FILM IN A DAY.

A filmmaking workshop

FILM IN A DAY.
Classroom Edition
Stage 1 of 10

Introductions

Welcome to Film In A Day. Before you write a single line, let's talk about what makes a story worth telling.

What makes a good story?

Every story you've ever loved every movie, every book, every campfire tale is built from the same four pieces. Tap the speaker on each one to hear it read aloud.

Beginning

The beginning is where we meet your character and find out what they want. In the first thirty seconds of your film, the audience should know three things: who your main character is, where the story is happening, and what that character is trying to do. Don't explain too much just show us. A kid alone at a lunch table. A goalie waiting for a shot. A new student walking into a classroom for the first time. The clearer the want, the stronger your story.

Middle

The middle is where things go wrong. Your character has a goal but something stands in the way. Maybe another person. Maybe a rule. Maybe their own fear. This is the part where they have to try things, fail, and try again. The middle is the longest part of your film. Make sure the audience can feel the character struggle. If everything works out too easily, there is no story.

End

The end is where your character either gets what they wanted, doesn't get it, or learns that something different mattered all along. A great ending feels surprising but also right. Something has changed even if it's just how the character sees the world. Don't drag it out. As soon as you've answered the question your story was asking, end on it. The shortest endings are usually the best.

Conflict

Conflict is the engine of every story. It's the gap between what your character wants and what stands in their way. There are two kinds. External conflict comes from outside the character another person, a problem, a deadline, the weather. Internal conflict comes from inside the character fear, doubt, anger, a secret they're hiding. The strongest stories use both. A goalie can be facing a tough opponent on the other team that's external and afraid of letting their team down that's internal. Without conflict, you don't have a story. You just have a description.

Stage 2 of 10

The Script

Write your story in proper screenplay format. Aim for about 3 pages that's roughly 3 minutes of film.

Page to screen

Before you write your own script, let's look at one. Below is the opening of The Princess Bride, written by William Goldman. Read through it carefully notice how scenes are headed, how action is described, how dialogue is laid out. This is the format every script you write today should follow.

Fade in:
EXT. A CITY STREET DAY
A camera tracks down a snow covered New York City street. We hold on a typical Brownstone. As we push in on an upstairs bedroom window, we hear the sounds of a video game in progress.
INT. KID'S BEDROOM DAY
We see the video game on a computer screen as a sick coughing sound is heard.
WIDEN to reveal a KID lying in bed, coughing. Pale, one sick cookie. Maybe he's seven or eight or nine. He holds a remote in one hand, presses it and the character in the video game moves a bit. Then he's hit by another spasm of coughing. He puts the remote down.
His room is monochromatic, grays and blues, mildly high-tech. We're in the present day and this is a middle class house, somewhere in the city.
The KID'S MOTHER enters, goes to him and fluffs his pillows. She feels his forehead. She's worried but tries to hide it. During this
Mother
Guess what, your grandfather's here.
Kid
(not overjoyed)
Can't you tell him I'm sick?
Mother
You are sick, that's why he's here.
Kid
He'll pinch my cheek, I hate that.
Mother
Maybe he won't.
The KID shoots her an "I'm sure" look, just as the GRANDFATHER bursts into the room. He is kind of rumpled but his eyes are bright. He has a book tucked under one arm as he immediately goes to the KID and pinches his cheeks.
Grandfather
How's the sickie?
The KID gives his Mother an "I told you so" look. The Mother ignores it, beats a retreat.
Mother
I'll just leave you pals alone.
She leaves the room. There is an uncomfortable silence.
Grandfather
I brought you a special present.
Kid
What is it?
The Grandfather holds a book up. The Kid does his best to smile.
Kid (cont'd)
A book?
Grandfather
That's right. When I was your age, television was called books. And this is a very special book. It was the one my father used to read to me when I was sick and I used to read it to your father.
Kid
Has it got any sports in it?
Grandfather
(suddenly passionate)
Are you kidding? Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Revenge. Giants. Monsters. Chases. Escapes. True love. Miracles.
The Grandfather pulls a chair up beside the bed. He sits down.
Kid
(manages a shrug)
Doesn't sound too bad. I'll try and stay awake.
He opens the book. Blows some dust and begins to read.
From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman
Now watch the scene. When you've finished reading, tap the button below to see how it played out on screen. As you watch, ask yourself: What did the actors add that wasn't on the page? What did the director change? What did the music or sound design do that the script couldn't?
Discussion (5 min): What did you notice between the page and the screen? The grandfather's energy, the kid's room, the music, the cuts none of that is in the script. That's the magic of filmmaking. You can write a great script, but the team you work with actors, director, editor, composer turns it into a film.

The six building blocks of the script

Every screenplay uses the same six building blocks. Once you know them, every script you ever read will make sense and you'll be able to write one yourself.

👆 Tap any line to learn what it does

INT. KID'S BEDROOM DAY
Slugline
Also called a scene heading. It opens every new scene and tells the reader three things at once: inside or outside (INT. or EXT.), where the scene takes place, and the time of day. Always written in capital letters.
A KID lies in bed, coughing. Pale, one sick cookie. He holds a remote in one hand, presses it, and a character on the screen moves a bit.
Action
Describes exactly what the audience will see and hear written in present tense, as if it's happening right now. Only write what the camera can actually see. If you can't film it, don't write it.
GRANDFATHER
Character cue
The name of whoever is about to speak always in capital letters, centered on the page. The first time a character appears anywhere in the script, capitalize their name in the action lines too. It signals they matter to the story.
(suddenly passionate)
Parenthetical
A small note in parentheses below the character cue that tells the actor how to deliver the line. Use these sparingly only when the tone would be completely lost without it. If the dialogue is clear, let the actor figure it out.
Are you kidding? Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Revenge. Giants. Monsters. Chases. Escapes. True love. Miracles.
Dialogue
What the character actually says centered under the character cue and narrower than the action lines. Read it out loud as you write. If it doesn't sound like a real person talking, rewrite it.
CUT TO:
Transition
Tells the reader how one scene moves to the next always capitalized, always at the right margin. CUT TO is the most common. FADE IN opens a film; FADE OUT ends it. Most scenes just cut only add a transition when it really matters.
Stage 3 of 10

Write Your Script

Time to write. Aim for about 3 pages that's roughly 3 minutes of film.

📍 KEEP YOUR STORY TO VERY FEW LOCATIONS. Ask your teacher where you're allowed to shoot. If you can only use your classroom, that's where your story takes place and that's totally fine. Great films have been made in one room.

👥 KEEP YOUR CAST SMALL. If your group has six people, aim for 3 or 4 speaking characters in the script. The rest of the group can focus on camera, sound, and directing during the shoot.

⏱ DURATION. Somewhere between 2 to 3 pages is ideal that's roughly 2 to 3 minutes of finished film. Short enough to shoot in a day, long enough to tell a real story.

Opens full screen. Tap any line type to start.
Auto-saved
Stage 4 of 10

Shot Types

Every shot tells the audience something. Wide shots show the world. Close-ups show emotion. The choice of shot is one of the most important decisions a filmmaker makes.

Use these shots intentionally. Learn the names below in the next stage you'll choose one for each frame of your storyboard.
Stage 5 of 10

Storyboard

Plan every shot before you film. Use your camera to snap a thumbnail of how each shot should look actors in position, framing, angle.

Tip: A storyboard is a comic-strip version of your film. Think master shot, then closer shots. Don't worry about being a great photographer these are notes to your future self. Need a refresher on shot types? Back to the shot guide →

No storyboard frames yet. Add your first shot.

Stage 6 of 10

Crew Positions

Every film needs a crew. Learn what each role does, then assign people to the jobs.

Stage 7 of 10

Cover Your Scene

Before you roll camera, you need a shooting plan. Professional filmmakers shoot every scene multiple times from different angles. Here's the formula every TV show and movie uses.

Step 1 The Wide Shot

Set your camera far enough back to show ALL your characters in the frame. Then film the entire scene from beginning to end without stopping. Even if someone makes a mistake, keep rolling this is your safety net. Every other shot you take depends on having this one.

Camera Setup (top view)
CAMERA A B C all characters in frame Wide shot camera setup
What You See
A B C WIDE SHOT Wide shot result

Step 2 Close-Up on Each Character

Once your wide shot is done, move the camera close to ONE character at a time. For each character, film the ENTIRE scene again from beginning to end not just their lines. Even when another character is speaking, keep the camera rolling on this person. You want their reaction too. Repeat this for every speaking character in the scene.

Camera Setup (top view)
A B off camera C off camera CAMERA (angled to A) Close-up A camera setup
What You See
A CLOSE-UP A Close-up A result
Now filming: B (camera setup)
B A off camera C off camera CAMERA (straight to B) Close-up B camera setup
What You See
B CLOSE-UP B Close-up B result
Now filming: C (camera setup)
C A off camera B off camera CAMERA (angled to C) Close-up C camera setup
What You See
C CLOSE-UP C Close-up C result
Why this works: When you get to editing, you'll have a wide shot of the whole scene PLUS a close-up of every character for every single moment. That gives you the freedom to cut wherever you want and your film will look like it was shot by professionals.
The golden rule: Never stop a scene halfway through just because someone made a mistake. Keep rolling. Mistakes are fixed in the edit not on set.
Stage 8 of 10

The Shoot

Time to film. If you planned shots in your storyboard, they'll appear here. You can also record any extra shot you need on the fly just tap "Add a shot."

Coverage: For each scene, get a Master (wide), a Medium, and a Close-up. More angles = more options when you edit.

No shots yet. Tap "Add a shot" above to start filming. If you planned a storyboard, those shots will show up here too.

Stage 9 of 10

Edit Your Film

This is where the magic happens. Pick a clip from your media library, choose the best part with In and Out points, then drop it on the timeline. Stack clips, reorder them, and use the same clip more than once with different in and out points to build your final cut.

Tap a clip in Media library. The video plays it in the monitor at the top. Drag the yellow handles to pick the part you want, then tap + Add to my film. Your clip drops onto the Timeline at the bottom. Tap ▶ Play Film to watch your finished edit.
SOURCE
0:00 / 0:00
📼
Tap a clip below to preview it here
No clip loaded
📼 Media library
Your shots from filming. Tap one to load it in the monitor.
MY FILM
0:00 / 0:00
🎞
Your finished edit plays here. Tap ▶ Play Film below.
Total: 0:00
▮ Timeline
Your edit in order. Tap a block to preview. Drag to reorder. Tap × to remove.
No clips yet. Pick one above, choose a part, then tap + Add to my film.
Stage 10 of 10

Q&A and Wrap

You made a film. That's a real accomplishment. Take a few minutes to talk about what you learned.

Ask a film question

Curious about anything in the film world? Type a question below and the app will look it up on Wikipedia.

Try one of these:

Talking points

What was hardest?

Writing? Acting? Holding the camera steady? Getting people to be quiet?

What surprised you?

What turned out better than you expected? What turned out differently?

What would you do next time?

If you had another day, what would you change about your film?

What does a Director do?

Now that you've made one what do you think the Director's most important job is?

Show your work

Watch each group's film together. Applaud loudly. Every film made today is a finished film.

Teacher Setup

Class Set Up

A quick setup so the app can help you fit the workshop into your school day.

How the app works

Film In A Day walks your class through ten stages from story idea to a finished short film in a single day. Each student (or group) uses one phone or tablet as their camera and their workstation.

The stages run in order across the top tabs: Intro → Script → Write → Shot Guide → Storyboard → Crew → Coverage → Shoot → Edit → Q&A. Kids tap Next at the bottom of each stage to move on. The app saves their progress automatically.

Each device records its own clips, so put the kids in small groups (24 works well) and have each group share one device. If a student is going solo, they can use the Crew stage's "Solo mode" toggle.

🔊 Read Aloud voice

Choose the voice and speed used when students tap the speaker buttons throughout the app.

Reading speed

Parent permission form

Generate a ready-to-print permission slip to send home before the workshop. It covers privacy (no data leaves the device) and consent for students to be recorded on video.

🔒 Privacy & data

What stays on this device: Student names, scripts, storyboards, and video clips are saved on this device only. They are never uploaded to a server or shared with any company.

What leaves this device: The Q&A section sends search terms to Wikipedia (a non-profit) to look up answers. No student names or personal details are included in those lookups.

Video clips recorded during the Shoot stage are personal information. They are stored only on this device. When the workshop is over, use the Clear All Data button below to remove them before returning or re-using the device.

Before passing this device to a new class: tap Clear All Data to erase all student work and start completely fresh.

Your class

Type one student name per line. The app will split them into groups of the size you pick.

Your day's schedule

Enter your class start time, your breaks, and your end time. The app will divide the day's work-time across the ten stages.

First recess to
Lunch to
Second recess to

Clear all data

This button permanently erases everything stored on this device by Film In A Day student names, scripts, storyboards, video clips, and schedule settings. This cannot be undone.

When to use it: at the end of a workshop before returning or reassigning the device, or at the start of a new school year.