What This Service Is
Short film screenwriting is a different craft from writing a feature at a smaller scale. A short that just feels like a truncated feature usually doesn't work. Shorts succeed on a single, sharply defined idea, economical scene-writing, and an ending that lands. This service is built around those constraints: typically one location or a tightly limited number, a small cast, and a runtime built with festival programming and production budgets in mind.
Whether the goal is a festival calling-card, a proof-of-concept for a larger project, or a standalone piece, the script is written to be shootable, not just readable.
Who This Service Is For
- Filmmakers building a portfolio or festival strategy
- Directors who need a proof-of-concept short before pitching a feature or series
- Film students and early-career creators
- Actors who want a strong short as a directing or producing calling card
- Content creators moving from online video into narrative filmmaking
What I Can Help With
- "I have an idea but it's too small for a feature and I don't know how to shape it as a short."
- "My short film script feels padded or unfocused."
- "I need a script that's realistic to shoot on a limited budget."
- "I want a short that can work as a proof-of-concept for a bigger project."
What's Included
- Concept refinement toward a single, sharply defined dramatic idea
- Structural planning suited to short-form runtime (typically 1–40 pages)
- Attention to location count, cast size, and production feasibility
- A full short screenplay draft in professional format
- One structured revision pass
- Notes on festival or proof-of-concept positioning where relevant
Deliverables
- A complete short screenplay (PDF and editable format)
- A logline and short synopsis
- A brief note on production scale and feasibility
Why Work With Me
The most common problem in short film scripts isn't bad writing. It's a feature-sized idea squeezed into ten pages, or a ten-page idea stretched to twenty. Getting the scope right, before drafting starts, is most of the work. That's where the process begins: what is this short actually about, and what's the smallest, sharpest version of that story.
From there, every scene is written with the realities of a short shoot in mind: locations, cast, and a runtime that respects festival and audience attention.
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Frequently Asked Questions
There's no fixed rule, but most shorts run 5–20 pages (roughly 5–20 minutes). Length is discussed during discovery based on the story and its intended use.
Yes. That's a common path. Story Development covers evaluating whether a concept has legs beyond short form.
Yes, festival strategy and programming norms are part of the discussion where relevant, though festival selection itself is outside this service.