Produce a Short Film

Proof required

Submit: (1) the completed script (PDF or link, formatted in screenplay format), and (2) the pre-production package — a document covering: locations confirmed (with permission where needed), cast list (name and role for every speaking part), a shoot schedule listing each scene, location, and cast required per day, and an equipment list. The package can be a single document or a short-form checklist.

What gets checked

• Script is complete in screenplay format — INT./EXT. scene headings, action lines, character names centred above dialogue; a prose outline or treatment is not a script; the script must have a clear beginning, middle, and end; 'we'll figure out the ending on the day' does not pass; WriterDuet and Celtx produce correctly formatted PDFs automatically
• Pre-production package covers all four essentials with specifics — 'locations TBD' does not pass for locations; 'my friend Alex as the lead' passes for cast; a shoot schedule that lists 'all scenes on Saturday' without scene numbers and estimated times does not pass; each element should be specific enough that a crew member could execute the day independently
• Script runtime is in the 5–15 minute range — one page of correctly formatted screenplay equals approximately one minute of screen time; a 3-page script targets a 3-minute film, which may not demonstrate sufficient creative and technical depth for this outcome; a 30-page script targets a 30-minute film, which is unlikely to be completable in the remaining production window

Common mistakes

• Writing the script without thinking about location and cast constraints — a script written in isolation from production realities often calls for 15 locations, a cast of 8, and a car chase; a production-aware script starts from what is accessible: 'I have access to my apartment and a park, two willing actors, and a smartphone camera; what can I write in those constraints?' Writing into constraints is not a creative limitation — it is professional screenwriting practice
• Not getting location permission before the shoot day — showing up to a location on shoot day without permission and discovering it is unavailable wastes the cast's time and often means the scene is improvised in an unsuitable alternative location; confirm location access in writing (even a text message confirming permission is sufficient) before the shoot date
• Under-scheduling the shoot — first-time filmmakers consistently underestimate how long it takes to set up a shot, get a usable take, and move to the next setup; a realistic estimate is 3–5 minutes of usable footage per half-day of shooting; a 10-minute film may require 4–6 shooting days, not 1; the shoot schedule should account for this

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Open the script and check for complete screenplay format — scene headings (INT./EXT.), action lines, and character names above dialogue should all be present; a prose story with dialogue embedded in paragraphs is not a formatted screenplay; ask which tool was used to format it
• Check the pre-production package for the four essentials — locations (named and confirmed), cast (named per role), shoot schedule (scenes and times), equipment list; ask about any missing element specifically
• Check script page count against the target runtime — one page ≈ one minute; a 3-page script is fine for a 3-minute film but does not demonstrate the depth expected in a 14-week outcome; if the script is under 5 pages, ask whether the story can be expanded without compromising the pre-production timeline

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Proof required

Submit: (1) a scene coverage log listing every scene from the script and marking it as covered (at least one usable take) or not covered (and why), and (2) a photograph from the shoot showing production in progress (camera, actors, or crew visible). If any scenes were not covered, include a brief note on how they will be handled in editing.

What gets checked

• Coverage log lists every scene from the script — a log with 'all scenes done' without per-scene notation does not pass; the list should be derivable from the script scene headings; a film with 12 scenes has 12 rows in the coverage log
• Production photo shows actual filming activity — a photo of a camera on a table or an empty location does not demonstrate the shoot happened; the photo should show a camera pointed at a subject, an actor in a setup, or crew working; the photo does not need to show everyone or all the equipment
• Uncovered scenes have a noted plan — any scene marked 'not covered' needs either a reshooting plan or an editing plan (cut the scene, replace with voiceover, condense into another scene); the log should reflect intentional decisions, not silent omissions

Common mistakes

• Not backing up footage immediately after each shoot day — hard drives are unreliable; a card reader failure, a dropped drive, or a corrupted card can destroy footage that cannot be reshot; the 3-2-1 backup rule (3 copies, 2 different media, 1 offsite) is the professional standard; Google Drive, Dropbox, or an external hard drive each count as one backup location
• Shooting out of order without a corresponding edit plan — short films are often shot out of script order due to location and cast availability; this is normal but requires that the script supervisor (or the director acting as their own script supervisor) track continuity details (clothing, props, hair) across scenes that will be adjacent in the cut; shooting out of order without continuity tracking produces editing problems that cannot be fixed in post
• Declaring shooting complete before reviewing all footage — finishing the last shoot day and declaring production complete without reviewing the coverage is a mistake; playback issues, focus problems, and performance issues that seemed fine on the small camera screen are often discovered during the first edit session when they cannot be reshot; do a rough coverage review within 24 hours of each shoot day

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Open the coverage log and check it lists every scene from the script — count the scenes in the script and the rows in the log; if any scenes are missing from the log, ask whether they were covered or cut
• Look at the production photo for evidence of actual filming — if the photo is ambiguous, ask 'who else was present on the shoot and what was their role?'; a solo shooter is fine but the photo should show the camera in use, not just the location
• Ask about the backup status — 'are the raw files backed up in two locations?' Footage that exists only on a single card or drive at submission time is at risk; if backup has not been done, recommend doing it before editing begins

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Proof required

Submit: (1) a public URL to the finished film (YouTube, Vimeo, or a festival submission link), and (2) a 150+ word post-production reflection covering: what you cut from the script in editing and why, what you would shoot differently knowing what you know now, and where you plan to screen or submit the film next.

What gets checked

• Film URL is publicly accessible — a private YouTube link or a password-protected Vimeo link is not a public screening; the link must open to a film viewable by anyone who follows it; if the film has been submitted to a festival that has not yet screened it, a festival submission confirmation email serves as alternative proof
• Film has been edited to at least a rough cut quality — a raw footage assembly with no pacing adjustments, no music or ambient sound, and no colour treatment is not a complete edit; the minimum is: scenes in order, obvious bad takes removed, a music track or ambient sound underneath scenes, and consistent exposure between shots
• Post-production reflection addresses all three prompts with specificity — 'I cut a few scenes' does not pass for the first prompt; 'I cut the café scene entirely because it slowed the second act and the information in it was already established by the prior scene' is the level of specificity required; each of the three prompts must be answered in at least two substantive sentences

Common mistakes

• Not completing a rough cut before fine-cutting — filmmakers who try to perfect each cut before moving to the next scene spend weeks on the first two scenes and lose perspective on the whole film; do a rough cut of the entire film first (assemble all scenes in order, remove obviously unusable takes), watch it once, then begin fine-cutting from the beginning; the rough cut gives perspective that scene-by-scene fine-cutting does not
• Treating sound design as optional — the most common quality gap in first short films is audio: music that is too loud over dialogue, dialogue that varies in level between cuts, and ambient silence that makes indoor scenes sound dead; DaVinci Resolve's Fairlight audio tools handle these problems; even a single music track mixed down under the dialogue and scene ambient sound transforms the perceived quality of a short film
• Not submitting to a festival or community screening before claiming 'screened' — a YouTube upload viewed only by the filmmaker and their family is a publication, not a screening in the spirit of the milestone; submit to at least one short film festival (Vimeo Staff Picks, Sundance shorts, or local film festivals all accept submissions) or organise a small community screening (15+ audience members) to get genuine audience feedback

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Open the film URL and watch at least 2 minutes — check for: scenes in correct story order, audible dialogue, some music or ambient sound treatment, and basic colour consistency between shots; a film where the audio cuts between wildly different levels or where scenes are visibly in the wrong order has not been edited
• Read the post-production reflection for all three prompts — what was cut and why (specific scene or sequence), what they would reshoot (specific decision with a reason), and next screening plan (a named festival or event); ask about any missing prompt
• Ask about the screening audience — 'how many people outside your immediate circle have seen the film?' A filmmaker whose only audience is family and close friends has not yet received the kind of feedback that comes from screening to strangers; if the film has not been submitted anywhere, recommend FilmFreeway as a next step

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