Are you guys repositioning/removing the air cleaner assembly for better access, or snaking your hands around it? I've watched two YouTube videos, and in both cases they just wormed the old filter out.
Oil filter? Like.. you're changing your oil? I just did my first oil change a few months ago and I don't remember having to do much of anything besides unscrew it and put the new one in its place. It could be that I used an angled lug wrench to clear everything easily; like this thing:
I'm sure a small socket extension would do as well.