Structure and Format for Shorts

[wheatgrinder]

Hi all,
Iv been reading a lot about feature screen plays, and many of the ideas I think will translate down to 30-40min narratives, but when the length is less, it seem that some of the act structure ideas would need to be compressed, or something..

What are the various approaches to writing short screenplays (less than 10 mins)

Lets start with this logline. (just made it up, change it if you want)

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An elderly man and his dog set out to find the legendary fountain of youth before the pending solar eclipse closes the secret entry way for the next 3000 years!

 

[VPTurner]

I have this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Short-Films-101-Launch-Filmmaking/dp/0399529497

While it may not launch your career, it has some good ideas on how to execute your ideas.

And "get in as late as possible, get out as early as possible" is a universal mantra. I've read it and heard it from a number of sources over the years.

I am also in the camp that a story must be complete even if completion of the story occurs after the cut to black at the end.

Here is one of my first attempts at a short (attached). I had just started breaking it down for production before I shelved it. The lives of my chosen cast started to eerily imitate some of the events depicted. So far the end game hasn't played out in real life, thank goodness.

 

[PositiveFuture]

"get in as late as possible, get out as early as possible"

I googled this and came up with three links, one of them is this thread. What do you mean by that? Come in late to the action and leave quickly? If yes, that makes sense. Are there any other articles and posts that talk about this?

 

[Buddy Greenfield]

Just to further explain:

I mean enter the story/script/film from (for example) 5 minutes before the bomb is set to detonate
and exit the film/script/story as soon after it explodes as possible.

So you start in the thick of the action (with perhaps no pointless set up)
and end as soon after the action is over as possible (so perhaps no pointless aftermath),
all killer no filler.

I personally don't know any articles on it, and I just have one book, but it's not in there.

I am speaking in terms of a short, but I imagine in longer script this would add to
the overall pace as well.

-Thanks-