Notes on Writing on Films

I got an email from someone last week asking tips on how to write on films. I am myself still learning but thought to compile some points on the way I try to write and the learnings from the mistakes I made. 

1. Read, read, read. Writing is best learned by reading. Read all types of writing on films. Reviews, research papers, film analysis, video essays, blogs—everything. After reading, you will understand films better and can apply the learnings to a new film. 

2. Write about something that you felt while watching. The only way people will come back to your writing is when there is something different about it. Everyone reads the best reviewers, but you have to stand out in a crowded space where anyone can be a film writer.

3. Never read a review of a film that you are planning to watch later. Read all reviews after watching a film. This makes you less biased and you can form your opinion of the movie after watching it yourself. 

4. Start a blog. It is the easiest thing to do. There are so many platforms available these days. WordPress is the best in terms of the features it offers. 

5. Never copy anyone, not just the writing part but also someone’s thoughts as well. If you want to write about something that you got to know from someone else’s writing and want to build on that, always credit the person with a link to their original post. 

6. Take notes while watching a movie but without disturbing others. I take a notebook and quickly scribble a phrase/dialogue so that I remember it later. It is hard to write without looking in the darkness of the theater but slowly one gets used to it.

7. For me, good writing is either something that brings out a perspective that I did not realize or something that is written well (in terms of prose). Having a literary prose accentuates your writing. Ignore when people say the language is too difficult to understand. 

8. Always proofread what you wrote before publishing (this is the most boring part). Use tools, such as Grammarly, that are helpful. I used to not do this earlier. Not doing it gives a bad impression.

9. Get the names of all people mentioned absolutely correct. It is a little embarrassing when someone comments on your post that it is A.R. Rahman and not A.R. Rehman. 

10. Do not hesitate to publicize your writing on your social media accounts. Do not force others to read; if they are interested they will read. Tweet as many times on your accounts. Publish on different accounts but it should be linked to one post.

11. Be prepared that some feedback is going to be negative. It is really, really hard to ignore the harsh comments but do not let these comments completely demotivate you. If there is some truth to the negative comments, try to improve.

12. Make the post legible. For five years, my blog had a black background which was hard for some people to read. It was only when someone pointed out, I realized that and changed it. Add pictures and screenshots. Some people just come for the pictures. Add tags to make it easy to search. 

13. Try to write often. Writing only gets better with practice. It is not easy to take out time, but try to write regularly. The audience develops slowly with time only if you are writing frequently. 

14. Think about the timing of your posts. No one will read if you publish at 03:00 AM. On weekends, people have some time to read, so, try to publish at a suitable time.

15. Remember, there is always a scope of improvement. Never think that your writing is the best. It is, after all, an opinion. Respect the opinion of others. There is no right and wrong in writing an opinion.

I will keep adding more later.

Dialogue of the Day:

"Kisi manzar par main ruka nahi,

Kabhi khud se bhi mein mila nahi,

Ye gila toh hai main khafa nahi,

Shehar ek se gaa'nv ek se,

Log ek se naam ek."

—Rockstar