short-film-development

name	short-film-development
description	Develop short stories and short films from raw ideas into loglines, premises, themes, character engines, conflict, structure, treatments, scene lists, prose plans, and revision plans for cinematic AI production.

short-film-development

When to use

• A user has a raw idea, image, premise, theme, genre, character, or mood and wants a short-film concept.
• The user asks for loglines, treatments, outlines, short-story plans, character conflict, theme, acts, or a revision plan.
• The next downstream task is screenplay, shot list, visual bible, image prompts, or video prompts.

When not to use

• The user already has locked script pages and only needs shot extraction.
• The task is only model-specific prompt translation.
• The user wants legal clearance, financing, casting, or production scheduling.

Required inputs

• Raw idea or constraint
• Target length or runtime range
• Genre/tone/audience if known
• Any required characters, locations, or production limits

Optional inputs

• Reference films or style anchors
• Theme or emotional promise
• Available AI models or output format
• Continuity bible entries

Workflow

1. Clarify the creative intent layer: story engine, theme, protagonist desire, emotional wound, obstacle, stakes, point of view if prose, and audience experience.
2. Generate 3 to 5 divergent concept routes when the idea is early; select or recommend one based on specificity, feasibility, and cinematic promise.
3. Write a logline with protagonist, goal, obstacle, stakes, and irony or pressure.
4. Expand into premise, theme statement, character engine, central conflict, world rules, and ending direction.
5. Choose a compact structure: unity-of-effect short story, Fichtean crisis curve, single turning point, three-beat micro-arc, circular reveal, escalation spiral, or procedural countdown.
6. Create a scene list where every scene has dramatic purpose, visual purpose, emotional turn, and continuity needs.
7. Produce a revision plan that strengthens causality, compresses exposition, and removes unfilmable abstraction.

Decision logic

• If the idea is vague, run idea intake before writing.
• If the concept is visually strong but narratively thin, build the character want/need conflict first.
• If runtime is under 3 minutes, prefer one location, one core conflict, and one major turn.
• If the user wants prompts soon, preserve image/video-ready visual anchors in every scene.

Output formats

• Logline
• Premise sheet
• Theme and audience experience brief
• Character conflict map
• Short-story plan
• Short treatment
• Scene list
• Revision plan
• Downstream handoff brief

Quality checks

• The logline contains a filmable conflict, not just a mood.
• Each scene changes story state or emotional state.
• The ending answers the opening tension.
• The concept includes reusable visual anchors for continuity and prompting.
• The treatment separates what the audience sees/hears from backstory.

Anti-patterns

• Abstract themes with no visible action
• Too many locations for a short runtime
• Worldbuilding that does not affect choices
• A protagonist who only observes
• Prompt-ready imagery that contradicts the story tone

Exit criteria

• A concise concept package exists and can feed screenplay, shot list, bible, or prompt generation without re-interviewing the user.

Supporting files

Read only the supporting file needed for the active task:

• references/story_development_workflow.md
• references/ai_storytelling_workflow.md
• references/screenplay_structure.md
• references/continuity_handoff.md
• templates/idea_intake.md
• templates/logline.md
• templates/short_film_treatment.md
• templates/short_story_plan.md
• templates/story_revision_audit.md