It doesn’t matter how old you are or where you live, most of us love movies so much that we’ll pay to go see them. But what if there was a way — or several ways — to earn money watching movies? Grab some popcorn. Here are six side hustles for film fanatics.
Act
If you love movies, why not get into the thick of it with acting gigs?
To be sure, making it big in the acting world is tough. But, smaller scale acting gigs are readily available. And there are few better side hustles for film fanatics than working on set — even when your role is a small one.
A site called ExtrasManagement can help you find work as a “background artist.” Pay generally amounts to $100 – $300 per day. But if you have special skills — i.e. you dance, play sports or a musical instrument — you can earn more.
You can also find gigs through acting job boards, such as Backstage and Mandy.
Join the crew
Another way for film fanatics to work on set is to be part of the crew. Film companies enlist hundreds of people for everything from set design and lighting to providing makeup and costumes for the actors. You can find these gigs on ArrayCrew and StaffMeUp.
ArrayCrew requires that you have at least one production credit (including a personal production) to sign up. Your credit doesn’t have to be for a film. It can be for a gaming, music video, animation, or something you completed in film school. You pay zero fees to list a profile here and get to set your own rates. And ArrayCrewhas extensive partnerships with big names like Disney, Apple TV, Warner Bros., and Netflix, so there are plenty of job prospects here.
StaffMeUp is a job board for finding jobs in show business. It’s free to sign up and browse, but there’s a $149/year plan with job analytics and promotional features that can potentially help you find more work. You need at least two credits for two different projects to apply, however.
Provide voiceovers
If you have a good voice for narration, you may be able to secure gigs doing movie and film voiceovers. Voices and Fiverr are two good places to look for these side hustles for film fanatics.
Voices allows voice-over artists to set up a profile for free and post as many samples of your work as you’d like. Clients can search the site and ask you to audition for a gig. If you get it, you’ll pay a 20% commission to the site.
Voices also has a premium plan that aims to connect you with appropriate jobs. But, it’s expensive — $500 annually — and you still pay the 20% commission. Not surprisingly, users recommend the free account over the paid version.
Fiverr is also a good option. This site allows you to post gigs in any category. For voice-over artists, you also post samples of your work.
If you’re interested in exclusively offering voice overs for movies, you simply say so and create a “package” offer. Your package might provide a set price for a set number of words or for a set narration time. For an extra charge, you could speak with an accent or offer additional time or words.
You set your own rates and delivery date. If a client likes your offer, they simply buy it. Fiverr collects payment on your behalf and remits it to you once the job is complete, minus a 20% site commission.
Write About Films
If you’re good at putting your thoughts on paper, you can merge that talent with your cinematic passion. Websites like Cracked and Contently pay good money for different types of articles.
Cracked is the perfect place for people who have a funny way of looking at the world. This comedy writing platform pays $100 to $250 per article, with minimal barriers to entry. A recent story, for instance, argued that The Sopranos — which has won multiple awards as a drama — is actually a comedy.
You just have to come up with a piece and submit it for review. If accepted, they’ll pay you. For the first four pieces, you’ll get $100 – 150, but the rates increase to $250 for the fifth article onward.
Contently covers a wider audience, from corporate copy to brochures and feature articles. You list your qualifications and post a portfolio when you sign up. The website will match you to suitable jobs. Contently sets the rates, usually paying between 25 cents and $2 per word.
Housesit
Officially, nothing about housesitting demands that you spend your time watching movies. But nothing stops you either. As far as side hustles for film fanatics go, this is a nice one because the people who hire for this gig are pretty flexible about how you spend your day. After all, they’re mainly interested in you taking care of their pets, plants — or simply making sure that the house is occupied and less vulnerable to a burglary.
That job description leaves you with loads of free time to do whatever you want. As long as the homeowners are okay with you using the home’s wifi network or streaming passwords, you’re good to watch as many films as your heart desires.
Where do you sign up to housesit? If you want to be paid, the top choice is Rover, which allows you to post a profile, list your house/pet-sitting preferences and set your own rates.
However, if you’re more interested in free accommodations than pay and you want the option of taking housesitting gigs anywhere in the world, check out TrustedHousesitters. This site connects you with homeowners, who want someone to stay in their house while they are away. You get free accommodations, but you officially can’t be paid to do this because the site supports international travel. And most foreign countries won’t let you take paid work without a work Visa.
Mystery shop
Most mystery shopping jobs don’t pay enough to make a decent living. But where mystery shopping fails on an hourly compensation basis, it gives you a great excuse to get a token payment while doing something you love for free.
On that basis, mystery shopping can be a great way to see films. Mystery shopping firms enlist freelance movie goers to watch — and often count and time — the pre-movie trailers; check out the snack bar; and report on other aspects of the movie experience. Compensation is typically reimbursement for your movie, plus $3 to $20, depending on the assignment.
The bad news is that the two mystery shopping firms that specialize in theater checks — Marketforce and A Closer Look — are among the least attractive sites for mystery shoppers. Why? They pay particularly poorly and look for excuses to invalidate shops — i.e. not pay or reimburse you at all.
So, if you choose to take shops with these companies read the directions carefully and follow them to the letter. If you do, you’ll be able to watch new movies for free, and probably get a few bucks for popcorn.
Other mystery shopping firms such as Service Evaluation Concepts and EyeSpy pay better, but only rarely offer movie shopping gigs.
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