Part 8-Distribution & Exhibition

Part 8- Distribution & Exhibition

The ratio of shorts that make money through more conventional channels of distribution and exhibition to those that don’t is diminutive. Why do you think this is?

Today there are hundreds of different ways that short films can make money on conventional channels of distribution, such as advertisements for big companies. For example Comedy Central launched a series of short films called ‘Short Cuts’ to help promote the channel. The shorts usual involved cctv footage that was overdubbed. In addition music videos for smaller up and coming bands, or maybe a video that’s been made for a competition and is made on mainstream TV. This shows how more professional institutions are making shorts and are being recognised for their shorts on mainstream tv, which shows how competitive the industry is. However the way that people consume media and the way that films are advertised is changing the way we view different medias, therefore if a short does or doesn’t make money. For example websites that are sometimes setup by one individual or a small group of people to showcase short films such as http://www.switch.tv/ are expanding which shows, how exhibition is constantly growing, in contrast to how many shorts are broadcast on TV.

However money can be made from these online sites. For example http://mubi.com/, offers a download for each film at $2.99 or $9.99 for a monthly subscription to the site. Here the institution itself and independent film makers are all making money from online exhibition. Short film festivals often create a collection of their short films onto a DVD, such as Cinema 16 which has films such as Lynne Ramsay’s ‘Gasman’ and ‘Who Killed Brown Owl?’ by Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor

This shows, how despite the fact that mainly bigger and professional institutions receive attention dn recognise and the people to go to for short films on mainstream TV, that money is still made through online exhibition due to how things such as the internet have changed how we can consume media on a day to day basis.


In what contexts have the following anthologies/collections of short films been created and how have they been put together?


http://www.cinema16.org/home.php are DVD collections of award winning short films from Britain, Europe, America and places such as Australia and Germany. These collections are sold on separate DVD’s and contain classic short films from up and coming directors in each continent.

http://www.bfi.org.uk/education/teaching/movingshorts/ contains 10 shorts put together on one DVD by the BFI to teach students and children over the age of 12 the skills ideas behind short films. In addition it is also so that these skills and diea’s can be part of the Media part of the English curriculum in British schools. This show’s hwo short films are being used in an educational context.

http://www.futureshorts.com/htmlViewer.php?id=15 holds a monthly event http://www.futureshorts.com/ONE/ to showcase a collection of short films in certain locations of a country. The countries included in the scheme are Australia | Austria | Cambodia | Denmark | Finland | France Indonesia | Malaysia | Philippines | Poland | Romania Russia | Spain | Sweden | United Kingdom | USA | Vietnam . In the UK shorts are often showcased in places such as Brighton, Exeter, Edinburgh and Bristol. Tickets are usually priced at around £5 pounds and in venues in the centre of the town/city which it is easy for fans of short films to attend and watch Uk short films.

http://www.raindance.co.uk/site/index.php?aid=720 are also another institution to distribute a DVD collection of short films. However these are best on films shown at the Raindance festival itself. For example Best of 16th Film Festival Shorts, which include shorts from all over the world: UK, USA, Canada, Italy and Germany.

http://shootingpeople.org/watch/47254/Best_v_Best_1 andhttp://shootingpeople.org/watch/47255/Best_v_Best_2 are DVD’s collection of award winning short films, that have won awards at events such as the BAFTA’s, Sundance Film Festival, Berlin Film Festival, Edinburgh Film Festival, nominees from the Oscar’s and festivals such as Montreal. The DVD was put together to show case the best, current, independent short films.