Create the story. All great films and videos have an outstanding story. No matter if the story lasts for five minutes or two hours, you need a compelling story that introduces characters, creates goals and problems, and resolves the issue in the end.
Writing good dialogue and developing characters can be difficult. If you are only making a short video, between 10 and 15 minutes, chances are you will not have to get too deep. But you will need at least one character and some dialogue, unless you are making a silent video.
Try to create something completely original or different from standard storytelling. Take a look at your favorite movies and try to stick to their formula, but all the while adding a new twist or style. Fans of short videos want to watch a story that hasn't been told before. They want it to come quick and they want it to be good.
Find equipment. To make a short video you must have a camera and other basic video equipment such as mics and lights. If you do not own these materials, then you need to rent it. Some people can get by without audio equipment and lighting, but the overall image and feel of the video will not be near as professional looking. So if you are shooting for a professional video, then you need professional-quality lights and audio.
There's a huge difference between a $200 camera and a $2,000 camera. The higher priced camera obviously is built for much better quality. However, if you cannot afford to purchase or rent a camera of that quality, you must do with what you can afford.
Organize casting talent and crew. The video might be short and simple. It might not require any talent or you might be the sole actor. If you are looking to have several characters and want better acting than what your brother has to offer, chances are you will have to organize a casting session. Advertise through filmmaking classifieds. You will be surprised how many quality actors are looking to work for free just for some professional exposure. Hold a casting session and allow prospective actors to act out your script.
Two to four crew members will be perfect for a short video. You need a camera operator, a lighting operator and an audio operator. You can find some very knowledgeable crew members who will vastly improve the quality of your video solely by improving lighting and audio. You also need a director, but usually that's going to be the person who came up with the idea, which is, of course, you.
Shoot your short video. Make sure you write up a script and stick to it. Scout locations and keep them to a minimum. A lot of great films or videos have been shot entirely in one location. Allow your crew ample time to set up the shot. It's amazing how long it takes to get the perfect shot.
Make sure the actors rehearse and are ready. Calm their nerves by supporting them through mistakes and slip-ups. The ideal thing about video is it's much cheaper than shooting on film. You can afford to have a ton of footage. Do multiple takes and experiment by shooting the same scene from several different angles and close-ups.
Make sure you provide for your cast and crew. Chances are you aren't paying them, so provide free food and refreshments at the shoot. These simple gestures will keep your cast and crew happy.
After the shoot ends, you must take all the master footage and edit it down to a pre-defined length -- again no longer than 15 minutes. Computer editing software may look daunting at first, but it's actually much simpler than you would think. The best advice when working with editing and its software is to mess around with the program. You will become a master of editing before you know it.
Once the video is edited and burned onto a DVD, you now have several options. First off, show your friends and family your muse. Several short film and video festivals exist. Often you can submit it and, if approved, have it shown in front of an audience for no cost. It's a great way to get exposure. Also, you will meet other filmmakers and movie buffs at these events.
You never know where a short video can take you. Create a perfect story, execute it to your best of ability and find exposure. Another gig may be rewarded based on your work.