StephenFollows.com - Using data to explain the film industry
Stephen FollowsI use data to understand how the film industry works and then share that to help filmmakers get their films funded, shot and seen.
| Platform |  | Pricing | Freemium | Publishes | Twice weekly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issues | 538 | Founded | 2 years ago | Last Issue | 6 days ago |
| Active | |||||
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stephenfollows.comLatest Issues
Why movie clichés are GOOD, actually
No one says "Follow that car!" anymore... and there's a reason why.
I ran the numbers on over 72,000 films to find the most reused lines in cinema, revealing how movie clichés are born, spread, and die.
Chapters
- 00:00 - Movie c...
Does winning Cannes actually help a film at the box office?
Today is the first day of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. 22 films are competing to win the coveted top prize in cinema - the Palme d’Or.
Winning a Palme will certainly give you a moment of fame, the adulation of filmmakers, and a chance to...
What does the Marché du Film 2026 programme say about the film industry?
I gathered every conference session at the Marché du Film over the past three years (742 events, 1,664 speakers) to see who turns up, who walked away, and what the industry wants to talk about in 2026
In ten days, I’ll be on the Croisette...
What the data says about who should be the next James Bond
Predicting who will be the next James Bond has become one of the great communal conversations. Whether that’s via prediction markets, professional bookmakers, newspaper headlines, or just down the pub - everyone has an opinion.
I think it...
Which film directors have the most consistent visual style?
Andrew Sarris, in his 1963 essay “The Auteur Theory and the Perils of Pauline” reflected on the emerging idea of a film auteur like this:
After a given number of films, a pattern is established, and we can speak of the Rays, of Ophuls, R...
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Authors
The writers behind this newsletter.
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.
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