Hi, everyone!
Welcome to the first installment of Talking Pictures, my newsletter about all things film and TV. The planned publishing schedule is currently Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but this is going out on a Sunday, which will be the extra slot for stuff relating to the newsletter itself, such as this introductory piece.
First things first, a few words about myself: I was born in Finland, grew up in Italy and currently reside in Switzerland, where I’ve been living since 2008. I have an MA in Film History and English, and I started writing about film and TV on a somewhat professional basis (in that I didn’t get paid, but the publication was legit enough to get me access to press screenings and festivals) in late 2008.
That went on for roughly six years, and since September 2014 it’s been a proper job. I freelance for various outlets in Italian, French and English, and I also work as a translator for a couple of major European festivals. You can find me on Twitter, Instagram and Medium.
The idea for the newsletter came from a desire to expand my readership for pieces in English, while not having to deal with the frustrations of pitches getting rejected on a regular basis (most outlets have been very nice about it, generally saying “We love the idea, but it’s not quite for us”, but it still hurts a bit). As such, this will be my primary home for English-language articles.
Full disclosure: a paywall will be implemented for some of the content further down the line, but that’s not on the cards right now – everything is free for you to enjoy, starting tomorrow with the first proper piece of exclusive Talking Pictures material.
So, what exactly can you expect from this newsletter? My main interests include festivals, the superhero genre, animation and streaming platforms, among others. As I said earlier, the current publishing schedule is set to be Monday, Wednesday and Friday. There will be a rotating roster of content, covering the following topics (updated June 7):
REVIEW: my thoughts on a new film or TV release
OPINION: my take on recent film or TV news, trends, etc.
LOOKING BACK: revisiting movies and shows from the past.
MULTIVERSE MADNESS: all things Marvel and DC.
FESTIVAL FILES: reports from the film festivals I cover.
ANIMATIONLAND: my take on what’s going on in the animation world.
STREAMLAND: my take on what’s going on in the streaming world.
I KNOW THAT VOICE: articles about the great names in the field of voice acting (a special passion of mine).
LISTS: various kinds of Top 10s, generally tied to a specific event or anniversary.
CRITICAL THINKING: in-depth chats with my fellow film and TV critics about the craft, what makes them tick, etc.
There will probably be tweaks and adjustments down the line, but this is the menu as of now. What do you think? Is there something else you might like to read that could do with a category of its own? Make sure to sound off in the comments, and tell your friends if you think this could be up their alley. I’ll see you guys tomorrow, with my first opinion piece.