Short films are essential in the larger picture of film and provide a narrative within a short period of time. Short films have many purposes, beginning with creators conceptualizing their artistic signatures or acting as features within the festival circuit. Making a short film can establish filmmakers to start creating more extensive projects. Essentially, your short film serves as a preview to other things and projects you can create by showing off your specific technique and talents within a preview-like time frame.

But what happens when you've completed your vision and your short film is finished? Short films can be tricky if not promoted correctly in the right setting. Shorts are less likely to have a mass appeal like feature-length ones. Here are some things to consider after your short film is complete.

First, you must establish your goals

As many shorts have shown us in the past, they began as a proof of concept for a dream project. Whatever your goal might be, it's essential to keep your main goals in mind when planning the distribution of your short film. It's easy to get caught up in other things and miss the "big picture" of what you ultimately want out of your short film.

Maybe your goal is to set yourself a proper budget for festival applications and other fees that add up quickly. Or it could be a strategy for submitting to a certain amount of festivals with the festival circuit. Whatever those goals may be, hang on to them as you go on to the next steps.

Gain a presence online

By being extremely online, your online presence can extend past social media. Set up an IMDb page as soon a possible, including the credits for everyone who worked on the film and providing the correct links for those individuals.

You should also create an official webpage. Having a website gives you more credibility as a filmmaker and provides trailers, teasers, and reviews for festivals that may be interested in taking your film for upcoming screenings.

It would be best if you also learned how to use social media effectively. Things like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook will give you a platform for the audience to consume your film and understand the concepts of your film. Re-tweets and shoutouts can encourage more followers and make people feel like they are part of your big project. Make sure your handle is the same across all social media platforms, so there's no confusion.

Stand out from the crowd

Filmmakers should be encouraged to what makes their film stand out and what makes it completely unique from others. Figure out which characteristic of your shorts is the strongest that makes you stand out from the rest of the competition. This will make your film more memorable and further your options of networking and gaining followers.

Put Together a Portfolio

Once you've put these things together, you can start putting all of your work into a portfolio to build a professional brand that you can show to future collaborators and clients. People are more likely to trust your capabilities by showing off things you have created, just like any job. Put together the work you are most proud of in your portfolio, and that's representative of you. Always keep it up to date and make sure to keep it simple and to the point.

Submit to Film Festivals

Submitting into the festival circuit is a great way to collaborate with filmmakers and get to know the film industry around the world. After you have finished your short film, your best interest is to submit it to worldwide festivals.

Participating in films festivals allows filmmakers to participate and gain experience in the film industry. Filmmakers get the chance to receive quality feedback on their production, meet experienced filmmakers, and view films from all over the world. This allows you to open your eyes to new ideas and ways of storytelling, exposing you to many things to make you an overall better filmmaker.

If you're wondering how to apply for festivals, it's easier than you think. Once you've completed your website and portfolio, you can apply and upload your information and films to as many festivals as you want. There are tons of options around the world, so what are you waiting for?!

Short Film Festival Submissions are open for the fourth annual French Riveria Film Festival (FRFF), recognizing and celebrating short-form content created for tv, film, and other digital platforms.

By Claudia Estrada