Let’s start by defining what makes a short film. The fast and easy answer is a short film is an original motion picture with a runtime of 40 minutes or less. So while a film may be too long to qualify as a short film, it can’t be too brief.

Speaking of brief films, some are designed to be extraordinarily short (as quick as a minute or two), and these are known as micro shorts. Like everything else, micro shorts have their plusses and negatives. Such a short amount of time doesn’t provide a lot of leeway time in terms of developing story and character.

But if you are able to develop a compelling film in such a limited runtime, you’ll create something that not only resonates, but can be watched super-fast. And that’s always helpful.

Film is often seen as a reflection of life. And as simplistic as “looking around” sounds, absorbing your surroundings is a terrific way to pick up ideas. Clearing your head and taking in the environment will often open you up to ideas and notions that have literally been sitting right there in front of you just waiting to be noticed.

With short films, there isn’t a whole lot of time and opportunity to delve deep into character and plot. Shorts typically are constructed to convey a message. Many short films deliver that message within its final seconds. So if your entire short film is leading up to that climax, knowing what that climax is – and the notion it’s supposed to convey (whether that be thematically, dramatically or both) – can be an invaluable tactic in terms of building a story that builds up to that moment.

In short, figure out what the final moment of your short film is and reverse-engineer your story to lead back to it.

This is something of a broad canvas of a directive, but it’s meant to be that way, so as not to narrow your scope. Nearly everything can be researched and studied on some level. All you have to do is choose a subject. Or a location. Or a historical incident. The deeper you want to dive into your chosen material, the more you’ll discover possibilities for stories, characters and themes.

Every object has a story behind it. How compelling or not so is entirely up to the level of storytelling expressing the tale. Think of the volleyball from CASTAWAY, the necklace from TITANIC or the ring from the LORD OF THE RINGS series.

While they’re all nothing more than inanimate objects, they’re also the source of fascinating narratives. And these stories always have less to do with the objects themselves than the characters who got them where they are.

One of the chief components of families are shared memories and experiences. Stories that matter not just because they touch you personally, but typically there’s something relatable in those mini-dramas that most people can identify with. Stories that come from relatives also tend to hold emotional resonance, which is the key when it comes to visual storytelling. If you can’t engage your audience, you’ve lost them.

First, let’s define what a moodboard is. Moodboards are collages (either physical or digital) that use visual images, texts, and other designs to express both a style and an idea. If you only have one of these, try building a moodboard around it. A fleshed-out style could help spark an idea, and vice-versa.

Keep an open mind while you’re building your board, a freeflow of ideas is exactly what you’re looking for when creating a new concept to explore. There are no wrong choices in this stage; creativity works best when it’s unfiltered. Examples of moodboards can be found here.

Choose a genre. It can even be one you’re not fully in love with (in fact, this exercise may work better if it’s not a genre you particularly care for). List out all the required tropes and characteristics of said genre. Now, change a few of these tropes.

Movies like UNFORGIVEN, THE CABIN IN THE WOODS and HEATHERS all took the genres they fall under and subverted a number of their elements. The results were incredible and led to some truly resonating films. Working against an audience’s expectations is always a good way to grab them and keep them hooked.

This one requires being liberal with your creative self. Using a computer (or even a legal pad and pen, if you want to do the throwback thing), get yourself something to blank to write on and just start writing.

About what? Doesn’t matter.

Whatever comes into your head, the more random, the better. Throw a wild idea out there and just run with it. Sometimes (perhaps even many times), it may trail off into nothing. But it also could possibly spin into a great idea, and one that wouldn’t have come to you otherwise.

The key here is to be open to whatever idea flies into your head. And reject nothing until you’ve found a creative notion to latch onto.

That means books, plays, magazine articles, television, songs, and still art. Ideas are lurking everywhere and the best way to stir your own imagination is to expose yourself to as much as possible. The basis of all art is expression. So pay close attention to what the artist of the work in question is trying to say. It may inspire you to say something of your own.

Things are happening everyday. Lives begin, end and turn sideways on a constant basis. Some of these stories are so riveting, they seem too wild to be true. When a story strikes you, write it down. Figure out what about it really resonated with you. Then adapt it and make it your own. Oftentimes, works based on real-life events have a narrative backbone that can help guide the storytelling in a truly organic way.

Loglines are a sentence-long summary of a movie. They break the essence of the film down to its basic parts – from main character to antagonist to central conflict – and explain them in a clear, concise and compelling way. Some logline examples can be found here, Try writing down a few of your own, based off free association. And don’t filter yourself. Keep the ideas free, loose and broad. Ideally, a notion that resonates with you will strike.

Short films have endured through decades (there’s a strong chance you’re even looking to make one right now) and a number have risen to the top. A comprehensive list of them can be found here. Take the time to study these works and analyze what it is about them that elevated the material. Consider ways you can incorporate some of these elements into your own film.

In addition to being a potentially powerful career-setting tool, short films can be a great way to showcase yourself as a filmmaker and improve your creative skillset. Bear in mind both the confines and freedoms of the format as you move forward in finding the perfect idea for yours.