When I decided to become The Movie Guy full-time, I didn’t know what would happen, and quite frankly, it kind of scared me.
I knew from the start that this was what I wanted to do, that this was the career path I was supposed to be on, but I also knew it would take me out of my comfort zone. I literally had to step outside of where I was comfortable to make this work. I had to talk to people, meet with people, and exchange views with people. As an introvert, this was the hardest thing I had to do.
I come from a journalistic background, so I’ve interviewed people before and I’ve attended many public events. Those were a lot easier because you had a set number of questions, and they were almost always the same, so I pretty much knew what to expect. The events were the same whether it was for charity or business—just get the speeches and press releases.
As The Movie Guy, it was different, because each movie, and each TV has a different perspective, and each viewer watches it with a different point of view. It is subjective and not objective. And when I share my reviews or my takes, it is nearly always only my own view, but I make sure to listen to or read others’ views as well.
Here’s the part I struggle with most, and most people don’t really know it: I have social anxiety. It takes a lot for me to talk to people in public, especially when it’s not one-on-one. I’ve struggled with anxiety for a long time, and that only makes matters worse. I’m learning how to face it, but it doesn’t make it any easier.
Going out in public is sometimes a daunting task, and the only reason I’m sharing this is to remind myself of how passionate I am about my work. I do this because I love it, and at the end of the day, it fills me with joy. It gives me purpose, and it reminds me how amazing arts and entertainment can be for the soul.
Let’s be honest—my job looks pretty easy and fun. It is a lot of fun, but it’s not always easy. I work maybe 50–60 hours a week, and most times on weekends as well. My work week usually starts on Sunday evenings as I prepare for the screenings and recordings for the week ahead. If I’m lucky, that usually takes me two to three hours.
The rest of the week is filled with writing, cover designs, screenings, watching hours and hours of TV, analyzing every single thing on the screen, and finally recording and editing. I’m still getting used to being in front of the camera. I bet most people can see I’m not really comfortable yet.
It is hard work that looks easy and I really hope that people can understand that. To me it’s not about the hours I put in, but the effect my work can have. If I can help get people into cinema seats or to get people to tune into an independent film or to just find a show or movie that brings them comfort – then my job is done. That is what success looks like to me.
The next two weeks I’ll have to put in extra hours to cover both the Silwerskermfees in Cape Town and Comic Con Africa in Johannesburg. And honestly, I’m a little scared—what if what I do isn’t good enough? I can already feel the anxiety creep up, but I do this, because I know it’s worth doing. I really need to do my best at both of these events, because it might be the two things that takes my career to the next level. I’m scared, but I’m also excited.
If you’re heading to the Silwerskermfees this week, make sure to book your stay at One Thibault Hotel. And here’s something extra—if you use my promo code (KSA10), you’ll get a 10% discount on your booking.
