Making a short film is an accessible starting point for many filmmakers and can go a long way if you, as a filmmaker, take full advantage of it. 

So here are some tips to help you make the best possible short film

Find collaborators who have the same vision as you

No matter the size of your production, your crew needs to be on the same page in terms of what the project is. This can make or break your production.

Start by communicating what you want the finished film to be (not necessarily what you want it to look like, but rather what the purpose of this project is).

Who is your audience? What is this film going to do for you as a filmmaker? If every crew member is aware of these things right from the start, you are going to save yourself a lot of arguing and the finished film is more likely to look like what you envisioned during development.

Read more: How to Find the Right Collaborators for Your Next Film

If you are new to producing, start researching (or find a producer)

The role and responsibilities of a producer can sometimes seem like a big mystery, but the truth is that the little things such as scene breakdowns and insurance policies massively affect the smoothness of your production.

If you take on the responsibility of producing your own film, make sure you do a lot of research into the role (Screenskills is a great place to start).

However, whilst it might seem tempting to try and do everything yourself, in the long run, you will exhaust yourself and you won’t enjoy the work you’re doing.

Rather than letting this affect the quality of your project, consider getting a producer involved. Pitching your idea to a producer might seem scary but it will save you from getting overwhelmed with work further down the line.

Once you have these things, your work is going to be a lot more project focussed.

Read more: 3 ways to get film producers to take you seriously

Create a timeline for your project

Break down each month and set deadlines – what month are you going to release the film? When will you start your marketing campaign?

Having a timeline will help you keep the bigger picture in mind and lets you and your crew focus on smaller goals and deadlines. 

Plan out marketing & distribution well in advance

Even if it’s “just a short film”, you need a marketing campaign. And that’s more than just two Instagram posts after you finish filming. 

Know your audience and where to reach them and then drip-feed content to them to get them excited as early as pre-production.

One of the best parts of independent filmmaking is the loyalty people will build up for your project. If you can make them feel involved they will talk and post about your film which will make a huge difference to your project.

But it will also help yourself – after the strenuous production period the last thing you will want to think about is marketing so it’s good to plan this as early as possible.

Lastly, your distribution plans will affect your budget (too often do short films need to jump back on Kickstarter to raise funds for festival submission fees!) so know where you want the film to go after picture lock and make sure you set aside the funds to get it there!

Have a stills photographer

Now that you have a marketing plan, you need content.

The easiest way to do this is to have a stills photographer especially for your production period, sometimes also for pre- and post-production.

Rather than relying on random crew members to take selfies on set, you will have good quality content to share on social media.

As well as that, you’ll also have content to send to any publications that take interest in your project and your Electronic Press Kits for festivals. Try to have at least 50 images you are happy to use to promote your film.

Read more: What’s it like being a film festival judge?

A question that came up during this live Q&A was whether you should always plan for the possibility of growing your short film into a bigger project.

Whilst there is plenty of features that have been funded based on a short film (think Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash and subsequently La La Land), you don’t necessarily have to.

However, if you think the story would suit a longer format it would be good to have an idea of what your plans are in terms of developing the film into a series or feature. Then, once you have started your festival run, you have a promising response to the question “What are you working on next?” and you stand a better chance of moving the longer-format version forwards.