The New Orleans Movie Review Project

Greetings from the New Orleans area!

I'm Bill Arceneaux, a local NOLA independent film critic/writer. 

Ever since first watching ROCKY IV (my earliest memory), I've been fascinated with the medium of film and the experience of cinema. Now, having been working as a critic and blogger since 2011, with active membership in the Southeastern Film Critics Association and approval from Rotten Tomatoes, I see Hollywood South at an interesting and dire point.

With the merger of The Advocate and The Times-Picayune, lay-offs were inevitable. The one I dreaded seeing go was Mike Scott, The TP film critic, my good friend, and inspiration to begin a career doing this. At this time, there are but a few writers covering the regional film scene, a territory made up of unique festivals and aesthetics that aren't just "worth" writing about, but necessary to express to the outside world. New Orleans isn't just food and music. 

I was planning on doing a newsletter called Yats Heart Film, but with recent developments, I'm now wanting to turn this into a full-fledged website/online publication - for movie reviews, essays, interviews, etc - dedicated to not only furthering the conversation of and engagement with movies coming to, playing in, and made from New Orleans, but to give a soapbox to colleagues and up & coming writers to flex their cinematic muscles more freely. 

(Left to right: Courtney Young, myself, and Chris Henson at the New Orleans Film Festival a few years back)

Without culture and arts journalism, we don't just lose a genre of writing, we also forget to question and inquire about the environment of expression that surrounds us all.

The donations will be used to establish a site on Squarespace, to provide a budget to pay writers and other artists on a per assignment basis and to produce exclusive zines, podcasts, and other potential works to explore the moviegoing culture and cinephile being of New Orleans.  

Feel free to message me here anytime, and thank you so much for sharing and contributing to this page!

Red beans and ricely, 

- Bill Arceneaux



FAQ:

What is this project about? 

The New Orleans Movie Review Project funding campaign is to help set up and support a new online movie review publication for the New Orleans (NOLA) region and surrounding metro area. The proposed site will include film criticism, essay writing, and interviews with motion picture industry members. 

Will it just be for movies about New Orleans?

Not at all. That will be a highlight, as will movies coming to,  playing in, and made from the region. We'll also cover films that ought to screen at our theaters, in an effort to bring more independent programming to local venues.

Are there perks for supporting this campaign?

Indeed there are. See below.

All donors get a twitter shoutout/thank you and a personalized movie recommendation.

$25 or more gets a capsule (short) movie review on the film of your choosing (must be readily available).  

At $50 or more gets a PDF copy of a collection of essays on the Jim Jarmusch classic shot and set here in New Orleans, DOWN BY LAW.


Delivery of PDF collections will be planned for late August (though this is subject to change slightly). Be sure to message me that you want a perk and to which email and/or shipping address you want them sent. 



What benefits will this project have for New Orleans? For beyond?

This project will not just assist in furthering the film conversation in town, or in articulating the nuts and bolts of cinema. It will be designed to provide a place for other writers and colleagues to express themselves, to help in curating movie theater programming, to give indie and underground filmmakers a place to be reviewed and written about, and to strengthen the coverage of our local filmmaking machine and culture. If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it...

How will the money be used?

With your support, this project will ensure that the new online publication will have a hosted home that will be well maintained, paid writers and artists per assignment, and the ability to travel to festivals should approvals be granted. There's also the possibility of podcasts and zines to be produced, too.

How can I be considered for a writing or assistive role?

Feel free to email me, Bill Arceneaux, at [email redacted] anytime - day or night - with a proposal and links to previous work.