How to Write a Short Film
Summary
TLDRThis 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
- π Start by understanding the fundamentals of screenwriting and storytelling, such as conflict, character structure, and dialogue.
- π¬ Transition from theory to practice by writing a short script, applying the learned concepts.
- π‘ Focus on creating a strong, dramatic narrative for your short film, using detailed and specific elements.
- π« Don't get caught up in exceptions or rule-breaking; as a new writer, mastering the basics is crucial.
- πΊ Use existing narratives, like the main plot of a 'Rick and Morty' episode, as examples for learning purposes.
- π― Identify and build upon the philosophical conflict within your story, establishing a viewpoint versus viewpoint dynamic.
- π₯ Attach distinct philosophical beliefs to your characters, which will drive their actions and conflicts.
- π Follow a structured approach like Dan Harmon's Story Circle to build narrative momentum and character development.
- π Understand that philosophical conflicts and character beliefs should be reflected in their actions and decisions throughout the story.
- π Recognize the importance of story structure in short scripts, just as in feature-length screenplays.
- βοΈ 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
π 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.
π 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.
π 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.
βοΈ 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.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Screenwriting
π‘Conflict
π‘Character Structure
π‘Dialogue
π‘Narrative Drama
π‘Philosophical Conflict
π‘Story Circle
π‘Narrative Momentum
π‘Writing Process
π‘Philosophical Beliefs
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
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