Student filmmakers lay the groundwork for an advanced narrative, documentary, or experimental film project, learning how to develop a visual approach to written material. In the first weeks of the course, the class examines a variety of approaches to visual storytelling, from the concept to dramatic structures, character development, tone, and style. Each student develops a script for a seven- to ten-minute film based in or around New York City. In the second half of the course, students engage in a series of exercises designed to help them find the right artistic and practical approaches to their scripts while they continue refining their stories. The important ways in which short films differ from full-length features are discussed. The workshop ends with shot breakdowns, planning, budgeting storyboarding, and location scouting.