How are short films consumed?

Short films are consumed in a number of ways; mostly dependant on their level of success and the status of the filmmaker. Disney is known for creating shorts that are shown before its full-length feature films. Generally, these tend to be a lot less traditional in approach. The Disney shorts have been so popular that a number of them have been combined as a selection on a DVD, which can be brought in most major DVD and music retailers, such as HMV.

Many shorts can be viewed straight from YouTube, as new videos from amateur filmmakers (some that are produced using professional filmmaking equipment and some from basic supplies) are uploaded regularly. Word of mouth tends to be the most valuable source of advertisement; so displaying a video on YouTube or a social networking site might be a great way of getting it shared across the country or the globe. 

Filmmakers can also submit their work in competitions set by short film festivals like Sundance, who select and distribute a number of films produced by up-and-coming directors and producers. Many of these are then uploaded to online sites where they can be viewed by audiences for free. If a filmmaker is successful in having it posted on a well-known film festival website, it is likely to be more widely acknowledged than if it were just uploaded to Youtube. This is taking it to the next step; and leaving the opportunity for it to be seen by a number of professionals who may be looking for new talent. The BBC film network often uploads new and successful short films.

Many films can now be uploaded to transportable handheld devices such as mobile phones, iPods or MP4s. This is an indication of how technology has moved forwards. BluRays are now the modernised version of DVDs. With DVDs potentially being replaced, it is likely that filmmakers on lower budgets may be able to group a number of short films together to be sold at wide on DVDs; where it may not have been possible in the past.