Sharing Your Film Online: Choosing Where It Lives After the Festival

Begin with your audience. Before you upload anything, ask yourself who you made the film for. Is it for family and friends, for your class, or for anyone in the world? The answer helps you pick the right place to share it.

Understand public and private. Most video sites let you choose who can watch. A public film can be found by anyone. An unlisted film can only be seen by people who have the link. A private film can be seen only by the people you invite. If you are under age, ask a parent or guardian to help you decide and to manage the account.

Check the festival rules first. Some festivals ask filmmakers to keep a film hidden or limited until the festival has finished showing it. Read the rules you agreed to, and when you are unsure, ask the festival team before posting.

Give your film a good home page. Choose a clear title and write a short, friendly description. Add the names of everyone who helped, and pick a bright, readable picture to represent the film. Good details help people find your work and know who to thank.

Think about safety. Be careful about sharing last names, home addresses or school names in your description. If friends or neighbours appear in the film, make sure they, or their families, are happy for it to be shared.

Keep a copy of your own. Save the original film on a drive at home, not only online. Websites change, and you always want a safe copy. Then share the link proudly, and enjoy the kind comments that come back.