SHORT FILM FUNDING GUIDE
By William Mager
Apologies for the slightly basic look of the page. This is a guide to short film funding.
Here you will find useful links, downloadable documents, and more.
PART ONE - WATCH SHORT FILMS:
Before you start thinking about your own short film idea, it's good to look at others.
Here are some useful links to channels, filmmakers and good DVDs to buy.
Most of these are subtitled, but some won't be:
Futureshorts:
The largest short film channel in the world. There are some beautiful films on here, and
a lot of the foreign ones are subtitled.
http://uk.youtube.com/futureshorts
William Mager:
Old hack, never really made it, never will etc etc.
William's YouTube channel
How They Get There:
Spike Jonze's first ever short film. No dialogue.
How They Get There on YouTube
Spin:
What if God was a DJ and his decks could turn back time? No dialogue.
Spin on YouTube
Key To Reserva:
Scorsese does a Hitchcock short. No dialogue.
Key to Reserva on YouTube
Turner Classic Movies:
Watch this year's short winners. 9-Ball is particularly clever.
TCM Shorts 2008
Short Film DVDs:
These DVDs contain a mix of captioned, silent and non captioned films.
Cinema 16 British Short Films
Cinema 16 European Short Films
Cinema 16 World Short films
Regarde La Mer
Buster Keaton: The Complete Short Films
Adventures in Short Film Vol 1
Oscar Nominated Shorts on iTunes:
If you have an iTunes account, download these five short films.
All of them are subtitled bar one, and they're a masterclass in story.
Oscar Shorts (iTunes link)
Worst film ever:
Whatever you do, make sure your film doesn't turn out like this...
Best fight scene of all time
PART TWO - READ SHORT FILM SCRIPTS:
Before you start thinking about your own short film idea, it's good to look at others.
Zoetrope:
Register and read other people's scripts, and submit your own for evaluation.
Zoetrope
Short Film Scripts:
Try these shorts from SimplyScripts.com including Bunuel's Un Chien Andalou.
SimplyScripts.com
Australian Short Scripts
A few short scripts from Australian students.
Australian Short Scripts
Death of the Revolution:
A very classy short script by Chris and Ben Blaine.
Death of the Revolution
PART THREE - READ MORE ABOUT SCREENWRITING:
Many screenwriters have their own blogs, with useful links and resources. Like these:
Twelvepoint.com
This site is basically Shooting People for Scriptwriters. £29 a year
Which gives you access to a huge library of resources.
http://www.twelvepoint.com
Writing for Performance
Robin Kelly's site looks like it's from 1996.
But the content is second to very few.
http://www.robinkelly.btinternet.co.uk
Scriptwriting in the UK
The blog of Danny Stack, screenwriter and script editor,
carving out a career in the UK TV/film industry, and beyond...
http://dannystack.blogspot.com
Wordplayer
Heard of Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio? You should have.
They wrote Pirates of The Caribbean. What ain't on this site ain't worth knowing.
http://www.wordplayer.com
Geoff Thompson
Has written several amazing short films.
http://blog.geoffthompson.com
John August
The guy wrote Big Fish and The Nines. He's a good guy and his blog is really informative.
http://johnaugust.com
Script Secrets
This dude has written nearly 20 direct to DVD films. Respect.
http://www.scriptsecrets.net
PART FOUR - TREATMENT:
Your treatment should be the blueprint for your script.
Have a look at these articles and sample treatments.
Annoyingly, many of these links are for features, but the principles are the same.
A short film treatment is usually a page at most, maybe two pages.
A lot of these samples are for as yet unmade features.
Writing Treatments
Some useful rules and tricks for you to remember when writing your treatment.
Writing Treatments
Sample Treatments
Have a look at these treatments and scriptments from SimplyScripts.
SimplyScripts.com
ET II: Nocturnal Fears
Sorry, just had to put this one in. Steven Spielberg wrote a treatment
for a sequel to ET. If you're gonna learn how to write a treatment, learn
from the best, I say...
ET II treatment
The 108 Most Persuasive Words in the English Language
Use these words in your treatment. They're persuasive.
Persuasive Words PDF
PART FIVE - SCRIPTING:
Now you've done your treatment, you're ready to write your own script.
I really recommend Final Draft. But if you can't afford, try the templates at BBC Writers Room.
Final Draft
http://www.finaldraft.com/
BBC Writers' Room Templates
Scriptsmart
Euroscript Script Formats
Euroscript.co.uk
How To Write a Good Short Film
TimesOnline Article
Writing the Photoplay
The first EVER book written about screenwriting in 1913.
Photoplay PDF
The William C Martell Blue Book Series
These are a great set of 'workthroughs' and more accessible than a single writing manual.
Blue Book
36 Dramatic Situations
An exploration of the different situations you can explore in drama. Thought-provoking.
Georges Polti article
Script Reading Agencies
Once you've written your script, get it read by a professional script reader.
Scriptfactory are very good indeed, and give you a fast turnaround.
ScriptFactory.co.uk
ScriptToolbox.com
bang2write.com
Alligators In A Helicopter
ScreenYorkshire.co.uk
PART SIX - FUNDS AND NETWORKING:
Next up, you need to get meeting with potential funders, other filmmakers, cast and crew.
Start doing it online through these sites.
Find your local film fund
The UK Film Council should be your first port of call.
Search for your local fund, contact them and say you would
like to meet them for a chat about your film idea.
Film Council Short Funds
Shooting People
An invaluable source of crew, advice and tips throughout production.
Without Shooting People, there would have been no Stiletto. It's that important.
Sign up, and start reading the emails. Send a message to the group introducing yourself
and ask any questions you like. Submit your short film for the script pitch
network email every Wednesday and get feedback.
shootingpeople.org
Talent Circle
Like Shooting People, but free.
talentcircle.org
The Magic Hour
Justin Edgar, director of Special People, has launched a new film fund for deaf and disabled filmmakers.
http://www.themagichour.org.uk/
SAMPLE FUNDING PACKAGE for
Melodie En Sous-Sol:
This is a sample for a short film that will never get made.
It's based on various Alain Delon films of the 60s and 70s.
It's intended as a guide to how a good funding package is put together.
Cover sheet, synopsis, treatment, director's statement,
schedule and mood board:
Melodie En Sous-Sol Funding Package
Script:
Melodie En Sous-Sol Script
Budget:
Melodie En Sous-Sol Budget
OTHER USEFUL LINKS:
Short Film Funding Book
This book is a must have. Well worth the £14.99.
Shooting People Shorts Book
REMEMBER:
Watch Short Films.
Network - do it online and organise face to face meetings where you can.
Ask yourself - why do I want to make the film?
Develop your skills through training.
The Idea. Make sure your idea is good, and original. Keep developing it.
Good luck.
William Mager, Director of Stiletto and Hands Solo