How to Make a Short Film
Try Movavi Video Editor!
- Edit and enhance videos easily
- Add stylish transitions, titles, and filters
- Stabilize and reverse video, equalize sound, and more
Filmmaking might seem like an impossible job in the beginning, but it is not actually hard to achieve. Making your first short film will kick-start that dream, and with a website like YouTube, you have a chance to reach an audience in any part of the world.
This article covers all you need to know as a beginner when creating a short film from how to make a short movie to how long it takes to edit one and how much you can earn from your first short film.
At Movavi, we’re committed to providing you with verified information only. Here’s what we do to ensure this:
When selecting products to include in our reviews, we research both demand and popularity.
All products mentioned in this article have been tested by Movavi Content Team.
When testing, we compare key parameters, including video and audio trimming, visual effects, stabilization, video quality adjustments, saving and sharing videos, and other significant features.
We study user reviews from popular review platforms and make use of this information when writing our product reviews.
We collect feedback from our users and analyze their opinions of Movavi software as well as products from other companies.
Disclaimer
The apps with #CommissionsEarned in the description have affiliate links. When you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, we receive commissions. If you want to support our portal, you can use the links. Otherwise, you can find the recommended products using a search engine.
This answers the question of how to make a short movie using a short film maker and edit it to get the best quality.
How to make a short video
The following steps will tell you how to create a short film or how to make a short video from the ground up and have it be good enough to distribute to the public.
The script
There can’t be a film without a script so the first thing to do when you want to make a short film is to get a script. To produce a good short film, you need a good script and for beginners, your first script might not be perfect but that’s okay. The more you practice, the better you get at it. Consider that the goal is to make a short film, so your script shouldn’t be very lengthy. An alternative is to search online for already written scripts if you don’t want to write your script by yourself but make sure to contact the screenwriter if you plan to make money from the short film.
Check out our video guide to writing a script for a movie:
Look for shooting locations
Now that you have your script ready, the next step when creating a short film is to find a location or locations that match the story you are trying to tell in your film. If the movie is happening outdoors, find a safe place and get permission to shoot there. If the movie is happening indoors, you can use your own house.
Get actors and recruit a crew for the movie
If your budget allows, you can scout for and hire professional actors to star in your short film. Scout for actors that fit the script of the movie and can imitate the characters’ personalities. If you are on a tight budget and can’t use professional actors, casting your family and friends is an easy and affordable way to get actors for your movie.
After this is done, get a crew and make sure they have defined roles to play in bringing your short film to life. Depending on your budget, you can hire a professional crew for the different parts of filmmaking like cinematography, editing, lighting etc. or you can get your friends who are interested in filmmaking to help or fill in the roles by yourself. Your budget will determine what your choice will be.
Shoot the film
Now, the next step in creating your movie is to shoot it. First of all, get your actors to rehearse the scenes in the film and correct any mistakes they make as you tell them how you want the film to be acted. After rehearsing, get them in costumes for the film and get shooting. Plan times for shooting in case you have a specific setting or the weather you need. You don't need to shoot chronologically as you can arrange your clips during the editing process.
After you have shot all the scenes and your movie is finished, you can call it a wrap. Make sure to thank everyone who had a hand in helping you create your short film.
Edit your film
The final stage is to edit your film. To ensure that you get a great film, you need a good video editing app. One of the best apps for video editing is Movavi Video Editor which helps to enhance your videos as it offers a wide range of features to make the editing process very easy and simple for you. You can use the app on the computer to get good quality for your movie.
After editing is done, you can then distribute your movie on platforms like YouTube.
Here you’ll find a list of short film software options to edit your movie.
Special pick: Movavi Video Editor
Movavi Video Editor is beginner-friendly film-making software that lets you enhance video quality, apply special effects, and much more. Its simple interface and compact timeline make it easier to get the hang of all the tools, so you can finish your movie in no time. There are multiple title presets and filters that will help you make your film look more professional. If we talk about special effects like Chroma Key, object animation, and slow motion, in Movavi, you can add them in a couple of clicks, as opposed to more advanced software.
Have a look at this video and find out what the program can do:
Pros:
User-friendly interface
Advanced features (chroma key, keyframe animation, etc.)
Fast processing
Cons:
It applies a watermark in the trial version
VSDC Video Editor Pro
VSDC Video Editor Pro has all necessary tools for non-linear editing. This means you can work with random video and audio segments simultaneously. Its interface allows you to easily switch between instruments and make edits without too much effort. Overlay filters and effects, insert titles, then create a DVD with your video using a built-in disk burner.
CyberLink PowerDirector
CyberLink PowerDirector is aimed at more experienced users, due to its more complicated interface. With the help of its tools, you can create video collages, apply a motion tracking effect, and enhance videos from action cameras and drones within a click. Among other features are animated titles, motion graphics elements, and customizable shape objects.
Pinnacle Studio
With Pinnacle Studio, you get more than a short film maker. The suite also includes a screen recording tool giving you more opportunities to create. In its toolbox, you will find Color grading, Video masking, Motion tracking, and other advanced features. Over 1,800 effects and intuitive timeline editing make it a powerful tool for creating films.
Shotcut
Shotcut’s interface may confuse you at first, as it was originally developed for Linux. Now, it’s available for Windows and Mac, too, and is very popular with their users. It provides professional-grade tools for video editing: filters, video scopes, color correction and grading, transitions, and title templates.
How long it takes to edit a short film depends on the length of the film. Editing a film of 45 minutes will take more time than editing a film of 20 minutes. Editing a short can take anywhere from hours to days.
The demand for short films has grown bigger in recent times than ever. Now, that you know how to make a good short film and how to make a short video, it is important to note that there are different ways that you can make money from your short film and they include:
Making your video go viral on YouTube.
Shortfundly, an online platform for creative filmmakers, can be used to promote your short film and gain a wide audience.
You can participate in film festivals to boost your recognition in the industry.
For Instagram, you can post a clip of your short film which will, in turn, get you more views and subscribers.
Lastly, you can sell the copyrights of your movie to make money out of it.
Do you have a low budget for your short film? That’s not a problem. Don’t bother yourself much with a question like “how much does it cost?” You can still make a short that will be considered good even with a slim budget so that you can reduce the cost of production. Use the following steps to get started.
Make sure that you have basic knowledge of what making a short film entails.
Write a great script and ensure to keep it short as the longer a movie takes, the more money it will need.
Make a budget and try to get everything for free. Recruit your friends, family, and classmates to help out in work you cannot do yourself.
Rehearse and film, keeping an eye on your budget to ensure that you stick to it.
Edit your video. You can get Movavi Video Editor to help speed up your editing process. Movavi is easy to use and gives quality edited videos so you don’t have to worry.
After editing, you can then distribute your video on various platforms.
If you want to make a short film alone, you’ll have to create a script without actors so that it won’t need many people to run.
To do this, you might want to:
Write a simple script. Remember that you will be working alone.
Try out the different features of your camera to get familiar with it.
Concentrate on the visual storytelling of your movie and use an external microphone in place of the camera microphone.
Try not to move around too much so that the video doesn’t get blurry.
Edit your video in a simple way to tell your story and then share it with the world.
You can decide not to go the traditional way of making a short film and make your short film on the computer instead. To do this:
First, get a webcam.
Then install the video editing software you will be using (Movavi Video Editor is one of the best editing apps and will give your videos a seamless finish).
Record your video with the editor and then save it.
Then share your video on any platforms you wish.
Best computers for video editing
So you see, making a short film is not as daunting as it first seemed. Follow these basic steps and you are sure to get a great movie.
Movavi Video Editor
*The free version of Movavi Video Editor may have the following restrictions depending on the build: watermark on exported clips, 60-second video or 1/2 audio length limit, and/or some advanced features unavailable when exporting videos.
Similar guides
20+ Best Free IP Camera Software [2024]
Best Video-Editing Software for YouTube
Best SD Cards for GoPro | Best Memory Cards for GoPro
Discord vs. Slack: The Battle of the Bests [Detailed Comparison]
How to Color Grade with Movavi Video Editor
6 Best Free Video Transitions | Info, Tips, Download
4 Ways to Remove Black Bars from Videos
How to Edit YouTube Videos | Video Editor for YouTube
How to trim videos in VLC
Best free gaming intro makers
Top-10 Video Players for Slow Motion in 2024
Have questions?
Join for how-to guides, speсial offers, and app tips!
1.5М+ users already subscribed to our newsletter