Yesterday afternoon saw the announcement of Sundance's short film lineup for 2014, 66 short films that will play Park City this upcoming January. The competition was fierce, with a revealed total of 8,141 submissions, but, of the myriad things you could do to catch the fleeting but powerful attention of a programmer—write a great script, discover an amazing subject, or cast a big star—keeping your short film offline, sight unseen, conferred no advantage.

The release of a new blockbuster game franchise "Overwatch" was notable for the way it was supported by 4 impressively animated short films. As gaming matures, short films are poised to pick up the narrative slack in developing game franchises into true, cross-platform IP

If you're looking for proof of how making short films can further your career, check out this playlist of features and series from our previously featured filmmakers.

From short films to features, we take a look at this year's Sundance Film Festival line-up.