By: Sarah Chaisson-Warner
Short films can be an excellent way for screenwriters and filmmakers to develop and hone their voice and demonstrate to industry insiders their particular point of view. Short films can serve as a proof of concept for the filmmaker’s style and as a “portfolio piece” demonstrating their talent.
At the same time, when a short film successfully makes its mark on its intended audience, it can lead to an adaptation of the short into a full-length feature film. Or it can work the other way around—when a filmmaker is struggling to get a feature film off the ground, they may choose to, instead, produce a short film that proves their vision, capability, and/or audience for the feature, which can help secure financing and support for the larger project. Many of this generation’s most prolific filmmakers utilized short films as a pathway to developing feature films. Read on for five successful features that started out as shorts (and where you can watch both the short film and the feature film!)
BOTTLE ROCKET
Perhaps one of the most famous examples of a short film turned feature film, “Bottle Rocket” started as a 13-minute black-and-white short, written and produced by Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson while students at the University of Texas in Austin. The short debuted at the Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews, and it caught the eye of James L. Brooks (creator of “The Simpsons”), who tapped them to turn their first short film into a feature.
Two years later, Owen Wilson, along with his brother Luke Wilson, reprised their original roles, and were joined by screen legend James Caan in the feature-length film, in this tale of three down-on-their-luck criminals just trying to get by. You can watch the feature-length version for free (with ads) on Tubi. If you prefer a no-ad experience, you can rent or purchase the movie on Amazon Video, Apple TV, or Fandango at Home.
MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON
“Marcel the Shell With Shoes On” began as a series of four-minute, stop-motion animated short films. Co-written by Jenny Slate (who also voices Marcel) and Dean Fleischer Camp, “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” tells the story of the adventures of a tiny mollusk. The first in the series premiered at AFI Fest in 2010, and it won Best Animated Short. It then went on to show at Sundance the following year on YouTube.
Part one:
Part two:
Part 3:
The feature film by the same name was released in 2021, voiced again by Slate, and produced by Fleischer Camp. It was met with both critical and box-office success, having built an audience through the YouTube shorts that preceded it. It then went on to earn an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature at the 95th Annual Academy Awards. While “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” isn’t available to watch for free, you can watch it on several different streaming platforms for approximately $4, including Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and YouTube.
NAPOLEON DYNAMITE
“Napoleon Dynamite” began as a passion project of Jared and Jerusha Hess. Shot in just two days with a $500 budget, the nine-minute black-and-white short film, entitled “Peluca” tested their quirky comedic sentiments and first played at the Slamdance Film Festival.
After its run at Slamdance, Hess got the green light to adapt it into a feature film and began working with his wife to flesh out the script for “Napoleon Dynamite.” It was Hess’ first feature-length film—he had a $400,000 investment, and his production team was mostly made up of BYU students. The film went on to debut at the Sundance Film Festival and later became a global phenomenon. “Napoleon Dynamite” can be watched on several streaming platforms for free (assuming you have a subscription), including Amazon Prime and AMC+. The film is also available for streaming for approximately $4 at Fandango and Apple TV.
BOOGIE NIGHTS
Most people don’t know that “Boogie Nights” was based on a short film created ten years prior by the name of “The Dirk Diggler Story.” Released in 1988, “The Dirk Diggler Story” was a mockumentary-style short film that, similar to the protagonist of “Boogie Nights,” follows the rise and fall of a male porn star. The film’s creator, the legendary Paul Thomas Anderson, is reported to have raised money to make the short film by cleaning cages at a pet shop.
“Boogie Nights” was released nearly a decade later by Anderson, with Mark Wahlberg and Burt Reynolds taking the lead roles. The original actors in the short—Michael Stein and Jack Horner—also appeared in the feature film. “Boogie Nights,” though, differed from the original short film in its style and approach, leaning away from the mockumentary style and instead opting for a narrative storytelling approach. While “Boogie Nights” isn’t available for free viewing, you can purchase it for between $6 and $13 on Fandango, Google Play, and YouTube.
THE BABADOOK
Cult horror favorite “The Babadook” was based on filmmaker Jennifer Kent’s short film “Monster.” Taking on the well-known theme of children afraid of monsters at night, the short film tells the story of a mother who tries to quell her son’s fear of a monster in the closet, only to find a sinister presence inhabits the house. Shot in black and white, with a ten-minute run time, “Monster” screened at over 50 festivals around the world, including Telluride, Slamdance, and SXSW.
“The Babadook” went on to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and was hailed as one of the best horror films of the 21st century. You can watch “The Babadook” for free on Pluto TV.
BONUS: THIRSTYGIRL
Alexandra Qin’s “Thirstygirl” won second place in our Short Film Fund in 2022 and went on to show at over 40 short film festivals, including Sundance in 2024. Alexandra has since gone into production on a feature-length version of the film. Principal photography took place in May/June of 2026 in Nashville and New York. You can see the original short here:
We are so proud to have supported “Thirstygirl” early on through the Short Film Fund and wish Alexandra and her team all the best!
IS YOUR SHORT FILM READY?
If you have a short film script ready for production, or if your short has already been filmed and is now in post-production, consider entering the Short Film Fund! The Fall Season of the Short Film Fund is now open! The Short Film Fund offers an opportunity for emerging screenwriters and filmmakers to receive much-needed financial support to get their work produced and distributed. Our partnerships with ARRI Rental, Oscar-nominated producer Maria Gracia Turgeon, and Tribeca short film programmer Kimberley Browning elevate the films that come through our Fund with free camera equipment, mentorship, and film festival strategy.
Many of our 26 previously funded short films have screened at some of the top film festivals in the world, including Sundance, Tribeca, BFI London, Austin, Cannes, Encounters, and Palm Springs. One even won a BAFTA! Several of those writers and writer/directors have gone on to gain representation, sell screenplays, get staffed on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, & BBC shows, and develop their shorts into features and TV shows.
Sarah Chaisson-Warner is the former Founder and Editor in Chief of Athena Magazine for Girls, Sarah is an award-winning screenwriter. She writes across genres – her feature scripts and television pilots range from LGBTQ period pieces to grounded sci-fis to mysteries. She has spent the last 20+ years working in state and national politics, allowing her to seamlessly intertwine themes of political intrigue into her scripts. Sarah enjoys spending time with her spouse and children, playing tennis, and traveling.
