1. Develop the plot summary (write what you know and are passionate about). All stories teach something. Tell a story worth telling. Avoid being obvious, patronizing, or confusing. Avoid cliches in characters, plot, etc. Find a way to tell an old story in a new way. The quality of writing, acting, and sound design determine the quality of the movie. Neil Gaiman has said, “And because I love stories, I also love spreading the knowledge of and the deeper truths about the ways we, who create stories, create our glorious lies in order to tell people true things about their lives and their world.”
2. Develop the backstory for your characters.
3. Write the script.
4. Create a storyboard and plan the shots (revise script as needed).
5. Select the background photos, videos, music, and effects.
6. Advertise the production and hold auditions for the roles.
7. Select the cast and crew (actors/parents sign actor release forms).
8. Buy or make costumes and props.
9. Organize and make sets, list pre-production assets, and create a shooting schedule.
RESOURCES PixaBay.com and Unsplash.com are good sources of free images and videos that are totally free (even for commercial use and don't require an attribution in your production). FreeSound.org is a large collection of audio effects. Here are some others listed on this website.