Prompts for Short Films
Give me a short film concept for a [runtime, e.g., "3-5 minute"] film I actually plan to shoot. Include one clear, specific turning point, a minimal cast of 1-2 characters, and a single primary location. Describe clearly and specifically what the final image or moment should communicate to the audience watching it.
A genuinely filmable short film concept needs a specific runtime and one clear turning point — a bare “give me a short film idea” request tends to return a premise that actually needs a much longer format to resolve.
What this produces
A short film concept scoped to your actual runtime, built around one clear turning point, with minimal location and cast requirements — rather than an oversized premise that can’t resolve in a short format.
Variations
Two ready-to-copy versions for different approaches.
Give me a short film concept for a [runtime, e.g., “3-5 minute”] film. Include one clear turning point, a minimal cast (1-2 characters), and a single primary location. Describe what the final image or moment should communicate.
Give me a [genre, e.g., “quiet drama” or “dark comedy”] short film concept, under [runtime]. Build it around [a theme or feeling I want to explore, described specifically]. Keep the scope filmable with a small crew and minimal locations.
If this is useful, you may also want Prompt for Veo3 Multi-Shot Sequence or Prompt for Sora 2.
FAQ
How long should a short film actually be?
There’s no fixed rule, but 3-15 minutes is a common range for festival submissions — state your actual target and constraints, since a 3-minute concept and a 15-minute concept need very different scope.
Can this help with a screenplay, not just a concept?
Yes — once you have a concept, ask for a scene-by-scene outline or a full script draft as a follow-up, using the concept as the foundation.
How many locations should a short film realistically use?
Fewer is usually better for a first short — one or two locations keeps production manageable; mention your actual resources if you have more available.
