How Does a Film Critic Spend a Workday?
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A Film Critic's Responsibility
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Whether she writes for a major metropolitan newspaper or a community weekly or has her own slot on a radio program or local access network, a film critic's job is to provide the public with her opinion on the latest movies so they can make an informed decision on whether a flick is worth the price of a ticket and popcorn. Today's movie critics also stay abreast of new DVD releases, television programs and award shows such as the Oscars, Golden Globes and Emmys. Their coverage often includes behind-the-scenes profiles of actors, directors, screenwriters and producers.
Handling the Homework
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While a college degree isn't a prerequisite for you to assume the mantle of a film critic, excellent communication skills and an extensive knowledge of movies are. That means the budding critic will already have invested a lot of prep time in watching classic movies, foreign films and TV shows to glean an appreciation of the craft of screenwriting and good storytelling. Film critics not only convey to readers the strengths and weaknesses of each movie they review, but also provide comparative analysis, explaining a movie's similarities and differences to films previously produced that embrace the same themes and genres. If, for example, a critic is going to review an upcoming movie about the Salem witch trials, he may go to an online source (such as the Internet Movie Database) and perform a search to see how many preceding films have addressed this topic. If he is going to be reviewing the directorial work of someone like Clint Eastwood, he'd want to familiarize himself in advance with the filmmaker's prior projects so he can comment on whether Eastwood has a consistent style or breaks new ground with each project.
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Another Openin', Another Show
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With only 24 hours in a day and movies averaging 2 hours in length, a film critic needs to be judicious about how many films she can cover per week and still maintain some semblance of a normal life. New movies typically debut nationwide on Fridays. An established film critic, however, will often be invited to attend private screenings a week or more in advance of a film's release to the general public. A critic's day thus begins with reviewing her calendar to determine which movies she's going to see on any given day and allocating at least 1 hour to writing up her commentary. Sensitivity to publication deadlines is crucial. By utilizing online resources such as Rotten Tomatoes and ComingSoon.net, a critic can save valuable time by previewing trailers, reading synopses and jotting down actors' names before ever setting foot in the theater. This allows her to craft a working outline into which she can incorporate her comments after she sees the show.
What Happens at the Theater
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Unless the screening is a private one that is attended by fellow critics who are all scribbling notes at the same time, a movie reviewer will generally sit in the back row of the theater, with a notepad and penlight. This is not only to avoid disturbing the other moviegoers, but also to observe their reactions to the movie. Many film critics work from a template in which they make their observations regarding character development, dialogue, pacing, structure, cinematography, lighting, music and the originality and plausibility of the plot. He also makes notes regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the acting. Although a reviewer's observations are generally subjective and based on her own frame of reference and taste, it's important to provide solid examples of what worked and didn't, as opposed to simply declaring, "This is the dumbest thing I've ever seen in my life." In addition, it's crucial not to give away all of the surprises or to use one's position as a platform to rant about subjects unrelated to the movie.
The Rest of the Day
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It's important to write up notes as soon as possible after a film has been watched, so the visuals are still fresh in one's mind. Once the review has been submitted electronically, a critic turns his attention to identifying new DVDs that are coming out. If they are for a movie he has previously reviewed, he can save some time by incorporating past opinions. Toward the end of summer, a critic's day may also be spent identifying new television programs (both network and cable) that will make their debut in the fall lineup and giving prospective audiences an overview of what to expect from the writers and cast. If there's any time remaining, a film critic may spend it on writing film-related articles, doing interviews with industry personnel, reading the latest issue of Hollywood Insider or Variety or writing chapters of a book or an anthology about the magic of movies.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Photos by Christina Hamlett
