In this video I’m getting a few things off my chest—four filmmaking habits I see all the time that I just cannot stand. And before anybody gets sensitive, I’m not “hating” on people… I’m talking about the obsessive versions of these trends that end up ruining the actual film. I also make it clear from the jump: I’m a working filmmaker. I’m not just on YouTube talking about filmmaking—I actually have a filmmaking career, so this is coming from real-world experience and what I see in the space. First, I talk about filmmakers who dirty up their images like crazy—adding heavy noise and bloom until the footage is basically obliterated. Then I get into the solo short-film setup where everything is shot locked-off on a tripod and the “movement” is just scaling in post (I’m guilty of this in my older videos, so I’m throwing myself under the boat too). After that, I break down the whole “dark and moody interview” obsession and why not every subject calls for that look. And finally, I explain why having a bunch of angles and cool cuts does not replace storytelling—if the story is missing, no amount of fancy coverage is going to save it.