These are some of the famous films, firstly, that became the path to a career for their authors, and, secondly, they grew out of short films. 
Making a name for yourself with a short film is a very common and practical way used by a huge number of young directors and screenwriters, whose careers later reach enormous heights. Among these, for example, are Wes Anderson, director of The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Damien Chazelle, director of La La Land.
It often happens that representatives of film studios like the short projects themselves, which later turn into full-length films. And they become successful! Obviously, short films and their full-length brothers have many differences, including the quality of filming, the high cost of the picture, the plot and the actors involved.
1. Saw: Game of Survival (2004) 
Short version: "Saw" (2003).
The nearly 10-minute short film tells the story of one victim of the sinister Jigsaw, played by the film's screenwriter, Leigh Whannell. Later, in the full-length version, this role went to actress Shawnee Smith, and Whannell played one of the main roles (but also a victim).
2. Obsession (2014) 
Short version: "Whiplash" (2013).
In the 18-minute short version, the role of the main character was played by actor Johnny Simmons; in the full-length film, he was replaced by Miles Teller. The conductor in both versions was played by J.K. Simmons.
3. District No. 9 (2009) 
Short version: "Surviving Joburg" (2006).
The 5-minute featurette shows the arrival of the aliens, their battles with the Joburg military, interviews with local residents and a demonstration of the main concept of the film - aliens forced to live in a ghetto.
4. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) 
Short version: "Hard Case" (1995).
The 20-minute featurette provides background to the film. The cast has completely changed.
5. Real Ghouls (2014) 
Short version: What We Do in the Shadows: Interviews with Some Vampires (2005).
The plot of the almost half-hour short film is approximately repeated in the feature film released later. New Zealand actors Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement worked on both. Afterwards, the 2014 film became a hit and turned into the series “What We Do in the Shadows” (2019-...).
6. Bottle Rocket (1996) 
Short version: "Bottle Rocket" (1992).
The 13-minute short (in black and white) and subsequent feature film marked the directorial debut of Wes Anderson, as well as the acting debuts of Owen and Luke Wilson.
7. Frankenweenie (2012) 
Short version: Frankenweenie (1984).
This is the case when a full-length cartoon was originally a short film.
8. Evil Dead (1981) 
Short version: "In the Woods" (1978).
The 32-minute version of the famous horror film, like the full-length version, featured actors Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss and Scott Spiegel. The short film, shot in 6 days, became the starting point for the emergence of the Evil Dead franchise, which now includes seven films and one TV series.
9. Boogie Nights (1997) 
Short version: "The Dirk Diggler Story" (1988).
The 32-minute short film was shot in the mockumentary genre and tells the story of the main character of the extended version of the film - porn star Dirk Diggler.
10. Napoleon Dynamite (2004) 
Short version: Peluca (2002).
In the 9-minute version, Jon Heeder's character's name was not Napoleon Dynamite, but simply Seth.
11. Sling Blade (1996) 
Short version: "Some People Call It a Sharpened Blade" (1994).
The 29-minute version was written and starred by Billy Bob Thornton, and he also directed the full-length version. As a result, the film received an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.
12. Return (2005) 
Short version: "Return" (2004).
The 18-minute short film received an Oscar nomination, after which a full version was filmed with the same actors in the lead roles.
13. Mom (2013) 
Short version: "Mama" (2008).
The short film and then the full-length film “Mama” gave the way to Hollywood for director Andreas Muschietti, who later directed two parts of the horror film “It” (2017 and 2019).
Bonus: Machete (2010) 
Featurette: A fake trailer for a then-unplanned film that was shown inside the Robert Rodriguez/Quentin Tarantino collaboration Grindhouse (2007). Later, the film in the trash action genre was nevertheless directed by Rodriguez himself (and a sequel was also released in 2013).
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