Short Films---Viewership?

[HowTheyDoThat]

The only place I have seen short films shown, outside of festivals, is WNET in NYC.

I assume other public stations across the country/world do this.

What is the audience?


Other occasions I have seen a short film---

If a movie was later made into it and it was included in the DVD of the full length....

DVD compilations.....( saw Martin McDonagh's short this way).


So, what is the audience?


When a person is making a short, is it really just an ends to a means (here's what I can do, let me do it bigger)?

 

[sfoster]

Sometimes to learn, sometimes to prove oneself, sometimes as a hobby. sometimes because they have a story that needs to be told

 

[Gonzo_Entertainment]

Commercially, 99.5% of shorts have no value whatsoever.

Some stories just aren't a "feature". Trying to expand them to one would not work well.
It's a way to make a film and get that experience without the time/money investment of a feature.
It's a way to get your name and your work out there without the time/money investment of a feature (festivals, online, etc...)

I have shorts that have been viewed 30,000 times online. I have shorts that got into a dozen festivals and gave that opportunity to network and see my work next to the work of other filmmakers.

They aren't the be all end all, but they absolutely have value. Generally, as you say, they are a first step towards a larger goal.