Story to Screenplay?

Sitting back on a Sunday night and thinking about the mountains of university work I have to trawl through this semester, one certain piece stands out. Not because of its size or perhaps even difficulty in the technical sense of the word but the sheer unknowing of what or how to do it.

A screenplay.

I have gone through university having to write short stories, poetry and even literature for children but the idea of writing a treatment and the first 10 pages of a potential screenplay fills me dread. And here's why.

I know how to communicate plot and character through words. That's obvious isn't it?

But the idea that I have to 'show' it by literally telling the reader what is happening seems bizarre. It feels mechanical and technical, stiff and strict. And what I am beginning to contemplate is whether to take my, so far, rather brief plan of what the plot is to be and first turn it into a short story.

This isn't to say that I would plan to write a short story worthy of publishing in any sense of the word. But something that I can write with the ease and freedom that I have done so many times before and potentially draw out the characters and plot the way I know how.

That way, in my eyes at least, I can read over it and know the characters a little before it comes to writing them as moving and potentially real life beings.

Would this be a good idea or would it perhaps take away what the point of the task was?

Would creating a short story restrict me to see the screenplay as a long, moving and orchestrated piece of art?

All advice would be highly appreciated!