What qualities are necessary to be a film critic? originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.
Answer by Thelma Adams, author of The Last Woman Standing, and film critic, on Quora:
What qualities are necessary to be a film critic? I'm going listicle on this one:
- A great love and knowledge of film -- but it can come from seeing many, many films and doesn't have to come from a grad program.
- A strong notion of story: does the narrative work?
- A strong and consistent critical voice. A lot of people have opinions; all good critics have a voice in words.
- An understanding of the human condition -- the closer to Balzac or Chekhov or Austen (add in your favorites) the better.
- A knowledge of their biases and how to see around them. I may not love sports movies, but I can appreciate the genius of Tin Cup. I am weary of male coming-of-agers, but I can be shown Moonrise Kingdom a second time and put that aside and appreciate the movie for the genius it is.
- A willingness to laugh and to weep -- to be genuinely moved by films not be distracted by literal or figurative note-taking.
- An ability to put aside one's mood or distractions in the theater and see the movie as the makers intended.
- To see each movie fresh once the lights go down, and the images appear.
- A willingness to change one's mind or stand one's ground against the throng as needed.
- The strength to passionately champion artists and works that demand to be seen by a larger audience.
This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions: