Short films often have niche audiences that seek them out directly rather than mainstream audiences. This has led many short films to find distribution on websites like YouTube and Vimeo, as well as websites that curate short films. Some filmmakers prefer digital distribution over film festivals because it offers more control and a wider reach. Specialist websites also help expose fans to short films in specific genres. Competitions can benefit short films by helping them reach audiences and can help directors' careers, as winning competitions demonstrates their skill and talent to the industry.

1. Short Film Festivals &
Channels
Looking at distribution and exhibition

2. Short films often draw a very specific and
niche audience – distribution usually
intends to make the product aware to
those who would usually seek them out as
opposed to attempting to reach the
mainstream.
This has lead to many short films finding
their homes on websites, such as YouTube,
Vimeo, Dailymotion as well as websites
embedding carefully selected short films,
such as short of the week.
Digital distribution has been favoured by
some filmmakers due to the control and
wide reach of audience they are given, as
opposed to a more niche response if shown
at festivals.

3. With the focus for exhibiting films on
channels moving to websites, specialist
websites exist in order to point fans of
certain genres towards shorts they might
enjoy.
The website io9, which features articles on
science fiction and fantasy products as well
as the culture that surrounds them. Weekly
they post short films that would appeal to
their target audience and as this website
has a large following, this gives the short
films they post more of an audience.
Other sites exist for different genres too,
and websites often source lists of themed
shorts for specific events (festive for
Christmas, horror for Halloween).
What this highlights is the benefit of
establishing an obvious genre for your short
film. As genres bring in specific audiences,
choosing a genre can help you reach your
audience online and as well as making it
easier for other people to classify and
recommend it. If you make a fantasy/sci-fi
film, it would be easy to recommend it to
Star Wars/Doctor Who fans.

4. Competitions also are very beneficial for
films to reach their audiences as well as for
directors to go on to (longer) features.
A well known example is the director
Gareth Edwards going on to direct his first
feature Monsters (leading into the high
budget Godzilla) after winning a
competition involving producing a short
film in 48 hours.
Winners of competitions are guaranteed
some kind of audience – the judges and
other competitors who want to find out
what film beat theirs!
Winning competitions can often earn
directors and film makers credibility in the
industry, especially if the competition is
well acclaimed.