About the Book:
You've made a short film. Now what?
Short films have come into their own, not least in part due to the incredible new ways to distribute them, including the Web, cell phones, new festivals devoted to shorts — even television and theatres.
Swimming Upstream is the ultimate lifesaving guide for anyone who's made a short film and wonders what to do next. Whether your short film is meant to be a calling card, a segue to a feature film, or you just want to recoup some of the costs, this book describes the potential paths for distribution.
Written by the short film programmer of the Tribeca Film Festival and featuring contributions from top film festival directors, as well as studio, marketing, and technology executives, this book shows you what's important to the decision makers and gatekeepers. This is the definitive handbook filled with insider information available nowhere else.
What people say:
"Sharon Badal's information gathering uniquely appreciates the difficult balance between the art and business of filmmaking. Cinema without audience might as well be a great painting locked in a trunk in someone's basement. This book both helps locate the art and gives insight into how to set it free." — Jeffrey Abramson, Vice President of Film, Gen Art
"If you are a filmmaker with an interest in making short films you need to read Swimming Upstream. With refreshing candor, Sharon Badal has written a unique book that is a wealth of information and true-life inspiration." — Jane Rosenthal, Co-Founder, Tribeca Film Festival
"Books on short film distribution are sadly lacking, especially in the arena of microfilmmaking (where most short films are made), so it is wonderful to see one as informative as Swimming Upstream. The experience and insight contained in this book is invaluable." — Kari Ann Morgan for MicroFilmmaker Magazine
"Forget everything you thought you knew about short films — this book is the real deal! Brimming over with the collective wit, wisdom, and insights of the most important players in the world of short films, Sharon Badal's Swimming Upstream tells you everything you need to know about the making and marketing of short films, from original concept to international sales. In equal measures entertaining and essential, It should be required reading for anyone engaged in the art and business of short films." — Darryl Macdonald, Executive Director, Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films
About the Author:
Sharon Badal is a Short Film Programmer of the Tribeca Film Festival, screening 1500 submissions annually, and is on the faculty of New York University's prestigious Tisch School of the Arts. She served on the regional jury for the Student Academy Awards in 2005 and the 2007 Toronto Worldwide Short Film Festival.