Short Film Research: '7 Rules' by Stéphanie Joalland

Recently we have looked into a number of film writing paradigms, however they seem mostly geared towards the feature length film.  Because of this I decided I needed to do some more research, specific to short film.   I came across an article by Stéphanie Joalland on the Raindance Festival website.  Stéphanie presents 7 'rules' for writing a short film and gives some examples. 

I decided it would be worth watching these suggested films to get a bit more context into what she was talking about.  The seven points she brings up are:  

1) The shorter the better

Stéphanie suggests that creating shorter films is a good idea, not just because many festivals look for films that are under 10 minutes but also because a shorter film will keep production costs down.  A shorter film will mean you can spend more time making the film look amazing, rather than having to film quickly and ending up with a cheap looking film.  She gives the example of Sebastian's Voodoo which is a 4 minute long animation.    



4 minutes is actually quite long for an animated short, so I don't really think that this was the best example of this point.  However Sebastian's Voodoo is a good film, which is really emotionally engaging.  The main character has a clear dilemma and sacrifices himself to save the other voodoo dolls.  My only criticism it that the character and his relationship with the other dolls could have benefited from a bit more development to make his sacrifice more personal, rather then simply choosing to save the lives of strangers over his own.


2) Keep the practicalities of filming in mind

This could include thinking about the setting of the film as well as being practical about what sequences are in a script.  Examples given are Apricot (2010) and Just a Love Story (2010) which take place at a table in cafe and in an elevator respectively.







This is something we need to consider when writing for our assignments.  As part of our assignment we need to be able to deliver whatever we have written into our screenplays.


3) Make it Visual

Show don't tell.  For this point Stéphanie talks about creating a visual back story for your characters through their actions.  She suggests that you can tell a lot about a characters temperament from small details, such as how in The Lunch Date the main character polishes her fork before eating.  



I had mixed feelings about this film personally as I felt quite disengaged during the introduction.  I had to watch it a second time after I had gotten used to the visual style.  Once we got to the main part of the film (when she returns to 'her' table) I found myself drawn back into the story, probably partly because of the predictability and the additional comedy that the film gained from that.  The story was handled quite well with a clear message.

I feel like having a non-dialogue film as an example for 'Make it Visual' would have been more to the point, but I do see what is meant by building the visual back-story, even if your characters do talk. 



4) Find single moments.

Stéphanie suggests that the best short films explore a single moment, but with a story, conflict or dilemma at its heart.  This ties in to what we have talked about in Screenwriting class, and what we explored during the in class exercises.

This is something I struggle with in my writing.  I normally write for 1-2.5 minute long films, so when trying to write a  4-8 minute long film a single moment often doesn't seem long enough.  Because I am used to condensing these moments I haven't quite figured out how to extend a film without adding too much or not enough detail.  This is probably also an issue of pacing.

A deadline or ticking clock can help with building the conflict in a single moment, such as in On Time (2011).


On Time from Ted Chung on Vimeo.



5) Tell a Story

Make that a compelling story.  The film should have a hero with a goal and an obstacle/antagonist in the way.  Be aware that while short films can push the boundaries that they must still be emotionally engaging.  Concept-driven ideas or breaking the rules for the sake of breaking them isn't going to help you to tell a good story.  Stéphanie offers I Love Sarah Jane (2010) as a good example to watch, because despite it's unusual setting it contains at its core a love story which an audience can connect with.



I Love Sarah Jane from Qoob TV on Vimeo.


6) Engage the Reader

Or the audience!  A short film needs to hook it's audience right from the start, the first page of the screenplay.  There is little time to make an impression, and also to develop a satisfying ending. 


7) Beware of Clichés

Stéphanie says that short films are often filled with clichés and navel gazing.  She suggests that many stereotypes are overused, commonly: hit men for hire, heists, people seeing themselves die, children representing innocence, incestuous relationships.   Write about what you are familiar with- not what you have borrowed from other films.  Stereotypes should be avoided unless you have a new slant on the idea.