Hello friends and strangers! Thanks for reading my word piles about movies. In May I will have been a Serious Film Critic for 20 years, and later in 2019 I’ll write my 4,000th review.
Four thousand! That’s almost a million!
Who pays me to write these reviews? Good question. (Who would, right?) Technically, I write them for free. But then, to support the arts, my beloved patrons each contribute at least $1 a month through Patreon. It’s called “crowdfunding,” or “socialism.” Instead of one editor having to pay me a living wage, the cost is broken down into micropayments from many people, each contributing a negligible amount that adds up to a non-negligible sum.
At the moment, there are 175 patrons paying a total of $440 a month. I’m deeply grateful, but obviously we’re not at “living wage” level yet (this is not my only source of income), and the average contribution is $2.50, which is more than $1.
I would love to have 1,000 patrons, each contributing a dollar. That would be $1,000 a month (check my math for me), which would be a fine sum. (I mean, I’d love to have 10,000 patrons, each contributing, a million dollars, but let’s be realistic.)
What do patrons get? Here is what!
EDS-ASAP: An email from me with a brief reaction to a movie, sent immediately* after I see it (*give me a few minutes to get home). Very useful when you need to know NOW whether a movie is worth seeing and can’t wait for the full review. And sometimes I end up not writing a review, so the EDS-ASAP insta-reaction is all there is. And it’s only for patrons! Jealous??
A few examples of EDS-ASAP:
That’s the only patrons-only reward I have right now, but I’m open to ideas for others. If you have suggestions, questions, or comments about any of this, feel free to email me.
My sincere thanks to all patrons and former patrons. Journalism, the internet, and the economy have all changed dramatically in the last 20 years, and I’m grateful to have a base of supporters who have stuck with me.
And to you who aren’t yet patrons: Become a patron! It’s the only way to know the true joy that comes from being a patron.
Love,
Eric
Patrons can opt out of EDS-ASAP if they don’t want the emails. Patreon charges users on the 1st of each month. There are no additional fees beyond the amount you pledge to contribute, and you can cancel anytime. No salesman will call. Void where prohibited. If it takes you longer than four hours to read a review, consult a doctor.
