out of the way, let’s get into the process of How to make a Short Film.

Beginner’s Guide to Short Filmmaking:

The development stage:, fix your genre:.

For a novice, it is always about testing the waters. Yet, you must always attempt a film that defines you as a filmmaker. Try to pick the genre which you want to be known for. George Lucas attempted Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB before the legendary Star Wars saga. Same goes with Christopher Nolan’s Doodlebug which was a high concept story. So, pick your genre close to your heart.

I suggest choosing it before the idea unless it is an assignment or there is a compulsion to stray from your genre. When you have the genre, your ideas will start populating in that direction.

Your Short Film Idea:

The story idea can’t be expansive to go beyond 40 minutes. Beyond 40 minutes your film will lose the status of being called a short film. So brainstorm on few ideas that would be short and crisp. You should be able to conclude it strongly without losing its engaging nature.

Since it is your first script, don’t complicate things. Keep it simple because there will be more tough things to deal with while making your first short.

Penning the Script:

The next stage is to turn the idea into a script. Try to keep the pages of your script under thirty, considering each page takes a minute of your screen time. You shouldn’t exceed that to keep it safe under the rules.

Frankly, I would suggest starting with 3 to 5-minute films where you can make your film cheaply, or even for free, and learn the tricks of the trade at a lesser cost. Anyway, if you follow the industry screenplay format for your script, your pages will indicate the approximate duration of your short.

Shot Breakdown / Storyboarding:

  The next stage actually gives a vision to your script. It is crucial to bring people on the same page. For a beginner, it is extremely important to break down scenes into shots and if possible, do a storyboard.

It is a reference board which helps in planning your production beforehand. You can also get an estimation of your work timeline, budget, style, and production requirements. Storyboards keep your focus on the shoot and are an excellent tool for filmmaking especially for beginners.

If you can’t draw, I suggest block and shoot your friends with your smartphone to create storyboard stills. You will actually see your story in pictures and can identify the mistakes that are going to happen in your shooting or storytelling. Never ignore this part.

How much will your film cost   you approximately can be deducted by proper budgeting of your film? Budgeting will depend on factors like the scale of production, locations, costumes, days of shoot etc.

The best way to budget is to first break your script down to locations, actors, costumes, technical equipment like camera, sound recorders and lights, number of days of the shoot, post-production costs etc. Once you have an estimation, you should chase angel investors to raise the funds for your film.

Raising the Funds:

It is a big challenge for newbies to get funding for their films if they are not self-funding their short films. However, there are ways to hustle for funds.

• First, create a business report or a pitch document for raising funds for your film.
• State the reasons and the purpose behind making the film.
• Throw some light on the business aspect of the film.
• Demonstrate a marketing plan

I know it sounds too corporate-like for a beginner but you should learn to tread the ropes of your filmmaking journey. It shows your sincerity and earnestness which is appreciated by the people investing in your film.

There are other ways like crowdfunding, film grants, hiring professionals etc. to raise funds. But I guess you won’t need big money for your first short. Remember that you should also sell your idea strongly which has the potential to reach a wider audience and show your investor his benefits in funding your film.

Now, when you have got through your idea development to raising funds, the serious phase of short filmmaking begins now. Till now, you were shooting in the dark but when you have a script, budget and pitch ready, you have jumped the first block. And, when the funds are cleared, it’s when the rubber meets the road.

The Pre-production Phase:

Pre-production is the preparation phase before going to the shoot. There is enormous preparation a filmmaker has to manage beforehand like location recce, list of equipment, the auditions for the right cast, hiring the crew etc. So let’s go through each one of them.

Location Recce:

When you break down the script, you segregate the locations and the number of scenes which location demands. Locations can be indoors as well as outdoors. Indoors scenes give you better control than outdoors as you have less external forces to influence your production.

Outdoor locations need permissions from the local body and if they are night scenes, you need lights and power access. Shooting in nights are usually slower than the day shots and hence become more costly.

For a beginner, my advice to you is trying to make one location indoor film. Yes, it is cliche but gives you better control to your filmmaking and is inexpensive if you can do it in your own house.

Casting and Auditions:

The next immediate step is to scout for actors. From your script breakdown, you also have a list of players needed for your short. You can either opt for your friends and family members who can act or go for local actors who have some experience in acting.

Try to convince the actors to do your film for free. If they see a spark in your eyes or spunk in their characters, they may oblige. Short films always provide actors to showcase their talent too. Another good suggestion is to look for film school students or wannabe actors.

If need be, don’t ignore to take screen tests and auditions. Never compromise with your characters. For any film to become great two things are vital – the script and right casting. If you do these two things successfully, half your battle is won.

Get your film equipment:

The primary equipment you need for your short film is our camera unless you are making your short with pictures, sketching or animations. Before picking a camera, you must also consider the aspect ratio and the output format of your film.  Where are you going to showcase your film? Is it the internet or a silver screen? What is the requirement of the festival you are going to apply? If you have the answers, you pick the camera likewise.

Other important things are the lenses and the accessories your camera needs. Lighting and Sound is another important thing you need to focus on. The number of lights and reflectors, the right microphones, sound recorders, rigs, grips etc. should be finalized beforehand. Rent it out, borrow from fellow filmmakers or even buy what you can afford before the shooting starts.

Check out this article on  Essential Film equipment for Beginners .

Hire your Crew:

Now, you need your crew to run that equipment. Apart from your cameraman and his assistants, you need technicians to handle lights, sound, reflectors, editing etc. You will need people to handle production-related services.

As a director, you will require assistance. Get some assistant directors. Production Designer will require their art and costume staff. The crew can add up quickly and for beginners, you should keep your crew at its minimum because each headcount will increase your budget. So, you have to choose them wisely.

You can always resort to your friends and family for handling production or assistance. You can handle the camera as well while directing. Similarly, others can multitask as well.

Camera Blocking:

When you have your storyboard and scenes chalked out, the first thing you should do is to take your cameraman, sound editor, and production designer to the locations. You carefully observe the light sources and the angles you need for the scenes .

During your location recce or days prior to shooting, sit with your crew and figure out the camera blocking and movements  . Also, figure out your staging of scenes (Link) and the movement of your actors.

It gives your videographer/cinematographer a clear idea about your shots and his lighting requirements. He will then share with you his sequences to better your efficiency during the shoot.

The respective crew members too will figure out their requirements. It will help in optimizing their productivity.

Call time for Actors and Crew:

Before the day of the shoot, all the actors and your crew members must have their call time for the shoot. Call time should be given an hour or two before the real action begins.

Actors need time to rehearse, wear makeup and costumes. Others also need to be ready with their respective responsibilities.

Similarly, the crew from other departments needs to arrive at their respective time to make things ready before the camera rolls.

The Production Phase:

The production phase is where the real action is. Any goof up here and you sabotage your film. So the better the preparation more confident you are during shooting the film. So, let me share the process that I go through during shooting.

Rehearse before Shoot:

You have already figured out your camera blocking and staging earlier but not with your actor. Sometimes actors bring some interesting modifications to the table. They enact the scene and have a better sense of interacting with their environment. You shouldn’t ignore their inputs.

Rehearsing with the camera helps in tweaking the blocking. You should always rehearse with the master shot of the scene. Coverage may not need prior rehearsals.

Get the Actors Ready:

Actors should be ready when the lights are being set up. They should apply their makeups and get ready with their costumes. Check out beforehand that the fittings don’t restrain their movements.

Talking about costumes, if it is not a period or a costume drama, you can always request your actors to get their clothes. They will be happy to do so as they are comfortable with their clothes unless you are roughing them up. You can also offer them to buy their clothes and you can get those reimbursed.

Lights, Sound, Camera Action:

Voila! It is time for the camera to roll. It is the proudest moment. You have been dreaming of this day and here you are with your actors in their position and the cinematographer waiting for your order.  You say “Action” and your first short starts to film.

You should always attempt to film simple scenes the first day to get the feel of shooting. Slowly move over to emotion heavy scenes. You should always shoot scenes based on priority, priority of the location or the dates of your actor. You have to plan it accordingly. Scenes are never shot as per its chronology.

Try to plan a master shot which covers the full scene. Then break it down to mid-shots and close-ups to cover the rest of the scene. The Master shot takes a long time to shoot but if ever you are stressed for time or challenges. You have your main scene canned.

Also, don’t forget to shoot your B-rolls and cutaways. They play a significant role in enhancing drama in the scene or transiting into the next scene.

Storage Management:

Storing your shots as per its clap number is key. Data Management has become significant in today’s filmmaking. You should ensure that the video and audio are recorded and transferred correctly into the disk storage.

Also, ensure you have enough backup of the footage. For faster storage and transfer of files go for the high Mbps storage systems which capture lossless data. All the dailies are then transferred for the rough cut.

The Post Production Phase:

Editing involves assimilation of footage and sound. You have to transfer the data to your editing suite or desktop. Digitize the footage and organize them into folders or bins as per the scenes. You can also upload the sound files after that and then match the audio with the video.

Some of the popular editing software among the newbies are Final cut Pro and Adobe Premier. So, after the segregation, your rough edit begins. Here, you arrange the shots sequentially as per the flow of the scene. In a matter of time, your first line up is ready. But, this is not what an editor does. His job starts now, where he cuts, rearranges shots and shapes the scenes to enhance the drama and engagement of your story.

Check out –  Essential Film Editing Skills and Techniques Every Newbie should Know

Once the editing is done, still some jobs remain in the film. You need the sound effects and music. If the need arises you need to fine-tune the edit again. Hence, it is still not your final cut.

Sound Designing :

The sound is 50 % of your film. It is subtle and subconsciously engages the audience. It is an invisible effect but crucial to support your visuals.

There are 3 to 4 components to your sound. Voice audio, sound effects, music, and sound design. If you have recorded sound in the shoot or want to dub it in the post, a crisp and clear sound of your dialogues is pertinent. The sound of footsteps, guns, the door creaking, ambiance are the effects which lay under the voice layer to transport the audience into the milieu of the setup of your scene. Music is the heart of your story and kindles the soul. And, the sound editor then designs the whole sound setup depending on the mood and demands of the scene.

Visual Effects:

You can start your work on the necessary effects needed for the visuals simultaneously. Whether it is any animation clips, an interaction of animations and live action or adding computer-generated effects, the time is now.

If you have filmed shots using green screens, you can key out the color to put relevant backgrounds. The visual effects and the CGI happen in parallel to other stuffs and most of the post-production time is consumed by it. Meanwhile, you can also get your film titling and end credits done too.

When all the sound and the visual effects are completed, it is time to gather all of them and tighten your editing. Fine tune your cuts, eliminate the drags and use transitions intelligently.

You final cut process should be realized after inputs from your close colleagues and producers.After everything is approved you can then move onto the color grading.

Color Grading:

Color grading is the final stage in making your short film. This process enhances the visual quality of your film. If you have shot your film on cheaper cameras, grading can sometimes give you a film look.

There are special lookup tables with which you can work on the contrasts, color correction, gain levels, and noise reduction to achieve your desired look of a shot, scene or the entire film.

Final Print :

Now, your film is complete and it is time to transfer your film to various file formats like HD, mpegs or film formats. You can also print on film negatives if you are applying to any film fests or want to project into a panoramic screen. Also, take substantial backups to archive your film.

Congratulations! Your short film is complete and your first mission is achieved.

What should I do with the film now?

Now that you have finished your first short film , it is time to gather as many eyeballs as you can. You can take it to festivals, show it online, ask for assignments or sell it right away. The options are many but as I have told you earlier, to know why you are making this short. You should move towards that direction.

If you want to promote or sell your film check out the article- How to sell a short film

Also, check – Who buys short films .

We also have an article on how to make money from short films . Please don’t skip this step.

Final Words:

Finishing a film is like winning a war. Charlie Chaplin once said that he salutes a man who has made a film in his life. Such are the challenges in making a film. So, once you have made your film, write down where did you go wrong? What could have been better? Which mistakes you will never commit. Now, go and shoot your next. All the best!

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Academy of Art University offers over 129 art degree programs including Certificates, Associate degrees, Bachelor’s degrees, and Master’s degrees. Designed to equip aspiring artists and designers with a comprehensive toolbox of knowledge and marketable skills that you will use in your future career. In addition, we offer non-degree art programs, like the FREE Pre-College Art & Design Experience (PCADE) for high school students, and continuing education courses for adults. Our programs are available on our campus in San Francisco and online at the Academy of Art University .

Undergraduate

• Associate of Arts (AA)
• Bachelor of Arts (BA)
• Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
• Bachelor of Science (BS)
• Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch)
• Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
• Master of Arts (MA)
• Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
• Master of Architecture (M.Arch)

Acting AA BFA MA MFA

Advertising AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Animation & Visual Effects AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Architecture B.Arch BA M. Arch M. Arch2 MA MA2

Art Education BFA CRED CRED2 MA MA2 MAT MAT2

Art History BA BFA MA

Communications & Media Technologies BA MA

Fashion AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Fine Art AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Game Development AA BFA BS MA MFA

Graphic Design AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Illustration AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Industrial Design AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Interaction & UI/UX Design AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Interior Architecture & Design AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Jewelry & Metal Arts AA BFA MA MFA

Landscape Architecture AA BFA MA MFA

Motion Pictures & Television AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Music Production & Sound Design for Visual Media AA BFA MA MFA

Photography AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Visual Development AA BFA MA MFA

Writing for Film, Television & Digital Media BFA MFA

No results match your selection.

Not sure which program is right for you.

Contact us and find out more about art degree paths at the Academy of Art University .

Liberal Arts Program

The Liberal Arts Program provides students with a holistic education covering the arts, humanities, and sciences. Courses highlight connections between the subject of study and the major fields of art and design, providing context to the larger world of art and design.

Foundations

The Foundations curriculum heightens perception and understanding of visual structure through the study of drawing, modeling of form, value structure, perspective principles, color, and design theory.

Short-Term Education

We offer options for non-degree studies. Brush up on your art and design skills, study overseas, learn social media, or get a head start on college.

Enrollment is now open!

The next semester is just around the corner.

Online Education

Our revolutionary online courses provide the same rigorous education that we offer on campus with greater flexibility. Study on your own time, at your own pace. Combine online and on-site classes.

Financial Aid

Completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the first step in a student being considered for federal and state education aid programs.

Everything that I learned at the Academy really helped put me above the competition in the field that I’m in. It is the school that is going to push you to be the best artist that you can be. Every time I shoot, there’s something that I’m using.

It’s a community. Being an alumna of Academy of Art University, you always have that community with you.

The reason I chose the Academy was games and architecture. It’s very rare to find a school that does both.

Around Town: Street closures announced for Trump’s Newport Beach visit Saturday

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One of the stops on former president Trump’s campaign visit to the Southland is a fundraiser at a private home in Newport Beach on Saturday, June 8. Multimillionaire tech entrepreneur Palmer Luckey is among the hosts, according to the L.A. Times.

He is expected to arrive in the early afternoon, according to city officials. Some roads will be closed from 7 a.m. to approximately 3 p.m.

Bayside Drive from Jamboree Road to Coast Highway will be closed to all motor vehicle traffic starting at 7 a.m., with only local residents allowed to enter with proof of residency such as a photo identification, passport or some other proof of address, according to the notice issued Friday from City Hall.

Residents of the Harbor Island community, Beacon Bay, Promontory Bay and Promontory Point communities will be able to access their homes during the event via Coast Highway and Bayside.

The Linda Isle community will not be directly impacted, as it is a gated community, but its access will be limited to Coast Highway and Bayside Drive.

The city asks residents to “be flexible as this will be a dynamic situation.” For more information contact Special Events Sgt. Sabrina Fabbri at (949) 644-3743.

Baroque Music Festival returns to Newport Beach

The 44th annual Baroque Music Festival will return to Newport Beach, with the first of its concerts scheduled for June 16 at St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church.

Tickets are now on sale for the festival at $45 to $55 for general admission, depending on the concert. Festival subscriptions are $325 and include a private, catered dinner at the end of the finale on June 23. Rush tickets for students between 12 and 29 are $10 with a valid student ID, though availability may vary.

To purchase tickets, visit bmf-cdm.org/tickets . For more information on the concerts and events, visit bmf-cdm.org/2024-programs .

Applications open for Art in the Park

The Newport Beach Arts Foundation has begun receiving applications for Art in the Park , scheduled for Sept. 14. Proceeds from the event go toward support for school tours, acquisition of art for the city and its arts and cultural programming.

For more information or to participate, contact [email protected] or visit newportbeachartsfoundation.org .

Free car show for Father’s Day at Balboa Bay Resort

The Balboa Bay Resort is hosting its 17th annual Father’s Day Car show from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 16. A collection of cars, music and food will be available in the upper resort parking deck.

Tickets are not required for attendance, though organizers advise attendees to rideshare as parking is expected to be limited. For more information, visit balboabayresort.com/event/fathers-day .

OC Coastkeeper accepting grant applications

Orange County Coastkeeper is accepting applications for the Beach and Coast Accessibility Program. Grants can be up to $30,000 for tribes, nonprofit organizations and public entities to deploy accessibility equipment such as beach wheelchairs, walkers and mats.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and applicants are advised to speak with Coastkeeper staff about their projects. For more information, visit coastkeeper.org/bcap .

Newport Beach Film Festival launches automotive short film competition

The Newport Beach Film Festival announced Thursday its automotive short film competition, which is being organized in collaboration with Ant Anstead.

Filmmakers are encouraged to submit their films under the theme of “For the Love of Driving.” Films can be documentary-style or scripted and shot on film or phone. Films must be at least one minute and a maximum of six minutes long. For more information, visit newportbeachfilmfest.com/automotive .

Deadline for submissions is July 14 and submission fees are $25.

Flag Day celebration at Newport Beach City Hall

Mayor Will O’Neill announced Thursday he will host a Flag Day celebration at the Newport Beach Civic Center, with 249 flags to honor the 249th birthday of the U.S. Army.

The event will begin at 1 p.m. on June 14 and will be led by Cmdr. Brian Fleming of Newport Harbor American Legion Post 291 for the changing of the colors and flag-folding ceremony. Installation of the flags will take place on June 12 at 10 a.m.

‘Barbie’ to be screened June 15 at Costa Mesa’s Movie in the Park

Costa Mesa’s Balearic Park will be transformed into BarbieLand for one night only on Saturday, June 15, as one of the city’s seasonal Movie in the Park experiences. Barbie or Ken attire is encouraged.

The movie “Barbie” starts at sunset, around 8:30 p.m. Beginning at 6 p.m. the public can enjoy mocktails and food while earning raffle tickets at “Ken’s Mojo Dojo Casa House of Games,” the “Beach Obstacle Course” and more.

The park is located at 1975 Balearic Drive. For more information, call (714) 754-5300.

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