How Do You Become a Movie Critic?

Breaking into film criticism sounds like a cinephile’s dream: watching movies, analysing cinema and sharing your opinions with the world. Yet many aspiring writers find themselves asking the same question: how do you actually become a movie critic?

South African film authority and founder of Spling Movies, Stephen ‘Spling’ Aspeling, broke into the industry by setting a personal challenge: running a website and reviewing a film every single day for an entire year. That journey evolved from written articles into national radio shows, television appearances, feature journalism and judging international film festivals.

Whether your goal is to write for major media publications, start a popular film podcast or contribute to sites like splingmovies.com, here is the actionable roadmap to turning your passion for cinema into a professional career.

1. Just Start: Build Your Portfolio and Find Your Voice

The most effective way to start as a film reviewer is simple: start writing immediately.

Before established outlets or editors take notice, you must prove your discipline, develop your critical eye and define your voice and editorial perspective.

Launch a platform: Set up a movie review blog, an independent cinema website or a dedicated Substack.

Embrace multimedia: Modern criticism extends beyond print. Consider video reviews, YouTube video essays, Letterboxd logs, TikTok breakdowns or hosting a film podcast.

Commit to consistency: Write regularly to sharpen your analytical abilities. Cultivate the vocabulary required to communicate a film’s technical craft, tone, storytelling quality, and emotional resonance to everyday viewers.

2. Prepare for the Reality Behind the Reel

Cinema fans often assume being a movie critic simply means “watching movies for a living.” In reality, watching the film is just the tip of the iceberg -often accounting for only about 20% of your working hours. The rest is dedicated to research, transcribing notes, drafting, editing, pitching editors, marketing content and managing multimedia production.

You also need an immense appetite for cinema:

High-volume viewing: Can you watch 10 to 15 films a week, or sit through four to five screenings a day at a film festival without suffering critical fatigue?

Stamina and focus: A professional critic must remain attentive to screenwriting beats, cinematography, sound design and pacing – even during difficult or repetitive viewings.

3. Expand Your Network and Monetise Organically

Film criticism rarely follows a conventional 9-to-5 financial model unless you secure a staff position at an established news outlet. Most critics build their careers through an organic, multi-channel approach:

Form collaborations: Guest-host on film podcasts, co-write features with other reviewers and build relationships with independent film journalists.

Diversify your output: Expand from standard reviews into festival coverage, director interviews, festival jury panels, radio broadcasting and freelance entertainment journalism.

Partner with brands: As your audience grows, seek out sponsorships, affiliate partnerships and syndication deals with entertainment websites.

4. Champion Arthouse and Independent Cinema

Right now, it seems that blockbuster franchises, superhero spectacles and high-budget animations will always dominate the box office. While reviewing tentpole releases draws search traffic and fan engagement, the true value of film criticism lies in championing the cinema that slips through the gaps.

Independent cinema, foreign-language releases, local productions and arthouse discoveries depend on critical discourse. A thoughtful review does not merely rate an experience – it initiates conversation, uncovers hidden cinematic gems and preserves the wider cinema experience for future movie lovers.