Hello to the future contributors of Filmcritic.com!

We receive dozens of resumes each week from hopeful critics, so many that we created this page just to handle the submission process.

Here's how it works. First, you are highly encouraged to read Five Stars! How to Become a Film Critic, the World's Greatest Job! This book will teach you the secrets of breaking into the business, and particularly what we look for in new critics at Filmcritic.com. You aren't required to read the book, but your odds of being accepted as a contributor to the site are considerably better if you do.

After that, send us one big package (attachments are okay in Word DOC or RTF format) including:

- Your current resume.
- At least one sample review of about 600 words (published or unpublished -- unpublished preferred), preferably of a current or recent release. Please read a few reviews on the site and submit material in the same format, with star rating, etc. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation all count -- a lot. Style counts the most -- we are looking for critics who match the sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek, off-the-cuff style of Filmcritic.com; if you're a stuffy film historian or want to write only about lighting, that's not what we're looking for.
- A cover letter outlining your background in film and criticism (i.e. why should we pick you?)
- One-sentence reviews and ratings on our five-star scale for the following films (classics and recent releases alike): A Clockwork Orange, Brazil, Annie Hall, Mulholland Drive, The Crying Game, Little Nicky, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Fahrenheit 9/11, Dancer in the Dark, Heavenly Creatures, and Y Tu Mama Tambien. (You are advised not to check our reviews on these films before writing your own -- we aren't looking for yes-men! We're looking for a sense of your general tastes, your ability to succinctly explain why you do or do not like certain movies, the breadth of your film knowledge, and whether you can follow instructions.) Also send your top ten list for the most recent calendar year (theatrical releases only) and tell us in general terms about some of your favorite films, directors, and/or actors.
- Any comments on Five Stars! you might have, specifically any areas where you disagree with the book.
- Finally, please tell us where you live and if you are recognized as a member of your local media (i.e. are you already invited to screenings?). We are far more likely to accept you if you already have advance access to film screenings and do not set you up with screenings unless you live in the San Francisco Bay Area or sometimes LA and NYC. We do not provide DVD or VHS screeners for video reviewers, either. Some preference is given to residents of SF. You must be at least 18 years old to apply.

Send all this stuff in one email to

Accepted critics receive the following in return:

- The opportunity to contribute on a regular basis and see some movies. Please note we are not looking for any more one-review-a-quarter critics. If you are unable or unwilling to review about one movie a week (and it'll probably be something relatively obscure and probably on DVD -- bear in mind that we have 20 critics already and all remotely major releases are usually spoken for) please do not apply.
- Your name, bio, and photo on our About the Staff page.
- Your own @filmcritic.com email address.
- Nominal pay for your work (we buy all rights and do not allow resales or reprints to other outlets under any circumstances). We pay quarterly.
- An open-arms welcome into the Filmcritic.com community of writers.

Applicants are judged by a jury of six senior critics on the site. Only a very few applicants (four or five each year out of hundreds of applicants) become regular contributors, so please don't be offended if you don't make the cut.

Thanks for your interest in Filmcritic.com!