69 Things I Learned About Filmmaking (From Writing 69 Blog Posts About It)

When I started writing blog posts for Garvescope, I didn’t plan to write 69 of them. (Nice.) But somewhere between breaking down film budgets and unraveling the mystery of AVOD algorithms, I realized I wasn’t just writing about filmmaking. I was mapping the modern indie film playbook.

Because here’s the truth: filmmaking isn’t just a creative pursuit. It’s a business. A game of strategy, grit, math, and maybe a little witchcraft. And for too long, creators have been shut out of the business side. Not because they can’t understand it, but because no one bothered to explain it in a way that wasn’t soul-draining or suspiciously vague.

So that became the mission: demystify the money. Decode the deals. Pull back the curtain on how this industry really works and do it with some levity, some fire, and a healthy dose of “I can’t believe nobody talks about this.” What followed was 69 posts (and counting) that tackle everything from TikTok virality to product placement ROI, from co-production treaties to completion bonds.

Each post added a piece to the puzzle. And every single one reinforced something I’ve always believed: filmmakers aren’t just storytellers. We’re entrepreneurs.

My 69 Filmmaker Tips

1. Micro-budget does not mean micro-ambition.
2. “We’ll get it in post” is how broke people stay broke.
3. Completion bonds are the prenups of production.
4. If your film doesn’t have an audience, you just have a very expensive hobby.
5. Tax incentives are legal magic. Use them.
6. Film investors don’t want passion. They want a plan.
7. You can pitch a musical if you want, just don’t call it a “passion project.”
8. Your one-sheet should not look like a garage band flyer.
9. There’s no excuse to overspend on catering in the DoorDash era.
10. Brands don’t care about your dream. They care about their demo.
11. Product placement works best when it’s invisible.
12. But if a talking animal drinks branded soda, you just made a sale.
13. Everyone wants to go viral. No one wants to study TikTok analytics.
14. If the only people reading your pitch deck are your friends, you don’t have a strategy.
15. Film markets are just speed dating in lanyards.
16. Equity crowdfunding works better when your aunt isn’t your top investor.
17. “Festival laurels” aren’t currency, distribution is.
18. A VOD release is not a backup plan. It’s the plan.
19. Releasing your movie in black and white? Better come with receipts and a marketing plan.
20. Foreign sales matter more than your ego.
21. Everyone says “data is king,” but no one wants to clean the spreadsheet.
22. AVOD is the underdog platform with main character energy.
23. Musicals are ROI nightmares unless they’re amazing. Or weird. Preferably both.
24. Just because a deal is signed doesn’t mean it’s fair.
25. A producer who says, “It’s all taken care of,” is lying.
26. Sponsorship is courtship. Act like it.
27. Budget for reshoots. And rescheduling. And someone’s emotional breakdown.
28. Investors remember what you said at brunch.
29. Completion bonds don’t cover hubris.
30. Niche is the new blockbuster.
31. “Elevator pitch” does not mean “talk until the elevator cable snaps.”
32. If you can’t explain the financial waterfall in one sentence, you don’t understand it.
33. More filmmakers should learn Excel.
34. Distribution is harder than directing. There, I said it.
35. Social media is not optional. Neither is therapy.
36. One viral moment can be worth more than a whole festival run.
37. Influencer casting isn’t selling out. It’s selling smart.
38. Story matters. But so does strategy.
39. Your DIT has better footage of your film than you do.
40. If your marketing plan fits on a napkin, you need more napkins.
41. Brands want you to pitch them, not just your movie.
42. The most valuable thing on set? Not the camera. It’s trust.
43. Never underestimate how weirdly successful a movie with a dog can be.
44. “We just want to tell good stories” is not a business model.
45. If you’re afraid of rejection, you’re in the wrong industry.
46. You need a lawyer. No, not your cousin who “did a semester of entertainment law.”
47. Algorithms are the new gatekeepers. Learn their ways.
48. A bad acquisition deal is worse than no deal.
49. Everyone’s a producer until the invoice hits.
50. Rewatch your rough cut sober. Then watch it drunk. Then decide which version of you was right.
51. If you think your film is “for everyone,” it’s for no one.
52. A niche film with a niche audience can make a very non-niche profit.
53. Film is art. Distribution is war.
54. “Soft no” is Hollywood for “I hated this but I’m scared of your agent.”
55. Always read the terms before signing with a streamer. Always.
56. If your film doesn’t have a target demographic, you are the demographic.
57. A perfect pitch deck won’t save a bad script.
58. But a great trailer might save a mediocre film.
59. Your composer deserves backend. So does your sound mixer.
60. TikTokers are getting licensed faster than filmmakers. Let that sink in.
61. DIY marketing is harder than making the film itself.
62. A good one-liner sells more than a 30-page treatment.
63. Distribution deals are like dating apps: read between the lines.
64. If the festival circuit feels like a popularity contest, that’s because it is.
65. Film investing is a gamble until it isn’t.
66. The best pitch decks include audience data. Period.
67. Your pitch should be a business plan in disguise.
68. The future of indie film is scrappy, smart, and data-backed.
69. And finally… nothing says success like turning 69 blog posts into one mic-drop-worthy flex of filmmaking wisdom.

Reflecting on 69 Posts

If I could go back in time and hand my younger self this list, I’d probably save years of confusion…and maybe a few gray hairs. Because the film industry is often treated like an exclusive club with secret handshakes and coded feedback. But it doesn’t have to be.

Here’s what I know now:

• You don’t need Hollywood’s permission to build a successful film career.
• You do need a clear financial strategy, an audience you understand, and the guts to treat your film like a startup.
• And if you’re willing to learn the business side (even a little) it will completely transform the creative side.

The magic isn’t just in the story you tell. It’s in how you package, pitch, protect, and profit from it.

So if you’ve made it through this list, whether laughing, nodding, or screaming into your budgeting spreadsheet, know this: you’re not alone. You’re part of a growing wave of filmmakers who are done playing by outdated rules. And Garvescope’s here to hand you the blueprint (and maybe a few inside jokes) along the way.

Here’s to post #70. And to the thousands of filmmakers who refuse to choose between artist and entrepreneur.