Film Critic

Job Description:

A film/TV critic is someone who evaluates a piece of work for quality and writes reviews on their quality. Typically, their job is to tell the reader rather or not a new release is worth watching. Their job includes having a high amount of knowledge on film criticism and aspects of filmmaking to create an objective assessment over whether a film is successful or not. They work for either a publication or by assignment.

Salary average: 57k a year, it also depends on if you work for a publication or freelance though.

Occupational Outlook:

The employment rate of film critics has declined around 3%, there is an estimated opening of 6000 positions in the field per year.

Links to Learn More About This Career:

https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/film-critic

https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-does-a-movie-critic-do/

https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/how-to-become-a-film-critic-with-robert-ager/

Educational Requirements:

There are no set requirements, but most large publications require a bachelor’s degree in cinema studies or journalism. A lot of publications also look for real word experience in the field.

Kentucky State university

Address: Frankfort, KY

Website: kysu.edu

Information on the Major:

This major is in Media Journalism. It combines botha traditional journalism major with courses about media production and consumption.

Western Kentucky university

Address: Bowling Green, KY

Website: wku.edu

Information on the Major:

This program is specified on film, but it gives the student a general knowledge of what goes into filmmaking, the history of cinema, and what makes a film good.

University of Cincinnati

Address: Cincinnati, OH

Website: uc.edu

Information on the Major:

This program is specified on film, but it gives the student a general knowledge of what goes into filmmaking, the history of cinema, and what makes a film good.

Soft Skills, Characteristics, and/or Abilities Need For This Career:

High knowledge of film history and filmmaking practices
Written communication skills
Verbal communication skills
Knowledge of subtext
Ability to pay attention to detail

Software Knowledge Needed For This Career:

None in particular, but writing software like Microsoft Word may be good.

Pros and Cons to Choosing This Career

Pros (Positives to this Career)

You have the ability to see films and TV shows early.
If you are passionate about film, it gives you an opportunity to get really into something that you enjoy.
You get to spend your time watching and talking about movies, plus getting paid for that.

Cons (Negatives to this Career)

There is a lot of backlash that can come with the job. People can get mad if you disagree with them.
There are tight deadlines and short turnaround times.
It’s a hard job to get into and the rates are declining.

Typical Working Conditions For This Career:

Mostly inside, although there is some travel required if you are asked to go to a festival or premiere. There are few set hours, but there are strict deadlines on when a review must be found.