How to Make Money as a Filmmaker (ad) 

most underated youtuber

I can't believe you are only 17! You have such a great, refreshing attitude toward filmmaking and are wise beyond your years. I live in Hollywood and think this town needs more young filmmakers like yourself, rather than the ego maniacs you usually meet out here. I look forward to watching more of your videos and seeing your films.

Don't make film, so you can make money; make money, so you can make films. 😍😍😍

Hey, that apple already had a bite out of it! Take two, perhaps?

this dude really gives you the full package.

Dont make films so you can make money make money so you can make films.. great line man..

Great tip, im a film student and i asked myself, my teacher to call me whenever he needs volunteers, he also works as cinematographer, actually in the first classes he advised us that contacts mean really much in this business, when he has somithing i work with him and im getting some "connections" at the same time.

your videos are so gold! :)

i just love that your page is called DSLRguide and you are sticking with the DSLR to show people there is much much more in filmmaking beyond that camera. You are putting a lot of beginners in the right place my friend. You're earned my forever youtube support

I just subscribed to your channel after only watching about a minute of one of your videos. I'm 46 and only recently started learning photography and video but have been fortunate to have been making some money editing for a few years. What I can say with no hesitation is that the way you're approaching all of this is inspiring. I'm inspired to want to learn how to make my videos better and look professional. And what's so encouraging is that I know I can do it with my Canon T5i and not a whole lot more. I look forward to watching the rest of your videos and to seeing new ones soon! Great job and you've got an amazing future.

This guy is the real deal. Loved your video, tips, and personality. These are ingredients of a successful career

ANOTHER CASEY NIESTAT FAN! DAMN!!! HE IS CONQUERING EVERYTHING! WHAT A MAN!!

You are refreshingly wise beyond your years. Thank you for your thoughts!

This is probably the most helpful and inspiring video you've made as far as getting your work known, and that's saying a lot. Thank you so much for sticking with this

I love watching you videos simply because how beautiful the lighting is.

like it just for the fact that it said (ad) in the title...*total transparency* and the content was already gold as always

One word that describes DSLR Guide? Timeless.

I just stumbled on your channel and really love the content your producing, you have have a very practical way of presenting things. I haven't seen that anywhere else on the interwebs- good job man.

I really like your style. Somehow whatever question I have about filmmaking is answered in your videos.

You are like a young Philip Bloom! I see a bright future ahead for you and I'm amazed that your doing all of this as a teenager. I thought that I couldn't possibly make films unless I had a true film camera, but your channel has proven that with enough creativity and passion, you can make quality productions on a camera originally intended for people to snap quick pics of their kids playing. Awesome work!

your videos are just amazing! inspireing, helpfull motivating and very stylish! just amazing

The absolute best tutorial : LIGHT , UNDERSTOOD , TECHNICALLY PERFECT ....

great thoughts, man. I think Walt Disney said something to the same effect what Casey said. good advice either way. I was just at a photographers event and one of the speakers mentioned the importance of investing in your own work. He mentioned how all of the work he got major publicity and money for was his own passion projects and the majority of photographers pad their portfolio with their passion projects... doing commercials, even for free, is a great way to do these types of things.

I was WAITING for the apple....then it was on that post. Make my mouth water....then I noticed there was a big piece missing. Take #2? Take #3? Then there it was......the bit the apple! The part we ALL were waiting for!! Yayyyyyyyyy! Oh, and another great video! Always a treat when I see you uploaded something new! Your rule +DSLRguide !

Just wanted to inform you that your "Casey Niestat quote" is not from Cadey Neistat but actually from Walt Disney. Great video.

Your work's always been helpful for me- an aspiring filmmaker 😇 Thanks Simon!

thank you for creating this channel, I've started vlogging as a crash course in filmmaking. I've been using your videos as a guide and it's been really helpful.

It comes down to how persistent you are in the beginning. People don't start making money with films (or pretty much anything, I believe) from the very first day. It takes patience, sacrifice and a lot humility. But if you don't let the hardship of the start discourage you, eventually, the cash starts flowing in. By the way, I first saw the video in which Casey says that this afternoon. What a coincidence.

I love the new style of your videos. I hated the old style where you stood still and didn't sound confident but now you sound confident with what your saying and I'm trusting what your saying more!

"Don't make films to make money, make money, to make films". Dude you inspired me, gonna live by these words now, you got a new sub and a like of course :D

Your score is so catchy i've been humming it for weeks now

Great video Simon and mostly, thank you for your honestly. Well, actually I am reading a book called "How Star Wars Conquered the Universe" and in one of it's chapter it talks about the complicate early years of the filmmaking career of George Lucas and his days in American Zoetrope (property of his friend Francis Ford Coppola). One way in which they could earn some money was renting part of their "modern equipments for editing" to other filmmakers and companies. This model is used by many production companies here in Chile -the country I live actually- and could be a good way of earning some money and learning something more in terms of editing, photography, audio and with the possibilities that RU-vid and streaming services could offer specially to small companies it could help you to contact other associates that could help you shot that movie or documentary that is in development hell waiting to be finish and shown. Saludos from Chile and keep on making interesting videos like this one.

I love your videos! You're so helpful to me! Your channel is becoming very very very professionnal! I'm a young filmmaker (15 years old actually) and I often watch your videos! Thank you!

Great video :) I fell into the commercial side of making footage for money and now looking to make films for films. I came in through 3D and motion graphics into visual fx and just now learning film making and being basically one man band in the field, but your videos and others on youtube are teaching me how to become a film maker from behind the camera! and I appreciate that.

You are a genius, man! Simple, clear and direct how to videos. Thank you!

Woah, is your background actually a green screen?

I love the little apple thing you have in most of your videos

Well, I just spent the last few hours sifting through your videos, a lot of great content! Wish you had more of your short films etc.... for viewing, but I am sure that will come. Anyway I truly appreciate you taking the time to make all of these videos has given me some great ideas to push my edits and films even further. I am currently behind you in that I am just feeling confident and aware of the fact that all my edits thus far have been flashy shots and catchy songs compiled in a relatively appealing way. My latest edit wich I am hoping to release soon is stuck in that same rut. But after this no more I will move into the realm of telling stories. Again Thanks Tristyn

Great video Simon, as always! I want to do filmmaking full time when I get older (specifically move to NY and start a studio with a friend) and do a lot of freelance work to pay the bills, and do content for my channel using the money from the freelance work.

Mate you've really been stepping up your game. keep it up!

I love your videos. They're so inspiring for a beginner filmmaker like myself.

Yet another fantastic video from an exceptional filmmaker. Always lovin' your stuff Simon!

Another great video! Good work. I hope these keep on coming out, as they are a great help to me.

Simon, you're half my age, but I love your stuff. Keep it up, sir. You're wise beyond your years and a delight to follow. Cheers.

I love this :) It has to do with my personal situation - but I almost cried to this video ! You're so genuine and down to earth and smart. Would love to work with you someday.

It's all personal preference what motivates people to make films. but there is nothing wrong with making films for money.

As always Simon, very solid content man. You're really doing the world a service mate. Keep it up! -Northstr (aka. Evan Niccum)

This is so awesome Simon. I love making films and also want to make money. You really are amazing. Keep up the wonderful work

I have a video production company, and word of mouth presented me with hundreds of opportunities: Weddings, TV commercials, corporate promos, real estate showcases, etc. Cinematic Technologies is the name of my company. If you can get out in the field and begin to be recognized in your region - it can REALLY *pay* off.

The quote is originally from Walt Disney, one of my favourites.

Thank you so much! I've been waiting for this!

I love the quotes you use in your vids, simply brilliant and insperational (casey is the best haha:))

As a screenplay writer, the best thing I ever did was to stop trying to make money. Just decided to write on the side of my day job. Now I'm making a decent amount of money, with people requesting my scripts, rather than me trying to get people to buy them.

good video, but I think you should have included your arms gestures in the shot, they were very active. Gestures would be good for underlining your phrases. I think there is no mistake in leaving them in the view.

good video, but why are you shakeing so much?

Yo, thanks Simon. I never really though of selling stock footage. it's quite a good idea, thanks!

I guess spending everything I've ever earned to buy gear, pay for studio spaces, to make YT videos, while making pennies, is not crazy XD

a DSLRguide video a day keeps Simons doctor away

Great advice and helpful videos man. Keep up the good work. Love the positive attitude and practical tips.

thank you again.another excellent video to the point and you make it sound so easy !

you and your apple :) your little apple buddy haha makes me smile everytime :)

I really really really agree with your philosophy, but I can offer another suggestion. Depending on where you live, local governments and private companies often like to invest into cultural capital, and film is essential to that. There are usually many grants available for locally produced movies. Usually you start with getting a development fund which will provide you with income while writing and refining your script. When that's done, other organizations will be more willing to invest once they see that you have other corporate and government supporters. As your backers grow, you can raise your budget to a new level. I'm not sure about the UK, but this is how things are usually done in Canada. So when it comes to the support model, I think it matters more about who knows you rather than who you know.

Awesome input man! You sure are an inspirational motivator for a lot of people ot here

Great videos man, i just found your channel today and is very helpful, im about to shoot my first short film and i was looking for info and help and your channel have all the info and help i could need

Awesome as always Simon, damn i luv u man...straight to the point, really honesty and True talent does it all...

I like your compton jacket, it has made its return since a while lol

WAtched a bunch of your videos. My favorite new channel. Great work!

I don't know if you read these comments but i love watching your videos i find them very help film because i also have a huge passion in movies and I'm starting to using a dslr camera

This answered so many questions I had! Excellent video! :-)

You have motivated me to start making some films. I'm about to buy a t5i, so i will try to shell commercials to some little companies here, cause no one make that where I live (a little "town" in Argentina). Thank you so much, Wish me luck!

You are so talented Simon.

First of all, thank you for making vids to help educate the student filmmakers. One thing though, instead of making a free advert for a company to build portfolio, why not work with a non-profit or charitable organization instead? If that organization has ties with a University, it's even better because they may give you extra resources like students as actors, access to studio equipment etc.

Man I always stay up late watching your videos. You are awesome.

there was the Apple right like told you under the last video! Good job

your presentation & Quality of work did on ur videos make worth it .

You are genius. Awesome. Simply awesome. Bravo!

the background music is really good . Nice job

But seriously though, I have been asking this question all week. And wondering how in the world am I going to be "successful" in my passion. Also, nice touch with the apple ;P

Hoping that as film industry continues to change this can be more viable. In my experience, Hollywood style stuff really is about who you know. Its often frustrating for many people who are plenty good enough to make it, but because they aren't a friend or family member of a producer/director/actor its pretty hard to get passed the Production Assistant phase. Me personally, I much prefer being involved in smaller web based projects and acheiving the balance of fun projects & for budget (for future fun projects)/

All these videos have taught me so much! Thankyou and keep up the great work!

I always love your tips! and this one spoke to me personally.

Great tip on the Pond5 thing, living in California this is definitely a viable option for me.

Casey Neistat was the first person I subscribed to before finding your channel, and I find it as another reason to love your channel, knowing that you too like his work.

sick video as always! lovely to see you have grown to 80,000 subs which is a crazy number! well deserved though of course, your quality of vids is always on point and inspire me to keep the quality in my own work on point too. here's to 100,000 and look forward to your short film! will that be posted onto cade visuals?

Great tips Simon on making money as a film maker and I really like that Casey Neistat quote.

Very helpful! Thank you for making this video.

That's awesome that he mentioned Casey Neistat! These two guys are two of my favorite youtubers.

Very nice and honest video.

This is perfect guidance dude, you create much interesting videos dude

Great episode! I always hear that the cream rises to the top, but do you think that's true? Over the past couple weeks, we've been uploading our best short films that we've been working on for years, but we haven't gained much attention. Do you have any advice to stand out from the millions of videos online? Thanks Simon!

I loved that quote you said at the end of the video! Inspiring!! :)

man, your tips and way of telling stuff is so good and easy learning... and at the end i think that u like apples so much... cheers

Great vid! and the quote "We don't make movies to make money, we make money to make more movies" is originally from Walt Disney.

Thank you, you inspired me very much. Your videos are awesome, keep up the good work! :)

You, my friend, need to make a tshirt promoting your channel, with an apple on it. I, for one, would wear it in one of my videos :) Also, wonderful quote at the end. Never do something solely for money. Be mindful of that, of course. But do what you need to, to pursue your passion. Make money....to make films....to maybe, one day, make money and films.

i'm also a fan of casey. you both are my inspiration! :)

That apple though. Just awesome how you have added this little "idiosyncrasy" in your videos. I need to think of mine... I am writing off a banana right away... mmm... what else :) Great channel and great video Simon. All the best to you!

Doing what you love with a side money to later invest in :) nice video!

Brilliant video!

Great encouragement for a budding filmmaker. Thanks +DSLRguide