Film Simplification Guide
Film Simplification Guide
Film Simplification Guide
EXAMPLES
THE GODFATHER
The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his
clandestine empire to his reluctant son.
PULP FICTION
The lives of two mob hit men, a boxer, a gangster's wife, and a pair of diner
bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.
FORREST GUMP
Forrest Gump, while not intelligent, has accidentally been present at many historic
moments, but his true love, Jenny Curran, eludes him.
THE MATRIX
A computer hacker learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his
reality and his role in the war against its controllers.
THE HELP
An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960s decides to write a
book detailing the African-American maid’s point of view on the white families for
which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis.
Film Simplification Guide
Presented by: Dandan Liu
SIMPLIFICATION CHECKLIST
1 .Go through your shot list and mark which ones are absolutely essential to
convey your logline, which ones are “good to have,” and which ones are
“unnecessary bells and whistles.”
2. Go through your essential scenes and ask: what would be the simplest way
to convey this information, from a production point of view?
4. Do you need all the characters you’re planning on shooting? Which ones
are essential, and which ones can you save for when you have extra time?
6. Do you really need camera movement to convey the emotions and plot of
your scene? (You’ll often be surprised by how often a simple, still shot
conveys more depth than a moving shot).
Film Simplification Guide
Presented by: Dandan Liu