A short film can act as a calling card for a new filmmaker. It\u2019s a chance for directors to show off their cinematic potential\u2014their eye for a shot, their storytelling acumen, and their ability to get performances out of actors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As filmmakers look to invest in themselves and their future, their shorts are often self-funded. But there are ways to generate revenue with short films, including licensing deals, branding, using ad-supported sites, and holding screenings.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are three ways your short can make you money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Husband-and-wife filmmakers Aaron Fradkin and Victoria Fratz Fradkin set up the YouTube channel Social House Films<\/mark><\/a> during the COVID-19 lockdown. After purchasing a camera and wanting to test it out, Fradkin decided to direct and co-write a short film with Fratz Fradkin for her to star in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They created \u201cBed Head\u201d and uploaded it to YouTube. At the time, their channel had just two other videos with a combined total of around 400 views. Within a week, the short had been viewed over 15,000 times. Five years later, it has over 4.3 million views.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe were like, Holy shit\u2014this is pretty cool. We need to make more and take it more seriously,\u201d remembers Fradkin. Since then, Social House Films has released \u201cThe Ballerina\u201d (21 million views), \u201cDiet\u201d (9.8 million views), and over 75 other videos including more short films, teasers, and behind-the-scenes clips, amassing 266,000 subscribers.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Their horror-comedy shorts have seen the highest viewership spikes. \u201cThe internet favors short-form content that gives viewers a quick reaction, rather than a drama where you have to get invested in the story and characters,\u201d says Fratz Fradkin.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The couple\u2019s intention with Social House Films was to make \u201cbite-size horror entertainment, which focuses on one scene or visual-effect gimmick that [we] expand upon,\u201d explains Fradkin. When writing, they always aim to have a clear, defined monster; minimal dialogue so that worldwide audiences can follow; and a simple story.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Social House Films began racking up views and subscribers on YouTube, they made money through advertisements. \u201cYouTube does an ad revenue split with its creators,\u201d says Fradkin. And thanks to their growing audience and features on various horror websites boosting their searchability, brands started reaching out to the filmmakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They\u2019ve been paid to do product placement, with Fratz Fradkin admitting it\u2019s \u201cchallenging to come up with an idea that doesn\u2019t completely steal your project away\u201d\u2014but they manage. For example, they used a video game sponsorship to come up with \u201cThe Sponsorship<\/a>,\u201d a home invasion horror short about a serial killer who breaks into the home of a Twitch streamer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The duo has also been approached to license and screen their projects on websites and at events, including horror film festivals. \u201cWe\u2019ve been licensed by theaters that are doing a whole smattering of horror films and want to open their feature films with a short film,\u201d says Fradkin. \u201cIt\u2019s not life-changing money, but it\u2019s still a nice feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Their success with Social House Films convinced them to make their debut feature film \u201cBeezel,\u201d which was released on streaming in September 2024.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n