Click the links below to read each Masterclass. Each month, we'll bring you a step-by-step guide to every aspect of short filmmaking.

MASTERCLASS ONE:
WHAT MAKES A GOOD SHORT?

MASTERCLASS TWO:
CAN YOU MAKE A SHORT FOR £100?

MASTERCLASS THREE:
THE SHOOT

MASTERCLASS FOUR:
PROMOTING YOUR SHORT

AFTER DARK MASTERCLASS ONE:
WHAT MAKES A GOOD SHORT?

Firstlight Pictures:
We've seen literally hundreds of shorts. When you go to film festivals, you might see fifty shorts but only three will stick out. Remember you are making a short film, not a mini feature. It has to work in its own right. The film has to have a voice, something that makes it stand out. One of our favourites is a short probably made about 15 years ago called Scratch by Jamie Thraves. It's about a guy who can't stop scratching and how it affects the relationship with his dad. It's simple, highly visual and about something. It helps to watch a lot of shorts for inspiration.

Intrepido:
We are always looking for something we haven't seen before. Choosing a script is, at the end of the day, very subjective but the one that grabs you on an emotional or intellectual level or both and doesn't let go of you, is probably the one you should think about developing. Scripts rarely land on your desk perfectly formed and that's why development can be so great - you see the potential in an idea or script and help the writer get there. We are creative producers and we like to get involved with every aspect of the film. With Breaking Out, we really wanted to work with director Marianela Maldonado. Her previous short which she also wrote was also in Cannes and got her noticed but we needed another short to raise her profile in the UK so we set out to find a script for her to direct. Our aim was to work on a script that had something unique, and which had more than one thing going on at the same time, that had more than one layer. As a producer one of the most important decisions (some may say, the most important!) you can make is choosing a director that is right for the project. You should also have an audience in mind but if you want your film to appeal to as many people as possible, you must fist appeal to the one common denominator people have, which is their humanity. Breaking Out is about depression, which is not necessarily an appealing subject but we were determined to make it with honesty and that is what our audiences, from teenage girls to older women, have responded to.

Dazzle Films:
If you are creating a story, think about having a good ending. A lot of short films I have seen seem to stop dead. You can see when a short has been properly prepared and paced at script stage, the filmmakers have thought about how it will flow on the screen. In terms of selling, comedies always do well and so do love stories. Three years ago comedians The Mighty Boosh made a hilarious short film called Sweet about a man and his imaginary girlfriend. It's still selling. Films with little or no dialogue obviously cross borders. By contrast if the film has heavy regional accents, it can be a hindrance, no matter what the quality of the work.

Onedotzero:
A strong idea. That does not necessarily mean a strong script (although that is very important) it can also mean a strong sense of what you want to achieve visually. With onedotzero we are finding that an background in new media and graphic design, for example, can enhance the storytelling. Graphic design is a communication art and can add a new layer to the story if their work is layered over the image in the right way. By that I mean, in a way that it moves an audience, not just for effect but adding dimension to the narrative or character development etc. The chemistry must be right so all the elements: script, camerawork, music etc work together. Good collaboration also applies to the individual who is doing everything themselves; you should not allow one area of the production to dominate. Try and think unconventionally as a response to tight budgets. onedotzero champions cross fertilisation, so graphic designers and architects collaborating on a short can come up with a new perspective on both their trades as well as infusing moving image.