20090929 -- Getting Paid to Watch Movies (1)

Getting Paid to Watch Movies

What does it take to be a professional movie critic?

SC: What do movie critics do?
JC: I would say that a movie critic is someone who writes critically and analytically about films and measures a film's artistic virtues. To do this effectively, a critic must have significant knowledge of film history and be able to place an individual film in its historical or cultural context. I think it's important to emphasize that a good movie critic must also be a good writer. Film criticism is more than simply saying whether a movie is good or bad. It's about writing in a way that captures the experience of watching the film in question.

SC: How do they do it?
JC: Most of the time, critics are invited to see films at press screening held by the studios. These screenings are generally held a week or two before the film opens to give critics time to file their reviews before the film's release. However, it's been an increasely common pratice for studios to NOT scren a movie in advance, which is usually a pretty good sign that the movie is really bad. If there is no screening, the critic has to go see the movie on the morning it opens and then publish a review as quickly as possible.



critical adj. 批判性的
critically adv. 具有批判性地/有鑑別力地
eg: Shane read the report critically and decided it was incorrect.
eg: As a researcher, Peter was trained to think critically.
eg: The author of this critically acclaimed novel is nominated for the Nobel Prize.

in question 考慮中地/正在討論中的/提到的
=> under consideration
eg: The book in question has sold over 1 million copies.
eg: The issue might be important, but it is not the point in question right now.
eg: The interview in question is now waiting in the conference room.
eg: The suspect in question is probably the one who committed the crime.

screening n. (電影)放映
=> a previw of a movie
eg: The movie screening will be held this weekend.

file v. 歸檔/記者們發稿(本課課文的意思)
eg: Charlene will file the story after she has finished the interview.
eg: Our correspondent(駐外記者) in Israel filed his report on this incident this morning.

file v. 提出正式的申請
eg: The company filed for bankruptcy.

capture v. 奪得/獲得
=> catch/grab/hold

press n. 媒體
=> the media

press screening 媒體試映會

in advance 事先
=> before something

//== Chat room ==//

critic n. 批評者/評論家
criticize v. 批評/挑剔/指責
movie critics 影評

critique n. 評論
constructive criticism 建設性的批評(善意的批評)

//== Did you know ==//

A good film critique could mean millions of dollars in revenue for a movie studio. A negative critique could mean millions of dollars LOST. Knowing this, film studios work hard to persuade film critics that their movie is good. One way they do this is by sending film critics a press kit, which is basically a package containing the film's background information, flattering photos and often a small gift.