[Watch the video interview on YouTube here]
Film Courage: If a movie is rated 5 out of 10 on IMDb will you still watch it?
J. Horton, Filmmaker/Youtuber/Podcaster: I don’t really look at IMDB ratings as a viewer at all. I just don’t.
For me alright…I’m just going to say it…I don’t really watch a lot of lower-budget independent films. I watch mine because I make them but my tastes as a viewer are slightly higher, like polished, I don’t want to say just studio stuff, but I don’t really watch a lot of that. I don’t even look at reviews.
It’s not because I’m trying to protect myself from spoilers or anything like that. I find more pleasure in coming into a thing that interests me and being into it. The only time that I pay any kind of attention to reviews, if it’s mine or a friend’s, that then I kind of look at it or to compare and contrast.
If I’m thinking about working with someone, I might take a look. It’s not like a deciding factor for me but I like to see basically where the general populace might be setting them, but I don’t take it as gospel either because I do understand their review bombing.
I’ve been review bombed. It happens. Craving got hit pretty bad maybe two months into its release. I forget what platform it was but it went from I think it had like a seven like a 71 or something like that and it dropped to like a 4 almost overnight. I was like there’s no way that many viewers actually watched it that night but whatever I just kind of it doesn’t affect me that much anymore. I’m not saying not at all but not much.
Film Courage: You’re talking about IMDb your [movie] Craving was review bombed?
J.: My Craving was reviewed bombed on IMDb, yes. I’ve seen it happen on Amazon as well but IMDb because there’s no barrier to reporting you’re more likely to get review bombed. I have. It sucks but there’re filmmakers out there that don’t like me either because of something I said on my channel or out of envy or whatever it is and will go on I don’t like him. He said this on Film Courage’s interview. So I’m going to give his movie a one [rating].
It does happen but I try not to let it affect me.
Film Courage: That’s not fun. What do you think of independent filmmakers being judged by their ratings in light of knowing that there are people who manipulate reviews and scores either way high or low?
J.: I think it sucks. I think review manipulation both ways is not a good thing but it’s the world we live in. I kind of look at it the same way as I look at privacy now as it’s something that’s there and I can’t really do anything about. I just try not to think about it.
Film Courage: What is one of the highest rated independent movies you can think of on IMDB?
J.: Like a small independent movie, not famous ones? I think most people that are making movies around my level, where you’re making them for $250,000 and under, I think it’s very rare to see one of…(Watch the video interview on YouTube here).
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BIO:
Filmmaker, Youtube Creator and Producer of many feature films and documentaries, J. Horton is known for boldly crossing genre boundaries and ‘getting it done.” In addition to his prolific work in the film industry, he’s gained a lot of traction in recent years as a Youtube personality. His Channel The J. Horton is a go to spot for filmmakers wanting to learn more about the business side of filmmaking.
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