They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and even if the line between inspiration and plagiarism is so thin and blurry, it’s no secret that looking at other’s achievements and successes can help inspire great and innovative ideas. So kickstart your own creative process (or endlessly distract yourself) with some nuggets of wisdom from our favorite filmmakers to follow on Twitter.
If you’re a filmmaker struggling to find your place on this crazy and cluttered stage, or maybe you’re simply trying to find that little spark of inspiration that could lead you to your next masterpiece, why don’t you start by decluttering your Twitter from silly pictures and toxic accounts, and start following some of the most inspiring filmmakers out there?
Ok, here we go! Eight amazing, hilarious and insightful filmmakers to follow on Twitter.
Kevin Smith
One of the greatest pieces of advice I heard from him during a conference was “if I have to work for an asshole, I prefer to be the asshole I’m working for”. Maybe Kevin Smith is not the most relevant, Oscar-worthy, visionary filmmaker these days, but what should inspire you is his early career. He dropped out of the Vancouver Film School in order to save money to produce his first Film. He came to prominence with the low-budget comedy film Clerks (1994), which he wrote, directed, co-produced, and even acted in as the quiet half of Jay and Silent Bob. He wanted to be a filmmaker and he made that happen on his own terms, and that’s why he’s number one on our list of filmmakers to follow on Twitter.
Ryan Reynolds
Probably the furthest person to be considered as a serious mentor, following Ryan Reynolds on Twitter is still a must! Other than filling your timeline with amazing one-liners and quippy Deadpool references, following him will remind you of the importance of keeping things light. Hollywood can be a stressful and unpredictable place, so follow the former sexiest man alive, who has somehow found a way to never take himself too seriously in an industry where most people take themselves way too seriously. Plus, nobody (at least nobody on our list of filmmakers to follow on twitter) looks better in a red leather bodysuit.
Ron Howard
If you don’t think following the mind behind Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, Cocoon, The DaVinci Code is as important as drinking enough water every day, well you’re just plain wrong. Ron Howard was a successful young actor when he decided to completely change his career and focus on directing. Some may consider him a “by the book Director”, and view that as a sort of negative adjective, but we think that learning his technical ability and perfectionism are great assets for any inspiring filmmaker striving to get noticed.
Patty Jenkins
Next up on our list of filmmakers to follow on twitter, Patty Jenkins first gained success with the release of the crime drama film Monster in 2003, which she wrote and directed. For more than 10 years she decided to not dedicate too much time to big production films to spend more time with her family, but nonetheless, she kept working and directing for television on some of the most famous TV series like The Killing and Arrested Development. In 2017, she went back to Hollywood to direct Wonder Woman, one of the most anticipated DC movies ever. Despite rumors of constant script rewrites, an unworkable story, and a predefined failed outcome, Wonder Woman is now considered one of the best DC movies ever, winning the Critics Choice Awards as best Action Movie running against Logan and Thor: Ragnarok.
Duncan Jones
Have you seen Moon? You haven’t? Go watch Moon!
His film career is probably not the longest or the most compelling one, but he proved himself as an outstanding screenwriter and director with the release of Moon, an amazing sci-fi low-budget movie with Sam Rockwell. If you don’t already know it, he’s the son of David Bowie, and clearly, great talent runs in the family. He also directed Source Code and was both co-writer and director of the game-movie adaptation Warcraft. Definitely worth keeping an eye on him for his upcoming projects.
Jordan Peele
No longer just a great comedian, Jordan Peele had his breakthrough as a director in 2017 with the critically acclaimed Get Out, which he produced, wrote, and directed. Get Out proved to be extremely popular with movie audiences, and it eventually became one of the most profitable films of all time and grossed over $250 million on a budget of $4.5 million. His filmmaking career has just started, so you better follow him and get inspired by his amazing work.
Taika Waititi
Even though he is just entering the spotlight thanks to his work on Thor: Ragnarok, considered by critics one of the best Marvel movies, his work has been always positively praised and recognized by the Academy as early as 2005 with his short film Two Cars, One Night, for which he earned a nomination. You can try to get a grasp on his witty humor in the vampire comedy mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows, which he co-wrote and co-directed, and you can be sure his Twitter account will drop some unexpected gems through the day.
Edgar Wright
No introduction is really necessary for this director, mostly thanks to his must-watch Three Flavours Cornetto film trilogy, comprising Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), and The World’s End (2013), made with recurrent collaborators Simon Pegg, Nira Park, and Nick Frost. His most recent film, Baby Driver, which he produced, wrote, and directed, received overwhelmingly positive reviews and it was described as “a collision of crime, action, music, and sound”. Definitely worth watching at blasting volume.
Ok, go fill your timeline with these amazingly talented filmmakers! For further inspiration, check out our article on 10 Podcasts to Ignite The Creative Spark.
