The world of being a critic is a dangerous one, as we are labeled the "enemy" of many entertainment creators, but boy oh boy is it all worth it in the end.
Personally, I've been a film critic for the better part of eight years, and with each year I learn something different and equally exciting.
However, the career isn't for the faint of heart.
That's why I'm hear to help you decide if you really want to be a critic with some confessions and tips of the trade. So sit back and enjoy my mini list of Confessions of a Critic list.
1. You are going to review things that you have no interest in.
Like the famous Sir Drake once said, "Started from the bottom, now we here."
You won't just be able to pick and choose what you want to review and write about from the beginning. Like any real full-fledged job, you must start from the bottom and make your way up to the top. It takes years to actually watch things you want because you will have seniority, so in the meantime enjoy watching that Lifetime movie that no one will ever see but you.
2. Meeting your heroes isn't always bad...
Personally, I've come across some of the people I idolized throughout my younger years, and it isn't always awful. In fact, its been amazing. But the one thing you must remember....
3. ...But you MUST be professional!
Don't freak out on them, be professional for you both technically work in the entertainment world and are colleagues in some aspect of the word. Yes, they may have millions of more dollars then you, but that doesn't mean you should shout in their face quotes of a line that many have shouted before you.
4. Be fair.
You must never be biased when seeing a film or show for the first time. You must go in with an open mind, avoiding what others have said, and take the experience for what it is...an experience. You may have an actor you don't like, a writer you despise, or a director who has only made remakes or sequels, but you can't let that sway your judgement. This may be their big hit or their "Matthew Mcconaughey moment" so to speak. Everyone can be redeemed, just ask that guy.
5. Everyone may not agree with you. So suck it up!
Surprise! Not everyone shares your opinion on what is good and what is awful. Yes, some movies have a reputation for being bad to all, such as "Trolls 2" or any Adam Sandler film made in the last ten years. But, like the famous saying says, everyone is a critic, so be prepared for that. A show or movie may be good to one that may be bad to another, so take the backlash well because you are just doing what you love and what you know. Everyone has an opinion and that's truly what makes being a critic so damn fun.
So if you want to be a critic, remember these little facts because while they may seem obvious, they can be hard to remember in the moment. So enjoy your life as a critic, and as my idol Roger Ebert use to say..."I'll see you at the movies!"
