Coalition for Quality Children's Media,KIDS FIRST!;children's videos;kids films

Adult Juror Manual

Appeal - How much did you like watching the program? Is it enjoyable? Do you think kids would find it enjoyable?
Content – Did you like the subject matter and the way the story was told?
Production quality – Are the sound, location, costumes and/or animation pleasing and professional?
Benefits – Are there other benefits from watching this title? For instance does it teach something, make you curious to know more, provide a wider world view or increase understanding and awareness of something?
Age-appropriateness – Is the pace, content and production quality appropriate for the intended age group? If not, what age group would it be appropriate for (if any)?

Jurors: please read the guidelines below before you write your first review.

A. Your review should be approximately 3-400 words long.

B. Always put the title of the film at the top and under that, your byline which is your name and your age.

C. Follow this format for a sample 200 word review:

First paragraph: Open with a short sentence telling how well you liked or didn't like the film and give two or three reasons why. I liked (film title) so much because it is timely and the humor is right on track for a youth audience.
Second paragraph: Give a brief synopsis of what happens in the film. Use three to four sentences only. Remember, this is not a play by play report. Do not give away the ending or any plot twist (spoiler alert).
Third paragraph: This is your opportunity to analyze the film, from its production aspects ( the camera work, animation technique, sets or locations, the actors' performances, the soundtrack and/or background music, the plot and pace of the film, character development, and similar. You can point out your favorite or least favorite parts and say what you liked or disliked about them. Be specific; whenever you make a general statement, back it up with a specific example.
(tip) Be sure to spell actors' names correctly Use the internet movie database (IMDB.com) to get correct spellings.
Fourth paragraph, describe the message of the film and let us know if there are any warmings in terms of the KIDS FIRST! criteria. This is when you can reject a film if it does not meet the KIDS FIRST! endorsement criteria.
Fifth paragraph: Wrap it up. Give it a star rating (5 high), age recommendation (between 2 and 18) and tell us where it can be found (Digital, Theater, Elsewhere).

D. Send us your review. Email it to [email protected].

That's it! Pat yourself on the back. Good job! We'll send you notes on your sample review.

Welcome to our team! We rely on people like you!