Best Shorts
Celebrating short films, television and new media worldwide.
Our mission is to promote our winning filmmakers.
Join email list
Past
Winners
Best
Shorts
We proudly comply with UFFO's Best Business Practices for Film Festivals.
Note: Withoutabox logos are trademarks of Withoutabox, a DBA of IMDb.com Inc. or its affiliates.
Best Shorts Prizes
Annual Humanitarian Award
Each year, Best Shorts grants its Annual Humanitarian Award to one filmmaker for dedicated service to social justice, humanitarian causes or environmental issues. This is not a cash prize, rather it is very special recognition.
Fast Focus Short Film Award
Fast Focus Media, in association with the Best Shorts Competition announces the Fast Focus Short Film Award. Winners of the award will receive national broadcast exposure as part of the Fast Focus New Filmmakers Series distributed to 350 Public Television stations nationwide. Winners will also receive worldwide exposure through Fast Focus’ highly trafficked YouTube channel which has about 2.3 million views monthly and Fast Focus’ own portal. The Fast Focus Short Film Awards were launched to give unparalleled recognition and national broadcast distribution to deserving creative filmmakers, musical artists, producers, writers and directors. Fast Focus is the longest running series of short programming on Public Television. As a recipient of the Fast Focus Short Film Award, emerging artists and filmmakers will join the likes of studios such as Warner Brothers, Paramount, Universal, EMI and Sony as well as legends like The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Lionel Richie and Robin Thicke. Sponsor: Fast Focus Media. LINK
$4,800 Post Production Award
GreenHouse Studios in Burbank, California, an official sponsor of the Best Shorts Competition, generously provides a post-production opportunity once each year in-kind valued at up to $4,800 to one Best Shorts winning filmmaker. The filmmaker will receive up to two weeks use of state of the art hardware loaded with FCP Studio 3 editing software for a value of $2,000; HD color correction using Apple Suite with a GreenHouse colorist valued at $1,000, and a graphics package with free poster design and storyboards valued at $1,800. Greenhouse is an innovative studio that creates their own productions and assists Indie producers from beginning to end of the creative process. No purchase is necessary to take advantage of the free prize, but all additional services GreenHouse Studios offers, including transcoding, motion graphics, visual effects, audio work and artwork, will be available to the winner at a reduced rate. The winning filmmaker must travel to Burbank to utilize the prize and must use the award within two years. This is not a cash prize, rather it is for use of GreenHouse sevices. LINK
$1,500 Studio Award
Random Original Productions, an official production company of Best Shorts, is generously providing a production house opportunity in-kind valued at up to $1,500 to one Best Shorts winning filmmaker each year. The purpose of the sponsorship is to support filmmakers and the larger film community. The lucky filmmaker will receive access to a studio for three, twelve-hour production days. The studio is located in Everett, Washington. The winning filmmaker must travel to Everett at their own expense to utilize the prize and must use the award within two years. This is not a cash prize, rather it is for use of Random Original facilities. LINK
Best of Show // Award of Excellence // Award Of Merit
After each seasonal deadline, quality and creativity are celebrated in three levels of awards: Best of Show, Award of Excellence and Award of Merit. Best of Show honors are granted only if worthy productions are discovered. Likewise, no more than 15% of entries are granted Awards of Excellence. Notable artistic and technical productions are recognized at the Award of Merit award level. Judging results letters will be sent by regular mail about four to six weeks after the final deadline to all participants, i.e., to those who were granted awards and those who were not granted awards. Free digital downloads of Best Shorts laurels will be made available to all winners.
Free Best Shorts Statuette
Each Best of Show winner will receive one free Best Shorts statuette. Other winners may order a Best Shorts statuette for a cost of $350 per statuette. Shipping is free within the United States but international orders will be charged a $50 shipping fee. The Best Shorts statuette is an elegant 24-K gold-plated achievement figure mounted on a piano finished rosewood base. The Best Shorts statuette is manufactured by the company that makes the world's most prestigious and celebrated awards, the Oscar, Emmy, Clio, Accolade and MTV Video Music Awards. The statuette is costly but is truly a work of art.
