What are some strategies to develop critical thinking skills in the film industry?

Creative Common Sense is one important factor , there are different audiences who accept a film differently, so common sense is to how to make a film which will be accepted by some audience and the creative part is how to make it interesting so that some audience likes it and talks good about the film

Watching movies are entry points into multiple contexts and context is everything! When you see a house or a woman or violence or a bomb go off or a child climb a tree - learn to recognise contexts - what happens where and when - simple example - a bomb going off in a war torn part of the world has a very different narrative and sensibility to one that goes off as a rare tragic event in a city or place that does not know war. Authenticity in film making will also come from these contexts so the more you recognise the importance of context, the more nuances you see!

I would add that it’s important to digest low/no budget films, as well as experimental and the avant-garde. A well-rounded understanding of the possibilities of filmmaking will create an informed storyteller, once who can think outside the box, and is always on their toes as problems arise. It is also important to study films in your budget range. If you’re shooting a no-budget film, but studying up by watching $40 million productions, you’re not going to obtain the knowledge you need for a successful production.

It's best to see many, many, many films to develop your knowledge of the formats in circulation (what are the current market trends?). If you're a professional, don't hesitate to go to a festival that also has a workshop or lab to see the scriptwriters and directors pitch and get a feel for what's in the pipeline. Choose a festival whose positioning matches your professional needs and your budget (it costs money), and keep the catalogue, which contains lots of useful information.

The best method of research is to travel and live (for a while) in the locations where your stories are set. I’ve always been able to tell what films and shows were written by writers who never leave LA or NYC.

A strong writing background will surely enhance your overall filmmaking practice. It is the foundation of the craft, and by focusing on it you will not only have the means to turn out a good story, you will also use the skillset for the production side: to write pitch letters, request locations, and create promotional materials for the final movie. I’ve managed to successfully license songs and secure hard to get locations because of the letters (and cards) I have written.

Growing your craft by collaborating on other people’s projects is a great way to streamline your storytelling and production approaches, plus experiment with ideas that may or may not work for your project. Some ideas need to be explored via practice to determine whether they will work, by getting certain ideas out of the way on another project, you can make your own more efficient down the road.

The collaboration and communication I speak of here is once your film is made. Find novel spaces to show your films offline and online because there are plenty. Creativity continues into how your explorations of screenings and the collaborations that can make such amplification possible, as much as before and during the making of.

Filmmaking is an art practice, much like the person painting watercolors in a park, or a photographer taking nature photos, they all practice their craft on a regular basis. It’s important that, as filmmakers, we practice all facets of our craft, often by experimenting on our own time. Set a goal for your experiment, and spend a day working on it. What better way to spend a Saturday than making an experimental film?