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story Short stories with extreme limits

OldGod

OldGod

Does anyone have any experience writing a script (or know of a good example) where the short is limited to either one or only a couple different settings (A house, the woods, etc.)?
 
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Yes.

I worked on the short "Baptism By Food" (production sound and audio post) where the entire location was in a kitchen. It was for the Midnite Madness Film Festival, which gave you seven (7) days to make a short (midnight Friday you get your genre & general prop; you submit your final cut the next Friday by midnight). It started out with a dining room, a living room, a hallway and a front door (ext. & int.) as other "locations." It also had five characters. To save time and reduce "complications" it was decided at the script/production meeting Sunday morning to move the entire ten minutes into the kitchen and eliminate two extraneous characters. It worked out very nicely.
 
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There's literally tons!
Paranormal Activity or Panic Room might be a good read for you.

Phone Booth

MANY more.

Tons of horrors in the woods, or cabins, or hospitals, hostels, etc.
 
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indietalk said:
There's literally tons!
Paranormal Activity or Panic Room might be a good read for you.

Phone Booth

MANY more.

Tons of horrors in the woods, or cabins, or hospitals, hostels, etc.
Click to expand...

Hadn't thought of those actually! Love both!


Alcove Audio said:
Yes.

I worked on the short "Baptism By Food" (production sound and audio post) where the entire location was in a kitchen. It was for the Midnite Madness Film Festival, which gave you seven (7) days to make a short (midnight Friday you get your genre & general prop; you submit your final cut the next Friday by midnight). It started out with a dining room, a living room, a hallway and a front door (ext. & int.) as other "locations." It also had five characters. To save time and reduce "complications" it was decided at the script/production meeting Sunday morning to move the entire ten minutes into the kitchen and eliminate two extraneous characters. It worked out very nicely.
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That sounds interesting, do you have a link? I'd check it out.

See, I'm currently financially limited due to COVID-19 so the one project I did have in mind I can't afford to do right now lol But I still want to put something out. I did start writing something shortly after I posted this; a short interrogation scene with surreal elements woven in. Two people, one room. Should be cake! (I hope)
 
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Some of those may have more locations than you intended but from recollection they revolve around a central location.
 
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Also many boat and submarine flicks.

Okay I'm done! :)

PS. Sorry those are all features but that doesn't matter.
 
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indietalk said:
Some of those may have more than you intended but from recollection they revolve around a central location.
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Actually Evil Dead is another great example! 'Buried' and 'Blaire Witch Project' also came to mind. Although I am trying to stay away from the Horror genre right now. Mainly I'd like to do something with existential dilemmas or mind-bending aspects to it.


mlesemann said:
One of my favorites is Tape starring Ethan Hawke & Uma Thurman.
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Never heard of it but the description sounds good and I LOVE Ethan Hawke!
 
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OldGod said:
See, I'm currently financially limited due to COVID-19 so the one project I did have in mind I can't afford to do right now lol But I still want to put something out. I did start writing something shortly after I posted this; a short interrogation scene with surreal elements woven in. Two people, one room. Should be cake! (I hope)
Click to expand...

archived-videos - Indie of the Month April - Social Distance Film Challenge

Indie of the Month! A monthly competition with a new theme or challenge each month. April is: Social Distance Film Challenge Most of us are confined to home for the time being. We hope everyone is safe and well! This is all about using your available resources. PLEASE do not violate any safety...
indietalk.com indietalk.com
;)
 
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OldGod said:
That sounds interesting, do you have a link? I'd check it out.
Click to expand...

It's not posted anywhere that I know of, and I can't find my copy, but I'll look again.

For another one location film how about Alfred Hitchcock's "Rope." Also one "continuous" shot to boot. And most of "Lifeboat" is one location, as is "Rear Window if memory serves me right.

And "Das Boot" takes place almost entirely in a submarine.
 
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directorik said:
I made a short called "Closet Case" - a guy with a shotgun and scratches
on his face in a closet. And there's something out there.
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Would love a link!


indietalk said:

archived-videos - Indie of the Month April - Social Distance Film Challenge

Indie of the Month! A monthly competition with a new theme or challenge each month. April is: Social Distance Film Challenge Most of us are confined to home for the time being. We hope everyone is safe and well! This is all about using your available resources. PLEASE do not violate any safety...
indietalk.com indietalk.com
;)
Click to expand...

Looking into this now!!

A lot of great suggestions for films here too, I guess I know what I'm watching during isolation lol
 
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