Join Chad Perkins for an in-depth discussion in this video Showing, not telling, part of Creating a Short Film: 02 Writing.
- Along with telling the truth,…another popular writing adage is to show, not tell.…This basically means that it's better to have an…audience see things,…and put pieces together,…rather than just be told something.…It's so much more engaging and satisfying…to see something and figure it out,…rather than to have it spelled out, told to you.…In To Kill A Mockingbird, when Atticus Finch prepares…to leave the courtroom,…all the people in the rafters stand in respect for all…he's done for their community.…It's a very moving and powerful image,…and it means a lot more than if someone in the rafters…simply told Scout, hey we all respect Atticus Finch a lot,…right guys?…It doesn't quite pack the same punch.…
A film is a medium of moving pictures,…so it's important that your film is,…you know, well, filmic.…You know, even if your short film doesn't have a story,…it still needs to be an experience with visuals…and movement.…If your story is told in dialogue,…it would probably make a better play than a movie.…In the world of cinema,…
Author
Chad Perkins
Released
5/5/2016. Make sure to watch the first installment to learn about the background of the project and to get an overview of the role of the producer. Watch the follow-up episodes to learn more about pre-production, directing, working with actors, editing and visual effects, and everything else that goes into filmmaking. This is a one-of-a-kind educational experience you won't find anywhere else.
- Finding your story
- Building a character arc
- Identifying story beats
- Borrowing from archetypes
- Writing a fantasy film
- Using screenwriting software such as Final Draft and Adobe Story
- Polishing the script
- Understanding screenplay formatting
Skill Level Appropriate for all
Duration
Views
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Welcome
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Welcome to this series3m 4s
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The importance of the script4m 10s
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Previewing our short film7m 43s
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1. Story Basics
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What is a story?1m 49s
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Making a strong protagonist4m 29s
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Having a character arc2m 51s
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Creating a logline3m 6s
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Using a three-act structure3m 29s
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Identifying story beats5m 19s
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Writing the truth3m 48s
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Showing, not telling4m 34s
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2. Getting Ideas
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Being inspired by resources2m 12s
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Borrowing from archetypes6m 34s
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3. Creating a Fantasy World
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About genre conventions3m 23s
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Using supernatural forces3m 33s
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Studying Hollywood prologues3m 19s
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4. Writing the Story
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Examining our original story4m 12s
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Creating shadow characters2m 52s
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Exploring the theme6m 3s
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Writing a pickup scene2m 13s
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5. Writing the Screenplay
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Using Final Draft6m 23s
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Using Adobe Story2m 54s
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Writing with a partner4m 3s
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About writing credits1m 21s
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6. Improving the Script
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About the polishing phase3m 24s
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Recruiting script reviewers3m 15s
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Ensuring everything matters3m 28s
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Using subtext6m 6s
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Adding more humanity2m 52s
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Creating a “mystery box”4m 1s
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When is the script done?2m 40s
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7. Rewriting the Script
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Why was a rewrite necessary?3m 10s
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Examining the new beats4m 18s
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Enhancing conflict2m 35s
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Throwing away the best parts4m 28s
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Conclusion
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Evaluating our script3m 57s
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Previewing the next course1m 28s
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Final thoughts2m 2s
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Video: Showing, not telling