Filmmaking Goals: Why “Become a Better Filmmaker” Isn’t Enough

Setting filmmaking goals sounds simple, until you realize how many of them quietly work against you. In this episode of Indie Film Podcast, we unpack why vague goals like “become a better filmmaker” often lead to burnout, frustration, and stalled projects instead of real progress.

If you’ve ever felt stuck despite working hard, your filmmaking goals may be the problem (not your talent or dedication!)

Why Most Filmmaking Goals Fail

A lot of filmmakers set goals that feel productive but aren’t actually actionable. Goals like “get better,” “be more successful,” or “get noticed” sound motivating, but they lack three critical elements:

• A clear definition of success

• A timeline

• A measurable outcome

Without those, filmmaking goals become endless moving targets. You never “finish” them, which makes it hard to feel accomplished or motivated. The result? You’re always working, but rarely feeling like you’re moving forward.

Honestly, we hope you look back on your past at any point in your career and think "Wow, look at that growth!" or "I really am a filmmaker!" but maybe waiting until age and time rose-tint your memories isn't the best way to celebrate the wins you deserve in the moment.

The Problem with Goals You Can’t Control

One of the biggest mistakes filmmakers make is basing their filmmaking goals on outcomes they don’t control: Things like festival acceptances, distribution deals, or whether someone responds to an email.

While those outcomes matter, they’re not reliable goals.

You can’t control:

• Whether a distributor says yes

• Whether a festival accepts your film

• Whether an algorithm boosts your work

What you can control are your actions. Strong filmmaking goals focus on inputs, not outcomes.

For example:

• Sending five distribution emails per week

• Completing a locked cut by a specific date

• Submitting to a defined list of festivals

These goals are measurable, achievable, and (most importantly) succinct.

Better Filmmaking Goals Focus on Action

Effective filmmaking goals answer one simple question:

What will I do, and by when?

Action-based goals help you:

• Track real progress

• Avoid creative paralysis

• Build momentum over time

Instead of saying “I want to improve my skills,” a better (read: more specific, actionable, and measurable) filmmaking goal might be:

• Finish one short film this year

• Complete a feature script draft by a set deadline

• Learn one specific post-production skill for a current project

These goals create forward motion, even when external validation is slow or nonexistent.

Does Finishing Matter More Than Improving?

One of the hardest truths for filmmakers to accept is that improvement often comes from finishing, not preparing. You don’t become a better filmmaker by endlessly planning to improve. You become a better filmmaker by:

• Completing projects

• Reflecting on what worked and what didn’t

• Applying those lessons to the next thing

Filmmaking goals that prioritize completion help you build confidence, experience, and resilience, things no tutorial or abstract resolution can replace. And while there's no shame in not finishing a project (everyone will experience that in some way throughout their filmmaking career), the lessons learned from pushing through and completing something often pave a better path forward for your next projects.

Rethinking Filmmaking Goals for the Long Term

The goal isn’t to stop caring about success or recognition. It’s to stop tying your sense of progress to things outside your control.

Strong filmmaking goals follow the "SMART" goal-setting method:

• Specific

  • A filmmaking goal should clearly define what you’re trying to accomplish.

  • Instead of “work on my film,” a specific goal would be “edit the first 10 minutes of my short film.”

• Measurable

  • You should be able to tell whether the goal is done or not.

  • For example, “send five distribution pitch emails” is measurable. “Get distribution” is not.

• Action-Based (and within your control)

  • Strong filmmaking goals focus on actions you can take, not results you’re hoping for.

  • You can’t control whether a festival accepts your film, but you can control submitting to ten festivals by a deadline.

• Relevant

  • Each goal should connect directly to the project or phase you’re currently in.

  • Learning a new VFX technique might be valuable, but if you’re in the middle of post-production, finishing your edit is probably more relevant.

• Time-Bound

  • A deadline turns intention into commitment.

  • “Finish the script” becomes actionable when it’s “finish the script by March 31.”

If your current filmmaking goals feel overwhelming, vague, or impossible to complete, that’s not a personal failure. It’s a sign the goals themselves need adjusting (and EVERY blog on the internet right now will gladly tell you what a great time of year it is to reevaluate those goals).

By redefining what your goals look like, and grounding them in actions you control, you give yourself permission to move forward without burning out. Sometimes the most powerful filmmaking goal isn’t “become better.” It’s simply finish something on purpose.

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