Do you want to make extra cash while indulging in your love for movies? Read this article and learn how to get paid to review movies.
Are you an avid film watcher? Do you believe you have what it takes to be a film critic?
If you answered “yes” to these questions, consider writing movie reviews for money.
Join us as we guide you through everything you need to know about how to get paid to review movies, from the challenges you may face to a step-by-step overview of how to achieve this.
Keep reading to learn more!
There are numerous ways to get paid to review movies, with various platforms hiring movie reviewers, including online websites and blogs.
These platforms may offer a fixed monthly rate or pay you based on the number of articles you’ve written during that month. Other factors that affect your pay include the number of views your articles receive.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), writers earn an average salary of $69,510 per year or $33.42 per hour. Another figure by Indeed.com states that freelance writers working as professional film critics earn an average of $46,281 annually.
It’s important to note that freelance pay can vary widely, and you’ll need to consider the amount of work you’re doing and the number of hours you’re putting in.
If you’re starting out as an amateur writer, your pay may be less, but it’ll definitely increase as you progress and grow.
To pursue this gig, you don’t need much. Here’s a list of the essential items you’ll need.
Listed below are nine places where you can get paid to review movies. Some of these pay per review, while others may lead to passive income.
We’ve included an overview of our top picks above. For a full list and detailed information on each pick, scroll down.
Creating your own blog is one of the best ways you can get paid for movie reviews. All you’ll need to do is choose a name, get a domain name and hosting, and start uploading your content.
The amount of money you make primarily depends on how many visitors your site gets and your monetization strategy. Blog writers can earn more than $100,000 per year.
You’ll be able to run your own blog and create the content you want. You can also add affiliate links, potentially increasing your income.
Screen Rant is one of the most popular sites for movie trailers and news, receiving millions of visits each year. It offers cinephiles the chance to earn money by writing for it.
Screen Rant pays freelance writers $15 per article. This means your daily wage will depend on how many articles you can write in a day and how long it takes you to write each one.
You’ll have the added flexibility to work when you want. It’s also helpful throughout the process and provides an introduction to SEO and assigns an editor to work with you.
Additionally, if you do enough articles, you’ll get a bonus.
Cineaste is a quarterly publication that discusses everything related to cinema and movie news. It features various films, including Hollywood, American, and European cinema.
It produces feature articles, interviews, film reviews, book reviews, as well as BLU-RAY and DVD reviews.
Depending on the type and length of the article, you’ll be able to earn between $18 for short articles to $90 for features.
Its promising pay rates mean that if you primarily write features, you can earn a good amount each month.
Animation Arena focuses on writing quality video games, movies, and comic book reviews.
To apply, you’ll need to provide two writing samples so that it can evaluate your writing style and skills. It also requires you to answer a few questions.
Animation Arena’s payment rate is fixed at $15 per review, with a maximum of 10 reviews per month. This implies that the maximum amount you can earn per month is $150.
Its reviews are casual and don’t require technical writing skills, which is especially great if you’re an amateur writer.
Additionally, each review needs to be a minimum of 550 words, so you won’t have to waste time writing unnecessarily lengthy reviews.
Medium is an open-source platform that allows freelance content writers to share their stories, articles, or reviews.
To be eligible for its partner program, you must have published at least one story and have at least 100 followers.
There are two ways to get paid for your reviews on Medium. The first is by calculating the reading time of your review, and the second is if a reader subscribes to Medium’s membership after reading your review. In the case of the latter, you’ll receive half the cost of the membership, which is $2.5.
Medium monthly incomes are variable, but if your reviews take off, you can earn three or even four digits a month from a single review.
As you continue to write, Medium will provide you with valuable opportunities to expand your network and grow your connections, which may lead to better writing opportunities.
Bustle is a well-known website that caters to women and covers various topics, including life, health, and entertainment.
It hires new writers occasionally, so be sure to keep an eye out. You’ll be required to submit writing samples as well.
Bustle pays writers $0.25 per word, so the amount you make will depend on the length of the article.
Bustle writers cover a range of niches, which means you can expand from writing movie reviews to other types of content.
While Cracked is primarily a comedy-based website, it also features other types of content, including movies.
It allows anyone to sign up to become a contributor to its site but be warned it has a rigorous hiring process and high standards. Not everyone gets accepted.
To apply, you need to submit a pitch in a specific format, and if it’s accepted, you’ll work with its editors to polish and refine the idea. Afterward, you’ll be asked to write a draft, and upon completion, you’ll receive payment.
For the first four articles, Cracked will pay you $150, and starting from the fifth article, it’ll pay $250 per article.
Cracked is known for offering one of the highest per-article rates, making it an appealing option to consider as a freelance movie critic.
Cultured Vultures is a pop culture website that allows writers to write on a variety of topics, including wrestling, video games, movies, TV, and anime.
It pays a flat rate of £5 for every article published and an additional £2 for every 200 views your article receives.
For SEO commission work, it pays £7.50 for every 500 words written.
Cultured Vultures requires no prior writing experience, making it a great option for beginners to earn. It also allows you to retain the copyright for your work, and if you leave, you can ask it to remove your work, and you can publish it elsewhere.
Starting a YouTube channel for movie reviews is different from writing movie reviews. You’ll need to film yourself and verbally deliver your review to your audience.
On average, YouTube pays $18 for every 1000 video views. In the US, the average weekly salary for a YouTuber is $1,154, which equals $4,616 per month.
Millions of people watch videos on YouTube each day. If your movie review goes viral, it has the potential to earn you even more money.
Once your channel is monetized, you can also earn from advertisements.
Apart from being enjoyable and fun, here are some reasons to consider this side hustle.
Starting any side hustle comes with its own set of challenges, and reviewing movies is no different. Here are some common problems you might encounter that could impact your journey.
According to statistics by whattowatch.com, the length of the average movie has been increasing each year. In 2021, the average movie was 131 minutes, which is over two hours long!
Watching the movie will already take a lot of time, but you’ll also need to watch patiently, take notes, and look for minor details, which can consume even more time.
Movies are subjective, and how you interpret a scene may not be the same as how another viewer could interpret it.
This means your reviews will reflect your views and opinions, which other viewers may not necessarily agree with. As a result, you may receive negative and even hateful comments from readers.
Continuously watching movies day in and day out may start to feel repetitive and leave you feeling bored.
Once you start reviewing movies as a job, it’ll require you to think critically about them, and you may find yourself nitpicking details. You may also start to view movies differently, which could take the fun out of watching them.
In this section, we’ll provide a step-by-step overview of how you can earn extra cash by reviewing movies.
Start by building a professional portfolio, which you can do by writing a wide variety of movie reviews.
By having a curated portfolio, you’ll be able to showcase your writing experience and provide relevant samples when you apply for freelance work. This will help you immensely by making you stand out amongst your competitors.
It’s essential to write high-quality content that’s free of grammatical and punctuation errors to make a prominent impression on the hiring team.
Look for various openings online where positions are open for movie critics. Fill out their application forms, make sure to follow all the application instructions, and send your portfolio.
If possible, you should apply to reputable companies that pay well. Additionally, consider reaching out to current employees and asking them questions about the work.
And wait patiently until you receive a job or freelance offer. If you choose to run your own movie review blog instead of working for someone else, you can skip this step.
Now comes the fun part you’ve been waiting for—watching movies!
Make yourself a bowl of popcorn, rent, buy, or stream the movies you have to review and sit down to watch them.
Pay close attention to the movie and avoid getting distracted; otherwise, you may miss important details. Analyze the film critically throughout the viewing and take notes on your computer. This will help you when you start writing.
Once you’ve finished watching the movie, it’s time to start writing the review. Give as much detail as possible, including the movie director, movie content, and any other relevant material.
While writing reviews involves giving your opinions, try to be unbiased as it may appeal to a wider audience of movie lovers.
Once you’re finished writing and editing, submit your review for publication.
Continue staying on top of the latest movie trends and releases, and engage in discussions with movie fans who comment on your reviews to gain insights.
Here are some essential factors to consider when reviewing movies for money.
Will you have rights to the content you produce, or will it belong to the company or website you work for? Will your writings be published under your name, or will you work as a ghostwriter?
Make sure you clarify this before accepting the job offer, as you may want to use your writing in your portfolio or share it with other places.
You’ll need to identify your target audience for your reviews so that you can tailor your reviews accordingly.
You should also consider engaging in meaningful discussions with fans to build a connection with them.
When writing reviews, it’s important that you’re able to voice your thoughts and opinions independently without any external interference. Before joining, ask your employer if they’ll let you write freely or if they’ll impose their own opinions on you.
When writing movie reviews for money, it’s essential to be honest in presenting your critiques and not be forced to give positive reviews.
If you’re writing independently, you’ll have the freedom to review any movie you want, and you can choose to review your favorite movies.
However, if you’re working for a company or website, they may require you to watch specific types of movies, such as classic movies, Christmas movies, or lifetime movies.
Some companies or websites may have specific guidelines and requirements, and you’ll need to write in a specific tone, style, and format.
Ask about these beforehand and make sure to adhere to them strictly.
If you feel writing movie reviews isn’t well-suited to your talents, you can try your hand at some of these alternatives instead.
Watching and writing movie reviews can be an enjoyable and profitable venture. By making a portfolio, polishing your writing skills, and applying to websites as a freelance writer, you can earn extra money on the side doing what you love.
Remember that it may be difficult to secure jobs initially, but don’t let rejection discourage you. It’s normal to face challenges when pursuing a new role.
If you stay committed to yourself and your journey, success will surely follow.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic, so please express your opinions below and share this article with fellow film enthusiasts.