ACADEMY TRENDS
From docu-style storytelling to bold colour and analogue textures, here’s the top ten trends in commercial work you need to know about THE NEW LANGUAGE OF FILMMAKING C ommercial filmmaking has always evolved alongside popular culture, but as we head into 2026 the shift feels sharper, faster and more WORDS ADAM DUCKWORTH filmmaking, and the latest version argues that today’s most effective commercial work is less about polish and more about perspective, less about spectacle and more about emotional connection.
viewpoints no longer guarantee it. One of the strongest trends this year is the use of genuinely unexpected points of view. That might mean FPV drones flying through impossible spaces, cameras mounted to objects or shooting from a subject’s literal point of view. What’s driving this isn’t necessarily technology – though lighter cameras, probe lenses and stabilised drones have made it easier – but a desire to pull the viewer into the experience. Brands want audiences to feel present and not passive. This means thinking beyond nice-looking frames and asking how camera placement itself can become part of the storytelling. 2 The return of analogue texture In an era dominated by digital perfection, analogue footage has become a powerful differentiator. Grain, halation and
ideological than ever. Audiences are more visually literate, sceptical and emotionally demanding. They’ve seen the tricks and know when something feels staged. And in a world increasingly saturated by AI- generated imagery, the hunger for work that feels real has never been stronger. One company that knows first-hand what’s hot and what’s not is Film Supply because it licenses lots of footage used by broadcast and cinema giants like Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox, Netflix and Amazon Studios, plus mega advertising agency Ogilvy, as well as direct to clients such as Nike and Tesla. Every year, Film Supply creates a new report on the latest trends in commercial
For filmmakers and content creators, that presents both a challenge and an opportunity when creating work that hopes to resonate with an audience and keep a client coming back. Although staying true to your own style is always a benefit, the successful find a way to adapt to what’s wanted, rather than risk being left behind. We take a look at what’s going on in commercial filmmaking right now, and how you can get in on the action. 1 Unique points of view Attention is the most valuable currency in all short-form films – from social media content to advertising – and traditional
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