Develop a captivating idea that will immediately make the viewers want to watch. With a short film you only have moments to gain the audiences attention.
Write a short screenplay or collaborate with a screenwriter.
Budget your screenplay and plan your shoot. You need to have a realistic idea of what it will cost and how many days you will need to shoot it.
Hire a production crew. At the very least you will need a cinematographer/camera operator, soundman, editor and producer. Your producer is usually the person who helps budget your movie and manages the different aspects of production while you are making the film.
Rent or purchase production equipment. If you are shooting on film it will be cheaper to rent. If you are shooting on digital video there are several consumer grade digital video cameras that will get the job done. You will also need a lighting package and sound equipment.
Hire actors or convince any actors you know to be in your film. The chances of your film turning out well dramatically increase with the use of professional actors.
Film your movie. Follow the scheduling plan. Stay within the budget and scope of the screenplay.
Edit the raw footage and mix the sound once you are done shooting to complete your movie.