Many writers overlook short form material, concentrating on full-length works such as novels, films, and plays. Though longer works can seem more fulfilling and more in demand than shorter pieces, there are some great reasons to put effort into short writings. A short film especially holds a lot of value for a writer in that it could be produced more easily, possibly by the writer. With internet video distribution so ubiquitous and its focus on short form content, it is much easier to get people to watch such videos.
Aside from opportunities to get short films seen online, there are some valid creative reasons to pursue writing them.
Cut Story Material
Inevitably in the writing of a feature film there will be moments that are great but do not fit the story perfectly and are omitted. These could be things that coincide with character and would be believable but slow the pace of the film or do not fit in with the theme. Instead of tossing these ideas altogether, make them stand on their own. Use these story pieces and create a few more and write a self-contained short film that could be enjoyed with or without having seen the film the pieces come from.
Inspired By A Feature
A feature film script never covers everything you want to say about a character, situation, or world. That way lies over-long films or those watered down with too many themes. A lean film script can be a natural jumping off point for more, smaller stories set in the same world. You could expand upon the least of the characters and the slightest of suggestion. Where ever there is a time jump or summary of events, there is opportunity to write those events in detail that are not right for the movie but are still valuable story material.
Too Small To Become A Feature
Some writers try to work with every idea that comes to them just as they have developed other successful ideas. If they have too strict a view of how they want to write, they may find themselves putting square pegs in round holes. Two ideas can be equally great but not equally in need of a feature film for expression. Some ideas are not big enough to warrant making into a film, but would make a really good short film. If an idea does not evoke subsequent or previous scenes it does not mean it is a bad idea, just that it may be a small idea.
Possible Scene From A Feature
Writing a full-length feature script is a lot of work and you might not be sure you or others like the ideas that much. Instead of writing out an outline for a whole movie for a character or setting you may not be too excited about, write a single short film consisting of one or a few scenes and see what the reaction is. This short may become a part of a script you eventually write or might be the evidence you needed to prove you do not want to follow through and spend time on this thing you do not feel passionate about.
It is easy to get lost in thinking about making a career and find yourself doing stuff you do not like in a form you think you should be working in. Many consider smaller or shorter as amateur territory, so you might not have given it much thought. You may have heard that short film scripts do not sell like features and that publishers do not want books of less than 200 pages. Though it may not be immediately apparent, writing small can lead to something bigger, make a bigger thing better, or just be a worthwhile piece in itself.
Have you ever stopped yourself from working on a smaller piece? What made you quit?
