Short Film Distribution

Distribution of a film can take a number of different forms depending on the company that developed the film and the crew’s contacts within the industry. However in the case of short films the marketing and distribution can be more complex due to the lack of interest generated by the general public towards them, in most cases only the more dedicated fans of the film medium will be able to appreciate them or even know where to find them. As a result appealing to a wider audience is difficult but not impossible especially now that certain station, namely BBC and Channel 4 have begun showing short films/documentaries in their normal advertisement slots and even some in the breaks of their main feature films. These usually tend to be educational or depict a life from a different perspective which means there is a slight limitation of the type of films they show since they aren’t allowed to be too negative or be above a certain age rating. Never the less it is still an example of how short films have progressed and continues to do so. And thanks to that support “Short Subjects” as they were once known have begun to make a powerful comeback, and for indie moviemakers the trend is getting harder to ignore. Not only are shorts gaining acceptance as a unique art form, commercial possibilities for shorts are better than they've been in decades. Cable television networks are increasingly receptive to the short form, new film festivals devoted entirely to shorts are springing up. What's more, DVD is a potentially large market and various internet sites are fast emerging as viable short film outlets. More exposure means more potential for profit, and just this year several distributors have surfaced who specialize in the promotion of short films. It's literally been generations since makers of shorts have had this much support. And many filmmakers who would previously have waited until their budgets were "feature fat" are now considering the short format, as well. Shorts still serve their traditional purposes, of course. They're great calling cards, learning tools, and testing grounds for ideas and techniques. But for movie¬makers who have just made, or are thinking of making a short, aspirations are usually higher. They want their work to get seen, but these days they also want them to generate a bit of cash. Because shorts are so comparatively cheap to make. As more moviemakers, including some who have Academy Awards to their credit, turn to shorts, the competition promises to get increasingly fierce. Making the film takes courage but, as always, that's only half the battle. The glory comes in being able to crack the market. If you're working with a distributor of short films, like AtomFilms, Apollo Cinema, Forefront Films or Big Film Shorts, you can expect them to devise a marketing strategy aimed at the usual suspects-cable and network television, airlines, colleges, broadband, etc. What you may not know is that they'll also work to get you exposure over the internet, put together a promotional package including synopsis, bios, and pro¬duction stills, and will often help with a festival strategy.

A typical path for a high-quality short might go like this: First, major national and international cable channels (Sundance, Bravo, Encore, IFM, Canal Plus, Channel 4, The Independent Film Channel, Bravo, the newly launched Short TV, BBC, etc.), which will expect an exclusive license on the film for a period of one to three years. Simultaneously, short films can be broadcast on the internet and, in some cases, the cable channel will allow licensing the film to a venue such as an airline. Companies also license short films for video and DVD compilations (Short Cinema Journal by Polygram is a leader), or sell them to various other secondary exhibition venues. Essentially, you can expect these distributors to work to sell your short and have it shown anywhere possible, worldwide. After the first license expires, the distributor can then take your film to regional programmers, where the contracts are typically not exclusive. Beginning the hunt for a distributor for short homework. Familiarize yourself with the outlets each typ¬ically sells to. Can you name some of the films they've acquired? Does yours fit the bill? Be sure you have a clear idea of the aes¬thetics you need to achieve to succeed in the marketplace. Short film distributors and the buyers are very selective, so the more infor¬mation the better prepared you'll be. Watching the Sundance Channel, IFC and ShortTV which broadcasts short film and can let a producer know if it will be suitable for a particular outlet and will also help in understanding the marketing strategy a distributor develops, and will help make an intelligent assessment of sources of royalties.

The four major short distributors mentioned above are beginning to carve out niches for themselves. Forefront Films has been licensing shorts since 1992, and as such was the first American company to spe¬cialize in licensing shorts around the world. Forefront generally acquires 15 shorts a year and currently has close to 120 in its library. Its "goal in representing short films is twofold-to promote and license shorts for sales around the world, and to develop relationships with talented film makers to produce feature films, and to manage their careers," says Harold Warren, president of Forefront.