Writing my film review of Selena was a great experience. I never really find time out of my day to put all my thoughts from a movie onto paper, but finally being able to do so was a dream. Especially since it was about a movie that I love and adore. 

To start off, I believe we can increase interest in film criticism among young people by having film teachers (or any teacher really) assign film reviews for assignments so the students. Reviewing films honestly is a really good exercise and gives you a chance to improve your writing skills 

This is what my teacher did: she gave us a link to Gen Z Critics with the whole prompt for us to do, and we also got the chance to speak with a professional film critic who she is friends with. I think for me personally, writing my review of Selena was a chance for me to build up my writing skills because I absolutely love writing all kinds of things. I think that this review really challenged me to do so, and it was an amazing experience. 

I think more teachers should encourage their students and help them practice with different beginning writing prompts, and then build their way up to doing film reviews because that could get students to know what they are passionate about. It’s just really helpful in general to push your students to write about what you think they might be interested in, especially if they love to write. 

I also think it’s helpful for young people to be able to look at other examples of other young kids’ film reviews. Sometimes, it’s easier to understand something from the point of view of someone who speaks the same language as you. My mom tells me this all the time, and I absolutely agree with this statement. 

I think reviewing films sometimes just comes from receiving motivation from someone on where to start because it’s hard to start writing, even though it is absolutely worth every single sentence. I know for me, I always look up different competitions on where I can submit my poems, screenplays, scripts, etc., because I want to start somewhere with my career, even at a young age. Just remember, we always start somewhere. 

This is why I say, “Don’t be afraid!” I remember growing up, I absolutely loved lots of things. Art, watching TV, movies, hanging out with friends and family. But the one thing that always stuck with me was writing, even though when I was younger I would always wonder what I was even writing about. It’s important to acknowledge that everything you do is art, especially writing. You can do anything you want with writing: create a story or create a script! I used to worry so much about what other people would think of my work. I started off just writing random things, and as I grew older, writing gave me so many new experiences. I went to an arts school for my first two years of high school, and now I am at Interlochen Arts Academy for my last two years for film. Trust me, I know it can be absolutely nerve-wracking to put your writing out there. But if you put your mind to it, you can definitely do it. You will feel so relieved when you do so. Every piece you create will be worth it. Every step you take can lead you to your career. And, don’t be afraid to ask others for help along the way.