How to write a short film script
How short film scripts differ from features, how to find an idea that fits the form, how to adapt existing stories and the mistakes programmers see most.
A short film is not a feature film cut down. The best shorts do one thing well: a single moment, a single change, a single idea taken as far as it will go. Write with that in mind from the first page.
Find an idea that fits
Good short film ideas tend to be:
- contained: a few characters, one situation and a short span of time;
- specific: a particular person in a particular place, rather than a big theme;
- built around a change: something shifts, even subtly, between the beginning and the end;
- visual: a short has little time for exposition, so it shows what it means.
Look at the films in our archive for examples. On Loop is built entirely on one familiar experience: lying awake at night as your thoughts spiral. Sandyman watches one man do one thing.
Start late, leave early
With a feature you have time to set things up. With a short you don’t. Start the story as close to the moment of change as you can, and end soon after it happens. Cut the scenes that explain the backstory. The audience will catch up.
Write for production
If you plan to direct the film yourself on a low budget, write for what you can get. Each new location, actor, night scene or special effect costs time and money. See how to make a short film on a low budget.
Formatting basics
Use standard screenplay format: scene headings, action and dialogue. Free or low-cost screenwriting software handles the formatting for you. One formatted page is roughly one minute of screen time.
Adapting existing stories
Adaptation can give a short a strong premise from the start. The North London Book of the Dead, in Greenhorn’s 2014 selection, adapted a Will Self short story. If you want to adapt published work:
- Get permission before you shoot. Contact the author’s agent or the publisher.
- Explain the project honestly: a short film made for festivals and perhaps an online release.
- Get it in writing, even if the fee is nominal or nothing.
- Public domain works, such as many older stories and poems, need no permission. Check the copyright status in each country where you plan to show the film.
Common mistakes
These come up again and again in festival submissions:
- Too long. Most shorts would be better several minutes shorter.
- A feature pitch in disguise. If the story needs ninety minutes, it is not a short.
- The twist ending is the only idea. Twists are fine, but the journey has to be worth it.
- Dialogue that explains. Trust the actors and the images.
- Opening with an alarm clock. Avoid starting with someone waking up, unless that is the whole point, as it is in On Loop.
Get feedback
Do readings with actors, swap scripts with other writers, and listen for the moments where people lose interest. Rewrite before you shoot. Fixing a problem in the script is far cheaper than fixing it in the edit.
Questions people ask
How many pages is a short film script?
Roughly one page of properly formatted script equals one minute of screen time. A ten-minute short is usually around ten pages.
Can I adapt a published short story into a short film?
Yes, but you need permission from the rights holder first, usually through the author's agent or publisher. Many authors are open to short film adaptations, especially for little or no fee if the film will not be sold commercially.