In short: An electronic press kit (EPK) needs a poster, a logline and synopsis, bios, full credits, stills, any praise or awards, and contact details. Most of that has to be collected during the shoot, not after wrap. Book a stills slot, agree behind-the-scenes filming with everyone on screen, and keep a running list of names and credits from the first day.
An EPK is the pack a festival, a distributor, a journalist or a programmer uses to understand a film in a few minutes. Behind-the-scenes material is the picture that goes with it. Both are far easier to make on the day than to rebuild afterwards, when the crew has gone and the names are in three different emails.
What an EPK holds
A typical EPK includes a film poster, a logline and synopsis, bios for the leads and main creatives, full credits, stills from production, any praise, reviews and awards, and contact details. StudioBinder also suggests a short section on the project's angle, placed in the first two pages.
The BFI's guidance on short film budgets, as summarised by Film Hub Midlands, asks applicants to budget for an EPK as part of their marketing and PR, so it is worth a line of its own.
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Plan the day
- Book a stills slot in the schedule, with a photographer or a crew member who can take stills.
- Agree in writing who may be filmed for behind-the-scenes use, and what that footage can be used for.
- Shoot the set wide and close: the space, the hands on the camera, the props and the detail of the costume.
- Record a few short interview clips with the director and the lead while the set is still in place.
Collect as you go
- The name of every person on screen and in the crew list, spelled the way they spell it.
- Short, current bios. StudioBinder suggests bios for the leads and the main creatives, and bios for other crew only where they have screen credits or notable awards.
- A logline written before the shoot ends, so it can be checked while the story is fresh.
- Festival and award news as it arrives.
After wrap
- Sign off the synopsis and the logline with the director.
- Choose stills from each scene where you can. Check they are sharp and that every name in the caption is right.
- Put the trailer and the kit online, with contact details as links, not only as text in a PDF.
If you need a stills photographer or an extra camera operator for behind-the-scenes footage, the film crew hire page explains how extra crew is booked alongside your own. The shooting stills on a video set guide is the place to start on stills.
Sources
- StudioBinder, The ultimate guide to creating an EPK, read 5 November 2026
- Film Hub Midlands, Advice on budgeting a live-action short film, read 5 November 2026
Related guides
Questions we get asked
What goes in an electronic press kit for a short film?
A poster, a logline and synopsis, bios for the leads and main creatives, full credits, stills, any praise or awards, and contact details. Add a trailer and hyperlinks where you can.
When should I start an EPK?
During production. Collecting stills, names and bios on the day is far easier than chasing them after wrap.
Who should agree to behind-the-scenes filming?
Everyone who appears on camera, and the production for any use outside the film. Agree the use in writing before the shoot starts.
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