ABSTRACT
The successful distribution of a short film has always required planning and hard work. Today’s rapidly changing media landscape is complicating the process, bringing both challenges and opportunities. Though their influence is being undercut by the limitless access to content afforded by streaming media, film festivals continue to play an important role in the launching of many shorts. There are thousands of film festivals all over the world, and simply entering a film into a few festivals and hoping for the best is not a viable strategy. Playing the festival circuit successfully requires the assembly of a compelling promotional package, including a press kit. In the event that a film is picked up for commercial distribution, the contract will usually include a long list of arcane requirements known as deliverables. In most cases, social media outlets and streaming platforms like YouTube will play an important role in finding a wider audience for a short, but once again, strategic thinking is required to maximize the impact of such open access. Collecting millions of hits or developing a cult following online provides a new kind of validation: achieving such mass appeal has allowed some talented filmmakers to break through to commercial success.
