Making a Winning Short: How to Write, Direct, Edit, and Produce a Short Film

by Edmond Levy

Making a Winning Short is the first book to give hands-on instruction on how to write, direct, edit, and produce a fictional short in film or video. Edmond Levy guides the beginning filmmaker step-by-step through the stages of making a writing the script (from developing the idea to fine-tuning the final draft), launching production, casting, and working with the actors, working with the crew, directing the camera, editing, and other aspects of post-production. He devotes a separate chapter to Hi-8 video and gives a list of short-film festivals, both domestic and international.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction

308 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 1994

Reviews

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book that was written by a really old guy who grew up before the major era of serious digital filmmaking. Although the book and knowledge was a little dated, the insights he gives into storytelling (which never becomes outdated), how to work with others, what the responsibilities are of different roles in the process, and the technicalities of filmmaking were all very helpful.

[Eleanor Thorp · Rating 3 out of 5]

First third to half was very useful + relevant, from that point I’d say it’s a bit out of date and the author focuses on his own work to an extent that it’s no longer useful to a reader.

[Kartik · Rating 5 out of 5]

The great value in this book is the way it goes step by step through the process of creating a short film, while using an example from an actual film the author made. It's wonderful the way he analyzes the choices he made, describing exactly why one thing is better than another and how, little by little, his film takes shape over time.

Also, many of the example films he references are available on you tube. So you can go back and forth between the book and the films. One can gain a great understanding of the form by viewing the award-winning shorts which he references.

A chapter on directing actors gives a simplified version of Harold Clurman's technique of using action verbs.

A chapter on production talks about the costs associated with using SAG actors. He also encourages people to avoid crowd scenes and to keep locations as simple as possible.

Edmond Levy won an Oscar. He gives the sensible, hands-on advice of someone who has been in the trenches as a filmmaker. Nothing academic here.

Anything regarding technology need not be read, however it can be interesting for young filmmakers to comprehend how films were made back then (shooting on film or on VHS or Hi-8 formats). It can even give an appreciation for how technically advanced filmmaking has become.

This volume is important. No matter what the technology, a good story is what makes a film successful and Levy gives the reader the tools to achieve that.

[Jeremy Hung · Rating 3 out of 5]

Limited information on the basics and doesn't go much farther than that. Still good information for the beginning filmmaker.

[Tye · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book. It covered idea development, writing, crew, cast, pre and post production.

[Lesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Film making