Stephen Follows
@stephenfollows.com
I'm a film industry analyst, passionate about understanding how the industry works and sharing insights to help filmmakers get their projects funded, made, and seen. I consult for Guinness World Records on film-related records. stephenfollows.com
The most basic film statistic of how much a movie cost is disappearing, as budgets are now missing for over 95% of recent releases.
November 10, 2025 at 4:34 PM
The most basic film statistic of how much a movie cost is disappearing, as budgets are now missing for over 95% of recent releases.
There are nine producers on the average movie. Nine! But does all that producing power make the film any better?
November 6, 2025 at 1:00 PM
There are nine producers on the average movie. Nine! But does all that producing power make the film any better?
A while back, David Nicholas Wilkinson asked me whether offering “With Thanks” credits to crowdfunding backers could make a film look bad. To find out, I analysed 8,096 movies to see what the data said.
October 27, 2025 at 3:06 PM
A while back, David Nicholas Wilkinson asked me whether offering “With Thanks” credits to crowdfunding backers could make a film look bad. To find out, I analysed 8,096 movies to see what the data said.
Standing ovations are everywhere at festivals, but do they mean anything? I analysed the data, spoke with critics, and discussed it with @mattbelloni.bsky.social (@puck.news founding partner) on his awesome podcast, The Town.
October 24, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Standing ovations are everywhere at festivals, but do they mean anything? I analysed the data, spoke with critics, and discussed it with @mattbelloni.bsky.social (@puck.news founding partner) on his awesome podcast, The Town.
Do most film festivals require premiere status? A question from MarBelle, the Editor-in-Chief of @directorsnotes.bsky.social, made me curious to find out.
I studied the rules of 10,549 film festivals to see how many still insist on a premiere and how many don’t.
I studied the rules of 10,549 film festivals to see how many still insist on a premiere and how many don’t.
October 20, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Do most film festivals require premiere status? A question from MarBelle, the Editor-in-Chief of @directorsnotes.bsky.social, made me curious to find out.
I studied the rules of 10,549 film festivals to see how many still insist on a premiere and how many don’t.
I studied the rules of 10,549 film festivals to see how many still insist on a premiere and how many don’t.
Cinema leaders have long argued that pricing doesn’t matter, yet almost all public polls say otherwise. I looked at what the data tells us, and talked with Vue International's Tim Richards, who has reversed his position after realising that pricing wasn’t a side issue, but the heart of the problem.
October 15, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Cinema leaders have long argued that pricing doesn’t matter, yet almost all public polls say otherwise. I looked at what the data tells us, and talked with Vue International's Tim Richards, who has reversed his position after realising that pricing wasn’t a side issue, but the heart of the problem.
Last Friday I joined Jason Blum and the @blumhouse.com team in New York for an event all about how we see and discuss horror, and why our thinking needs to evolve.
To prepare for the event, I took a look how what's changing in the horror genre, and what might be yet to come.
To prepare for the event, I took a look how what's changing in the horror genre, and what might be yet to come.
October 13, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Last Friday I joined Jason Blum and the @blumhouse.com team in New York for an event all about how we see and discuss horror, and why our thinking needs to evolve.
To prepare for the event, I took a look how what's changing in the horror genre, and what might be yet to come.
To prepare for the event, I took a look how what's changing in the horror genre, and what might be yet to come.
I looked at the financial performance of over 10,000 movies and millions of audience responses to find out which creative decisions tend to correlate with profitability.
Across genres, some creative signals show up again and again in films that succeed financially.
Across genres, some creative signals show up again and again in films that succeed financially.
October 6, 2025 at 10:54 AM
I looked at the financial performance of over 10,000 movies and millions of audience responses to find out which creative decisions tend to correlate with profitability.
Across genres, some creative signals show up again and again in films that succeed financially.
Across genres, some creative signals show up again and again in films that succeed financially.
I looked at 529 reported standing ovations across Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Toronto and Sundance to see if they predict anything meaningful.
October 1, 2025 at 12:07 PM
I looked at 529 reported standing ovations across Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Toronto and Sundance to see if they predict anything meaningful.
When Trump first floated tariffs in May, I crunched the data. Now that he's renewed the threat, it’s worth looking at how many Hollywood movies are made outside America - and how any system of US tariffs might work.
September 29, 2025 at 5:45 PM
When Trump first floated tariffs in May, I crunched the data. Now that he's renewed the threat, it’s worth looking at how many Hollywood movies are made outside America - and how any system of US tariffs might work.
Today I had the privilege of sharing new research at the Zurich Film Summit part of the Zurich Film Festival: Is “Go Woke, Go Broke” true for movies?
The answer, based on 10,524 films and over 4 million audience reviews, is more complex than the slogan suggests.
The answer, based on 10,524 films and over 4 million audience reviews, is more complex than the slogan suggests.
September 27, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Today I had the privilege of sharing new research at the Zurich Film Summit part of the Zurich Film Festival: Is “Go Woke, Go Broke” true for movies?
The answer, based on 10,524 films and over 4 million audience reviews, is more complex than the slogan suggests.
The answer, based on 10,524 films and over 4 million audience reviews, is more complex than the slogan suggests.
Not all festivals charge a submission fee but most do. And are priced at more than $100 per submission. I looked at the cost of entering 4,631 festivals to find the average.
September 22, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Not all festivals charge a submission fee but most do. And are priced at more than $100 per submission. I looked at the cost of entering 4,631 festivals to find the average.
How long is too long for a festival film?
When I interviewed 500+ film festival directors a few years back, the most consistent feedback was blunt: "Please, please, please make your films shorter."
When I interviewed 500+ film festival directors a few years back, the most consistent feedback was blunt: "Please, please, please make your films shorter."
September 19, 2025 at 9:45 AM
How long is too long for a festival film?
When I interviewed 500+ film festival directors a few years back, the most consistent feedback was blunt: "Please, please, please make your films shorter."
When I interviewed 500+ film festival directors a few years back, the most consistent feedback was blunt: "Please, please, please make your films shorter."
YouGov turned my recent research on moral lessons in movies into a poll of US adults to see how those values land in real life.
Some things that stood out to me... (Thread)
@yougov.co.uk @today.yougov.com
Some things that stood out to me... (Thread)
@yougov.co.uk @today.yougov.com
September 17, 2025 at 12:51 PM
YouGov turned my recent research on moral lessons in movies into a poll of US adults to see how those values land in real life.
Some things that stood out to me... (Thread)
@yougov.co.uk @today.yougov.com
Some things that stood out to me... (Thread)
@yougov.co.uk @today.yougov.com
How much control do a few major agencies really have over Hollywood’s directors?
I tracked 1,000 top directors and linked each one to their current rep. The results are… lopsided.
I tracked 1,000 top directors and linked each one to their current rep. The results are… lopsided.
September 10, 2025 at 11:24 AM
How much control do a few major agencies really have over Hollywood’s directors?
I tracked 1,000 top directors and linked each one to their current rep. The results are… lopsided.
I tracked 1,000 top directors and linked each one to their current rep. The results are… lopsided.
Half of the directors behind the top 1,250 grossing films of the past 25 years went to film school and half did not. I looked at what happened next.
Do film school graduates make better films?
Are their films more profitable?
Which schools have the most successful alumni?
Do film school graduates make better films?
Are their films more profitable?
Which schools have the most successful alumni?
September 8, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Half of the directors behind the top 1,250 grossing films of the past 25 years went to film school and half did not. I looked at what happened next.
Do film school graduates make better films?
Are their films more profitable?
Which schools have the most successful alumni?
Do film school graduates make better films?
Are their films more profitable?
Which schools have the most successful alumni?
I’ve just finished analysing the backgrounds of 682 directors behind 1,250 top-grossing films since 2000. What percentage do you think went to film school?
September 3, 2025 at 11:35 AM
I’ve just finished analysing the backgrounds of 682 directors behind 1,250 top-grossing films since 2000. What percentage do you think went to film school?
I researched who represents the 2,000 most famous actors to see where the power lies.
Four companies represent more than half of top actors: Creative Artists Agency, United Talent Agency, The Gersh Agency, and William Morris Endeavor... (1/2)
Four companies represent more than half of top actors: Creative Artists Agency, United Talent Agency, The Gersh Agency, and William Morris Endeavor... (1/2)
September 1, 2025 at 12:17 PM
I researched who represents the 2,000 most famous actors to see where the power lies.
Four companies represent more than half of top actors: Creative Artists Agency, United Talent Agency, The Gersh Agency, and William Morris Endeavor... (1/2)
Four companies represent more than half of top actors: Creative Artists Agency, United Talent Agency, The Gersh Agency, and William Morris Endeavor... (1/2)
6. The history of enforcement shows short-lived gains after legal pressure, followed by stagnation once scrutiny ended. Stronger legal remedies, including leveraging “disparate impact” arguments under Title VII, are proposed as vehicles for change.
August 29, 2025 at 4:40 PM
6. The history of enforcement shows short-lived gains after legal pressure, followed by stagnation once scrutiny ended. Stronger legal remedies, including leveraging “disparate impact” arguments under Title VII, are proposed as vehicles for change.
5. Self-regulation has been ineffective. Shadowing and mentoring programmes for women are often viewed as unpaid hoops that rarely lead to jobs.
August 29, 2025 at 4:40 PM
5. Self-regulation has been ineffective. Shadowing and mentoring programmes for women are often viewed as unpaid hoops that rarely lead to jobs.
4. Both industries are dominated by small, reputation-driven networks, highly subjective assessments, and a focus on risk minimisation. This environment may foster implicit bias and a cycle where women’s projects are persistently underestimated.
August 29, 2025 at 4:40 PM
4. Both industries are dominated by small, reputation-driven networks, highly subjective assessments, and a focus on risk minimisation. This environment may foster implicit bias and a cycle where women’s projects are persistently underestimated.
3. Industry ‘pipeline’ claims do not match reality. Women’s success in domains like Sundance rarely translates into studio opportunities, suggesting hiring barriers post-entry.
August 29, 2025 at 4:40 PM
3. Industry ‘pipeline’ claims do not match reality. Women’s success in domains like Sundance rarely translates into studio opportunities, suggesting hiring barriers post-entry.
2. When women do direct, more women are employed in other key creative roles and more female characters appear on screen. Men dominate these roles when all-male directors are hired, limiting women’s visibility both in production and representation.
August 29, 2025 at 4:40 PM
2. When women do direct, more women are employed in other key creative roles and more female characters appear on screen. Men dominate these roles when all-male directors are hired, limiting women’s visibility both in production and representation.
1. At the time, just 9% of top films were directed by a woman, despite women making up a third of film school graduates and winning a significant share of indie film awards. Similarly, only 6% of VC partners were women, and fewer than 3% of CEOs receiving VC funding were women.
August 29, 2025 at 4:40 PM
1. At the time, just 9% of top films were directed by a woman, despite women making up a third of film school graduates and winning a significant share of indie film awards. Similarly, only 6% of VC partners were women, and fewer than 3% of CEOs receiving VC funding were women.
Why do so few women become directors in Hollywood or partners in Silicon Valley? (Thread)
August 29, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Why do so few women become directors in Hollywood or partners in Silicon Valley? (Thread)