Short films can be sold. Although it may seem surprising, there is a small market of buyers and distributors dedicated to short film sales. Most buyers are TV channels, VOD platforms, iTunes, airlines, trains, etc.
In recent years, we have seen a boom in the short format, mainly thanks to the Internet and new on-demand distribution platforms.
Sales take place mainly in short film markets, such as Clermont-Ferrand, Short Film Corner or Palm Springs, and other smaller markets that have emerged in recent years, such as Vila do Conde (Portugal), Bogoshorts (Colombia), Courts Devant (France), Regard (Canada), and many other festivals.
Among the new markets, the Torino Short Film Market in Italy stands out, organised by the Centro Nazionale del Cortometraggio.
In Spain, a few years ago we had the Cinema Jove Short Film Market and Short Latino at Alcine, but they no longer exist. Now there are smaller markets at festivals such as Mecal, Reus or 3DWire, which specialises in animation.
Short film sales are a topic I am often asked about, as it tends to be complicated and there are many options.
In this post I explain what the most important variables I usually take into account with each project are. Although I do not work professionally in sales, I have sold shorts to different platforms, and I consider them as part of the festival distribution strategy.
If you are starting to get your short moving, you may already be considering sales, or you may not even know they exist. In both cases, I hope you find this post useful:
Is it worth it?
This is one of the first considerations: is it really worth closing a sales deal?
Normally, a sales agent will ask you for exclusivity for several years, which means that while the agreement lasts, you will not be able to publish your short film online for free, as you assign exploitation rights across several windows.
The problem arises when worldwide exposure on portals such as Vimeo and YouTube can be very profitable in terms of promoting your work and your personal brand as a director and filmmaker, as I discussed in this post about promoting an animated short.
Along these lines, I also recommend reading this article published in 2016 on IndieWire, which interviews short film directors such as Jim Cummings and Bernardo Britto, both Sundance winners. The main idea is that many times the income that can be generated from sales is not worth having the rights to your short tied up for several years.
With this reflection on the table, let’s start building our sales strategy.
When to start?
I always recommend waiting a few months before starting sales and seeing how festival distribution works. When you are not yet on the circuit and you do not have selections, your short film has not generated interest.
For this reason, do not close deals with sales agents before the first selections, because if everything goes well, the value of your short will grow as you take part in major festivals.
For example, if you take part in competitions at festivals such as Cannes, Sitges or Berlin, you will have several offers to manage the rights to your short film and you will be able to adapt it better to your needs. If you do it earlier, you have little negotiating power, and you could also receive direct proposals from buyers, without intermediaries.
Keep in mind that many festivals do not accept short films that have been commercially distributed, so it is advisable to wait a few months before closing sales deals.
In principle, it is best to spend a year in festivals, but between four and six months after starting on the festival circuit you could already consider closing a sales deal.
Sales agent or DIY (Do It your self)?
This is another initial consideration: with such a small market, is it worth hiring a sales agent or doing it yourself?
At this point I always come across many different opinions. There are producers who prefer to make the contacts themselves and sell their short films directly, and others who are clear that it is better to delegate the work.
Before making a decision, you have to bear in mind that many buyers prefer to work with specialised sales agents, as they have access to a broad catalogue and only have to sign one contract for several shorts; negotiations are faster and simpler for them. In addition, sales agents travel to the markets and know the buyers well.
But if you can and want to learn, starting to sell your short film is also an option to understand how sales and film markets work.
Start negotiating with a sales agent
If you ultimately decide to delegate sales, these are some key points you could keep in mind when negotiating, whenever possible.
The important thing is to try to combine sales with the festival distribution strategy and a later online premiere:
- Although they will always ask for exclusivity, try to reduce the period. Sales agents usually close deals for three years or more; try to shorten it to two years. If you start in festivals and it goes well, you can start sales after the international premiere, and end the rights assignment period at the same time as its intensive festival run. This situation would allow you to assess whether to continue for one more year or start preparing the online premiere.
- Sales commissions are usually around 30%, especially in exclusive contracts, although they can vary depending on the agent. This is difficult to negotiate, but at least do not pay anything upfront.
- You can try to negotiate the territories, and reserve your country of origin, where you may have more access to buyers, and there are usually not many options.
If you manage sales yourself, you should also take these considerations into account with buyers, keeping track of time and the territories where you assign the rights.
In the short film world, a very advantageous situation would be to close a two-year deal that runs in parallel with festival distribution, so that when you finish you can do a strong online premiere. As I said before, it depends on each project and your situation as a director.
Visit the markets
In the coming weeks, the Clermont-Ferrand Market will take place, held from February 5 to 9, and the following week the European Film Market in Berlin, from February 15 to 23—two great opportunities to see first-hand how rights sales work.
Do you have experience selling your short film? Have you worked with a sales agent? Do you think it is worth it?
I would love to hear your opinion on this topic, as it depends a lot on each project and I know very different experiences.
See you in the comments!