What it takes to work for the Empire
By Mary-Ann Russon
Chris Hewitt - who has met Hollywood celebrities including Jim Carrey and Steven Spielberg - says that top film reporters have to have a way with words.
“It’s all about the writing for us. You’ve got to have talent, a good way with sentences and a good turn of phrase. And of course, film knowledge is fairly crucial.”
It’s not completely essential that you come from a strictly journalism-based background either, says Hewitt, 30, who started out at a small local newspaper in Northern Ireland.
He left did a film degree at York and worked at another local paper before joining Empire five years ago.
“No two people in this office have come into the job the same way,” he says. “Some people didn’t do journalism degrees, some people worked in the film industry and some people came for work experience and have never left.”
But being a good writer is not merely all it takes either.
“You need to be able to get along with people. It’s a job that requires you to go out and interview celebrities and directors like Jim Carrey and Steven Spielberg and liaise with their PR people,” says Hewitt, who travels around the world frequently and earns between £20,000-£30,000 annually.
Having good communication skills is also essential, he said.
“Be polite. I always try to make interviewees laugh,” he said. “You need to be personable, make eye contact and maintain it, not be too nervous, and have a good list of prepared questions.
“I was once told that if you go in and have a good list of questions, they’ll deduce that you’ve done research and are making the effort.”
And for people out there who loath shorthand, there’s hope for you too.
“Shorthand is not so crucial in film journalism – that’s what tape recorders are for.”
News Assignment Two
Chris Hewitt - who has met Hollywood celebrities including Jim Carrey and Steven Spielberg - says that top film reporters have to have a way with words.
“It’s all about the writing for us. You’ve got to have talent, a good way with sentences and a good turn of phrase. And of course, film knowledge is fairly crucial.”
It’s not completely essential that you come from a strictly journalism-based background either, says Hewitt, 30, who started out at a small local newspaper in Northern Ireland.
He left did a film degree at York and worked at another local paper before joining Empire five years ago.
“No two people in this office have come into the job the same way,” he says. “Some people didn’t do journalism degrees, some people worked in the film industry and some people came for work experience and have never left.”
But being a good writer is not merely all it takes either.
“You need to be able to get along with people. It’s a job that requires you to go out and interview celebrities and directors like Jim Carrey and Steven Spielberg and liaise with their PR people,” says Hewitt, who travels around the world frequently and earns between £20,000-£30,000 annually.
Having good communication skills is also essential, he said.
“Be polite. I always try to make interviewees laugh,” he said. “You need to be personable, make eye contact and maintain it, not be too nervous, and have a good list of prepared questions.
“I was once told that if you go in and have a good list of questions, they’ll deduce that you’ve done research and are making the effort.”
And for people out there who loath shorthand, there’s hope for you too.
“Shorthand is not so crucial in film journalism – that’s what tape recorders are for.”
News Assignment Two
posted by Concertina @ 3:33 AM
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