Telling a story on film

Ages 13 to 17 Read alone · about 60 minutes

Read together

Film tells stories with images, sound and time. The first step is a clear idea: who wants what, and what stands in the way? A short film of two to three minutes can tell one simple story.

A storyboard plans the shots in drawings. Common shots are the wide shot, which shows where we are, the medium shot, which shows a person, and the close-up, which shows a feeling or a detail. Changing the shot size helps the viewer follow what matters.

Editing joins shots to make meaning. The film editor Walter Murch wrote that a good cut feels right emotionally. Sound is half of film: a quiet room tone, music or a single sound effect can change the mood.

Do it

1. Write a one-paragraph story with a character, a goal and an obstacle, such as a girl trying to deliver a letter in the rain. Theme it around kindness, courage or thanks.
2. Draw a storyboard with eight to twelve frames. Mark each as wide, medium or close-up and add one line about the sound.
3. Film it on a phone, with permission from everyone who appears. Shoot each shot a few times. Keep the phone steady.
4. Edit it in a simple app. Add music and sound. Screen it for family and talk about what worked.

Talk about it

• What does the viewer feel at the end?
• Which shot is the most important?

For the grown-up

Filmmaking mixes art, technology and teamwork. Make sure your teen has permission to film other people, protects privacy, and chooses safe locations. Walter Murch's book “In the Blink of an Eye” is a thoughtful introduction to editing.

Mark as done

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Where this comes from

• Steven D. Katz, Film Directing Shot by Shot: Visualizing from Concept to Screen (Michael Wiese Productions, 1991)
• Walter Murch, In the Blink of an Eye: A Perspective on Film Editing, 2nd ed. (Silman-James Press, 2001)

Written with AI assistance and checked against the sources listed. Please read it before sharing it with a child.