How much do movie critic opinions count when it comes to the overall profitability of films these days? When print media ruled, there were fewer news channels and sources of information, which meant that there were fewer people with loudspeakers around. As entertainment sections of newspapers and magazines have shrunk or disappeared altogether, the role of a film critic has come into question. Review aggregators, ease of access, the great leveller that is the Internet and many more voices have now opened the playground to the world, making the once pivotal newspaper critic not quite as powerful.
There was a time when critics like Roger Ebert and our very own Barry Ronge had their own television shows, where they could expound on their opinions, reviews and reach a wide audience. While things have opened up in recent decades, enabling almost anyone to publicise their opinion, the sheer glut of voices will probably start necessitating the need to return to the safe harbour and expertise of a select few, who have earned trust and respect over the years.
So, when you ask the question how much bearing does a film critic’s opinion have on the success of a film from a product and delivery point of view, you may be surprised at the answer. Stephen Follows, a pundit within the film industry who bases much of his research on film-related business, referred to a study in which years worth of data was captured across a wide variety of genres. Measuring the overall opinion of films through Metacritic, comparing them to the box office takings and deriving some fascinating conclusions, we can see that in most cases having a more critically acclaimed film does in fact lead to more money.
This is excellent news for serious filmmakers who aren’t simply turning a buck but actually are passionate enough to own and take pride in the finished product. Making the effort to go the extra mile, refining their work and presenting the best possible version of their film means that there is a greater chance of profitability. This also means that services like reviewmyscript.com are necessary in the pre-production phase, enabling filmmakers to put their best foot forward and to anticipate complications, mend any flaws before going into production and ensuring that with the help and assistance of experts within the field that they give themselves the best and most polished screenplay to work with from the beginning.
While we could pontificate about the study and its findings, which actually had one or two surprises, especially in light of the recent horror renaissance, it is worth investigating for yourself (Do Good Reviews Lead to Financial Success). Film backers will want their films to have the greatest chance of success, and the numbers indicate that the more valuable it is to film critics, the greater its chances of turning a healthy profit at the box office. Having the positive message spread far and wide about a great film’s ability to harness the media, who will be much more likely to encourage their readers to see your film if they regarded as a must-see.