Film Review Talking Points and Filming Tips
We highly recommend that when you select the film you choose to review, it will be one that is rated for your age group. We have suggested the age appropriateness for each of the official titles in the campaign on the campaign home page. Refer to those as a guide.
Submit your written review here.
Some suggestions for creating your written and videotaped review.
Title of Film: _________________________
Your name: __________________________
- Suggested length of videotaped review: 1 min to 1 1/2 min. Suggested length of written review: 1000 words maximum.
- Start out by saying how well you liked or didn't lilke the film. Find a short and interesting sound-byte that catches our attention. (ie. I laughed from beginning to end)
- Then, tell us why you liked / didn't like it. Describe your favorite or least favorite parts of the film and say what you loved, or disliked about them. Be specific. Keep your comments in the present tense. Say "is" rather than "was". It keeps your review sounding fresh and current.
- Talk about the talent. Use the internet movie database (imdb.com) to get the correct spelling for the names of actor in the film. Describe your favorite character(s) and who played them. Tell us what you liked about the acting. You might refer to other films the actor has been in and describe why you like him or her.
- Talk about what happens in the film but don't tell us the whole story. Boil it down to a short description and do not, under any circumstances spoil the ending for your audience. Describe the film as if you are describing it to a friend who has never seen it. Many people who read your review have not seen the film yet and their decision to see it might be based on what you say.
- Talk about any outstanding things in terms of the soundtrack, the sets, costumes, script, make-up, animation? Be sure to point out anything in these areas that stand out, positively or negatively. Again, you can refer to similar films if that helps to describe it.
- Wrap it up. Finish by saying who you think would enjoy this film. Kids your age? Younger or older kids? Tell us why you are making your recommendation. And - give it urgency such as - "Rush out as soon as you can, you don't want to miss this one." or "You can wait til it comes to DVD."
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Tips on Videotaping Your Review
- Do not start videotaping when people are talking or there is other noise in the room. Have your camera person say, "Quiet on the set" before you start. And, don't start talking until it is completely quiet. We hear everything going on in the background!
- Do not read your review. Make cue cards to help you remember the key points you want to make in your review but do not read it word by word. We can tell when you are reading. Your review should look and sound as if you are talking to your friend about a film you just saw. Reading is distracting.
- Look into the camera. Pretend that the person you are speaking to has eyes inside the lens of the camera and look into his or her eyes. When you look off to the side, it makes us think you are not looking directly at us.
- Keep your background simple and uncluttered. Before you start to shoot, select a location that is clean and free of clutter. You don't want a bright white wall behind you or a window and you don't want a dark wall. Choose something in between.
- Keep your clothes simple. As the on camera talent, you need to select something to wear that looks good on camera. Stay away from plaids, small prints and white or red colors. Look at what the news anchors wear and pay attention to the type of clothing that looks good on them. That's a good guideline.
- Head and shoulders. We need a nice, tight shot of your head and shoulders. We don't need to see your entire body, A close up is much better. Then be sure not to wiggle around too much or you will go out of the shot. Practice before you shoot.
- Lighting. This is one of the most difficult things for most people to get right. You want to have light on your face, not the wall behind you. That doesn't mean you have to go out and buy fancy lighting gear. You can generally find a location in your house that works and maybe need to move a lighting fixture so that it throws light onto your face. Again, practice before you shoot.
- Sound. If you don't have background noise, your camera's microphone should be good enough for your submission tape. If you have a microphone, hand-held or lavaliere that you is separate from the camera that you can use, so much the better.
- Keep it short, no more than 2 minutes and really, 60 seconds is perfect. As in your written review, say right up front how much you liked or didn't like the film and why. You don't need to spend a lot of time telling what the film is about because, in general, people already know that. More important is your reaction to the film, the actors, and to the production. And, would you recommend it to others and if so, why.
What's Next?
Once you submit your videotaped review to the competition, your job is to get your friends and family to vote for you. The key way to win a position as one of the 24 finalists is to get votes. Use your social network, ask your friends to ask their friends to vote for you.
Vote! Vote! Vote!
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