frequently asked questions

How do I make money with my short film?
Since there are no up-front or backend fees to you or our partner theaters, you and the other films in your block will make money from each theater's gross ticket sales. Following is an outline of the revenue share:

• 50% of gross ticket sales go to the partner theater.

• 30% of gross ticket sales go to the filmmakers in that block.

• 20% of gross ticket sales go to Shorts on the Road.

How long is the agreement for showing my film?
Our filmmaker agreements are typically for one year and we also offer multi-year agreements depending on the goals you have for your film. For example, as we onboard new partner theaters throughout the country, we'll have established curated blocks at the ready so they can hit the ground running with our program.

What types of films can be submitted to Shorts on the Road?
Any type of film: narrative, animated, documentary, comedy, thriller, horror, experimental, and more. We're looking for original voices and amazing films, whatever the genre.

What film ratings do you consider?
Think of short films you've seen in blocks at festivals. Typically, they are films for general audiences and can still include stories with profanity, violence, and stories that deal with sensitive subjects. If your film has content that may be difficult for some reviews, but serves a quality narrative, we encourage you to submit.

What's the minimum and maximum lengths of short films you'll consider?
Films that are 40 minutes or shorter. Since we have the freedom to curate blocks based on quality, theme, style, etc., it's very easy to balance, for example, a 28-minute short with several films under 15 minutes, and some that could be just a couple minutes or less. In the end, it's about the quality and narrative balance of each block.

Before I submit, what other restrictions are there besides runtime?
The major restrictions are:

1. You most provide documentation that you are the legal owner of the film.

2. Fan films based on Intellectual Property owned by someone else are not eligible.

3. Any copyrighted material included in your film, (e.g. music), must be cleared before submitting to Shorts on the Road. Please include any documentation proving that you have honored all copyright requirements.

Do I maintain the full rights to my film?
Absolutely! The Shorts on the Road distribution structure is very much like standard feature-length film theatrical distribution.

Does my film need to be excusive with Shorts on the Road?
We don't require exclusivity beyond domestic theatrical distribution outlined in our agreement with you. For the length of the agreement, you are welcome to show your film in any way online; your own website, a YouTube/Vimeo channel, streaming service, etc . We only ask that if you have an opportunity to screen your film in a movie theater while part of a SOTR, block, you contact us for written permission.

How new does the film have to be?
Your film can be brand new or over 50 years old. We only care about quality.

What happens if I have an opportunity to sell my film while I have an agreement with Shorts on the Road?
Firstly... Yay! We'll celebrate your success with you. Secondly, we will release you from the distribution agreement with no penalties after the current run your film is in.

Will you show my film while it's on the festival circuit?
Since our priorities are for filmmakers to gain as much exposure as possible and to honor film festival exclusivity, we prefer to only screen films that have finished their festival run. As you may already know, most festivals will not screen films that have been released theatrically or online. Based upon our experience, attending festivals with your film is something special and you don't want to miss out on those amazing experiences!

NOTE: You're welcome to submit your film to Shorts on the Road before or during your festival run and request we wait to include it in a distributed block until that festival run is over. These earlier submissions also allow us select films and curate film blocks well in advance.

What file formats do you require to show my film?
The two file types needed for selected films are DCP and  hi-res MP4. DCP files are necessary for almost all partner theaters to screen films in the highest quality possible for audiences. For other organizations like schools, museums, etc., we will need a hi-res MP4.

What if I don't have a DCP of my film?
We've got your back! When you send over the proper source files for your film, we will create the DCP to share with our participating theaters (there may be an additional cost).

How do I make money as an independent theater (or other organization)?
Since there are no up-front or backend fees to you or our filmmakers, following is an outline of our revenue-share model:

• 50% of gross ticket sales go to the partner theater.

• 30% of gross ticket sales go to the filmmakers in that block.

• 20% of gross ticket sales go to Shorts on the Road.

Are there any upfront costs to participate in the monthly Shorts on the Road program?
Nope, there are zero up-front costs to screen these short film blocks. There may be a deposit fee for DCP hard drives when necessary.

How often do you release short film blocks?
Our short film blocks are monthly and quarterly, depending on your theater's specific needs. If you would like a custom cadence based upon a unique schedule, drop us a note and we'll work something out!

What if I want to show the short film block more than once?
Great! Since there are no DCP keylocks or screening limits, you are welcome to screen a Shorts on the Road block as many times as you want. This ends up being better for your theater to build audiences and increases revenue for you and our short filmmakers.

Do we have to be a movie theater to be a SOTR partner?
Nope. Do you have a public viewing space and audiences who want to see short films? Then we look forward to partnering with you! Organizations like high schools, universities, film programs, museums, libraries, etc. are excellent places to bring together short-film-loving communities and provide an educational resource for aspiring film professionals. This is one of the reasons why we ask our filmmakers to provide their film in both MP4 (file that can be played directly from a computer or laptop) and DCP (file type specifically for theater projectors) formats.

Do you create custom and/or themed film blocks?
Yes! Since our goal is to support independent theaters' ever-evolving needs, we're happy to curate custom and/or themed short film blocks for you. For example, we've already been asked about theme/subject-specific blocks and seasonal offerings (e.g. Halloween block with scary and comedic films).

What is the term of the agreement with Shorts on the Road?
The partnership agreement is for as long as you would like. Our goal is to have all boats rise together without any up-front costs to your festival, filmmakers, or independent theaters.

How does it work with our filmmakers?
When you have your official selections, we will provide you with a customized waiver code that those filmmakers can use to submit to Shorts on the Road for FREE.

Are there any up-front costs for your partner film festivals?
Nope! Much like the risk-free structure for the filmmakers and theater owners, it's a win-win situation for our partner festivals and us: you increase your submissions by having a no-cost, possible revenue-creating opportunity for your official selections and award winners.

What about film ratings?
While this can be a bit of a gray area, our general rule of thumb with regards to language, content, etc. is we are looking for films for general audiences. Think PG-13. If you think your film might be a right fit that is beyond this general guideline, please feel free to offer a waiver code to that filmmaker.

What about films that didn't make the cut because of programming limitations?
We encourage our festival partners to use their discretion with regards to providing waiver codes to wonderful films they don't have the space to program.

Can we send an email to official selections and award winners from previous years with our customized waiver code to submit to Shorts on the road?
Absolutely! We want the best films you've seen, and not just from the current year. We trust your judgment and want to be able to review films that spoke to you, should be seen on the big screen again, and desrve to realize revenue.