Once upon a time I started a Patreon account to see how that would pan out. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but in the end there was no point in pursuing it. I wrote two articles there, and since I deleted the account I thought I could repost one of them here. The other article was just a burst of excitement of going back to the cinema after pandemic restrictions had been cut back so I won’t repost that one. Since the following was originally posted maybe two years ago, the time references were no longer relevant so I rewrote those parts, and deleted a paragraph that was about Patreon.
Spanish film critic Cristina Álvarez López once wrote on her blog about the peculiar feeling of putting so much work and thought into writing something and then after it is published, you rarely get any kind of response to it. Did anyone read it? Did they like it? Did it mean anything to anyone?
British-based film critic Tara Judah wrote a short thread on Twitter about how difficult it is to get by financially on being a film critic, to find the space for your thoughts, and that she was at times thinking of quitting.
And some time ago I was talking on Zoom about this with American film critic Nick Pinkerton, who last year set up his own Substack account (or whatever things are called in that world), and is now focussing on that way of writing, and connecting directly with the readers. It has been a positive experience for him, as it gave him the chance to write about whatever he would like, without interference, and still get paid for it. Not having an editor might lead to self-indulgence, but on the other hand there is still a paying readership base and if they are unhappy they will stop paying.
I understand and agree with all these points. What does it mean to write? Who cares about what you write? How can you make it financially more secure? It is exhilarating to be able to write about whatever you want without interferences and concerns, but at what cost to your private economy? It led me to write this post.
In my conversation with Nick, I mentioned that so much of what is being published is awful, and that this is not necessarily the fault of any writer but that for you to make a living from writing you have to write stupid or redundant shit because that is what editors and owners believe to be what sells, and for them to pay for your contributions they must believe it sells. And maybe it does. But is it not a disservice to the art and craft of film writing, or film criticism, when you do it only for money? It is so easy to be corrupted, as an individual or as a publication, selling yourself to Disney or any given streaming service, or filling your professional or personal website with distasteful advertisements. How many of the discussions on Twitter are in good faith, and how much of it is insincere and deceitful in order to generate attention, become a brand name, or be granted membership of a group? It is often impossible to know. It is not different from the Insta influencers who pretend to be genuine but promote whatever is paying the most, because they need the money to sustain themselves.
I do not want to read such people, or such publications, and I do not want to become such a person. Only once have I accepted a bribe. I was sent a new DVD release of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) and asked whether I would like to write about it on my Swedish film blog I had at the time. I did, and as I have always loved the film I did not have to fake anything. But I still feel slightly guilty about the whole thing.
But it is not easy, when all you want to do is write and there is just not enough money in that racket for you to be able to do just that. And with all the unfilled positions for nurses and teachers and other, for society, essential occupations, is there not something self-indulgent in the pursuit of a career in writing? Should we not all be out fighting against the climate catastrophe and the backsliding of democracy? Maybe, but not just that. When Tara Judah had done her thread, people responded by telling her how much her writing meant to them. We need this in the world as well, not just doctors and nurses, but a healthy and active discussion about art and culture, as art and culture are what make up the parts of society, and our lives, that are not just about staying alive but making that life meaningful and endurable. There should just be less corruption among us, but that is true for all parts of life and not just film writing.