In the age of smartphones, social media, and lower attention spans, not many have the patience to spend 3 long hours just to get the essence of a story or a film. That is why short films are on the rise and becoming the first choice of viewers.

It is not necessary that a good story has to be a long one; it can be compressed and told in a much shorter time which also makes it more interesting. However, new independent filmmakers might face many difficulties while getting their first film published. Hence, here we bring you some tips about distributing these films, the right platforms for them, and more.

What Is A Short Film?

Short films are just as they sound, the films that end within minutes. Most short films end within fifteen minutes; they have more power to keep the audience captivated since they offer the conclusion of a story in a short watch time.

The industry of short films is getting bigger and bigger as the attention span of people is getting lower. The distributors of short films can take advantage of this scenario by effectively distributing their creations on the right platforms.

What Is A Short Film Distribution Platform?

Since it is the digital era, there is no need to chase the traditional ways of getting your film published. Today everything is possible online as there are online platforms for everything.

These short film distribution platforms allow you to publish your films on the Internet and gain exposure from the right audience.

Benefits Of Releasing Your Short Film Online

• Online release of a short film ensures that you don't have to burden yourself with theatres' hefty prices plus you do not pay for every screening. Once your short film is released online, you start receiving revenue and reputation; you do not pay every time your film is streamed.
• When it comes to online releases, you don't have to go through the censor process. This means that as a filmmaker you set yourself free from the screening process of the censor board. Online releases are smoother and without cuts which ensures you envisioned progress.
• Since most viewers are active online as they do not opt for theaters for every single film, you are more exposed to reaching a wider audience. Creators can get local as well as international exposure when they release their content online.
• People prefer online content more as they can rewatch it as many times as they want whereas if you release the short film offline, they can only watch your media once unless they repay for it.
• Online watching is more affordable for the viewers because they don't have to buy that overpriced bag of popcorn and bear additional charges.
• Since Intenet is in everyone's pockets nowadays, viewers can stream your content anywhere and anytime. They don't have to allocate specific time or even step out of their home to watch your content.

All of these benefits inspire viewers to prefer online platforms more than any other traditional methods. Let's now have a look at how you can strategize the distribution of your short film using various methods.

Tips To Get Started With Your First Short Film

The first idea can be self-distribution which you can do online. However, it is always wise to build your audience first and let them know that you are going to make a release. For this, you can build a Facebook page and Instagram account targeting the audience.

Give your followers, regular updates such as the countdown days. You can also rely on platforms like Vimeo and Youtube; opt for IndieReign as they distribute to different platforms and give you a certain cut on the profit.

The next method is to distribute your short film to online documentary channels. For example, you can contact the distributors on YouTube as they already have billions of subscribers.

If you want to earn great fame, do approach film festivals. This is because they have an international reach and they have the potential to let you gain huge exposure. You need to submit your work to these festivals and wait for the results.

There are many awards to which you can submit your creation and you can be the next among the industry's top filmmakers. Some examples are Peabody Awards, Aurora Awards, and The Academy Awards.

You can try some Television networks such as PBS, BBC, or HBO. It would be helpful if you have some networking with them for a face-to-face meeting. Else, you can also pitch your idea via email to the network.

Theatrical Release can be the sixth approach; you can go to your local theater and ask them to display your short film. If budget is not a constraint, you can continue doing this from city to city and gain exposure.

Five Short Film Festivals To Consider

Let's head on to some film festivals that are dedicated to short films where you can submit your creation and see it happening on the big screen.

1. Clermont-Ferrand is popularly known for short films and the platform includes the most professional presence and great audience in France.
2. Cannes enables you to submit your short films and it welcomes new directors. It has a critics week as well and is a big hit in France. Since it is the most famous film festival in France, it gives you a huge opportunity to network.
3. Tribeca welcomes artists and storytellers; the platform lets you display independent films.
4. Toronto International Film Festival, the one that is widely known in the whole world, represents big chances for artistic people.
5. Sundance also tops as being a well-known film festival and is a great destination for filmmakers.

Don't Forget To Launch Your Short Film On These Streaming Platforms

If you have prepared a short film and want to publish it on some streaming platforms, choose from the list below. It is easy to publish here and gain some momentum for your filmmaking journey.

Vimeo on Demand

Being among the most popular ones, Vimeo features short films, documentaries, premieres, and more. The platform lets you post short films in the mini-communities that it has created.

GUDSHO

A relatively new platform but a growing one, Gudsho invites filmmakers from all around the world. They accept video uploads plus short films to stream them to the right audience.

Mubi

Mubi is known for its amazing content quality. They have oscar-winning creations which come from their carefully-curated selection. With millions of subscribers, the platform welcomes new contributors and gives them a chance to look like a million dollars.

KweliTV

KweliTV is the platform for Black film creators. They welcome their Black community globally and let them have 60% of the amount earned. So if you are eligible to be a part of this community, they accept 7 to 29 minutes of short films.

Indieflix

IndieFlix is known for its wide variety of content which speaks to both adults and kids. There are documentaries, short films, comedies, dramas, and kids' content. You can upload your creations and let the viewers get to know about your work.

Gumroad

On Gumroad you can buy or sell products and services. So other than accepting short films, they also accept blogs, ebooks, 3D models, audio, drawings, books, games, etc. It is free to use the platform and it gives you the courage to quickly complete the journey of $0 to $1.

Wrapping Up

Today's audience is more interested in short films since they need less time to understand the conclusion while getting entertained. By having picked some best platforms to publish short films and by implementing a bit of strategy, you can have your first big break. We hope that the above-listed platforms will help you and that you gained some insights from this post.