SYFF 2024 Conference: Beyond The Film Festival Circuit
So You’ve Got a Short Film—Now What?
Option 1: Your film gets saved on your hard drive, never to be seen again. You move on with your next film project.
Option 2: You send your film out into the digital universe – your Youtube channel, Vimeo or perhaps on your own website.
But these options often render the death of your short film, as it stays unwatched and forgotten. What if there are other paths that you can take that extend the lifespan of your work?
The Singapore Youth Film Festival (SYFF) Conference: Where Filmmakers Meet and Learn
Held on November 9 & 10, the SYFF Conference was a space for young filmmakers to connect, learn, and level up their craft. CinemaWorld was invited to chat about Digital Expansion: Post-Festival Routes—aka, what to do with your short film after it has made its rounds in the festival circuit. We shared insights on how to take your film beyond the festival and into the digital space. Here’s a breakdown of what we discussed.
Why Team Up with Distribution Partners
Teaming up with distribution partners unlocks a new, uncharted path for your film’s success. Though options are limited, the number of platforms for short film distribution is steadily growing, with sites like Viddsee, Objectifs, and CinemaSHORT by CinemaWorld leading the way in this expanding market. We launched CinemaSHORT in 2020 to help Asian short films get out there. Through our 24-hour CinemaWorld channel, CinemaSHORT On Demand, and partner platforms like Huawei Video, your short film can reach large audiences on streaming services beyond your home country.
How Do Distribution Partners Help Your Short Film?
- Exposure: When you work with distribution partners such as Viddsee or CinemaWorld, your short film can be watched in millions of homes across Asia. For platforms like Objectifs with a diverse library of genres including drama, animation, documentary and even experimental shorts, your film can find its audience with local and international viewers both online and in-person at the Objectif centre. At CinemaWorld, where we focus on distributing films to a global audience, we are currently on over 90 distribution platforms in over 20 territories. Whichever language your film is in, we will subtitle it in local languages so non-native language audiences can also appreciate your short film. We also collaborate with regional film festivals, so your film can get shown at events like Jakarta Film Week—where recent screenings featured 9 short films from Vietnam, Singapore, India, and Indonesia.
- Monetisation: The goal is get some returns on the short film you had worked so hard on. Distributors are always hunting for new ways to market and distribute, like working with inflight entertainment or streaming platforms with ad-based models.
Culture Shock Alert: First-Time Filmmakers Working with Distributors
Unlike film festivals, working with distributors involves more than just submitting your film and letting your work speak for itself. Distributors often need materials that will help them market your film to the right audience. As a filmmaker and a creative, it’s normal to get immersed in the art of filmmaking itself but with distribution, other things come into play—legal matters, marketing, film specifications, subtitles, film poster, stills, and BTS shots. These things are often part of the package you need to share with your distribution partner to get the ball rolling.
Stay open-minded when working with distributors. We’re here to help your film get seen, so be ready to get creative and explore different avenues with us.
YouTube vs. Distribution Partners: Which Is Better?
If your short film is popping off on YouTube, that’s great! But more often than not, your film is likely to be buried under a ton of other content if you lack a solid marketing plan. YouTube’s algorithm doesn’t always play fair.
Plus, there is more to distribution than the numbers. It’s easy to get caught up in the views and likes your film may receive on platforms like Youtube, but it has value beyond the numbers. It’s about the ideas, the impact, and the future opportunities it can create. When your film is on a distribution platform, you’re getting exposure to a targeted audience who are seeking diverse, meaningful stories. CinemaWorld also curates short films that match the theme of our monthly campaigns, which means your film gets more relevant views. Think of distributors as the gatekeepers to help the right audience discover your work.
What Can Filmmakers Do Beyond Film Festivals?
Don’t be afraid to show up. Attend film networking events, go to screenings, and hit up conferences (like SYFF) to learn more about the business side of filmmaking. Building relationships with a variety of people in the industry is key—not just for your current film but for your future projects. The film biz is all about mutual trust and collaboration. We need your support to get the right materials and creative vision that can elevate your film, and you can count on us to help open doors for your work.
If you haven’t started connecting with distributors yet, make today the day. Reach out, start the conversation, and get your film and your name out there.
The Future of Short Films: Don’t Let Them Live and Die on Your Hard Drive
At CinemaWorld, we understand that distributing short films is still a novel idea for a lot of emerging filmmakers, so we strive to bridge this gap between the art and the business of filmmaking. The audience for short films is growing slowly, but it definitely is growing. So, think long-term. Your film deserves a life beyond the hard drive—let’s make it happen!
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