These brief notes obviously only touch on the central questions facing anyone writing a short screenplay. For more information on screenwriting, attend one of the courses listed at www.bfi.org.uk/mediacourses or read some of the following books on writing short screenplays:

Phillips W.H. Writing Short Scripts (Syracuse University Press, 1991)

Cowgill L.J. Writing Short Films (Lone Eagle, 1997)

Johnson C H Crafting Short Screenplays that Connect (Focal Press, 2000)

Elsey E & Kelly A In Short (bfi, 2002)