How to Make a Short Film as an Actor

To make a short film, start with a simple story you can shoot in one or two locations, gather a small crew (director, camera, sound and a helper or two), and budget separately for the shoot, post-production and festivals. Then edit, grade and clear your music before you submit. This page draws on SAS founder Kym Jackson's Journey class on creating your own content and our sessions with Melissa Center and Shaked Berenson.

Why should actors make their own short films?

Kym Jackson's list of reasons starts with control: you choose the role, the story and the people. A short also gives you footage for a character you want on your reel, a reason to attend filmmaker events, and something to invite your network to. Once you have made a film, she finds filmmakers treat you as a peer.

Melissa Center adds that producing teaches skills you keep for your whole career. Shaked Berenson's caution: treat it as practice and footage, keep spending low, and don't expect a big release.

How do you find the right story?

Kym suggests starting with what you already have access to: a striking location, a friend who is a talented cinematographer or costume maker, props or vehicles. Building the story around free resources adds a lot of production value. Pick a genre you genuinely love, because you will follow the film to festivals full of that genre.

If you don't write, look for writers at your level through screenplay competitions, writing classes, film festivals, or by contacting writers of shorts you admire. Melissa Center warns against chasing trends, since by the time a trendy film is finished it is already behind. Write what responds to the world you see now.

How much does a short film cost?

It depends on your locations, crew size and anything complex such as stunts or visual effects. Melissa Center splits a short into production and post, festival entries, and marketing. Her own recent shorts cost about $1,000 to produce with a minimal crew and one location, and roughly $2,000 to $3,000 all in.

Remember the hidden lines: feeding everyone on set, an editor, post sound, colour, titles, possibly a composer, then festival entry fees, travel and posters. Favours, students and a single location keep it lean.

How do you fund a short film?

The usual routes are paying yourself, crowdfunding, grants, or a backer who believes in you. Melissa Center has used most of them, splitting one film's cost with her producing partner and adding a crowdfunding page later.

In her crowdfunding class she explains that the work is mostly preparation and marketing, not the campaign page. Know exactly what you are making, when you plan to shoot and why the story matters now, then work backwards. She plans a 30-day campaign, finishes it about two weeks before the money is needed, and starts preparing around 90 days earlier.

What is the minimum crew for a short film?

Melissa Center's minimum is about five people: a director, a director of photography, ideally a camera assistant to pull focus, a sound recordist, and a production assistant or second producer. Add a gaffer or grip if you can. Don't skimp on sound: poor audio can break an otherwise good film.

To find crew, try local film schools full of students who need projects, crew listing sites such as Mandy, and simply telling your network what you need.

What equipment do you need?

Less than you think, but the right gear. Melissa Center says you can shoot on anything from a phone up to a high-resolution cinema camera, with lenses chosen by your cinematographer. You also need good lights, sound kit (lapel mics, a boom and a mixer, which a sound recordist often brings) and a slate so the editor can sync picture and sound.

Do you need permits to shoot a short film?

Usually, if you are filming anywhere that isn't private property you control. Melissa Center needed permits to shoot on a Malibu beach and saw patrols checking. In Los Angeles, permits go through FilmLA, the official film office for Greater Los Angeles. Elsewhere, start with your city or regional film office.

This is general information. Check with your local film office, and a lawyer if needed, for your situation.

Should you direct and act in your own short?

There is no right answer. Melissa Center co-directed the short she starred in so a trusted partner could watch the performance, then directed her next film without acting in it. Her advice: if the role is emotionally demanding, bring in another director. If you have never made a film, consider directing someone else first to learn the process.

What happens in post-production?

You will need an editor (ask your network, film schools or Mandy), post sound and ideally a colourist, who evens out the look between scenes and adds tone. Melissa Center's editor used Adobe Premiere.

Clear everything you show. A popular song needs a licence that can be very expensive, so many filmmakers use independent artists who give permission, or a composer building a portfolio. Visible brands also need permission, and watch for stray coffee cups in frame. General information only: check rights questions with a lawyer for your situation.

How do you get a short film into festivals?

Start with an excellent, authentic film, then choose festivals that suit it. Melissa Center researches what each festival has screened before and asks filmmakers who have played there. Top-tier festivals are much harder to break into without relationships or a known name.

Each festival charges an entry fee, so set a budget. She suggests starting with around 10 festivals, then using early selections to approach others, which sometimes leads to fee waivers. Building relationships with programmers helps too.

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