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Shorts or a Feature?
- Thread starter MarcusBonnick
- Start date
This is debatable, but my personal vote is ALWAYS start with shorts and work up to a feature. Not so much as a writer, but as a filmmaker. Learn the craft of making movies from the building blocks of scenes and ideas. Think of shorts as "practice" or a "scrimmage" for the big game.
Yeah, I usually start my ideas off by drawing storyboards and filling them with whatever comes to my mind which usually works well in terms of the visual style that it would take if I was to film it but Obviously I don't want to make a feature any time soon because of inexperience, I would rather mess up a short than mess up a feature
.I just want to practice writing features for now so that when I finally do come around to making one I will have a good story to tell
.I started work on a script for a short yesterday by planning and developing the characters and hopefully will start to write some of it later on tonight
You have several different issues going in this one post.
is finished. I don't mean three/four drafts and all polished, I
mean finish the script before you start on the next one.
Ten half finished scripts is terrible. Two finished scripts is
great.
Some stories need to be told in more detail, some need to be
told in a shorter version.
The overall structure is the same for a short as it is for a feature.
Not everyone agrees with me. In THIS THREAD starting on page two
we had a pretty good discussion on structure. You'll have to wade through
other discussions, but it's worth a read.
Stop doing that. Do NOT start a script until the current one
is finished. I don't mean three/four drafts and all polished, I
mean finish the script before you start on the next one.
Ten half finished scripts is terrible. Two finished scripts is
great.
Glad to see you have answered this question. I think you're right.
My tip is not try to compress a long story into a shorter version.
Some stories need to be told in more detail, some need to be
told in a shorter version.
The overall structure is the same for a short as it is for a feature.
Not everyone agrees with me. In THIS THREAD starting on page two
we had a pretty good discussion on structure. You'll have to wade through
other discussions, but it's worth a read.
Just to agree with the others, definately finish a screenplay before moving onto the next. It feels great to have something complete, it makes it more tangible. Even if the script seems terrible, at least with it finished you can get a better idea of what to fix. It may turn out that the bits that you weren't sure about end up being great.
I myself have written several features, and like you, I didn't think I could finish them. In the end I plowed on and finished them with whatever crap I could. I now have two or three scripts that start off promising, with a nice idea, but then end pretty abruptly at about page 77. But at least they end, the story is concluded and I can polish it all up later.
I still haven't shot anything yet, but my 60D is on it's way and I've just written the script for a short. In a month or two, once I figure the camera out, i'm hopefully going to shoot that and move on from there!
I myself have written several features, and like you, I didn't think I could finish them. In the end I plowed on and finished them with whatever crap I could. I now have two or three scripts that start off promising, with a nice idea, but then end pretty abruptly at about page 77. But at least they end, the story is concluded and I can polish it all up later.
I still haven't shot anything yet, but my 60D is on it's way and I've just written the script for a short. In a month or two, once I figure the camera out, i'm hopefully going to shoot that and move on from there!
yeah, start with shorts. I have yet to make my first feature, I've had the idea in my head for years, but I'm just not ready yet. practice with shorts first, really get some experience, then tackle a feature. your first feature is really special...I can't wait until I'm ready for my first one. good luck.
I agree that you should start with shorts, however...
I think harvesting ideas and writing as much as possible is a fine way to go. You'll finish what you're supposed to. Goal oriented writing is stifling to some. I appreciate those that do it, but if you prefer to not finish, don't. Certainly don't suppress creativity because you haven't met a deadline. That inspiration may be gone forever.
I think harvesting ideas and writing as much as possible is a fine way to go. You'll finish what you're supposed to. Goal oriented writing is stifling to some. I appreciate those that do it, but if you prefer to not finish, don't. Certainly don't suppress creativity because you haven't met a deadline. That inspiration may be gone forever.
Yeah I agree, I have wrote a short over the last 2 days so I'm going to leave it for a week then do a re edit but I don't think I will be making this one any time soon..
As for the feature scripts I have all the notes wrote down and some scenes drawn for them all so when I'm ready I will attempt to finish them, I have more ideas one which really stands out and could be humorous if I write it properly.
But I'm going to focus on just one for now
As for the feature scripts I have all the notes wrote down and some scenes drawn for them all so when I'm ready I will attempt to finish them, I have more ideas one which really stands out and could be humorous if I write it properly
. But I'm going to focus on just one for now