- After seeing Raw starting a tradition of Grilled Burgers while on assignment. Copyright Lloyd Marken
I probably wanted to be more Steven Spielberg than Roger Ebert growing up. Maybe Mel Gibson or Harrison Ford perhaps. But whenever I thought about film critics it just sounded like the best every day job you could have if you didn’t get to be a movie star. In 2004 in my final year of uni I had a film review published and it kind of made a dream come true but despite a few follow up efforts nothing really came of it. 2017 is many years on from 2004 so you can understand that when Scenestr published a film review of mine it was not something I took for granted. Suddenly things were possible, I set goals but remained scared this had been a fluke or I’d be found out. Since though I’ve submitted successfully to five publications, seen countless shows and films and interviewed some remarkable individuals. So I thought I would take stock because in April last year the idea of being published 100 times seemed very far away.
I’ve been published 9 times with Perth based X-Press Magazine recently, 8 times with Buzz Magazine where I mostly get to write about blockbusters, 25 times with Heavy Magazine, once with FilmInk magazine and I’m counting the review with Utopia from all those years ago. Rounding out the 100 is the 56 times (20 interviews, 16 reviews of theatre shows, 15 film reviews and 5 stand-up performances) I have been published with Scenestr magazine produced by the incredible team at Eyeball Media Enterprises.
This would maybe be the part where I tell you what some of the highlights were for me but they were all highlights so instead I’d like put it out to you gentle reader. Was there a review or an interview that you read over the past year that you still remember and think was kinda cool? It’s a tricky question I know, of those I regularly follow I couldn’t tell you their favourite posts. I liked when you got married or talked about Warren Zevon or waxed lyrical about Meg Ryan or said the Girl from Ipanema was a good song and quoted Frasier or wrote about your girl or hung shit on a bad teen comedy or relayed the sad facts of a long ago war. But maybe your memory is better than mine so who knows but I’d be interested to hear what you think.
As for me I just count myself very lucky to get this side gig and have it continue and that you here in my small blogging community continue to support me. It means a lot.
-Lloyd Marken
Back to the Drawing Board Productions 
Congratulations, Lloyd. That is a great achievement, and you should be justly proud.
More to come, I have no doubt!
Best wishes, Pete.
Thanks Pete, you’re most kind. Any favourites come to mind?
I have read them all, and I liked the stand-up comedian one, but would have to check back to actually remember it. Film reviews are more my thing of course. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
I love film too Pete but I must admit it has been a joy to get to the theatre more this past year. Which stand-up comedian was it? Anyway it is tough to recall exact posts. Thank you and thank you for reading my stuff. I really appreciate it.
100 not out is a knock to be proud of. More often than not I don’t know much about the subjects you feature, nevertheless your articles are always enjoyable.
Thank you Paul and thank you for your continued support and your own blog. I couldn’t pick a favourite from that but I’ve enjoyed reading them all.
I enjoy reading the variety of posts, but in particular I like the year end wraps because it’s a chance to eyeball your ratings for all of the new films…
Thanks John, the year wraps are my own thing on my own blog except for those I helped on at X-Press. I was wondering if you had a favourite published post but it can be hard to recall. I’m glad you like the Best Films of the Year post. They take a while to get done and they’re a lot of fun for me too.
Yes, congratulations!! You’re well on the way now!
Haha! Thanks John, just enjoying the moment. We’ll see.
Any favourites come to mind John?
Congratulations, Lloyd. You do a great job.
Thanks Allen, that is most kind and I really appreciate it. Any favourites come to mind?
Do you get paid to be a film critic? That is, is this a part-time job, or can you see it becoming a full-time job? I’m impressed with your accomplishments! I wish you another 100 more!
Some gigs pay, some gigs you get freebies (example ticket for you and a guest) and some gigs you do for the love or maybe the possibility to be published on a site that has 750,000 readers in America. How you grow that into a full time career is a big question? I hope I’m learning my craft, making contacts, building a portfolio but who knows? It’s a thrill for me to have pieces accepted by an editor and placed as part of their brand. I’m happy doing what I’m doing, I see it as a privilege and if this is all that comes out of it that is, more than I had any hope to expect. But it does put a fire in your belly about what if you could make it your full time job? There are things I’m planning which I hope to share with you all in the future. For now this is strictly a side gig.
Thank you Cindy for your continued interest and support. Blogging here gave me the confidence to try this and you’re part of that.
It’s all you, buddy.
Thanks Cindy. 🙂
Any favorite published pieces come to mind?
Well done LLoyd. I can’t pick out anything. All I can say is I have enjoyed following your blog. And I will keep on as long as you keep on.
That’s very kind Paol and much appreciated. How is your daughter going with film degree?
She is absolutely loving it and doing excellently well. I hope to be able to show off soon but she has most things under wraps at the moment.
Huge congrats on this, mate. It’s Vinnieh here, I started a second blog.
Thanks Vinnie. I thought it might be you. Thank you for the kind words.
My pleasure dude. I’m spreading my wings with both blogs.