Attributes of an Academy-qualifying Short Screenplay and Pre-production Elements

• There must be conflict of motives between the principal actors in every scene

• There must be strong opening visual and/or strong opening action.  Oscar winners almost never open with master shots of things, unless the things are exploding.  Most winners open with people reacting with strong emotion or action.

• The "hook" must be fully engaged not later than the end of the second page.

• The plot must be resolved at the end

• Although the maximum permissable length is 40 minutes, most qualifiers are much shorter

• Must not be a short version of a feature length film.  That is, things such as character studies will not work in a short film.

• On average, there must be a reveal, a surprise, or a dramatic climax every seven minutes.

• Few winners have music tracks.  The action carries the emotion without musical prompting.

• A period piece increases the marketability of a feature film, but the same is not true of short films.  Period settings add cost and risk to short films, and must be period-set for a reason.  For example, if race relations were the theme of the picture, then a mid-20th century setting is very important.  If the theme is the drug culture, a period setting is not important to the story.

• The planned average shot length can deviate from the feature film average of six seconds, but only for good cause.  "Dead air" is not good cause.

Production and Post-production Values

• Sound must be impeccable.  This usually means that most dialog has been replaced.  All elements of sound must be present (no omitted elements of sound corresponding to the visuals)

• Acting must be believable.  If belief cannot be suspended, the film will fail.

• Emotions, beliefs and thoughts need to be discernable from the action.  That is, the actors' bodies and motives must be natural and synchronized.

• Planning of the visuals must be comprehensive and not ad-hoc.  For example, wardrobe selection must reflect the personalities of the characters and their roles in the story.

• Visuals must not impair the story-telling:

  • Lighting plan must be generated to match the storyboards, the cinemagraphic style, the action and the mood

  • Camera gags don't belong in a narrative piece.  Reserve those for art films.

  • Details must be readable by the audience, for the given exhibition medium.  For example, eye lights on shadowed sides of faces must be readable.

  • Use of shallow DOF should be sparingly used, and never as a substitute for engaging action.

  • There may not be any detectable color-grading problems, such as can easily occur with electronic cameras in the presence of practical lights.

  • Any CGI must be invisible.  (This is usually beyond the feasible technology and budget of a small film).  Lighting, speculars, color and resolution must all match the live action.