An online film magazine
Documentary films and conversations with photographers and filmmakers — including those building digital-first careers on their own terms.
Thoughtful films, live conversations, and shared knowledge from people actively doing the work.
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A shared professional space
Working Creatives is a publisher-led platform bringing together photographers and filmmakers for conversation, context, and access.
It’s not a course platform.
It’s not a content feed.
It’s a place to spend time with the work — and the thinking behind it.
The core idea
Working Creatives is a publisher-led platform rebuilding the professional creative community that disappeared when work, learning, and monetisation became isolated and algorithm-driven.
It offers access, conversation, and shared value — not through teaching or performance, but through honest documentation, shop talk, and participation from people actively doing the work.
It’s a home away from the algorithm, designed to be calm, considered, and sustainable for both members and contributors.
Not another streaming service
It’s a replacement for the professional ecosystem that disappeared.
A curated space exploring the creative process of The World's most inspiring working photographer/ filmmakers.
Unscripted documentary films, live conversations and original contributions.
NOT:
a course platform ❌
a YouTube clone ❌
a masterclass factory ❌
Explore Catalog
Community used to be built into the workflow.
There was a time when you’d drop film at the lab, run into people you knew, talk shop, complain about clients, compare notes and sometimes end up sharing a beer before heading home.
When everything moved onto our own computers, that informal community disappeared.
Working Creatives exists to bring something like that back — a shared space where people doing the work can contribute, learn, and support one another outside the pressure of algorithms and constant self-promotion.
There was a time when creative community was built into the workflow — in darkrooms, labs, studios, and the moments between jobs.
As work moved onto personal computers and platforms, much of that disappeared. Processing became solitary. Learning became fragmented. Monetisation became algorithm-dependent.
Working Creatives exists to rebuild a shared professional space — calm, considered, and independent of the feed.
Access, not instruction
The work on Working Creatives is documentary in nature — unscripted, observational, and focused on process rather than performance.
For members, it feels less like being taught and more like being allowed in.
Like standing just off to the side on set.
Listening. Watching. Learning through proximity.
Live conversations
Members are invited to regular live sessions with contributors.
These aren’t webinars or presentations.
They’re closed-door conversations — conversational, lightly moderated, and unscripted.
Think less “AMA”, more “shop talk after hours”.
Sessions are recorded and added to the library for members.
THE COLLECTIVE
Alongside curated interviews, the platform is opening up to a small but growing group of regular contributors, think columnists.
Think of it like this:
The value is not any single film
The value is the room
And the room gets more valuable the more credible people are inside it
This also solves the creator fear you named:
They don’t have to become educators
They don’t have to give away “secrets”
They don’t have to post weekly
They don’t have to feed an algorithm
They just have to:
Show how they actually work
Talk shop
Be present occasionally
A shared model, not a content farm
Working Creatives is run as a publisher, not a marketplace.
Membership revenue supports:
platform costs
production
and contributor payouts
Contributors are paid from a shared pool based on how their work is viewed and engaged with, after platform expenses are covered.
The aim is simple:
to create a sustainable home where value flows back to the people creating it.
“All contributions — films, conversations, and live sessions — are part of a shared revenue pool.
After platform and operating costs, revenue is shared with contributors based on engagement over time.”
That’s it.
A shared model
Body copy
Working Creatives is run as a publisher, not a content farm.
Membership revenue supports the platform, production, and contributor payments.
After operating costs, revenue is shared with contributors based on how their work is engaged with over time.
The aim is sustainability — not scale at all costs.
Curated by a working filmmaker
Working Creatives is curated by Matthew Reed, a filmmaker and photojournalist with a background in documentary storytelling and commercial work.
The platform reflects the same approach as the films — honest, unscripted, and grounded in real experience.
Membership includes:
Full access to the growing archive of interviews and films
Regular live conversations and Q&As
Member-only replays of live sessions
Ongoing contributions from a diverse group of working creatives
A space designed for reflection, not distraction
Live Q&A's
Zoom calls shouldn’t feel like:
webinars
AMAs
teaching sessions
They should feel like:
After-hours at the lab
Small group.
Loose structure.
Camera on.
A drink in hand is not unthinkable.
Framing matters more than tech.
Good language:
“Closed-door conversations”
“Studio sessions”
“Shop talk”
Join the conversation
Membership gives you access to the full library and live conversations — and helps support a growing ecosystem of contributors.
become a member
Who is this for?
Emerging Photographers / Filmmakers
This is where Working Creatives has the biggest impact.
What it solves
Access to real sets, real workflows and real careers
Learning directly from the most inspiring professionals in the industry
Why curated matters
There’s an ocean of free information, but:
Algorithms favour short, shallow tips
The best creatives are too busy to make content
Most advice comes from YouTubers, not industry experts
Traditional masterclasses are expensive, scripted, and hard to watch
Our approach
Long-form, high-quality documentaries
Deeper conversations you won’t find on YouTube
Watch Ad Free
Trusted, curated knowledge — no noise
Working Professional Photographers / Filmmakers
For established creatives who want to:
Compare notes with the best in the industry
Stay inspired by both established names and new digital-first creators forging modern careers
Optionally connect directly with featured creatives via Zoom
This is insight from people doing the work — now.
Featured Professional Photographers / Filmmakers
We work with creatives at the top of their game — people who are too busy to make long form documentary’s about themselves.
What we provide
Exposure to a new audience
Monetisation without effort or risk
High-quality documentary films we fully produce and promote
How you’re paid
20% of profits of your film.
Optional additional income through Zoom webinars, portfolio reviews, or small group sessions (no obligation)
Why say yes?
It’s unscripted — no lines, no performance
We handle filming, editing, hosting, and promotion
Your work is celebrated alongside the best in the industry
Your career and body of work are documented properly
Contributors
Working Creatives is a publisher-led platform built for photographers and filmmakers who value process, experience, and shared knowledge.
Alongside curated films and interviews, we’re opening the platform to a small and growing group of regular contributors — practitioners whose work, thinking, or perspective adds genuine value to the community.
This is not about volume, trends, or constant output.
It’s about presence, honesty, and contributing to a shared space.
You might be a good fit if:
You’re an active photographer, filmmaker, or creative professional
You care about how work is made, not just how it looks
You’ve built experience you don’t often get to talk about publicly
You’re curious about contributing without feeding the algorithm
You’d like your work to live somewhere calmer and more considered
You don’t need a large following.
You don’t need to teach.
You don’t need to perform.
You just need to add something real to the conversation.
Contributors aren’t expected to work in a single format.
Contributions might include:
filmed conversations or interviews
behind-the-scenes process work
short documentary pieces
reflections on projects, careers, or decisions
participation in live, member-only conversations
The cadence is flexible.
This is designed to sit alongside your existing work — not replace it.
Contributors may be invited to take part in occasional live sessions with members.
These are:
conversational, not instructional
small and closed-door
unscripted and lightly moderated
Think less “webinar”, more “shop talk after hours”.
All live sessions are optional and recorded with permission.
Working Creatives operates on a shared-revenue model.
Membership revenue supports:
platform and production costs
ongoing development
and contributor payments
Contributors are paid from a shared pool based on how their work is viewed and engaged with, after platform expenses are covered.
The intention is sustainability — not one-off fees, not speculative exposure, and not extractive arrangements.
Details are shared transparently with contributors before participation.
Many creative platforms today reward constant output, self-promotion, and individual competition.
Working Creatives exists to offer an alternative:
a home away from the algorithm
a shared professional space
a place where contribution adds to your practice rather than dilutes it
It’s an experiment in rebuilding creative community — slower, smaller, and more intentional.
At this stage, contributors are invited directly.
If you’ve been contacted, you’re welcome to:
ask questions
explore the platform
and decide if it feels like the right fit
If you’re interested in contributing in the future, you can register your interest below.
This isn’t a casting call.
It’s an ongoing conversation.
Do you want to be a Contributor ?
If you are making similar content or you have a suggestion of an inspiring creator you'd love to see featured please drop us a line.
TESTIMONIALS
This was really so wonderful. On so many levels. I could watch Hugh chatting about his life and watching his shooting process for many hours. Thank you for this absolute treat.."
@jozer7695
On YouTube
"This is the kind of behind the scenes I wish I had more access to. Thank you! I learned a lot from this session."
@LenaHo
On YouTube
"This feels like being an assitant to a senior photographer.Perfect ☺️ thanks!!"
@technicalstandardsofking
on Youtube
What this is
Working Creatives is not a content platform or a course brand.
It’s a publisher-led space for filmmakers and photographers who want access, conversation, and community outside the algorithm.