I don’t know why but have seen no one hyping me up in any way. I have seen people support their friends and all so much, but for me, its no one, like literally no one, when it comes to appreciating things. Im actually a film school student and make short films. I post the poster of my film, everyone just looks at it, no hype while I see other people posting like anything and their friends and all are liking hyping it like anything. My films are critically acclaimed as well from film festivals, still no one actually values it I don’t know why. Like no support. I also have so many people from my field around even they don’t hype me up. I don’t know what it is but I feel like sometimes is my work really worth it? I don’t know, it is getting recognised, but again not. How do I actually build a community who wants to watch stuff? Like I have people with me on my instagram. Like a lot. From this field only, but I am not posting those reels and all, I am more into longer formats. Many of the people also expect me to give then some work, if I can help, ofcourse I will. But I need support as well. I don’t know sometimes I feel like I shouldn’t have connected with such people online, many of them are just their never talked also in dm, many are expecting if they can get some work. Also most don’t really hype me up or think I am the best or something. Im a director and writer, not a editor or cinematographer that I could post some shots or edits. I feel like I should have not choosen this path, should have studied and gone to regular college with being an ordinary student who would write stories and publish on some internet sites and one day someone notices and contacts for making it a film. Very weird stuff is happening at this point, also going through creative block. Also overthinking again and again about the people there at instagram that I need to prove them I am not a waste. Also trying to think how I can collab and give then some work. First of all being in a film school we ofcourse have shoots and all but those are no budgets, I have people who are willing to do that as well but again I can’t simply call everyone right. Also I don’t have alot of projects ofcourse I can only help with what all I have. Although if I have to refer somewhere or someone else wants to find someone and I put a story and someone gets it, that is also fine but that is also not happening. People should not feel that I am a scam or something. Also I have seen people with mediocre work actually getting hyped and getting work. I don’t why am I writing all this, a lot is actually going in my head. Really dont know what to do. Just want someone to hear all this and calm me.

Question

Anonymous Practitioner · Accepted Answer

First of all, sweetheart, I need you to take a breath. You're being awfully hard on yourself, and I wish you could see how much of what you've written speaks of someone who genuinely cares about their craft../You're a film student, a director, a writer, someone who has taken their stories and turned them into something tangible enough to be screened, submitted to festivals and critically recognised. Do you realise how much courage and persistence that takes? You're already doing something you once probably only imagined yourself doing. Please don't let a quiet Instagram audience convince you otherwise. And listen, wanting to be hyped up isn't vanity. Wanting your friends to celebrate your accomplishments, to share your work, to be excited about something you've poured your heart into isn't asking for too much. Sometimes you don't want constructive criticism, networking opportunities or another person asking whether you can find them work. Sometimes you just want someone to say, "I saw what you made. I'm proud of you. You're doing wonderfully." And there's nothing embarrassing about wanting that. But I also want you to be careful not to confuse visibility with value. Social media is a peculiar little ecosystem. Sometimes the loudest work gets the most attention, sometimes the most unremarkable things receive an extraordinary amount of engagement, and sometimes genuinely wonderful work travels quietly before finding its audience. None of that is a reliable measurement of your potential. As for building a community, perhaps start by shifting your focus from collecting industry connections to nurturing genuine creative relationships. Find people who are interested in your stories, your perspective and the kind of cinema you want to make. Share your writing process, your inspirations, your directorial decisions, behind-the-scenes photographs, festival selections and reflections on filmmaking. You don't have to become a reels-producing machine to build an audience, especially when longer-form storytelling is where your heart lies. And please, stop feeling obligated to find everyone work. Be generous when you can, recommend people when opportunities genuinely arise, collaborate when a project makes sense. But you are not a recruitment agency, darling. You are a filmmaker trying to build a body of work yourself. You deserve to have people show up for you, too. I also want to address something you said about choosing this path. Don't romanticise the alternative simply because the present is difficult. Perhaps the ordinary college student writing stories online would have had their own uncertainties, their own disappointments and their own longing to be somewhere else. You chose to pursue filmmaking, and you've already had your work recognised. That is not a wasted path.
Creative blocks happen. They can be frustrating, especially when you're surrounded by people whose apparent progress makes you question your own. Give yourself permission to exist outside productivity for a little while. You don't have to produce something extraordinary every week to prove that you're a filmmaker.And, sweetheart, one last thing. Please don't spend your entire creative life trying to convince people on Instagram that you're worth noticing. Make films that remind you why you wanted to become a filmmaker in the first place.
You deserve an audience that is genuinely excited to see what you make next. You deserve collaborators who are as enthusiastic about your projects as you are. You deserve friendships where support isn't a transaction, where you don't have to offer someone an opportunity before they can celebrate yours.
I hope you find your people. The ones who share your posters without being asked, who remember your screenings, who send you messages after watching your films, who are genuinely curious about what you're making next.
And until then, please don't mistake the absence of applause in one room for the absence of an audience in the world.
Keep directing. Keep writing. Keep making things. You're allowed to be proud of yourself before the world catches up.
Rooting for you, always. And I sincerely hope your next film finds the audience it deserves. ♡ (I MOST CERTAINLY WILL BE WATHCING JUST UPDATE ME IF YOU LAUNCH SOMETHING PLS LOVE:D)