Making Short of Feature to Raise Money?

In our mission to make this feature film, we decided that it would be

best to shoot a shortened version to show at festivals and to 

producers in hopes of raising funds to shoot the feature. 

Luckily, both the director and myself work at SVA (School of Visual

Arts)- where we are able to borrow equipment as long as we paid

insurance.  So, we were able to shoot the short film on a feasible budget. 

I've been told that this works by some, and others advised against it. 

The feature film out in theaters now, Frozen River, began as a short

as did Half Nelson. So, those films and filmmakers have given me 

inspiration.

It's tough though, because our story is about friendship, depression

and how to deal with people from our past when their mental state

is precarious...To show that in a short film is incredible difficult. 

So, the elements of the story that we highlight in the short are only

hints of what we're going to take a long journey into.

That being said, I just wonder how you adapt a feature into a short 

without compromising your vision. I think we managed to create an

interesting story with an ending that makes it a short onto itself,

but also leaves the viewer sort of wanting more.