worklife | Ellie Green
away from that goal. “Saying no is really difficult because you’re thinking, ‘That’s going to hurt my bank account right now’. But further down the line it’s probably a wise decision if it means committing to the documentary work we actually want to do.” For Green, it’s all about creating real documentaries such as the short film Tahira , which won her the Pro Moviemaker award for 2026. A longer-form story like this is ideal for Green because she describes herself – with enthusiasm – as nosy. “I find people so interesting. I could sit there asking somebody questions for hours. I find that much more interesting than trying to create a ten-second Reel that goes viral.” There is no criticism of creators who excel in that world. It simply isn’t hers. And recognising that distinction rather than blindly following where the market appears to be moving is valuable advice in itself. Making creativity sustainable Green’s advice for filmmakers wanting to pursue more ambitious personal work isn’t particularly romantic – she says it’s about money. “I have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about this because creativity and business often don’t seem to match,” she says. “If you want to be creative, you need to get yourself into a position where you feel financially secure. “It’s easy to chase creativity for the love of it, and that’s amazing and romantic and idealistic. But it isn’t practical, because you can’t be creative when worrying about how you’re going to pay the next electricity bill.”
It’s a point not often addressed in inspirational filmmaking, but creative freedom frequently requires a degree of financial stability. “You need to set yourself up so you can work sustainably, because that gives you the time to put into projects you actually want to make. People enter creative industries for the love rather than the money, but there comes a point where you need some money behind you to allow you to dedicate yourself to the work.” That lesson has presented itself through experience. Ellie and Matt initially combined their filmmaking with part-time employment, before deciding both would commit to it full-time. Having two people dependent on the same creative business inevitably brings risk. “It can still be scary,” she says. “We’re both relying on the same income stream, and banks really don’t like what we do when you start talking about mortgages!” Rather than diversify creatively into areas they don’t want to pursue, they’ve been looking at ways to diversify where the money comes from. Commissioned work from brands remains an important part of that equation, but the Greens are increasingly interested in building income from films they own. Filmhub has enabled them to distribute titles onto platforms including Amazon and Apple TV. “It’s transformed how we can get the films out,” says Green. “We’ve got a few films on Amazon and Apple TV now, which provides royalties each month. It’s not huge by any means at the moment, but it builds
How to Ellie-vate your filmmaking 1. STORY FIRST Don’t let equipment become the point. Green will use anything from a Sony A7S III to a smartphone if that’s what gets the story. 2. MAKE A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS Creative freedom becomes difficult when you’re constantly worrying about bills. Build enough financial stability to give personal projects the time they deserve. 3. IGNORE THE ALGORITHM Don’t change direction every time a new filmmaking style, camera or social trend becomes fashionable. Identify what genuinely interests you and commit to it. 4. KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T WANT Saying no can hurt financially in the short term, but continually accepting work that moves you away from your goals can cost more in the long run. Client commissions pay today, but films you own can potentially keep earning. Explore distribution, licensing, direct sales and other ways to monetise your back catalogue. 6. DON’T WAIT FOR PERFECT You don’t need the ultimate camera, a flawless storyboard or another six months of preparation. Green’s simplest advice is also perhaps her best: “Just start. Pick up your camera and go and film something.” 5. BUILD MORE THAN ONE INCOME STREAM
I used to love the summits. Now I love stories about people and culture
Eyes on the prize Green won our 2026 Filmmaker of the Year award for her documentary Tahira
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November/December 2026
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