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FilmSkool — a free film school

How to write a short film: Episode 06 - Writing a synopsis

The synopsis as a working tool rather than a submission document — a page that proves the story stands up before you spend a month formatting it.

Anthony Hett · 10 min · Beginner · SCR · Screenwriting · 2021

What you take away

If the story does not survive a synopsis it will not survive a draft.

Watch it

Filed under

Oscar winners for screenplay

Books on screenwriting

Writing Short Films — Linda J. Cowgill
Making Short Films — Clifford Thurlow
The Screenwriter’s Workbook — Syd Field
Writing Screenplays That Sell — Michael Hauge
The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters — Karl Iglesias
Zen in the Art of Writing — Ray Bradbury

Kit for this lesson

Panasonic LUMIX S5 II — Full-frame, open gate, phase detect at last
Panasonic LUMIX S5 IIX — The S5 II with raw out and ProRes internal
Sony a7 IV — The all-round full-frame hybrid
Canon EOS R6 Mark II — The affordable full-frame RF hybrid
Nikon Z6 III — Partially stacked sensor, N-RAW internal
Rode Blimp — Wind protection and a shock mount in one

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THR Writer Roundtable: Chloe Domont, Andrew Haigh, Cord Jefferson, Tony McNamara, Eric Roth & More — The Hollywood Reporter · 40m · Advanced
12 Stages Of The Hero's Journey (Narrated By Christopher Vogler) — Film Courage · 23m · Beginner
Pedro Almodóvar | BAFTA Screenwriters’ Lecture Series — BAFTA Guru · 60m · Advanced
Céline Sciamma | BAFTA Screenwriters’ Lecture Series — BAFTA Guru · 55m · Advanced
Essential Skill Sets Screenwriters Need To Write Professionally - Corey Mandell [FULL INTERVIEW] — Film Courage · 75m · Intermediate
How to write amazing endings for your film. — Standard Story Company · 11m · Intermediate
Mike Leigh | BAFTA Screenwriters' Lecture Series — BAFTA · 62m · Advanced
Writing Subtext — The Secret to Writing What's Under the Surface — StudioBinder · 22m · Intermediate
Anatomy Of Story - Television Edition: The Complete Film Courage Interview with John Truby — Film Courage · 55m · Intermediate

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