Top Tips for Film Critics

UK Film Review Podcast

In this special episode of the UK Film Review Podcast, our Editor-in-Chief Chris Olson speaks directly to those who want to be film critics. Our host gives his top tips for anyone aspiring to become a film critic, going into the fundamentals of writing, as well as important rules for pitching to publications and more. If you enjoyed this episode of our film podcast, please remember to review and share.

Hello and welcome to this special one off episode of the UK film review podcast today I am talking directly to those of you who want to be a film critic now. How do you be a film critic. You just be one. That's the way it is um, there's no reason not to be a film critic if you want to be 1 and this can start very humbly and simply by writing a review or or speaking a review depending on which kind of medium you want to go for um, don't get too tied up. In the labor of am I a film critic because do I meet these criteria x y ed um, we are all lovers of film and if you're listening to this. You are a film critic There's probably no no doubt about it. Um, what I would say is when it comes to. Journey that I've been on so I'm the editor of Uk film review and I've been a film critic now for 14 years The main objective really is to always be honing your craft um I look up to some of the top. Of critics in the world and I see that they're always trying to hone their craft. They're always trying to improve and why want this episode to do is to give you a few um signposts really I call them shortcuts really? but.

Mainly tips just to give you an idea of what's going to be the best way to always be developing yourself and also are the fundamentals of what you're doing so that you always have that to rely on because often when you're looking up. A piece you know film a piece of art that you've you've watched your review may vary because of that film. Maybe the film is made in a certain way that makes you want to review it in a certain way whereas. Actually your job is to be consistent as well. That you review one film is should be the way that you review really all films. Um, so without much further ado and it's going to get into my kind of first basic top tips for film critics. Firstly, if you're writing a review. Don't just summarize the plot. It seems very very basic but often I see reviews and even from critics that do have a lot of experience that they're maybe so overwhelmed by a film's plot that they just want to retell it. They just want to go in and tell everyone what happened and go through all the different story plots. The fact is that's not your job. As a film critic that the the viewer doesn't want that the viewer what I or the reader wants to go and experience the film for themselves your review if you're doing a structured review. The plot should only be really one paragraph of that review and fairly succinct and getting good at writing um plot synopsis is in 1 paragraph that is where I see the best film critics people that are able to just really rattle it down to basic a tagline and still make you feel that it's a film that you want to see. Um. Because actually when you start reviewing other aspects of the film then the plot can sometimes be explored there. But what you don't want to do is just spoil the film for everyone and that's my my second tip spoilers I wouldn't bother with them. Some people will they'll write a review and I will spoiler alert. And what you'll do is you'll turn off at least half the people that were going to read your review and when it comes to becoming a film critic numbers matter. You want to get as many people reading your reviews and enjoying your reviews as possible so giving them a reason to to leave is not good. So I wouldn't put um spoilers into reviews unless. Absolutely necessary.

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