We’re always on the lookout for new writers to join the team. Essays are roughly 2000-2500 words and can be in three formats:
Film Studies Essays (The majority of the magazine.)
e.g "Genre and Spectacle in Jordan Peele's Nope.", "Sex and the City: Sean Baker's Sex Workers"
• A discussion of a particular film / director / genre / theme
• Analytical, not just re-telling a film’s narrative
• Should try to use film form (cinematography, editing, sound, mise-en-scene, performance) as evidence for points - as well as narrative, other writings, and wider research.
Wider Cinema Studies
e.g “The Cinemas of Viennale”, "4K Restorations, AI, and the Director’s Vision"
• Research driven pieces that cover topics beyond film studies essays
• History, industry, investigations, public interest...
Personal Essays (Rarer.)
e.g “My Family and Other Cinephiles”, "Aftersun, Grief, and the Fragility of Memory"
• Stories about your relationship with a film or movie-going
Essays can include multiple formats.
Tips
• Keep your essay subject focused
• Have an original essay idea not widely covered by video essays or other publications
• Tone should be clear rather than academic
Formatting
• The first mention of a film should include its director and year of release - such as Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)
• Sources should be included for any quotes or facts, references should be numbered in your essay - with the reference below the essay in any format.
After submission, your idea will be reviewed and a response will be sent after a couple days. Deadlines for final essays are normally a month before the issue is published.
Our payment to writers is currently £45 (€50, $60) per essay and a copy of the magazine your essay is featured in.
