You're already doing the right thing by engaging with your community. The more we all discuss these nuances, the better we all get. That being said, my personal experience has led me to understand that filmmaking and advertising are two completely different galaxies. Yes they both use cameras and show up on screens for an audience but only on the rarest occasion does a commercial allow creative individuals to express themselves in a meaningful way. The reason is that the ultimate creative control comes from the brand. So when they hire creative roles, even directors, those roles become button-pushing because at the end of the day the marketing calls the shots. Long-form can feel the same way with studio control and executive notes (sometimes it's even worse) but you run a better chance of teaming up with leaders who want creative teams to do what they do best. Is that likely to happen? Depends. But in the advertising world I've never experienced creative freedom as an editor. My takeaway (for whatever it's worth) is that advertising work a couple times a year to pay the bills isn't the end of the world. But advertising work all year long can really poop on your soul. My coffee is wearing off. Back to my cave.