The differences between a reviewer and a critic.

Throughout my blog I have been interchanging reviewer and critic. However, after reading an article from Stanford University, they are completely different. A film reviewer writers for Newspapers and weekly magazines, and their audience is reading this review primarily to figure out whether they would like to go see the film or not. The reviewer is sharing their opinion, and helping their reader appreciate the art of film. The critic, on the other hand, writes essays about films usually for journals or classy magazines. The audience usually reads these essays to better understand film, not to figure out how to spend a Saturday evening. Critics usually have a good background on how films are made, and their history. Movie critics write for people who care about movies as an art form.

A popular movie critic, is A.O. Scott. He was originally a Sunday book reviewer for Newsday, and he also had many other publications before he became a film critic for the New York Times.

Unfortunately, the public interchanged reviewer and critic too, so according to society, A.O. Scott is a reviewer as well.

Magazine's of Importance

Although papers like the New York Times or the Philadelphia Inquirer have certain sections that are devoted to films and film journalism, there are a few magazine that are completely devoted to film and all its wonders. For instance, Filmmaker Magazine has interviews with filmmakers, stars, and also adds movie reviews. Throughout one of their issues they discuss film festivals, and the big winners during them. They also go through movies that are in production and will soon be put on the big screen. They have interviews with leading independent film directors and so on.

Another magazine that is solely devoted to film is MovieMaker magazine. According to the publisher's statement, this magazine is one of the best film magazines in America. 75% of it's readers are independent filmmakers, 52 % are in the film industry, and 82% are planning film equipment production within the next 12 months. Throughout this magazine, it will discuss the "how-to's" of movie making, have in-depth interviews with the leading people of the industry, and it will introduce you to the behind-the-scenes of the business of movie making.

You want to talk Film?

The best way to bring people together to talk and share their opinions about film is discussions after a film is shown. Usually the film is fresh in their memory and they're able to remember the good and the bad. Recently, on the ESU campus, they had discussions about the film "Watchman," but because I was unable to attend, I was not sure how it went, but I do have a feeling that people shared and learned of people's opinions and possibly formed new attitudes as well.

There is a website (http://filmdiscussions.com) in which a group of people get together, discuss films, voice record it, and put it up on this site. They have discussions ranging from Saved! to There Will be Blood. Although this group is a bit mysterious (I have no idea where they have these discussions or if they're legit), they do have a great amount of opinions on these movies.

For those of you interested in talking about films. Next semester here at ESU, Two friends of mine (plus me) will be showing free movies every week in Stroud 113, and we are hoping to have discussions on these movies afterwords (more information will be following).

New York Times.

I recently was strolling around the New York Times website, and found many interesting people who know quite a lot about movies. Such as the carpetbagger, originally carpetbaggers were what southerners named northerners when they moved to the south during the reconstruction period. Now, in modern times, carpetbagger is used for politicians who run for a state that they have no affiliation with. I guess you can say that David Carr (The man you see on the videos) is essentially a carpetbagger. Before making this blog he was a business writer, and now he is doing something that he really didn't have much affiliation with. Carr, goes around to premiers, watches the movies, and shares what he feels about it. Essentially, he's a movie critic, but mostly shares his idea of the winners for the Oscars and for other such awards. Although he sounds like he smoked many cigarettes and drank a lot of coffee in his day, he does know what he's doing. So, if you would like to become a video blogger like David Carr, watch him, a lot.

The Bad Interview

When interviewing actors or actresses, there are always guidelines to follow when asking them questions. If something goes wrong in an interview there can be some consequences to follow.
The first thing you cannot do and must stray away from is the personal question. You may ask a new mom about how their baby is doing but you should not ask them about their new partner, the recently received DUI, or drug habit (if indeed they have one). An interview you may remember is Tom Cruise and Matt Lauer. Throughout the interview Tom Cruise tries to teach Matt Lauer about Psychology, and it essentially becomes an intense argument. Although Tom Cruise brought up the issue, usually someone that's not Matt Lauer would try to calm the situation, if need be.

Making fun of an actor during an interview can be a terrible thing to do. Unless you are known to pick fun at them, it might be okay. Otherwise, if you are making fun of their weight, their looks, or anything similar, you might want to flee the situation. There is an interview with Jonah Hill and Michael Cera (Superbad) in which the interviewer begins to make fun of Jonah Hills weight. This makes Hill angry and he then begins to rant and storm out of the room (unfortunately, there are some crude words involved in the interview so I wont post it here). Either this interviewer wanted to loss his job, or he just doesn't like overweight people. It was still wrong and obviously made the actor mad.

The Director's Guild

The Director's Guild of America is a labor union that embodies the interests of film and television directors. To become part of this guild there are a few things you must follow.

1. Get some experience with shooting film either on film or digital video. If you can't afford film school, or any other kind of training, get your name out there. Tell people that you're a director and you want to show a film that you have done. You would be surprised how well that works.

2. Keep a journal. Write down all your projects, your visions for them, and the ending result. This will help you learn from your mistakes, and essentially build from them.

3. Use the journal to make a resume. It's always good to work for a company that is involved with DGA. So that you can be recommended to be part of the guild.

4. Work hard in your field. This will also up your chances in becoming a member.

How to watch a movie like a director

There is a differences between a movie critic and a movie director. Movie critics share their opinion and either lead the reader to watching or not watching the movie. Directors, on the other hand, look at the technical aspects of the movie.
If you would like to become a director or at least watch a movie like a director there are a few things that you must pay attention too.

1. Pay attention to the camera angles. These angles are considered the eye for audience, and if they are hard to follow, then the movie isn't worth watching. Sometimes camera angles can be a way for a director to tell the story

2. Listen to the dialog. It is up to the director, and a few other people, to decide how a line is pronounced. However, the actor may have different views on the way a line is said, but, in the end, directors direct actors.

3. Look for film techniques. Such as the color, the grain of the film ( how clear the picture is) etc. These also play an important part in telling the story, and making the film. Without some of these techniques, the movie wont be portrayed well.

4. Directors also look for other peoples opinions. Usually, if someone tells them to change something you can see that change in their next production. Opinions from other people usually help you see things in another light.