How to Write a Short Film

Summary

This video delves into the intricacies of screenwriting and storytelling, focusing on crafting a short film with a strong dramatic narrative. It emphasizes the importance of establishing a philosophical conflict, attaching beliefs to characters, and utilizing a structured approach like Dan Harmon's Story Circle to create a compelling story with momentum. The video also addresses common misconceptions about writing and encourages new writers to learn the fundamentals before attempting to break rules.

Takeaways

• 📝 Start by understanding the fundamentals of screenwriting and storytelling, such as conflict, character structure, and dialogue.
• 🎬 Transition from theory to practice by writing a short script, applying the learned concepts.
• 💡 Focus on creating a strong, dramatic narrative for your short film, using detailed and specific elements.
• 🚫 Don't get caught up in exceptions or rule-breaking; as a new writer, mastering the basics is crucial.
• 📺 Use existing narratives, like the main plot of a 'Rick and Morty' episode, as examples for learning purposes.
• 🎯 Identify and build upon the philosophical conflict within your story, establishing a viewpoint versus viewpoint dynamic.
• 👥 Attach distinct philosophical beliefs to your characters, which will drive their actions and conflicts.
• 🏁 Follow a structured approach like Dan Harmon's Story Circle to build narrative momentum and character development.
• 🔄 Understand that philosophical conflicts and character beliefs should be reflected in their actions and decisions throughout the story.
• 📉 Recognize the importance of story structure in short scripts, just as in feature-length screenplays.
• ✍️ Don't let procrastination or the need for perfection delay the writing process; focus on learning through writing.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the 12th video in this series?

The main focus of the 12th video is to provide practical guidance on how to write a short film with a strong dramatic narrative, by going granular into the process and using Rick and Morty episode 202 as an example.

Why does the video use Rick and Morty episode 202 as an example instead of a short film?

The video uses Rick and Morty episode 202 because most short films are not well-written narrative dramas and are often more focused on concepts, experiments, or used as part of a director's reel. Rick and Morty's episode provides a clear narrative structure that is similar in length to a short film, making it a useful example.

What is the significance of philosophical conflict in storytelling?

Philosophical conflict is significant in storytelling because it represents the differing moral, ethical, or philosophical beliefs within the story. It forms the backbone of the narrative and drives the events and character actions, creating a viewpoint versus viewpoint dilemma that engages the audience.

How does the video suggest a new writer should approach the writing process?

The video suggests that new writers should focus on learning the principles of storytelling rather than trying to break the rules. It encourages writers to immerse themselves in storytelling through reading novels and watching films to naturally generate story ideas.

What are the key components of a narrative drama according to the video?

The key components of a narrative drama are a clear philosophical conflict, characters with distinct beliefs that drive their actions, and a structured narrative that builds momentum through the characters' decisions and the consequences of those decisions.

How does the video advise writers to handle the structure of their short script?

The video advises writers to use Dan Harmon's Story Circle as a versatile and organic way to structure their story, emphasizing that story structure is just as important in a short script as it is in a feature-length screenplay.

What is the philosophical conflict in Rick and Morty episode 202?

The philosophical conflict in Rick and Morty episode 202 revolves around absolute morality versus moral relativism. Morty believes in an absolute morality where selling a weapon to an assassin is wrong, while Rick believes in moral relativism, thinking he can define his own morality and there's no objective wrong in his actions.

How do secondary characters like K Michael and Fart contribute to the philosophical conflict in the episode?

Secondary characters like K Michael and Fart contribute to the philosophical conflict by embodying certain beliefs and forcing the main characters, like Morty, to make choices based on their own philosophical viewpoints. Their actions and interactions with the main characters play out the philosophical conflict and challenge the audience's beliefs.

What is the narrative climax of the episode and what does it represent?

The narrative climax of the episode occurs when Morty realizes that his action of saving Fart leads to the potential destruction of the universe. Morty ultimately kills Fart, representing a philosophical change where he understands that doing the right thing is more complex than he initially thought. The story makes a philosophical statement that moral decisions are not always clear-cut.

How does the video address the concern that following the provided guidance might be too formulaic?

The video acknowledges that some writers might find the guidance too formulaic, but it emphasizes that as new writers, it's important to first learn the principles and fundamentals of storytelling. Breaking rules comes after understanding them, and the provided guidance is meant to offer a solid foundation for new writers to start with.

What advice does the video give regarding the writing process for a short script?

The video advises not to spend more than a day or two on outlining the short script and not to be overly precious about it. It encourages writers to resist procrastination, to stop searching for more answers, and to simply start writing, emphasizing that learning takes time and practice.

Outlines

00:00

📝 Introduction to Screenwriting and Storytelling

This paragraph introduces the 12th video in a series focused on the fundamentals of screenwriting and storytelling. It encourages viewers to watch the rest of the videos for a comprehensive understanding. The speaker emphasizes the importance of moving from learning theory to practical application, suggesting that the video will provide a granular, detailed guide on writing a short film for the first time. The speaker also addresses potential criticisms about adhering to formulaic structures and reassures viewers that the purpose is to provide a solid foundation for new writers. Additionally, the speaker explains the choice to use a 'Rick and Morty' episode as a case study instead of a traditional short film, citing the prevalence of poorly written short films and recommending a website for professionally made short films.

05:00

🎭 Establishing Philosophical Conflict in Storytelling

This paragraph delves into the concept of philosophical conflict as a crucial element in storytelling. It defines philosophical conflict as the clash of different moral, ethical, or philosophical beliefs within a story. The speaker uses the 'Rick and Morty' episode as an example to illustrate how the characters' differing viewpoints on morality create a clear philosophical conflict. The paragraph explains that attaching specific beliefs to characters leads to conflict and engages the audience in the moral dilemma. It also introduces secondary characters and their roles in the philosophical conflict, emphasizing how their beliefs and actions contribute to the narrative.

10:02

📈 Structuring Short Scripts with Narrative Drive

This paragraph discusses the importance of story structure in short scripts, refuting the notion that structure becomes irrelevant in short films. It introduces Dan Harmon's Story Circle as an effective method for structuring a short script, highlighting its versatility and applicability to various lengths of narrative. The speaker analyzes the 'Rick and Morty' episode through the lens of the Story Circle, demonstrating how the characters' actions are motivated by their beliefs and how these actions propel the story forward. The paragraph emphasizes the significance of narrative momentum and character-driven actions, providing a clear framework for writers to follow when crafting their short scripts.

15:02

✍️ Overcoming Procrastination and Writing the Short Script

In this final paragraph, the speaker addresses common pitfalls that new writers face, such as over-planning and procrastination. It advises against spending too much time on outlining and encourages writers to start writing without delay. The speaker emphasizes the importance of learning the principles of storytelling before attempting to break or bend them. The paragraph concludes by providing a blueprint for writing a short script, summarizing the key elements of philosophical conflict, character beliefs, and action-driven narratives. The speaker also promotes the next video in the series, which will focus on common mistakes in short script writing, and encourages viewers to engage with the content by liking and subscribing.

Keywords

💡Screenwriting

Screenwriting refers to the art and craft of writing screenplays, which are the texts that serve as the blueprints for films or television episodes. In the context of this video, screenwriting is the central focus as it aims to teach viewers the fundamentals of crafting a compelling narrative for a short film, emphasizing the importance of understanding character structure, dialogue, and conflict.

💡Conflict

Conflict is a central element in storytelling, referring to the struggle between opposing forces that drives the narrative forward. In screenwriting, conflict can be internal (within a character) or external (between characters or between a character and their environment). The video emphasizes the importance of philosophical conflict, which involves differing moral or ethical beliefs, as a backbone of storytelling.

💡Character Structure

Character structure refers to the way a writer designs and develops characters in a narrative, including their motivations, goals, and arcs. It is crucial for creating engaging and believable characters that观众 can connect with and follow on their journey. The video highlights the need to attach specific beliefs to characters, which in turn define their actions and place them in conflict with others.

💡Dialogue

Dialogue is the conversational speech or exchange of words between characters in a screenplay. It serves to reveal character traits, advance the plot, and provide emotional depth. Effective dialogue is crucial for maintaining the audience's interest and making the story believable. The video touches on the importance of dialogue in conveying the philosophical conflict between characters.

💡Narrative Drama

Narrative drama is a form of storytelling that relies on a structured narrative to convey a dramatic sequence of events. It often involves a clear conflict, character development, and a resolution. The video provides a practical guide on how to write a short film with a strong dramatic narrative, emphasizing the importance of a clear philosophical conflict and character actions motivated by beliefs.

💡Philosophical Conflict

Philosophical conflict refers to the clash of differing philosophical, moral, or ethical beliefs within a story. It is a key component in creating a compelling narrative, as it drives the characters' actions and decisions, leading to dramatic tension. The video stresses the importance of establishing a clear philosophical conflict as the backbone of the story.

💡Story Circle

The Story Circle is a narrative structure developed by Dan Harmon that outlines eight steps to create a complete story arc. It is a versatile tool that can be applied to both feature-length screenplays and short scripts. The video uses the Story Circle to demonstrate how to structure a short film effectively, with each step corresponding to a key moment in the narrative.

💡Narrative Momentum

Narrative momentum refers to the forward movement or drive of a story, created by the characters' actions and decisions that arise from their beliefs and conflicts. It is what keeps the audience engaged and invested in the story. The video emphasizes the importance of building narrative momentum through character actions motivated by their philosophical beliefs.

💡Writing Process

The writing process involves the steps a writer takes to create a piece of writing, from initial idea generation to drafting, revising, and finalizing. The video advises new writers not to spend too much time on outlining and to focus on the act of writing itself, as learning occurs through the process of writing and revising.

💡Philosophical Beliefs

Philosophical beliefs are the fundamental convictions or principles that guide a person's or character's understanding of the world and their actions within it. These beliefs are central to the video's discussion on storytelling, as they form the basis of the philosophical conflict and influence the characters' decisions and actions.

Highlights

The video is the 12th in a series covering the fundamentals of screenwriting and storytelling.

The focus of the video is on writing a short film for the first time with a strong dramatic narrative.

The video emphasizes the importance of understanding conflict, character structure, and dialogue in screenwriting.

The creator discourages criticism that the methods discussed are too formulaic or restrictive for new writers.

Instead of using a short film, the video analyzes the main plot of Rick and Morty episode 202 as an example of a well-written narrative drama.

The video explains that many short films are not well-written narrative dramas and are often experimental or made for portfolios.

The importance of having a clear philosophical conflict is emphasized as the backbone of storytelling.

The philosophical conflict in Rick and Morty episode 202 is between absolute morality and moral relativism.

The video outlines how to attach beliefs to characters to create a viewpoint versus viewpoint conflict.

Secondary characters like Chromebopulus Michael and Fart are introduced to further the philosophical conflict and challenge Morty's beliefs.

The video advocates for using Dan Harmon's Story Circle for structuring short scripts as well as feature-length screenplays.

The narrative structure of the Rick and Morty episode is analyzed to fit within the Story Circle framework.

The video stresses that story structure is crucial in short scripts, contrary to the common belief that it can be ignored.

The actions of characters in the story should be motivated by their philosophical beliefs, creating narrative momentum.

The video advises new writers not to get caught up in the idea that they need to break the rules before they understand them.

Writers are encouraged to spend minimal time outlining and to focus on the act of writing rather than procrastinating.

The video concludes by promising a future episode on common short script mistakes to help writers improve their work.

Transcripts

welcome to the 12th video in this series

covering the fundamentals of

screenwriting and storytelling

if you'd like to watch the rest of the

videos you can find them linked in the

description

or on the end screen of this video

alright so you've learned the

fundamentals you know about conflict

character structure dialogue etc etc

now it's time to sit down and get a

short script down

onto the page enough theory it's time to

write

in this video i will be going super

granular and showing you how to write a

short film for the first time

this will be an extremely practical look

at how to write a short film with a

strong

dramatic narrative i will be getting

very detailed and specific in this video

so that you can see the fundamentals of

a narrative drama in action

my hope is that this gives you a

practical understanding so that you can

begin to build your own short script

and ultimately write your first feature

length screenplay

now before we get started i have two big

notes note number one

please don't spend time telling me that

the ideas i talk about in this video

are too formulaic or that i'm being too

restrictive

yes there is more than one way to tell a

story

yes it's easy to find examples of

breaking quote-unquote

rules and principles yes i am giving a

specific

detailed understanding of how to write a

dramatic narrative

not all stories will look like this but

as a new writer

you need to start somewhere spending all

of your time focusing on exceptions

doesn't help you write a strong

narrative for the first time

and note number two i'm not going to

take a look at a short film to explain

how to write a short film

i'm going to take a look at the main

plot of rick and morty episode 202.

so why am i doing this why am i not

looking at a short film

here's the unfortunate reality most

short films are not well written

narrative dramas

many shorts are poetic or they get lost

in a concept or they are experimental

and a lot of short films are simply made

for a director's reel or to give an

actor more experience

if you'd like to take a look at some

professionally made short films for

further study

i recommend going to shortoftheweek.com

linked below

the main plot of rick and morty episode

202 takes up most of the episode

at about 16 to 18 minutes of the run

time with the b

plot taking up about three to five

minutes of the run time

this makes the main story about the same

length as a short film

between 10 and 20 pages and it's a great

way to take a look at how you can create

a full narrative drama

in a very short period of time

now with all that out of the way i'm

going to show you

how to write a short film so you're

starting out with a few ideas

you've got a scene or two in your head

and maybe you have a concept or genre

now let's start organizing and

developing your story into something

that's clear and focused

a lot of people ask me how to get ideas

for screenplays or for short scripts

and i'm always confused by this question

writers have story ideas

if you're reading novels watching films

and trying to write story ideas will

come into your head

getting some basic ideas to start with

shouldn't be difficult if you're having

serious trouble thinking up any ideas

i suggest that maybe writing isn't for

you or at the very least you aren't

immersed enough in storytelling

pick up a few novels and then come back

alright so let's begin building the

foundation of your story

by defining your philosophical conflict

the first thing you need to build out is

your philosophical conflict

remember my video on the purpose of

conflict in that video i explain

philosophical conflict

how it works and why it's important for

your story

as a quick refresher philosophical

conflict is the different philosophical

moral or ethical beliefs that are in

conflict within your story

like i explained in the purpose of

conflict video philosophical conflict is

the backbone of storytelling

and it should be the backbone of your

story so how do you build

philosophical conflict into a story what

you want to do is create a viewpoint

versus viewpoint

conflict let's go to our example to see

what i mean

in rick and morty episode 202 the

philosophical conflict is based around

a moral question in the beginning of the

episode rick meets an assassin

and sells him a weapon morty is

surprised and disgusted by this

you sell weapons to killers for money

ugh you've got what the intergalactic

call a very planetary mindset morty it's

more complicated out here

here we see a difference in ricks and

morty's moral viewpoints

morty's disgust rises when he realizes

that rick only sold the weapon

so that he could go to an arcade but

rick doesn't care at all

you sold a gun to a murderer so you

could play video games yeah sure i mean

if you spend all day shuffling words

around you can make anything sound bad

morty now we can define the

philosophical conflict of the episode

the philosophical conflict comes down

into two viewpoints

absolute morality versus moral

relativism

morty believes that rick selling a gun

to an assassin is objectively wrong

and morty believes that life is

objectively valuable

rick believes that it doesn't matter he

believes he can do what he wants and

that he defines his own morality

selling a gun to a hitman is the same as

pulling the trigger it's also the same

as doing nothing

if chromopoulos michael wants someone

dead there's not a lot anyone can do to

stop him

so this story has a very clear

philosophical conflict

it is clearly asking questions like is

it morally wrong to supply weapons to

killers

is there an absolute standard of

morality and these questions are

expressed through the clear viewpoints

of the characters

not every rick and morty episode has the

philosophical conflict as clear and

specific as this one

but this one is very useful to get an

understanding of how to use

philosophical conflict correctly

it doesn't matter if your story is 10

pages long or 3 000 pages long

you still need specific philosophical

conflict that will drive the events of

the story

once you establish your philosophical

conflict it's time to attach beliefs

to your different characters so i

explained that you need to create a

viewpoint versus viewpoint dilemma in

your philosophical conflict

now you need to attach different beliefs

within those ideas

onto your characters your characters

will hold different points of view

then these differing points of view will

place the characters

into conflict with one another let's

return to our example

so this story has a very clear

philosophical conflict it is clearly

asking questions like

is there an absolute standard of

morality or do we create our own

morality

and these questions are expressed

through the clear viewpoints of the

characters

morty holds a belief that is important

for the philosophical conflict

he believes that rick selling a weapon

to an assassin is objectively wrong

this belief stems from his larger belief

that there is an absolute morality of

some sort and that right and wrong

matters

rick holds an opposing belief that is

important for the philosophical conflict

rick believes that he can do what he

wants that there is no absolute standard

of morality

he believes he creates his own morality

and that there is nothing objectively

wrong with him selling a weapon to an

assassin

because there is no objective morality

in the first place

and we can clearly see how their beliefs

conflict in this scene

selling a gun to a hitman is the same as

pulling the trigger it's also the same

as doing nothing if chromopoulos michael

wants someone dead there's not a lot

anyone can do to stop him

now that you have created this

separation the audience is now involved

in the philosophical conflict

as a viewer you are participating in the

moral dilemma

you're not necessarily consciously

laying out the different viewpoints in

your mind as you watch the story unfold

but you are unconsciously involved in

this moral dilemma and what happens in

the story

will either challenge or confirm your

personal beliefs on the philosophical

conflict

this is how you create empathy between

the audience and your characters in your

own story

and this is how you can really invest

your audience and wondering what happens

next

in your story now let's take a quick

look at the secondary characters in this

episode

chromebopulus michael is the assassin

that buys the weapon from rick

k michael has no code of ethics

whatsoever he literally says so in the

dialogue

it's a comedic line but it is also his

actual philosophical view

in the story nice to meet you morty

listen if you ever need anybody murdered

please give me a call

you're giving him a card no code of

ethics i will kill anyone

anywhere children animals old people

doesn't

matter i just love killing k michael and

rick hold somewhat similar philosophical

beliefs

like rick k michael clearly does not

hold a belief in absolute morality

the nebulous being named fart that morty

saves halfway through the episode

holds a philosophical point of view but

i'll get into that more in the next

section

what's important is that he introduces

conflict that forces morty to make

choices

based upon what he believes morty don't

do it

morty morty idiot oh crap let's get you

out of here

k michael and fart are characters that

are important but secondary in regards

to the philosophical conflict

rick and morty are the two who are

opposing each other philosophically

k michael and fart become elements of

that philosophical conflict playing out

so when you're building your characters

attach specific philosophical beliefs to

them

that will define who your characters are

as people

and will also define their actions

placing them in conflict with the other

characters around them

now that you have your philosophical

conflict and your characters

let's talk about action and structure

you should try to build out your story

using the principles of narrative drama

and story momentum many writers learn

about story structure

as it relates to screenplays and tv

shows but when they get to a short

script

they toss structure completely out of

the window as if it doesn't matter

but this is a terrible idea story

structure matters just as much in a

short script as it does in a

feature-length screenplay

so how should you structure your short

script the most effective way

i've found is to use dan harmon's story

circle i

explained how the story circle works in

this video

harman's story circle is an extremely

versatile and organic way of structuring

your story

and it can be used for an entire feature

length screenplay or a single scene

because it is able to fractal down and

be used in different pieces of a story

it works perfectly in helping you build

a strong short script

so let's break down how this rick and

morty episode fits into the story circle

and also show how the characters actions

are motivated by their beliefs

at one our character is morty morty

believes in an absolute morality

rick stands on the other side of the

moral spectrum he does not believe in

any sort of objective morality

in the very beginning morty encounters a

philosophical problem

rick sells a gun to an assassin at two

now morty formulates his want

for the story morty wants to fix the

ethical problem that rick has created

you know you could stop this killing

from happening rick you know you did a

bad thing selling that gun but

you could undo it if you wanted at

number three morty enters an unfamiliar

situation

when he decides to go after k michael

morty does this because of his

philosophical belief

that what rick did was objectively wrong

and that rick's actions should be

righted

at number four morty tracks down k

michael quickly

you have arrived at crom populous

michael

your destination is below at number five

morty gets what he wants when he stops k

michael from killing his target

morty has completed his philosophical

mission and put the world back to its

moral neutrality as morty sees it the

nebulous being fart

now asks morty to save him rick thinks

this is a terrible idea

again following his belief that there is

no objective morality and that we should

not just save others for no reason

but morty frees fart and this is the

midpoint of the story

notice that in just a few short minutes

we have had a major philosophical

conflict

characters taking action based upon

their beliefs and

a clear midpoint turning point but at 6

now morty's actions come at a cost

things are not as simple as morty

believes

as rick and morty try to escape with

fart morty realizes that saving fart's

life is coming at the cost of many other

lives

and rick openly challenges morty on this

hey morty remember when you said selling

a gun was as bad as pulling the trigger

how do you feel about all these people

that are getting killed today because of

your choices

i did the right thing rick at number

seven

morty returns back to his familiar

situation by finishing the conflict of

the story

when he gets fart to his portal to go

back to his universe

and now we get the philosophical climax

of the story

up until this point morty believes he

has done the right thing

until now we will be back for your

cleansing um

cleansing carbon-based life is a threat

to all higher life

to us you are what you would call a

disease wherever we discover you we cure

it

you said yourself that life must be

protected even through sacrifice

and this is a defining moment at number

eight

and we move to the last point morty

changes

morty kills fart to save his universe

from being destroyed

this action represents a philosophical

change in morty

morty realizes that the world is greater

than he thought it was

and this is where the story makes a

philosophical statement

the story is saying that knowing what

the right thing to do

is a lot more difficult than we realize

and that things

are not always as clear as we'd like

them to be

in this episode rick wins the

philosophical conflict

and the story gives rick a moment to

gloat morty i know i picked on your core

beliefs and decision-making a lot today

but i am glad that you insisted on

getting that fart home

you know at least all the death and

destruction wasn't for nothing you know

this structure gives us a story with

clear momentum

and narrative drive it allows the

characters to take action

and make decisions and deal with the

consequences of those actions

and it's all done in a very short time

frame

alright let's review your story will be

about philosophical beliefs and

differing points of view

also known as the philosophical conflict

then

these beliefs will be placed onto your

characters different characters will

hold different beliefs

and those beliefs will be in conflict

with one another then your characters

take actions based upon their beliefs

the actions of your characters based

upon their beliefs define

the external and internal conflicts

allowing your characters to take action

and deal with the consequences of their

actions

will build narrative momentum so let me

make this

as simple as possible for you beliefs

plus characters plus action equals

character action

motivated by beliefs this will be the

driving force

of your story i can already hear some

writers typing in the comments telling

me that this is too restrictive and

formulaic

and i'll remind you that as a new writer

you need to spend time learning the

principles of storytelling

you can't simply jump in trying to break

the rules you don't need to worry about

breaking rules because you haven't even

learned any rules at all yet

once you have a strong understanding of

story momentum and narrative drive

then you can talk about how to bend or

break principles but as a new writer

that is not your focus so don't let

these procrastinators confuse you

now before we end i want to talk a bit

about what very few writing teachers

actually talk about the writing process

when you're preparing to write your

short script don't spend more than a day

or two on your outline

it's a short script not an oscar-winning

screenplay so don't be so precious with

it

remember you're learning right now

learning takes time and learning takes

writing again and again

i know right now some writers have

watched this video and their heads are

filled

with questions they want to know the

answer to 20 more questions before they

actually sit down and begin writing

and if that's you let me tell you that

you don't need answers to more questions

you are letting your procrastination

take control of you you keep wanting it

to be more complicated than it is

it simply isn't tell yourself it's time

to stop asking questions and constantly

searching for another screenwriting book

it's time to write so open your

scriptwriting software

and write that short script so now you

have a clear blueprint to write your

first short script

and in the next video i'm going to be

taking a look at common short script

mistakes so that you can find and fix

the problems in your short script

so if you'd like to watch the rest of

the videos in this series you can click

the link on the screen now

or you can click the link in the

description and if you like this video

please leave a like and subscribe for

more videos just like this one

you