Getting people to see my first...

[Brooksy]

Hello all,

I recently directed my first short and I am now in the process of getting my second ready to go. I found that when I posted my first short online it didn't get nearly the views I was hoping for. Now, some of this is probably wishful thinking on my part to get an unrealistic number. However, I can't help but think that I am not using the internet and the social networking sites, indie-sites, and other web places out there to their full potential to maximize my views. Is there a way that all of you put your short work out there that gets you a bunch of views and feedback? Is it possible that because my short is mediocre at best that the word of mouth (Other people posting, people making comments on facebook.com) isn't traveling to it?

Thoughts on different techniques? What I could do differently? Is the internet not as cool as I think it is?

Thanks

 

[directorik]

What draws you to a short film?

You watch a lot of them, right? What is it that made you
choose the last ten you watched on line? What were the
techniques that caught your attention. What social
network sites were you using when you found (and watched)
those short films?

Looking at your own habits - how YOU find shorts - is a
great way to focus your energy. You know what draws you
and the chances are what draws you to short films is the
same techniques that might draw others.

I don't watch many short films on line. I'm not a maker of
short films so I'm nat as interested as you are in that form.
But I did recently make one for the 48 Hour Film Project. I
scoured the internet for other 48 hour films. But I admit, I
didn't look for (or watch) short films.

Once a year I go see the final films from USC and I got to six
to eight film festivals a year and watch at least one shorts
group at each one. But I don't watch shorts on line so I can't
really say what draws ME. I will watch shorts posted by members
of the forum who post for a while, but almost never watch one
posted by a first timer on any forum.

 

[Brooksy]

Good feedback. The way I look for shorts online is just that: I have to look. I will go to youtube.com and vimeo.com and just search for hours (if I have the free time) for any new short movie/film online, that I haven't seen yet. Good, bad, ugly, confusing. The problem for me is not that there has to be something that draws me to them, it is that there is so much that will discourage and draw me away from searching and watching new stuff. Bad editing, bad pacing, bad camera work, bad acting, bad lighting (this one really rubs me the wrong way). It almost becomes a chore to find a decent short to watch. I partially wonder if this is a problem for other people who want to watch a good short? It kind of makes me wish there was a better website out there that does all the leg work for me so I can just enjoy the work, and not get a headache from watching a bunch of garbage (I do keep a list of the good ones I come across, so my head doesn't hurt to bad. I can always go back and watch those gems over again.)