Let's start first by defining what a "short movie" is in terms of this article. This is not goofing around with a camera or shooting home movie material. A "short movie", as defined here, has a plot, characters, actors, and production value. Why these particular criteria? Simple: a short movie is exactly like a feature length film, only shorter in length.
Shooting a short sounds like a lot of fun, but most people don't know it's also a lot of work. Shooting a short takes time, energy, effort, dedication, and resources (including money). I've made several short movies and want to pass along some of what I've learned.
Step One: The Script
In order to get people to watch your movie, you have to give them something compelling to watch. Don't have two people have a five minute conversation about how lame their jobs are. This isn't a plot, it's a conversation. Not to say some shorts can't be a conversation, but a lot has to happen in a few lines of dialogue to make it an entire movie.
Make sure you have clear characters that are very different from one another. Each one has to have a goal, and each goal has to be as unique as the character. And did I mention obstacles? These goals cannot be easy to reach. You have to have obstacles to these goals. And since you're making your own short, keep this in mind, it all has to be easily filmable, by you, the director. This means no high speed chases, explosions, impossible locations, or huge effects unless you're some sort of genius at CGI, in which case, why aren't you working in Hollywood?
Step Two: Pre-Production
The dreaded pre-production. Here are a list of things you must accomplish before day 1 of filming:
Break down the script: break down each scene and list the location, characters, costumes, props, and any special effects.
Decide a Budget: Nothing's made for free. You may only need to buy food, but it's still a budget. Find out if you need to supply any costumes or props and research the cost. Also, some locations will require a fee, try to negotiate for the best rate or try to find a free alternative.
Secure Actors: If you don't know who's going to be in your movie, now is a good time to have auditions or to haunt your local community theatre for talented actors. You can always put an ad on Craig's List as well.
Secure Crew: This may be friends, family, or even people you know who have production experience. If you don't know anyone that can help you, go to craigslist and put out an ad. It's free and it gets a response. Also, decide which positions you need and do not accept more people than is absolutely necessary. If you only need one person to help with lights and hold the boom, stick with one person. If 15 friends volunteer, thank them and tell them no. Cluttering up a set with extra people will slow you down and you will have to feed them.
Do A Shot List: Go by the scenes and write down every shot you need. Differentiate between angles. Don't just write down, "Need shot of Jim". Be specific: "Need close up of Jim".
Storyboard: I can't stress this enough. Use your shot list, go through every scene and draw out what the shots look like. This helps you make editing choices ahead of time. It helps you plan. It's also a useful tool on set. If you're busy doing make-up in one room and you have crew setting up the scene in another, a sketch will let them know exactly what to do.
Find Locations: If you wrote a scene that takes place inside fast food restaurant then you better find one willing to participate or you better change your script. Work with friends, family, and craigslist to find locations.
Plan Out A Schedule: Make a shooting schedule. If you were tight in the scripting and kept it to as few locations as possible, that will be helpful and make scheduling easier. If you went crazy and have 40 locations planned for a five minute movie, now is a good time to see if you can squeeze that down to a mere 25. When planning a schedule, try to make the actors come out as few times as possible, make your day count for as much as it can, and plan in meal breaks.
Find Equipment: You can go two different ways. If you're making this movie to post online or for fun, then using a camcorder from a department store. Feel free to skip lights as well. If you're doing this to get your name out there as a filmmaker, to show possible clients what you can do, or as a calling card for future film projects, then invest in good equipment. I would suggest renting unless you're planning on making many movies. If you can afford to, rent the equipment a day ahead of time so you can get used to how everything works. Try different light setups. Use the camera. Test the microphone and the cables.
