Even as a corporate video production company, we’re still learning, always learning, so sometimes — in pursuit of the latest industry trends and creative inspiration — we find ourselves on Reddit. At first glance this self-proclaimed ‘front page of the internet’ can seem overwhelming, but you don’t have to eat the whole thing in one go. For our convenience and yours, it’s divided into smaller communities called subreddits. These are a great resource once you get to know them. We’ve put together our Top 12 Subreddits for Filmmakers to help you get started.
r/Filmmakers
The filmmakers subreddit is a real hodgepodge of useful resources and interesting news from the filmmaking world. It’s especially useful for beginners. For more specific or specialised subreddits, try some of the others on this list.
r/Screenwriting
The screenwriting subreddit offers advice and tips for scriptwriters. The real value is that you can feedback from other writers. Don’t be shy, take part in ‘Logline Monday’, ‘Beginner Questions Tuesday’, or the ‘Weekend Script Swap’. Word to the wise: there are over a million members and some misinformed writers will provide peculiar feedback based on corny 90’s screenwriting manuals and the gurus who still teach from them. Look out instead for posts by verified professional screenwriters, such as WGA members, who dispense better advice and tackle misinformation.
r/animation
Whether you’re into 2D, 3D, stop motion, or cel animation, this is the subreddit for you. It’s s a great source of inspiration and occasionally you’ll even find tips on how you can improve your corporate animation work.
r/cinematography
This is a club house for camera nerds. There’s a huge amount of technical information and many discussions about cameras, lighting, and lenses. We’re not going to lie, cinematography is an extremely technical part of the filmmaking process. But there’s no need to panic. This subreddit is a handy demystifying resource.
r/smartphonefilmmaking
If you have a smartphone, you have a movie studio in your pocket. Fact. Which is great news for anyone loathe to spend thousands of pounds on camera gear. While the previous subreddit often discusses high-end camera paraphernalia, this subreddit is a place to chat about making movies using your smartphone. Lots of professional filmmakers have used iPhones on major productions. We even have a blog about it.
r/editors
There are people who say the magic happens in post-production. You’ll find those people here. By and large, members of this subreddit are professional editors sharing tips and news for all things post-production. Members work on every type of project that requires editing, from feature films to commercials, corporate films, and shorts.
r/colorists
This subreddit is a life-saver for anyone flummoxed by colour grading jargon. We all know that colour grading has a huge impact on tone and emotion. Thing is, it’s daham difficult to get creative until you understand the tool. This sub includes tons of incredibly helpful links.
r/vfx
It’s (very) helpful to have a place to share and critique work, particularly if you’re working independently. Often a fresh pair of eyes will spot the obvious – and save you time, money and (if you’re lucky) provide that little missing piece that’ll take your vfx work from good to great. This is where you’ll find constructive criticism and inspiration.
r/movies
Because we love movies! Here’s a subreddit that focuses on feature film analysis and news. This is important for us because lots of trends in Hollywood make their way into commercials and marketing videos, especially in terms of colour grading – expect everything to look like The Fabelmans in the coming year!
r/LocationSound
Listen, sound quality can make or break your video. Recording high quality sound during a shoot is critical as many things are difficult or near impossible to fix in postproduction. This subreddit is dedicated to the on-set sound department.
r/AudioPost
So, you did the best you could with on-set sound, and yet . . . This subreddit is exclusively focused on audio post-production. It’s where you’ll get the inside track on how to level-up your mixing and sound design skills or (sigh) salvage what you can. Your post-production know-how can have a massive impact on the finished film. Just saying.
r/artdept
When you need to dress an existing location or create an entirely new set, this subreddit is a great place to ask questions about materials, design, and on set etiquette. No, it’s not just for noobs. Still learning, always learning, remember?
When you’ve found inspiration on Reddit for a brand video or explainer for your company, we can help make it a reality. Contact us to find out how, when and why your good ideas can appear on screen. Go on, you know you want to.
Or keep reading: Top subreddits for small businesses