Viewers Guide
Welcome to The Short Film Show — the home of short films.
Here’s everything you need to know about watching, subscribing, and getting the best experience from our platform.
How To Watch
Short films deserve to be seen, and we’ve made it as easy as possible to dive in.
You can watch instantly on theshortfilmshow.com — no downloads required.
Our mobile app for iOS and Android connects seamlessly with your account, so you can start on one device and continue on another.
Available viewing options:
- Web Browser: Works on any modern browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge).
- Casting: Watch on the big screen by casting from your phone or tablet.
- Mobile App: Available now for iOS and Android.
- Linear Channel: Our 24/7 channel is live at channel.theshortfilmshow.com — tune in anytime.
Accounts & Subscription Tiers
Every viewer joins free — no card required — and can upgrade at any time for the full experience.
Free viewers get a taste of what we offer — ad-supported, with 30 minutes of SD viewing each month, perfect for discovering independent storytelling.
Two paid plans unlock more: Ad-Free Experience (£5.99/month or £58/year) gives you ad-free playback and HD streaming, while Showcase+ (£9.99/month or £96/year) adds up to 4K, offline downloads, personalised recommendations and filmmaker extras that bring you closer to the creative process.
You can upgrade or downgrade anytime through your account dashboard — we don’t lock you in.
| Plan | Free | Ad-Free Experience | Showcase+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | £0 | £5.99 | £9.99 |
| Yearly | — | £58 | £96 |
| Ads | Ad-supported | Ad-free | Ad-free |
| Monthly viewing | 30 minutes | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Quality | SD | HD (up to 1080p) | Up to 4K |
| Offline downloads | — | — | Yes |
| Tip Jar | — | Yes | Yes |
| Early & exclusive access | — | — | Yes |
Platform Features
We designed The Short Film Show to feel like a modern, living cinema — easy to browse, smart to use, and built for discovery.
Discover New Films
Search by genre, theme, language, or filmmaker — or simply scroll through curated blocks like Editor’s Choice, Student Spotlight, or Festival Selections.
Our recommendation engine learns what you love and helps surface new gems every time you visit.
Personalised Experience
- Favourites: Save films you want to return to.
- Continue Watching: Automatically resumes from where you left off.
- Account Dashboard: Manage your viewing history, preferences, and billing in one place.
Playback & Subtitles
All films stream through our CDN for smooth playback worldwide.
Subtitles are available for most films and automatically display where available.
Quality adjusts to your internet connection — SD on Free, HD on Ad-Free Experience, and up to 4K on Showcase+.
Pro tip: for best performance, use Chrome or Safari and ensure your ad-blocker is disabled when watching ads.
Help & Support
We’re here to make sure your viewing experience stays effortless.
Quick Troubleshooting
If a film won’t play:
- Refresh the page and try again.
- Check your connection or try a different browser.
- If it still won’t work, note the film title and time of issue before contacting support.
Subtitles or Audio Issues
Most subtitle tracks come directly from filmmakers — if you spot a problem, report it briefly so we can review it on the next update cycle.
Please note: we may prioritise fixes for newly featured or trending titles.
Contact Us:
Supporting Filmmakers
When you subscribe or watch, you’re directly supporting independent filmmakers worldwide.
Subscriptions and ad revenue feed into the Filmmaker Impact Fund — our transparent model for rewarding creators when their films are watched and shared.
Every play counts.
Every subscription helps a filmmaker make their next film.