Why Everyone Who Wants to Work in Film Should Make a Short Film
So you want to work in film. You’ve watched behind-the-scenes videos, you’ve read the books, maybe even taken a class or two. But there’s one thing that will teach you more than any course, YouTube tutorial, or film job ever could: making your own short film.
Even if you’re not a director, even if you don’t think you’re “ready,” even if you’re broke, this one experience can completely change your understanding of how a film set and how the film industry actually works.
Let’s break down why.
1. You Learn How Films Really Get Made
It’s one thing to watch a set run, it’s another thing entirely to run one. When you make a short film, you suddenly see every piece of the puzzle: scheduling, budgeting, logistics, communication, and what happens when something goes wrong. Even if you’re the one doing absolutely everything.
You learn how every department connects and how important it is to plan ahead. You’ll come out the other side with a new respect for every crew position and a deeper appreciation for teamwork.
Watch one of my first short films where I did everything.
2. It Forces You to Problem-Solve Under Pressure
There’s nothing like the stress of realizing your location just fell through, or your lead actor got sick the morning of the shoot. Welcome to filmmaking. It happens ALL.THE.TIME. It’s not you, I swear.
Every short film has its chaos, and that chaos teaches you adaptability, one of the most valuable skills in this industry. You learn to stay calm, think fast, and make decisions with limited time and resources. Those lessons are gold when you’re working on bigger sets later.
3. It Helps You Find Your Voice
You can’t find your creative identity by waiting for permission to make something! Making a short film lets you experiment, play, and see what kinds of stories you’re drawn to before the stacks get too high.
You might discover you love working with actors, or that you have a knack for production design. You might even realize you want to work behind the scenes more than direct, and that’s valuable insight too. Your short film is your creative testing ground.
4. It Builds Credibility and Confidence
Everyone in film talks about the projects they want to make. Very few ACTUALLY make them. When you finish a short film, even a scrappy one shot on your phone, you prove you can start and finish a project. You already more then most people!
That puts you ahead of most people starting out. Plus, you now have something to show. Something real you can link in your emails, share in applications, or talk about in interviews. Action speaks louder than intention, and nothing says “I’m serious about this industry” like having a finished short.
5. It Attracts Collaborators
The moment you make something, you become visible. Way more then before when you had nothing under your belt. People who like your work will want to team up. You’ll meet editors, actors, DPs, and sound designers who connect with your project, and those relationships often turn into paid opportunities later.
6. It’s the Fastest Way to Learn – Period!
You can study filmmaking for years, but NOTHING replaces hands-on experience. When you make a short film, every mistake sticks with you, and that’s a good thing.
You’ll never forget to check audio again after a shoot where it didn’t record. You’ll never underestimate how long setups take after running out of daylight once. Making a short film turns “theory” into instinct.
You gain experience that makes you a better filmmaker.
7. You Don’t Need Permission or a Huge Budget
The biggest lie people believe is that they “need” more before they start. More gear, more crew, more money. You don’t. You need a story, a few committed people, and the will to make it happen.
Start small. Write something you can shoot in one location with a few actors. It doesn’t have to go viral it just has to exist. And this is exactly why i created the Annual Beyond Film School Short Film Challenge. I want to push the participants passed getting bogged down with the fancy gear, and too much of all the things that will overwhelm them. Just make a short film!
The Bottom Line
If you want to work in film, make a short film. Don’t wait until you’re “ready.” You will never feel ready. The experience will be messy, stressful, and imperfect, but it will also be one of the best learning experiences you’ll ever have.
And when you walk onto your next professional set, you’ll have something most new crew members don’t: perspective. You’ll understand how all the moving parts connect, and that makes you more valuable to every team you join.
So stop waiting. Grab a script, grab a few friends, and make something, even if it’s short, weird, or rough around the edges. That’s how every great filmmaker started.
