Blueprint For Your 1st Short Film

If you’re a brand-new filmmaker with a goal to submit a short film to the Utah International Film Festival by October 1st, the biggest challenge is timing. The good news is that with a clear plan, that deadline is completely achievable.

Start where you plan to shoot

Before you write a single page, go to the location you’re thinking about filming in. Make sure you actually have access and permission. Sit in the space. Walk it. Let it shape the story. Writing while physically present in the location often leads to stronger, more grounded scenes and it prevents you from writing yourself into production problems later.

As you’re writing dialogue, think about the people already in your network. Imagine how they naturally speak. Lean into voices you know rather than inventing ones you’ll struggle to cast later. At the same time, think about the filmmakers you’ve helped recently. If you’ve built goodwill, this is where you can cash in a few favors.

If you haven’t built that goodwill yet, start now

If money is tight, time and effort still count. Offer to help on other people’s sets. Volunteer your skills. Be useful. Most local film communities are built on reciprocity as well as paychecks. Helping others now often leads to them showing up for you later—especially when it’s time to crew up.

Once the script is in a solid place, ask your cast and crew to commit. When people know dates are real, they plan around them. With your team locked, schedule the shoot and protect those days.

Shoot in the spring

Spring is an ideal window to film. The weather is manageable, people’s schedules are more flexible, and you still have time to fix problems if something goes wrong. Don’t wait for perfect conditions—get out and shoot.

If you don’t have a fancy camera, use your phone. If you don’t have expensive editing software, download DaVinci Resolve—it’s free and powerful enough to carry you through post-production. If you feel out of your depth, team up with someone who has slightly more experience. Building your team while improving the quality of the film is a win-win.

Lock the film before polishing

Once the edit is locked (meaning no more edits to the timeline), shift focus to sound and music. Clean audio and thoughtful sound design matters a lot. It is half of your film after all. If this is your first film, avoid visual effects whenever possible. Simpler films finish faster—and finish stronger.

While finishing in Resolve, color your film to keep it visually consistent. Then move on to marketing assets. Create a poster and a trailer—even if the trailer is just a teaser. Just make sure the trailer lays out the plot, no montages. These materials matter for festivals. If you don’t know Photoshop, Canva is a great option. Or better yet, reach out to a graphic artist and keep growing your team.

Don’t Miss the Deadline

Make sure your film is submitted no later than October 1st. That timing keeps you fully in the running for UIFF’s January festival and gives programmers confidence that the film is finished, polished, and ready to screen.

You don’t need perfect gear, unlimited money, or industry connections to submit to a film festival. You need a plan, a timeline, and the willingness to start. Build around what you have, take care of your collaborators, and keep moving forward. October 1st comes faster than you think—but so does a finished film when you commit to the process.