🎬 You Don’t Need Expensive Gear to Be a Filmmaker

Andrew Lunn
Jul 1
2 min read

We’ve all been there—scrolling through gear lists and YouTube reviews, wondering if that new full-frame camera, £2,000 lens, or motorized gimbal will finally make our videos look like "real films." But here’s the truth most professionals will admit (quietly): you don’t need the most expensive equipment to start making powerful, cinematic work.

You need vision.

You need consistency.

You need to start.

What Is a Filmmaker, Really?

The word filmmaker gets thrown around a lot. For some, it means someone working on large crews, writing scripts, and releasing films in festivals or on streaming platforms. But the definition has evolved—and shrunk into your pocket.

If you're telling a story with moving images… you’re a filmmaker.

If you’re crafting a narrative—no matter how short, abstract, or experimental—you're working in the language of cinema.

No budget? No problem.

Films have been shot on iPhones and GoPros that moved audiences to tears.

Editing is a skill and art. Pacing, feel and tone, visual story telling.

Filmmaker vs. Videomaker vs. Visual Storyteller

Let’s break down the nuance:

Filmmaker – Think of this as the director mindset. You're not just capturing events—you’re building atmosphere, guiding mood, controlling pacing. You're sculpting with sound and image. You’re intentional.
Videomaker – More functional. Event recaps, corporate reels, wedding videos. Nothing wrong with that—but the priority is often documentation, not emotional storytelling.
Visual Storyteller – A broad, beautiful term. This could be a travel creator, a documentary YouTuber, a TikTok artist, or someone crafting moody, wordless shorts. It’s cinematic when it evokes feeling, not just footage.

And guess what? You can be all three. Labels don’t matter. The intention does.

Film making, from a phone to SLR to Cinema Camera, you are a film maker. — Filmmaking, from a phone to SLR to Cinema Camera, you are a filmmaker.

Can You Call Yourself a Filmmaker if You Don’t Get Paid?

Let me say this clearly:

If you tell stories through moving images and care deeply about the craft—you’re a filmmaker.

You don’t need Netflix deals, client invoices, or red carpets to claim that title.
You don't need a RED camera.
You don't need permission.
You just need to create.

Whether you shoot moody nature films solo on your Sony ZV-E1, craft short cinematic edits for Instagram, or make atmospheric videos no one else understands… you’re making films.