5 Things We Wish New Found Footage Filmmakers Knew

As a found footage streaming platform, we get a ton of submissions. We LOVE new filmmakers (heck, that's part of the reason we started FOUND to begin with!), but we see many simple mistakes that prevent us from accepting a filmmaker's project.

Here they are in the hopes that they can be prevented by the up-and-coming generation of found footage filmmakers!

No Logos, No Problems

Sure, that sweet coffee cup might look cool in the background, or your main actor might really love to wear their fav hockey team jersey on camera, but that brand you’re accidentally advertising? They’re not as impressed as you are. It’s an insurance nightmare and could block your film from ever seeing the light of day. Keep all brand logos off the camera view. No logo, no trouble. Easy fix.

Story 📖 > Scenery 🌳

Following someone through the woods for 90 minutes is only fun if there’s a reason to care. What’s the hook? Why should we feel our heart rate spike when leaves start crunching? Build a story that grabs us by the throat and doesn’t let go. (Psst, see our last post for more on this 👀)

Music Madness (aka License EVERYTHING) 🎶

The creepy background music might make your scenes pop, but unless you have the rights, your film will flop. Seriously, everything has to be licensed. So before you go popping those lovely lyrics into your film in post, make sure you buy the commercial license first.

Remember, It’s "Found Footage," Not "Shaky Cam Confusion" 🤢

Found footage doesn't mean we need a shaky, hard-to-watch experience that makes the audience feel like they’re on a roller coaster. We need just enough chaos to feel real, but not so much that we’re reaching for motion sickness pills.

Beware the Over-Explain 🗣️

Yes, we need context, but spoon-feeding the audience everything makes it predictable. Find that sweet spot between mystery and clarity. Let the found footage vibe pull us in, not push us out with overkill exposition.

Have questions about the filmmaking process? Shoot us a message, and we can help answer them 🙌