MAKING A SHORT FILM
How Much Does a Short Film Cost to Make?
Even if you dream of creating the biggest blockbusters the world has ever seen, first you are going to have to find someone to pay for it, and making a short film can be an excellent way to create a calling card to show to potential buyers and investors. Making a short film can be done on a micro-budget. Some short filmmakers buy equipment on credit, treat it with care so that no damage comes to it, and then simply return it to the store for a full refund when the short is complete.
How to Find a Cast for a Short Film?
Making a short film is a snap in terms of casting, no matter where you plan to shoot. Everywhere in America, there are more people who want to be in movies than who want to do just about anything else. Chalk it up to the power of media and the constant bombardment of celebrity images, or perhaps to our own inherent need to be recognized and applauded.
Whatever the reason, actors abound, and a few free online job postings are all it will take to round out your short film cast. One of the great things about making a short film is that the process is, well, short. You can write your short script in a matter of days or weeks, rather than is the case with a feature-length screenplay, for which you might have to labor for months or even years.
How Long Does it take to make a Short Film?
Once the writing is done, many short films can be made in the course of a week or less. Some short films have literally been made in under twenty-four hours and still turn out to be of high quality and receive rave reviews. You will get these reviews by entering your short in a film festival or contest, and the number of these festivals and contests has increased exponentially in the past decade.
Another excellent feature of making a short film is that if it does not work out the way you wanted, you still have learned your lesson without wasting years of your life, and you can go on to make another short film and another after that, correcting past mistakes and refining the process, turning yourself into a film school of one. It is always wisest to start small and move incrementally rather than dream up grandiose plans and try to achieve them all overnight.
Making a short film is a rational, achievable way to enter yourself into the world of filmmaking, and can advance your career and your knowledge at the same time. Film Connection’s comprehensive film education programs, including Film Production/Editing and Cinematography, are another way to build your knowledge, experience, and industry connections. Learn more about how to get started at the Film Connection today.
