honest useful guidelines for shorts

Mar 16, 2008 - 23:56 PM PST


DO NOT ABUSE THE AUDIENCE.
the audience is supreme in the final say. you are addressing them. discover who they are and treat them with respect. if they are ignorant, inform them. if they are bored, entertain them. if they are unsatisfied, you must change something to fulfill them.
include them in the inner circle. do not hide information from them. they must know what is going on before they lose interest. the conflict is not what the audience doesn't know- it's what the protagonist doesn't know.

PLAY OFF OF CLICHÉS
you do not have time in your short story or film to establish a new rule for an existing culture or item with a signature connotation. do not try. instead, use them to your advantage. a lot can be said in a little time if you use the existing history as a foundation.

BE DELIBERATE IN PROGRESSION
regardless of what it is, if you are trying to make a point or do something, subtlety will not be recognized so actively make your point. when a character is saying something, be concise and succinct. when you want the audience to notice something, surround it in neon and zoom in on it.
if it is not necessary to your work, cut it out. every shot, every scene, every line, every word, every angle means something. nothing is wasted. each element adds to the whole. if it does not progress the story, if it does not add to your goal; it is not necessary and must be removed.

CHOOSE PROGRESS OVER PERFECTION
do not get caught on one scene. do not forget the whole for a movement for a moment. a second of perfection seems out of place in a minute of legitimate chaos. an epic failure is not redeemed by a moment of success; an epic success can recover from a temporary failure. in a story, no movement acts as a one-hit-wonder; the work must stand as a whole.

DECIDE ON PRIORITIES BEFORE HAND
pick what is most important to you and make a success in that arena. mold everything else around how to support that goal. accomplishing one task completely, with a disclaimer to qualify, is enough to carry anything (once again, do not deceive the audience; let them know your goal and what to expect). if all elements are moderate, your work will be moderate. if the audience knows to exclude the things that were not your goal, and you reach your goal exceptionally-- your work will be exceptional.

WORK WITH A DEADLINE NOT FOR IT
pressure is the great inspirer. all work becomes creative at the last second. give yourself enough time to put that creativity to use. each project will be different, and each will have a certain style conducive to its completion; but make sure you never kid yourself. procrastinate as long as you don't sacrifice quality creativity for completion as motivation.

BE REALISTIC
never look with bright eyes at that which cannot be done. take a moment to sit back and truly rationalize your situation. do not get caught up in the idealism of a thing as to overlook reality. with reality in mind, mold your predicament to an environment that you can accomplish your tasks.