Instagram is full of photographers, but it’s also home to some of the world’s most talented creators of moving images.
We’re not talking about the actors you already follow, or the big-time studios promoting their work. We’re talking about the industry players behind the cameras and screenplays, the organisations dedicated to spreading fine filmmaking, and the civilian cinephiles who simply want to share their love of the craft.
These writers, directors, cinematographers, producers, institutions, and fans make up an inspiring set of Instagrams for movie lovers and aspiring filmmakers alike. Below you’ll find a few of our favourites.
Jon Favreau
Actor, director, producer, screenwriter, and comedian Jon Favreau has been in the business for more than two decades. His credits include The Jungle Book, Elf, Chef, The Avengers, the Iron Man franchise, and an upcoming live-action adaptation of The Lion King. Follow his Instagram for snaps on set and at events, featuring a seemingly endless supply of famous faces.
Anti_CGI
Aramis Gutierrez, better known as @Anti_CGI, has created one of Instagram’s most active hubs for film buffs. The account’s stated purpose is to highlight non-computerised special effects, though it often deviates from that mission. On-message or not, Gutierrez digs up an impressive array of old-school gems, some more obscure than others and all guaranteed to give your IG feed a little retro flair.
Emmanuel Lubezki
You may not recognise his name, but you certainly recognise his work. Emmanuel Lubezki is an Oscar-winning cinematographer who has worked on The Tree of Life, Children of Men, Burn After Reading, The New World, Ali, Sleepy Hollow, and Like Water for Chocolate. Most recently, his work in Gravity, Birdman, and The Revenant took home the Academy Awards for Best Cinematography an unbelievable three years in a a row.
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute is America’s promise to preserve the heritage of the motion picture, to honour the artists and their work, and to educate the next generation of storytellers. As a nonprofit educational arts organisation, AFI provides leadership in film and television and is dedicated to initiatives that engage the past, the present, and the future of the moving image arts.
The Black List
In 2005, Franklin Leonard surveyed almost 100 film industry development executives about their favourite scripts from that year that had not been made into feature films. That first list – many of which have been made since – became known as the Black List. Today, over 200 Black List screenplays have been made into films that have earned over US$16 billion and been nominated for 148 Academy Awards. The Black List is a must-follow for anyone with an interest in screenwriting.
Eli Roth
Eli Roth began shooting Super 8 films at the age of eight, after watching Ridley Scott’s Alien and vomiting, and deciding he wanted to be a producer/director. He went on to attend film school at New York University, and eventually earned notoriety with the release of Cabin Fever in the early 2000s. His credits since include Hostel, Grindhouse, The Green Inferno, Death Wish, and a role in Inglourious Basterds.
David Katzenburg
Hollywood scion David Katzenberg (son of DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg) has turned his legacy status into a thriving career of his own. The bulk of his work can be found on television (Awkward, The Goldbergs, Survivor, Ballers), but he’s making the jump to movies as a producer on Gremlins 3, Beetlejuice 2, and the much-hyped Stephen King remake, It. Katzenberg’s Instagram boasts just the right mix of humility and behind-the-scenes Tinseltown glamour.
Film Independent
Film Independent’s mission is to champion creative independence in visual storytelling and support a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation, and uniqueness of vision. The organisation hosts over 250 annual screenings and events, including the Spirit Awards and the LA Film Festival. Film Independent also offers an Artist Development programme with free labs for selected writers, directors, producers, and documentary filmmakers.
Anthology Film Archives
Anthology Film Archives is an international centre for the preservation, study, and exhibition of film and video, with a particular focus on independent, experimental, and avant-garde cinema. Fuelled by the conviction that the index of a culture’s health and vibrancy lies largely in its margins, Anthology strives to advance the cause and protect the heritage of a kind of cinema that is in particular danger of being lost, overlooked, or ignored.