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I love thematic stuff. But as you pointed out, a short can have power without a theme. Like your man digging the grave for himself.
I liked Pia's zombie story, and I don't think it's thematic. I mean you can always create some kind of thematic label for something, but I think here the story was built around the powerful image of a woman who makes a terrible but logical choice.
I think the key for a short is to really try and hit one thing very powerfully. And for me, power is the key word. That's what I want to try to do with my shorts in the future. Whether it's a powerful theme or idea, or a memorable image, or a strong emotion like love or loyalty, or terror.
I haven't really written anything I expect to see filmed anyway. I'm have been more just trying to learn how to write.
Was nothing aimed at you Kevin. I am just arrogant enough to believe I think I know what would make better film then most on this site. Arrogance is a slight necessity for a screenwriter IMO. Definetly was not targeting any of your work. I haven't read Station yet. But, there will come a time with online sources that help you learn to write become boring... Tell me how many raving reviews you've seen on this site.??? Front to back??? WE all like to point out each others faults. Many of us feel its our duty to try. If you're confident, write a fucking feature and try to sell it. Til then, I'll visit your shorts. I write mine for filmakers, not other writers. Just hoping it will catch someone's fancy...
I think you're playing around with the organic nature of your story and venturing into a minefield of contrivance if you aim for those end goals. Ultimately, you're trying to engineer an emotion manipulatively - and yes, there's a school of thought to say film is just that. We all know what's provocative or powerful within a story - the job of the writer is surely to give the filmmaker the tool to give rise to the possibilities we've outlined in the blueprint. Therefore to strive for some resonating power is to risk losing the essence of the story.
Not arguing. Just putting across my POV.*
* My point of view is not designed to do anything but state my point of view.
And b) that the old guard would probably be very unhappy and try to kill this.
hahaha and I can only wonder who wrote that.
A Simply Recommended Shorts thread could be handy. Of course when you have a different person passing through and posting a great short they just read of the 2300 on the site, the thread could get exorbitantly large in a hurry. Not that I'm complaining; I'm kinda null on the whole thing but I've always preferred the regular Simply Recommended Scripts thread. I always felt it served its purpose.
I've read so many shorts on here I can't even think of one to contribute...
I've written 3 features, and a couple of 30 pagers that I might turn into a feature. Plus I'm 25 pages into a new feature I just started. But it's a process. When I write a feature that I feel is good enough, I will see where I can take it. But for now, it's about writing and learning for me.
The learning actually started at the Feb OWC. I had little clue how to write, started learning from feedback there. To be honest, I don't know much about movies either. I spent the last 20 years out every night, and not at the movies.
I've become a fan of shorts, because it's a great testing ground for concepts, and a great way to learn by getting feedback. And I've become interested in the short itself. Even if by some miracle I sold a script and found work in the field, I would still be interested in shorts. It's like being at the bar and telling a story that gets everyone's attention. You have to be able to do it in a certain amount of time. There's an art to it.
As usual, I feel most are completely missing the point.
That point being, write a solid, well written script, with good characters, a good story, something unique, something memorable, and on top of everything else, something that works.
It doesn't matter if it's a short or a feature. It doesn't matter if there's some deep theme or character study. It just has to fucking work and entertain those who choose to read it.
Same goes with films. There are so many "critics" in here, who talk just like Pro critics, analyzing this and that, throwing out BS that has absolutely nothing to do with what the writer/film maker was after.
Look at all the successful films over the years. Look at why they were successful. It's not because of some deep theme or meaning that the makers were after or the critics decided to play up. They're successful because of a few different reasons...
Star Power - be that the actual stars, or the "stars" behind the film.
Entertainment value - A biggie through and through.
Pure damn luck - All to often the case, as so many "great movies" do crap at the BO, yet so many crapfests rake in the money.
You can look all you want at success stories and try to emulate them, but the bottom line is that you don't need to. Take from them what you can, but be your own person, write in your own voice, and show the fucking world what you got.
Shorts ain't where it's at. Very few care about them more than just a good read for 10 minutes of their time.
I think this site lacks for horror. Haven't read anything worthy of a recommend in some time. James
I dunno... 'Teaching with Violence' ain't bad at all imh. I'd def. recommend it. And, for a complete change of pace 'West Side Markets' - great visuals... and for quintessential British humour: AA's EMD, and Rendevous' The Key, though I'm not sure if the latter is still up.
I really think this thread should be linked with the other one though 'Simply Recommended' - says me who put it here.
Some of the stuff you said I agree with - the parts about your own voice, etc.
But I will disagree that dissecting a film is tantamount to pontificating as a 'Pro critic'. I enjoy reading from both ends of the spectrum, if you will.
Ultimately, though - who cares? It's just a set of views.
There may not be money in shorts, Jeff, but you may underestimate what they can lead to. I just read a story a couple months ago about a director who won an award with his short(something about a clown who can't cry) and who's gotten real work in Hollywood now out of it.
Granted, that was a director, not a writer.
Chuff, that's not an argument. It's a snipe. The internet is wonderful for that, isn't it?
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