All of our full page movie reviews are written by Christian Spotlight volunteers. To become a member of our Movie Review Team, you must first complete our application form (on-line submission / all confidential), and wait for approval by our Editor.
Basic Requirements
To apply, you must…
be a repentant and regenerate follower of Jesus Christ
be MATURE in your walk with Christ—not a relatively new believer
If your submission is chosen for publication, you receive
The personal satisfaction of participating in a proven effective ministry in Christ’s service that…
helps your brothers and sisters in Christ make informed movie viewing decisions that will effect them, their families and friends
helps spread accurate knowledge and practical application of God’s Word—discipling believers and sowing seeds in the hearts and minds of the many non-believers who read our reviews
The pleasure of having your work published on this high profile site where millions of readers will see your work, with your name as Contributor.
Your review may be read even wider, as various Christian newspapers and magazines throughout the world report that they re-print our reviews. (We provide permission for this as a free service.)
If not yet qualified to serve as an official reviewer, you are encouraged to regularly participate by submitting your VIEWER COMMENTS for publication. See our MOVIE COMMENTS Submission Form.
Volunteer now to join our Movie Review Team…
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a movie “REVIEW” and “VIEWER COMMENTS” at Christian Spotlight?
ANSWER:
“Reviews” are ASSIGNED by the Editor to our approved Movie Review Team Members.
“Viewer Comments” are not assigned, and they are submitted by our Web visitors. They are often written casually and without much planning or forethought.
Reviews are considerably longer and more detailed—striving to meet a specific list of requirements.
For each movie, we normally publish ONE “Review” article, but MANY “Viewer Comments.”
ASSIGNMENTS—What factors are considered by the Editor in making movie review assignments?
ANSWER:
Both men and women are fully welcomed.
The volunteer’s race, ethnicity, and citizenship are never an issue.
If you have special knowledge or expertise about a film’s content, theme, or historical time period, by all means, let us know when you request the assignment.
Factual ACCURACY
Writing skill and ability to communicate clearly and succinctly.
Spiritual maturity and discernment
SENSITIVITY to objectionable content—a person that has NOT become heavily jaded to sinful behavior and coarse language, failing to notice it and report it
Ability to RECOGNIZE a film’s relevant spiritual issues and opportunities, and then successfully incorporate them into reviews—discipling believers and sowing seed to non-believers
RELIABILITY in submitting reviews when promised
With NEW RELEASES, the promised review submission date is always important. When multiple writers of approximately equal skill level request the same movie, the one who commits to the earliest submission date generally receives the assignment.
Time is of the essence with new movies. To get the maximum number or readers, it is preferable to publish reviews on the day of release or the following day. However, most people are not blessed with writing skills that are equally thorough, accurate, eloquent and SPEEDY. It takes time for many of us. Christian Spotlight always prefers a well-written, well-considered review, rather than one that is too rushed—and clearly shows it.
NOTE: In any case, we will still try to make the final result shine before publication. The editor will consider what is written and supply needed corrections (spelling, grammar and facts) and any editorial content improvements that are deemed necessary to make your review as brilliant as possible—and to meet our standards of excellence—as time permits. Writers may also submit corrections, additions, and addendums—as well as responses to reader questions and comments.
The volunteer’s physical location is an issue when a film’s distribution is “limited release” or “select cities”—or not available in all locales or nations.