ZNMC0109 - Scripting the Short Film

Course Description

In the world of independent film, a short script is more than just a story — it is a professional calling card. This course is designed for writers and aspiring filmmakers who want to hone their short-form storytelling skills while staying grounded in the realities of production.

Whether you are writing your very first script or looking to refine an existing idea, we will focus on the "page-to-screen" logic that makes a story producible. We will examine how to maximize narrative impact using limited locations and small casts, ensuring your script is grounded in reality. Students who choose to fully participate will work toward completing a short screenplay, while those auditing will gain a comprehensive overview of the short-film craft and industry-standard formatting.

Course Outline

Week 1: What defines a short film, and why it's a unique medium. Factors that affect producibility.

Week 2: World building, loglines, and character development.

Week 3: Outlining and structure: transforming an idea to a story with a beginning, middle, and end.

Week 4:  Scene work, pacing, and dialogue. Industry-standard software and formatting.

Week 5: Dealing with feedback and working with a director. How to end your story with a bang.

Week 6: Next steps: first jobs in the industry, career tracks for writers. 

Learner Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Differentiate the unique structural requirements of a short film from feature-length narratives.
• Develop a polished, short screenplay formatted to industry standards.
• Apply "producible" writing techniques by maximizing narrative stakes while strategically limiting locations, cast size, and high-cost elements.
• Effectively integrate notes from peers and instructors, mirroring the collaborative relationship between a screenwriter and other key members of the creative team (Directors, Producers).
• Give voice to their characters to shape realistic dialogue and understand scene building and pacing.
• Transform an initial logline and world-building exercise into a cohesive three-act outline.