I’ve only been at this film writing thing for about a year now, but even in so short of a time, I’ve learned a lot. I thought I’d share some of the resources I used over the year for inspiration and information.
- Better Living Through Criticism by A.O. Scott — This fantastic book by the New York Times film critic is an excellent description of a critic’s role in modern society and what their purpose ought to be.
- Nobody’s Perfect by Anthony Lane — This recommendation is a bit tricky, because I’m not necessarily saying you need to read this specific book. I am however saying that you should follow a certain critic, and study the way they use their voice. Seeing how someone else communicates their ideas will work wonders for helping you communicate your own.
- DK’s The Movie Book — This is a book that gives a fascinating recount of the history of film and its shifting role from petty amusement to cultural touchstone.
- Reading the Silver Screen by Thomas Foster: This is a fantastic book, especially for someone who wants to write about movies that covers basically every major aspect of the visual language. Witty and entertaining at every turn, this book is a joy to read as well as informative.
If you’re someone who watches a lot of YouTube, the channels you frequent are just as important as what you read.
Some Fantastic Youtube Channels:
Chris Stuckmann: Stuckmann is one of the greatest video reviewers on youtube. He always crafts an effective, well rounded review, and his experience with film production lends his reviewing a certain expertise unseen elsewhere.
ScreenJunkies/ScreenJunkies News: A fantastic team of writers, commentators, producers, etc… screen junkies is a movie channel that combines commercial professionalism with a signature amateur unpredictability. Their features include all manner of things; from their infamous “Honest Trailers” to intense movie debates, to breaking news in the movie industry.
Lessons From the Screenplay: One of the most intelligent film examination channels i’ve ever encountered, Michael of LFTS breaks down story structure, and plot devices from a film’s original form in an extremely engaging manner.
Cinemawins: What may have started as a playful jab at Cinemasins has become something almost as popular. Each week Cinemawins releases a video that highlights everything that is great about a movie. While a good critic should be able to pick out a film’s failures, this overwhelmingly positive lens is never a bad way to see film. Plus, these videos just make you feel good inside.
Well that’s it for now. I hope these resources can be to your benefit. Do you have any great resources that I missed? Tell me about them in the comments?
