What filmmakers really want to know

I analysed 160,000+ filmmaking questions on Reddit from the past decade to uncover what filmmakers really ask, need and struggle with.

After two decades in the worlds of filmmaking, film analysis and film education, the same questions come up time and time again.

Many people follow a similar path from wannabe rookie filmmaker through to active filmmaker and, hopefully, to film professional.

They reach the same milestones, face the same roadblocks, and complete the same rites of passage. So it’s natural that there will be a batch of evergreen questions that filmmakers often ask.

Today’s article is an offshoot of a new report I have just launched entitled Engage Filmmakers. It is a little different from my usual film data projects, in that it’s aimed at businesses, but it was during the research process that I studied the most common questions filmmakers ask.

I crunched the data on ten years of posts on filmmaking Subreddits, identifying when filmmakers were asking for help or advice. This gave me just over 160,000 questions to analyse, thereby tracking common points of pain on the path to filmmaking glory.

Today’s article is sponsored by… me! I’m looking to connect with businesses that sell to filmmakers, in order to help them write popular online content.

Engage Filmmakers is a new B2B report focused on helping companies that want to connect with filmmakers. That might be to sell products/ services, to support them or just to collaborate. It’s based on a huge dataset (over 1.5 million articles and posts) and is all about how to earn trust and attention from filmmakers through the content you create. Find out more at EngageFilmmakers.com

Let’s first go through the major topics filmmakers discuss, and then end with the ten most frequently asked questions.

All the gear and no idea

A major topic was asking for advice on what equipment to buy or rent. Filmmakers are always looking for reliable ways to achieve professional results on a limited budget, and guidance on how to avoid wasting money or time.

The most frequently asked type of gear was camera kit, followed closely by post-production software and audio gear.

• Camera selection is central. Requests for advice focus on whether a budget mirrorless or mid-tier DSLR will work for both shorts and paid jobs. Many users seek validation that current entry-level models from Sony, Canon, Blackmagic or Panasonic will hold up for festival projection or 4K and 6K delivery.

• Lighting decisions follow similar logic. Many filmmakers seek affordable alternatives to established brands and want proof these can deliver consistent colour, throw, and reliability over a shoot. Power, portability and efficiency are common questions. Problems such as flicker or colour shifts with cheaper equipment arise repeatedly.

• Filmmakers rarely rely on built-in camera microphones, meaning that questions about audio gear come up a lot. Most start with a low-cost shotgun or lavalier but encounter new problems as projects get more complex. Recording multiple speakers, syncing audio from recorders, and avoiding noise or sync loss enter the list as typical issues.

• Stabilisation and movement tech has changed a lot over the years, as have the questions. Entry-level gimbals, sliders and home-built rigs now receive frequent requests for best-value options. The concern is whether one device can deliver useable footage with limited staff or support. Setup speed and camera compatibility are buying triggers.

• Workflow support tools are another source of frequent questions. Filmmakers want help with safe and fast field backup, media management, and portable power. The questions are less about spec sheets and more about field-tested reliability.

You alright, hun?

Questions around mental health spark the greatest number of comments.

Filmmakers talk about stress, anxiety, burnout, self-doubt, impostor syndrome and the constant pressure to keep going in the face of unstable or underpaid work.

Frequent topics include:

• Exhaustion, working hours and the expectation that suffering is a badge of honour. The frequent de-glamourising of being a film worker, such as mentioning working 16 hours a day or pushing on through fatigue.

• The question “Should I just give up?” appears repeatedly, almost as a standard milestone along the filmmaker’s journey. Even among those who describe themselves as established or “objectively successful,” uncertainty around satisfaction and fulfilment is common.

• Filmmakers talk about losing passion as much as they do about finding it. Searches for advice on coping with failure, critical feedback and the demands of the job appear at every stage of experience, from first-year students to long-time professionals.

• Sexual harassment, gender bias and safety concerns also form a significant part of filmmakers’ mental health discussions. Women and those from marginalised groups ask for tactics, resources or peer support for difficult situations, and worry about being taken seriously or blacklisted if they speak up.

• COVID-19, financial instability and the inconsistency of freelance work remain major sources of anxiety. People talk about “wasting time” or sacrificing personal relationships for film.

• Imposter syndrome rears its nasty head a lot via questions such as “Do I have what it takes?”, and “Am I too old to start?”. Related topics include perfectionism, rejection, creative paralysis, self-worth, creative block, and comparison with peers.

• Filmmakers often request tips or practical strategies to manage stress, avoid burnout or rekindle lost enthusiasm.

It’s business time

Legal rights, payments, and deals are evergreen topics.

These business questions are focused on staying out of trouble, getting paid on time, and structuring deals in ways that are clear, simple, and fair. They need practical guidance that cuts through industry folklore and vague assurances from “industry insiders.”

• Copyright is a constant source of confusion. People want clear answers on whether background book spines or posters need clearing, at what point a music cue will cause trouble, and who can sign a release form if the person can’t read or write English

• The second core concern is deal structure and paperwork. Indie filmmakers want contract templates and deal memos for nearly every scenario, including consulting, crew working for points, granting someone an executive producer credit in exchange for a favour, or “backend” definitions.

• No matter the budget, filmmakers want to know exactly what they have the right to do with their film. They don’t know what’s allowed, what is risky, what needs permission, and how to stay protected from future claims.

• They are wary of producers who claim they can “get backend deals…whatever that means” and want straightforward explanations of what’s standard, what’s not, and what is enforceable.

• Financing and revenue are persistent open questions. Filmmakers want to know how peers really got their first feature made - Was it private equity, a government grant, or product placement? Did their crowdfunding really succeed, and if so, why?

Set for life

Set life is of interest to filmmakers at every level. Most questions and pain points revolve around how to run an efficient shoot, work within the limits of budget and experience, and handle real-world scenarios that rarely appear in textbooks.

• “What does a ‘real’ set look and feel like?”. Rookie filmmakers are obsessed with the gap between student, indie and professional sets. The most common requests ask about basic etiquette, crew roles, safety practices and workflow. Even questions about “what to wear” reveal anxiety about fitting in and working professionally.

• Logistics and survival. Weather, food, transport, and long hours are frequent stress points. Many seek advice on filming in extreme cold, keeping actors comfortable, handling toilets (or the lack of them), and preventing heatstroke or exhaustion. Filmmakers want blunt advice – how do professionals really feed and protect people over 12-hour days? Advice about craft services, portable power, and safety gear gets as much engagement as traditional craft tips.

• Scheduling, mistakes and speed bumps. Every budget scale throws up questions about scheduling. Filmmakers regularly underestimate how long shots, setups, or days actually take. Common posts include “is one month enough for post on a 15-minute short?” and “why does editing take weeks?” or “how do I keep the crew from getting bored waiting?” The pain of missed shots, going over time, or finding errors in the edit crops up daily.

• Location and resource hacks. Independent filmmakers are hungry for practical workarounds. Securing locations, props and extras is a constant concern. They want to know how the professionals secure military radios, find empty hospitals for a shoot, or avoid angry residents during a night shoot. Many look for “free” filming locations, set-building shortcuts, or ways to fake bigger scale with almost no money. Filmmakers at all budget levels want to know how to clear public spaces, book or disguise vehicles, or dress up mundane spaces.

• Crew, authority and “doing it all yourself”. Tension around crew management appears across experience levels. Directors and producers want to know how to handle actors who miss marks or crew with gaps in skills, when to “fire” someone and how to do it, and what to do with overzealous or toxic personalities. Assembling a basic but functional team is a top concern, but so is the question “should I just do it all myself?” Many ask how much is expected of each core crew member, what can be combined, and whether it is sustainable to cover multiple production roles alone. First-timers also ask for advice on giving up micro-managing, or about when to delegate and bring in professionals.

What happens after you’ve shot yourself?

Filmmakers have countless questions around film festivals, including entry fees, premiere requirements, festival quality, practical issues, and the true value of festivals for career progression.

• There is lots of questions on the “top tier” festivals (i.e. Cannes, Sundance, Berlin, Venice, Toronto, SXSW, Tribeca).

• Any discussion about festivals quickly moves to the importance of premiere status, whether the festival is “worth it,” and if a particular event really helps a film break out.

• Many want clear criteria: what separates a respected festival from a scam, and how much getting into a mid-level or B-tier event actually matters to buyers or the industry.

• Entry fees and ROI Submission and entry fees are a pain point. There is intensive crowd-sourcing of lists for free and low-cost festivals that are not scams or “laurel mills.” Filmmakers trade stories about being invited only to festivals that “just want your money.”

• For those who clear the first hurdle, the next wave of questions is practical: What happens once the film is selected? Should you attend? What can you do to get more from the experience than a single screening and a laurel? Does attending actually help with networking or sales, and how do you find out who else will be there?

A related topic is that of distribution, beyond festivals.

• Given its importance to building a sustainable career, and/or returning investors’ money, I personally believe the topic of distribution massively under-indexes in both frequency and intensity. In short, not enough people ask about distribution, and when they do, not enough people respond.

• Given the nature of the audience, it makes sense that self-distribution is a hot topic. Skipping festivals is discussed often, with some filmmakers seeing little value in waiting a year for the festival circuit and therefore asking if they should go straight to YouTube, Amazon, or Vimeo On Demand.

• There is frequent debate over the best/worst aggregators, streaming platforms, traditional channels, exhibitors, and specialist distributors.

• And then there are the hands-on questions about DCPs, formats, screeners, and licensing.

The greatest hits

The most commonly asked questions offer a direct window into what filmmakers want, worry about, and work through on a daily basis.

A small number of question types account for a large share of all queries. This pattern reflects the Pareto Principle, where a minority of causes drives the majority of outcomes.

These ten questions account for 52% of the filmmaking questions I tracked on Reddit.

Below are the ten most frequently asked questions and what they tell us about filmmakers' priorities.

1. What camera and gear should I buy for filmmaking on my budget?

   The search for the “right” camera and kit never ends, no matter how much technology shifts. People want to know what will give them industry-standard results without breaking the bank. The conversation includes price brackets, compatibility, and whether brand or model really matters to a film’s success.

2. How do I start a career in film or get my foot in the door?

   This is the practical follow-up to the film school debate. Filmmakers want straight answers about first jobs, entry points, and which cities or skills lead to real work. Many people are looking for pathways that do not depend on family connections or luck.

3. Is film school worth it or do I need to go to film school to work in the industry?
   Filmmakers want clarity on the value of a formal degree versus real-world experience. They are trying to weigh debt against opportunity and want to know if there are shortcuts, hidden costs, or alternative routes into the business.

4. Which editing software should I use?
   Software choice raises both budget and workflow issues. Filmmakers want to know which tools are worth learning for professional growth. Questions focus on cost, features, compatibility, and what is expected in professional settings.

5. How do I find cast, crew, or collaborators for my film?
   Building a team is a constant sticking point. Most low-budget filmmakers do not have a professional network and are looking for reputable ways to meet actors, crew, or creative partners. Trust and reliability are major concerns, as is the need for effective group communication.

6. What is the legal, rights, permits, and music aspect of filmmaking?
   Legal uncertainty is widespread. Filmmakers are confused about permissions, copyright, insurance, and protecting their work and collaborators. They want step-by-step advice that demystifies the paperwork.

7. How do I improve as a filmmaker, cinematographer, editor, writer, director, etc?

   Self-development is a constant thread. Filmmakers search for the best courses, books, tutorials, and case studies. Clear recommendations are valued and people want to know what separates average work from great films.

8. Is my gear, equipment, location, or crew good enough for filmmaking?
   Questions about minimum standards reflect deeper anxieties about competing in a crowded field. People want reassurance that their toolkit will not hold them back and want to know how far they can push limited resources.

9. How do I submit my film to festivals, distribute it, or what happens after my film is done?

   People want clear instructions on taking their finished work to the next level. Festival strategies, navigating submissions, and understanding distribution channels are a minefield. Filmmakers want to know how to maximise exposure and what steps make the biggest difference.

10. How do I get feedback or critique on my work?
    Constructive criticism is in high demand. Filmmakers want practical advice on scripts, edits, and showreels. They look for honest reactions to their work and advice on how to keep improving.

If you want to go deeper on these topics for your business, then check out my Engage Filmmakers report.

‘Engage Filmmakers’ report. Unlock deep, data-driven insights on millions of written articles and posts. Learn exactly what filmmakers value and how successful brands use content to build lasting trust and credibility.