Today we’d like to introduce you to James Profetto.
James, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Since I was a child, movies fascinated me and shaped my imagination. From Jurassic Park to Star Wars, this ’90s kid was at the theater as much as possible. Once I turned 12 years old, my perspective on this world of film changed: I channel surfed and discovered “At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper.”
I kept thinking about how cool their jobs were and I dreamed of doing something related to film. Eventually, Ebert and Roeper went off the air and I stopped fantasizing about making a living as a film writer or critic. I grew up thinking that I needed to go to school and become a doctor to live a fulfilled life. No offense to doctors, but medical school wasn’t for me.
In 2016, that childhood dream resurfaced. I worked at WSVN Channel 7 as a web writer straight out of college, and I had two co-workers that were local film critics. Each week, I’d see their articles go live and we’d chat about a film I knew wasn’t hitting theaters for weeks. I thought maybe this life of talking about films is right in front of me.
I gathered a couple of friends and we started our own website dedicated to movies, which was so exciting! The first advanced screening I stepped into was 2016’s “Ghostbusters,” but I went as a guest. I networked, gathered e-mails and kept asking the question, “What do I have to do to get invited to these screenings?” Eventually, after three years and a lot of hard work, I was able to get onto press lists.
2018 was a challenging year because I doubted whether I could get this movie outlet off the ground. A few months after I created the website, it became only me writing every review and article. One day, I was given a much-needed wake-up call. I switched up the medium and recorded movie reviews instead of writing articles. I taught myself more about Adobe Photoshop and Premiere. And I slowly started to gain an audience.
While that was great for almost a year and a half, something was still missing: a name, a look, a brand. Out of hard work, countless amounts of advice/assistance from others and a willingness to pursue this passion of mine, Reel James was born.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Oh, this road definitely hasn’t been smooth. The toughest thing for me in my young career as a film critic has always been: How do I separate myself from the rest of the crowd?
It took lots of trial and error. I had to design a permanent set for every movie review and be honest with myself and come to grips with reality. What I learned is, when you step out in faith, sometimes you’ll find that the voice of doubt is louder than ever, and you have to persevere.
In the beginning, I would always compare my work and YouTube channel with that of others. One day, I heard someone say, “Comparison is the great killer of joy.” And that empowered me to shift my perspective. I knew I needed to continue reviewing films and attending as many press screenings as possible, whether 10 or 10,000 watched my video. Each bump along this four-year journey is necessary, and I’m so thankful for every teachable moment.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
Reel James is an outlet for movie lovers and those that crave a conversation about movies/television. I know film critics get a lot of criticism for being “negative”, but I always encourage my audience to form their own thoughts and let me know what they think. I may be the only one in the video giving you my opinion, but I think your voice is just as important as mine. I want to create a community where people can talk about movies with those who, just like me, sit inside a theater or watch at home.
Each week, I attend film screenings from Miami to Boca Raton. Once the screening is done, I gather my notes and head home to set-up my equipment. I record my review, create graphics and publish it to the wonderful world of YouTube and social media. I’ve been blessed to gain other opportunities through being a film critic, like giving away free passes to films, interviewing directors and attending festivals.
My proudest moment so far has to be seeing the culmination of my hard work in 2019. Not only did I get onto another press list and get credentialed for a film festival, I’m also on the radio twice a week talking about movies!
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I view success as a number of things. For starters, it’s continuous growth with my brand on all social media platforms and eventually incorporating it into a media company, and increasing my subscribers and followers to further the conversation.
It’s being able to turn what I do with movie reviews into my full-time occupation. It’s elevating the content I’m producing to include red carpet events and more interviews with actors and directors. It’s also shifting the way that people view critics and this industry while creating a style of reviews that resonates with a new generation. It’s shifting the stereotype to show that most of us are normal people.
But the real pinnacle of success would be to be able to inspire and empower the next generation of film critics the same way Ebert & Roeper did for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.youtube.com/ReelJames
- Email: itsreeljames@gmail.com
Image Credit:
Jasmine Richardson
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