Welcome to a new edition of The Moviesite Spotlight. For those who don’t know what it is:
Every week I read a lot of great movie related blogs and I thought it was time to give the ones I visit regularly a chance to shine in the spotlight, by interviewing its writers.
This week’s interview is Dan, the editor of Top 10 Films.
What’s the history of your site, why did you start it?
I suppose it goes way back to 2000 when I was overjoyed to join the team of writers at DVD Times (now The Digital Fix). At the time it was the UK’s leading independent DVD review site (with writers such as Michael Brooke having gone on to do great things with the British Film Institute) and it was a great honour and privilege to become a staff writer. Throughout my six years writing for the site I learned the craft of being a film critic, watched hundreds of films I hadn’t seen before, and got a taste for regularly publishing my film musings online.
But I did want a site of my own and in 2006 set up Strange Conversation – a film blog that allowed me to write about film without the constraints of deadlines while I finished my university degree. Strange Conversation received a few comments and a few hits but it was a post entitled “Top 10 1980s Horror Films” that encouraged a host of comments and tens of thousands of hits. The success of this one post planted the seed for a site devoted to top 10 film lists. When I realised top10films.co.uk was available, I knew I had to snatch it up straight away. At that time I didn’t know how I was going to use it. But of course, suddenly it came in very handy indeed.
Whilst working for a publications company in 2008 I decided to build a website for the domain. With the help of a friend, I built Top 10 Films from scratch but I wasn’t happy with the design and the content management of the site would have been a nightmare. That’s when I held out my hand to WordPress and started using their platform for the site. It was officially launched in November 2009 with various top 10 lists from famous filmmakers and actors. At the time I thought it would feature primarily top 10 lists. The site has inevitably grown to incorporate reviews, news, opinion pieces, articles and special features such as iconic images, classic scenes, Midnight Double Feature and the Heroes of the 1980 Hall of Fame.
What makes your movie blog different from the other ones out there?
I always believed that a top 10 list written and compiled by a single person was more viable than the norm of seeing top 10 polls. That’s because you get someone’s personal choices, not an ambiguous average that often highlights currently popular films because they are in the public consciousness. That’s why you often see brand new films topping IMDB’s top 250 films of all time list before eventually dropping off. Although many sites and bloggers out there write great top 10 lists, Top 10 Films is the only site in the world, to my knowledge, that has a ranking of films based on the amount of top 10 lists the films appear on. This is a handy and unique tool that differs from standard review grades and community-based average’s such as IMDB.
What do you enjoy most about your site and what is the reason you keep doing it?
A friend once said that being a film critic gives you the excuse to watch hundreds of films. It also gives you a practical reason for enjoying your hobby. I love writing, and I love film, so that’s all I need to keep going.
In which ways has your blogging changed the way you watch movies?
I think blogging about film does change the way you look at the medium. You appreciate it more. I think I got that when I first started writing about film over ten years ago. Now my site gives me an outlet to keep writing about film.
What’s your favorite article you have written?
I had so much fun writing my bit for the Houdini Magic Ticket blogathon and I think that stands out as one of my favourites simply because so many others had fun with it too.
Of the top 10s, both my Top 10 films set over one night and Top 10 films to see before going to film school stand out.
Could you name five of your all time favorite movies?
I have refrained from doing an all-time top 10 list on the site because I think it is the hardest top 10 you can ever put together. It is also likely to change over the years. But if I was to name five films that will probably be in my top 10 of all-time now and in fifty years time, I would say:
The Exorcist
The Apartment
Rear Window
Alien
12 Angry Men
How many movies do you watch on average each week?
Probably three or four each week on average.
Do you own any movie related items that you are very proud of?
Not really. I have an alien figure from Ridley Scott’s Alien which is still boxed. I suppose the best thing I have are the signatures of Kevin Spacey and Jeff Goldblum which I got myself after seeing them in David Mamet’s play Speed The Plow at The Old Vic in London.
Great interview … And a great insight into Dan’s passion for movies.
Thanks Raghav!
Started at 2009 but many years of watching movies. Nice to know the history of Top 10 films. I enjoyed the blogathon too, it’s a good idea for a post. Agree with your purpose of blogging; for watching many movies and write.
Thanks for your comment Andina!
Love this feature Nostra.
Dan is one of the nicest guys on the Blogging planet. He took me under his wing when I was starting out and pointed me in the right direction with many hints on how to get FRC more readers. I could not have done it without his help.
He is my Mentor!!
Great job and congrats to Dan and Nostra (sounds like I have married you off)
Thanks Scott! Didn’t know he was your mentor! Didn’t you write an article with those tips a while ago? Might be good to add the link here so others can benefit from the as well.
…they are trade secrets! LOL! Just kidding.
…Scott is too kind – it has been great to see FRC grow so quickly. Scott puts me to shame with the amount of work he puts into it. FRC’s success is down to his determination and hard work more than anything else.
…and that is probably the biggest piece of advice you could give any blogger, particularly film bloggers. It is that determination to make something worthwhile and that comes, first and foremost, from the very thing that makes film bloggers stand out – a passion for cinema.
I found this article really interesting, always like to hear how people got started to see if I can pick up any tips!
Nice to hear, hope you will be able to pick something up from these Amy!
Dan has a fantastic site that I visit regularly as does Nostra. Top work both
Thanks a lot Mark!
Great article, it was nice learning more about Dan @ top10films, I love his website! Nice feature, can’t wait for the next one!
Planning to keep this one going for a while with the many great blogs I visit!
Hi, Nostra and company:
Great personal choices for favorite films!
Well done interview with Dan as well.
I left a comment over at Dan’s ‘Top 10’ films over one night. I think I should bookmark his site once my comments clear the moderators.
He has a great site which always has interesting lists, nice to hear you enjoy it too Jack.
Another great feature here Nostra, Top10Films is one of my fave movie blogs and as Scott said, Dan’s such a nice guy!! It’s great to know a bit of the history of the site, and totally agree the Houdini Magic Ticket blogathon is awesome. I hope you think up other great blogathons again in the future, Dan.
Thanks Ruth!
I’m up for any future blogathons as well!
Nostra! again, a great feature. I love that you have this! Top10Films is another of my faves!
Oh, and Dan, the Houdini Magic Ticket, by far, was one of the best posts I have ever seen or been a part of!
Great interview! Keep up the great work…both of you! (Dan and Nostra)
Thanks T! I will try to do so!
I always find these intriguing (I’ll try to remember there has only been two). I hope to follow in the steps of the great bloggers who have already been featured. Thanks for handling the interviews Nostra.
I find them just as interesting as you do!
Nice series Nostra! Keep them coming 😀 It’s always fun to learn more about the origins and intents behind some of the great movie blog on the interweb!
I got more lined up Castor, so you can look forward to them. Would like to do one about Anomalous Material as well, the site is awesome!
Yay! Another great read in this series. Can’t wait to see who’s up next.
And Houdini’s ticket was indeed a really fun blog meme thing.
Thanks. You’ll find out next week 😉
I’m loving this series, Nostra – it was a great idea.
Like the others have said, it’s great to find out about the passion and what interests the authors of our favourite blogs.
A lot of people are loving this series, which is good to hear. Have quite a lot of them still planned!
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