Set your story on a film or TV set, starting with someone calling “Cut!”

Posted in Dialogue on Jul 14, 2023

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✍️ 46 stories

“After Dreams Fade” by Asa P

Submitted to Contest #207

"Cut!" The director shouted, annoyance and frustration clear in his voice."Just stand still! Why are you always moving around?" The predebut group's mentor, an OG in the industry, chided. " And look at the camera! Why is it so hard for you to look at people and stuff?" His scolding made my stomach clench in a knot and threatened to moisten my eyes. "You're going to try again. You're on the set until you get it right! So don't bother with tears! Stop or you'll ruin your make-up! Only think only about your schedule for later today." ...

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“An actress acting out.” by Lize-Mari De Bod

Submitted to Contest #207

“Cut!” The director gives a frustrated sigh while shaking his head. “Madison, you have to say ‘I’m not so sure about this, let’s leave.’ Please stick to the script.” Madison Hamilton does not look impressed with the director telling her what to do. “Fine, just give me a minute.” “Hey! You can’t just leave when you please!” Madison does not hear a word and charges forward to the trailer. The director pinches his nose as if anticipating a headache. The whole crew look at him in expectation. “Everyone take five!” The crew star...

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“The Act” by Vie L'cast

Submitted to Contest #207

"Cut! That's it. That's the one we're using." "Wait. That's it?" "That's the one." Bernavides repeated, not taking his eyes off the pair. "But that was just the first take, you're sure you don't want to run it one more time?" "No. That's the one. Make sure nothing happens to that role." The director instructed, heading towards his trailer, leather notebook in hand. Ava stared as the director walked away knowing he had seen them. He had seen Reginald and Ava in places where Emolee Beck and Dr. Caster should have been. She felt...

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“THE COLOR OF THE BLOOD” by Mara Masolini

Submitted to Contest #207

THE COLOR OF THE BLOOD “ CUT!” said the director .” This scene is too full of objects ( things).” “ And there’s also too much blood” the set designer intervened. It was the set of the film “ Domestic Murder” Two blooded corpses lay on the floor of a room full of vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, cabinets, and overturned drawers. The head of one of the corpses had been severed and was enthroned on the table. “ I would say we went too far with the blood,” the set designer said. He had a worried face. “ Okey, now let’s take a break,” ...

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“Have you given much thought to dying?” by Gerald Lee

Submitted to Contest #207

“Cut!” A sense of exhilaration and accomplishment flooded through Taylor’s entire body as the Sun dropped behind the mountain and the reflection faded from the lake. His mind started to rapidly regress through time as he faintly saw and heard the entire film crew jumping, shouting, and clapping for what felt like would be one of the great movies of all time.Suddenly, he found himself in an unusual state of mind and feeling a loss of physical control as his body slumped in his chair.“What is happening to me, where am I going, why now at this ...

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“Caught Between” by Linda Lovendahl

Submitted to Contest #207

“Cut!”All action stopped. There were only a few bird chirps floating on the air from nearby trees in the meadow as the production crew and the army of men heeding their general’s address in the field of battle were called to desist their efforts.The lead actor, Gerald Humphrey Castor, looked at the film director. He was breathless because the thunder of his message to the troops pounded through his heart and limbs. He lowered the raised sword to his side, his face crinkled with disbelief. “No way, “ he said, his voice as commanding as any me...

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“On Set” by Shania Ottessor

Submitted to Contest #207

“Cut!” The woman stood an inch from the man’s face. Her expression was one of scorn. Laura found it hard to believe she was acting, her face seemed so sincere. It was the man that eventually broke eye contact with her first and stormed off the set. He pushed through the people that sidestepped, letting him through. The cameraman rolled his eyes. The mic guy huffed. But no one said anything. Laura sucked in a breath. Yikes. She was sitting on a seat at the back of the hustle, an onlooker, watching with all the wonder of a new...

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“The Prince and The Dragon Movie” by Amanda Cedeno

Submitted to Contest #207

“Cut! Cut! Cut! Now, Mr. Thorn, what did I just say about you needing to show more emotion?” the director bellowed. His voice echoed in the cave where we were filming. The director has dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and is five-foot ten. He has the habit of pinching his nose before he yells at the actors, and his nose was red in the areas where he pinched. I was acting as a rock character, which was an additive character because I know the author of the book. My hair was dyed grey, had to wear grey contacts, and my height is five-foot four. &n...

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“Stop!Cut!” by Gennadii Seliverstov

Submitted to Contest #207

"Stop! Cut!," loudly and authoritatively commanded the man in a multicolored polo shirt, dark green shorts, with a sparse red beard on his flat, yellow face, and the same rare hairs on his head, gathered at the edges of his skull: behind his ears and at the back of his head in the shape of a horseshoe. He quickly jumped out of his folding chair, paying no attention to the crowd: the lighting crew, costume designers, and makeup artists. He approached the man lying on the decorated stage floor amidst sharp stones and fake snow, dressed in full...

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“The Regal Grocery King” by David Sanchez

Submitted to Contest #207

“Cut!” the director’s voice flew through the mostly empty grocery store. “Cut!” the assistant director’s much calmer voice repeated the command. The director took off his headphones and walked toward me. “Okay, let’s try this again,” the director said. “Only this time, really puff out your chest. You’re excited about this week’s sale. You have to be excited. You’re the grocery store mascot.” “Got it,” I replied and cleared my throat. One of the production assistants straightened the ermine cape on my shoulders while another fixed the tilt...

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“Dry Sense” by Rachel Lione

Submitted to Contest #207

Sensitive Themes:Reference to man genital which was not meant as a derogatory term towards men! I accidentally spelled it that way or it autocorrected wrong which happpens constantly.Homosexual (sexual orientations)Mild poor language for humorModel stereotype (I don't like this one)Drunkenness and reference to brain on drugs (egg in pan)Naked, private areas boobs, butt, reference to being too fat when not (if anyone is anyone is offended by any of this I understand if I get in trouble. I have body image problems too. I'm a single mom I don't...

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“Silencing The Director” by Madeline Honig

Submitted to Contest #207

“Cut!” Marcus screamed from his director’s chair. “You have it all wrong. You need to say it with conviction. You are not saying it as though you mean it. I want to feel it.” Marcus barked, holding his hand up as if to grasp a ceiling light bulb. He turned to Kirk, the cinematographer of the film, “who hired this bimbo?” Marcus turned back to the crew patting down his slicked back black hair, “let’s take five.” He then turned back to the actress on stage, “except for you, sweetheart.&nbsp...

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“It Was All An Act” by Danielle Azoulay

Submitted to Contest #207

“Cut!” Before the director’s mouth had fully closed, Alura violently shoved her co-star, shattering their fabricated, heartfelt embrace. Alec Sharpe jumped back, nearly tripping over a prop stool. The camera crew maintained their usual poker face, turning their curious eyes towards the six-foot-two heartthrob. “Was that necessary?” he whispered through gritted teeth. Alura’s wide-eyed, innocent stare shifted into that of a hungry rattlesnake. “I told you we were doing my idea and you ignored me.” She smirked, her large, plump lips stre...

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“Advanced Improv” by Alex Hippenhammer

Submitted to Contest #207

“Cut!” David called. I left my arm draped around Cinthia’s shoulder. The crew dimmed the lighting, giving our eyes a break from the faux desert sun while David reviewed the footage with the continuity director. Cinthia squinted at me, she hadn’t pulled away yet. It was helpful to play with physical intimacy between shots, but this felt different. “Have you actually been to Cabo San Lucas?” she asked. The tenor of her voice was deeper, which meant she thought we had the scene - she only dropped character after the final cut. “I haven’t.” ...

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“Clear the Rail” by Autumn Brock

Submitted to Contest #207

“Clear the Rail” By Autumn M. Brock Flying through the breezeway hall into the back of house slapped with smells of soup, a smorgasbord of cooking and rising heat. Sounds changed from buzzing conversation to the bang of equipment, taps of dishware and the defined command or response from both sides of the line which inevitably flew covers in and out of this speed zone. Once through the threshold front of house staff transformed from polite amiable hosts to the more realistic versions of pestered humans they were. This often left t...

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Set your story on a film or TV set, starting with someone calling “Cut!”

Submissions are closed

✍️ 46 stories

“After Dreams Fade” by Asa P

“An actress acting out.” by Lize-Mari De Bod

“The Act” by Vie L'cast

“THE COLOR OF THE BLOOD” by Mara Masolini

“Have you given much thought to dying?” by Gerald Lee

“Caught Between” by Linda Lovendahl

“On Set” by Shania Ottessor

“The Prince and The Dragon Movie” by Amanda Cedeno

“Stop!Cut!” by Gennadii Seliverstov

“The Regal Grocery King” by David Sanchez

“Dry Sense” by Rachel Lione

“Silencing The Director” by Madeline Honig

“It Was All An Act” by Danielle Azoulay

“Advanced Improv” by Alex Hippenhammer

“Clear the Rail” by Autumn Brock

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about a person who constantly has to put on a persona (e.g. at work, in their relationships, etc.) who can finally drop the facade.

A journalist has been granted permission to visit the premises of a lab carrying out top-secret work. They could never have anticipated what they’d find…

Write a story about a magician who never reveals their secrets — until now.

Set your story in the kitchen of a bustling restaurant.

Contest #207

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

235

Contest entries

96

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: