Writing for The Daily Heckle... and Getting Paid!

Do any of my talented blogging buddies want to get paid for writing? I know we all do it for the love deep down in our hearts, but sometimes it's bloody nice to get a bit of cash for pouring out all these words into the blogosphere!

I've been writing for The Daily Heckle for a while now and I'm racking up a nice bit of cash towards a summer holiday by publishing articles over there. I've mostly been talking film, as quite frankly I'm not qualified to talk about much else in life! But The Daily Heckle is a place where bloggers unite and heckle the world about anything they wish.

Once you sign up to become a heckler, you will find that there are loads of topics constantly being added in The Heckle Workshop and you can pitch your own ideas for how to write an article. Or if you don't suffer from writer's block, then just pitch some ideas of your own! Lots of lists, lots of opinions, lots of fun, and lots of money! They are really quick and efficient at paying over there too, so as soon as you're article is ready to go, you will be notified that you have been paid.

I assume most people that read this will be into movies and there are always loads of movie lists that need writing, but if you are into other stuff, then there is always that too. Want to slag off the royal family for instance? Well there's a job going that pays £10 to do just that... actually hold on I think I want that one! (Just kidding... sign up and take it now before I say something that will get me into trouble!)

These are all the articles that I have written for The Daily Heckle so far. Please give them a read, then head on over and get signed up to become a heckler yourself!

Furious 7 and the Movies That Make a Billion

 

What's new in the latest Terminator Genisys trailer?

 

Furious 7, M:I 5 and the Movie Franchises That Refuse to Die 

 

Mad Max, Mission Impossible and the Return of Real Movie Stunts

 

7 Music Videos That Changed the World

 

Top 10 Must See Movie Sequels in 2016

 

Top 10 Must See Superhero Films and Videogame Adaptations in 2016

 

Top 10 Must See Films of 2016: No Sequels, No Superheroes

 

Top 10 Most Shocking Moments from Game of Thrones

 

5 Scary Movies That Kids Will Enjoy

Daily Heckle articles: Scary Kids Movies, Jeremy Clarkson and Game of Thrones shockers

I've been doing a bit of writing for The Daily Heckle recently. They offer cash for articles so if any of my fellow bloggers are interested, I recommend you get straight in touch.

First up, I wrote about Scary Movies for Kids. There aren't any surprises on this list but they all sure as hell scared the crap out of me as a kid. Except one which wasn't around when I was a kid but still bloody scared me as an adult.

Then I wrote an opinion piece on whether or not the BBC should sack Jeremy Clarkson after his scuffle with a Top Gear producer. I won't tell you which way I leaned so hopefully you may just give the article a read!

Most recently, I wrote an article on the top 10 most shocking moments from Game of Thrones so far. Again, there won't be many surprises on this list but it was great fun going back through those moments that make Game of Thrones such an incredibly memorable series.

That's all for now, but in the upcoming weeks, I'll be writing about the must see movies of 2016.

Starburst Magazine: Hunger Games Mockingjay Preview and Reviews

In the latest issue of Starburst Magazine, I have written a preview of Mockingjay Part 1 detailing everything we know about the upcoming blockbuster. I also have a review of The Equalizer and Kidnapped in there if you fancy picking up a copy from here or WHSmiths or HMV or many other places. Or you can subscribe here and never miss an issue!

More published articles from I Love That Film

More reviews from I Love That Film

Cannes Film Festival article in Media Magazine

My latest article for Media Magazine is on my experience at the Cannes Film Festival 2014 which I attended thanks to Tastic Film Magazine. You can subscribe to Media Magazine here and check out my reviews from the Cannes Film Festival here.

Attack the Block article in Media Magazine

An article looking at Attack the Block as a case study of modern British film. You can subscribe to Media Magazine here.

Starburst Magazine Issue 403: Turtles, Transformers and another short story!

In the latest issue of Starburst Magazine, there are three of my pieces of writing in it.

Firstly, there is the preview of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, then there is my review of Transformers: Age of Extinction (which you can also find on the website here) and finally there is a horrible little short story that I wrote called The Nurse and the Butcher.

I hope you will consider picking up a copy either online or in your local newsagent!

Referenced in a book on Found Footage Horror

Yesterday I discovered that an article of mine has been referenced in the book Found Footage Horror Films by Alex Heller-Nicholas @FoundHorror. I bought this book last week as it sounds perfect for my PHD thesis and when I was looking through the bibliography, much to my surprise I saw this!

You can read the article here entitled Zero Day and Cloverfield: Shooting America's Scars here:

I Declare War DVD Quote

A quote from my review of I Declare War for Starburst Magazine has found its way onto the back cover of the DVD for the film. It's on shelves now at HMV (and other retailers as well I'm sure) so go check it out!

My full review of I Declare War is at Starburst Magazine here.

The quote is 'Call of Duty has nothing on the power of these kids' imaginations'.

My Blair Witch book just got a cover

Since December 2012, I have been writing a book for the Devil's Advocates series on classic horror films. The series is published by Auteur and my entry on The Blair Witch Project is following other entries on Saw, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, The Thing, The Descent, Carrie and Witchfinder General. I submitted a first draft a couple of months ago and it is being reviewed by the editor currently. Until I get it back for what will probably be some pretty serious revisions, I have nothing to do but stew and wait in anticipation for feedback. Then yesterday I got the cover through from the editor to see if I approved. I don't know if it's my love for the film, my love of seeing my name in print or just the overall style of the cover which fits so well with the other books in the series but I love it. Here it is below:

Unfortunately there is no firm publication date yet but I'm almost certain it will be released at some point in 2014. As soon as it is available to buy, you can best believe I'll be promoting it in any way I can so watch this space. Cool cover though don't you think?

Robocop preview in new issue of Starburst Magazine

Issue 397 of Starburst Magazine is out now and available to buy online from the website or from loads of good retailers. This month there is a huge focus on the Robocop remake and and all the films (and TV shows) that have come in the franchise before it. I was offered the opportunity to write the preview of the reboot and just recieved my copy of the magazine in the post.

As always there is also loads more stuff in the latest issue including news, reviews and features on everything in the world of sci-fi, horror and fantasy so I hope you might be interested in going and picking up a copy.

Deconstructing Romeo + Juliet @Static Mass Emporium

As part of Static Mass Emporium's continuing Deconstructing Cinema series, editor Patrick asked me to contribute another article on a film of my choice. After tackling some pretty grim films in this series in the past including racism dramas American History X and This is England, I chose something slightly lighter and definitely far more romantic for my latest article. This time I have tackled the moment in Baz Lurhmann's version of William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet where the star crossed lovers first lay eyes on each other through the fish tank.

It is such a brilliant scene that I could easily have banged on about it for way longer but one must stick to word limits mustn't one! Besides I don't want to completely spoil the beauty and romance of the scene by completely over-analysing it. Although I think I may have slightly. But still I hope it might make you take another look at the scene and possibly even pay extra special attention to the way it is crafted from the editing to the soundtrack to the lavish props, costume and set design. Not to mention the sweet performances of Leo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.

Anyway the blurb for it goes: "Take a drug fuelled trip into the decadent party of The Capulets in part 88 of Deconstructing Cinema with a scene from Baz Luhrmann’s bonkers but beautiful adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet."

And here is the opening: "Love at first sight. If you believe in it, then Romeo And Juliet is filled with wonder, possibility and deep tragedy. If you fail to see how catching the eyes of someone across the room can lead to a piercing dagger right through your heart, then neither Shakespeare nor director Baz Lurhmann are going to make you feel otherwise." Please go read the rest of the article at Static Mass Emporium if you fancy it!

If you don't fancy the romance, why not try one of my other articles for Static Mass:

Deconstructing Cinema: Cloverfield

Deconstructing Cinema: La Haine

Deconstructing Cinema: American History X

Deconstructing Cinema: This is England

Short Story Published at Starburst Magazine: Living for the Weekend

A while back I had my first piece of fiction published by Starburst Magazine, a nasty little story called Woman on the Wind and now I have just had my second short story published, a slightly less nasty Living for the Weekend.

This is the story of a guy who learns to time travel just through some gift he has and being able to use the power of his mind to wish those dull and boring hours away. He is a bit of a selfish asshole; hooked on drugs, bored with life and permanently wishing it was the weekend.

I wrote it all in one sitting in a couple of hours and I think the pace of the story reflects my desire to get it written quickly. I wanted it to start at a bit of a breathless pace to reflect the youth and energy of the character but then I wanted it to quicken even more to show just how fast time flies if you are wishing everyday away. I hope this comes across and that also if you start to read it, you will find you have to finish it! It only takes a few minutes to read so what are you waiting for? Go read Living for the Weekend!

I saw it as a cross between the British film Human Traffic which is all about people getting off their faces on ecstasy and coke at the weekends and The Time Traveller's Wife which is a romantic and tragic book that I absolutely loved every second of reading. My wife then read Living for the Weekend and said it reminded her of Click, the Adam Sandler film. Either way I'm happy. It might not be original but I'm happy with the way it came out. It could be better I'm sure but I'm just very pleased to have it published. I hope one day somebody will read it and demand to turn it into a short film. I'd love to see that!

Let me know what you think if you read it! Here's that link one more time: Living for the Weekend

More short stories from I Love That Film at Starburst Magazine:

Woman on the Wind

Recent Publications: Gangnam Style and Prison Movies

I've just got copies of two of my articles through today and thought I would share some pictures. First is my article on the phenomenon that is the Gangnam Style music video. This went viral (in case you hadn't heard) and is now the most watched video on YouTube ever. Not bad for a South Korean pop star who isn't really even singing in English.

The issue of Media Magazine that this article is in was called the 'Reading the Media' issue. The brief said to analyse any piece of media we felt could be of interest and I thought Gangnam Style would make an interesting article. You can subscribe to Media Magazine here but unfortunately I don't think you can buy individual copies.

I'm also writing a couple of articles for the next issue which is 'The Gothic Issue'. I'm writing an article on Universal's classic monster movies and their remakes and also hoping to get another written comparing the two big trends in modern horror: torture porn and found footage. Here is a look at the first page of the Gangnam Style article:

The other article I just had published is in the 'Prison Issue' of Splice Cinema Journal. This article and publication is a bit more on the academic side and my article is called Prison and Punishment, Race and Redemption: Comparing Prison Life in The Shawshank Redemption and American History X... phew even the title is a bit of a mouthful. Splice is published by Auteur who are the publishing house that I am currently writing by Blair Witch Project book for. At least with a title that long I think it sums up exactly what the article is about. You can pick up copies of Splice here.

I also just found out that the previous article I had in Splice on Will Ferrell's sports movies got a nice review over at the Media Education Association. The reviewer Steve Murray very kindly wrote:

'Peter Turner’s essay Mockery, Masculinity and Misogyny: The Sports Movies of Will Ferrell offers a rare opportunity to read a considered academic piece about an iconic American comedy actor who is more than likely to engage the interest of the average teenager sitting in our classrooms. The essay looks in detail at representations in Ferrell’s sports films and would be useful both as a teaching resource and as a starting point for a research project for A2 Film Studies coursework; indeed, this essay would provide invaluable help to students choosing to look at Will Ferrell as a star for WJEC’s annotated catalogue and presentation script.'

 All in all, it has been a happy day. I love seeing what designers are going to do when they publish my writing and it never disappoints.

Recent writing around the web

Haven't had much of a chance to do any blogging this week so thought I would share some of the bits and pieces I have been writing around the web over the last few days instead:

The World's End Review at Filmoria

Deconstructing Cinema: This is England at Static Mass Emporium

The Deep Review at Filmoria

Roland Emmerich Retrospective at Filmoria

Not film related but I've also been blabbing away at Yahoo about all sorts of stuff like:

Why we should celebrate the NHS

Why conflict avoidance will make a happy relationship

I'm currently writing a James Wan retrospective for Filmoria ahead of the release of The Conjuring and then I'll be writing ones on Paul Greengrass and Edgar Wright later in the year. For regular readers, you may know I'm currently writing a book on The Blair Witch Project. I'm trying to get the first draft finished in the next two weeks and then hopefully I will make revisions when I get back from holiday and perhaps it may get published this year!

I hope you will be tempted to go and check out some of my writing elsewhere and particularly the top two which I am very proud of.

Also check out my top 10 films to see in July. If you haven't got a copy of Starbust magazine for this month, there may still be some on shelves for a little while longer and I'd love it if you checked out my two articles inside. Better still, subscribe to Starburst here.

Starburst Cover Story: The Wolverine Preview

I've been writing news stories and short stories for the Starbust Magazine website recently but this month, I also have two feature articles in the July edition of the print magazine. Not only that, but I guess you could call my The Wolverine preview the cover story seeing as it's old Wolvie that adorns the cover this month! I hope you might all consider going out and buying a copy. I've seen it on the shelves of WHSmiths this morning (and had to take a photo!)

I have written a preview on The Wolverine and another on Pacific Rim, detailing both of their histories and journeys to the big screen. I'm hoping to write more articles for future issues. You can subscribe to Starburst Magazine and get every issue delivered to your door by clicking the link.

If you look very closely, you can just see my name in the bottom left corner of the Wolverine article above! Please, please, please go pick up a copy and enjoy the articles!

Media Magazine Articles: The Dark Knight and Hollywood's Lack of Original Ideas

The theme for the April edition of Media Magazine was ideas. I decided to try and submit two pieces for this issue and was successful at getting them both in.

The first article is on the simple idea that Hollywood is running out of ideas due to all the endless remakes, reboots, recycling, rehashing and repeating that is going on in modern Hollywood.

The second is on the ideology of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy and whether the films really are as right wing as many have suggested they are.

As usual the design and layout of the articles is gorgeous and I'm very proud to have my writing featured in the magazine. If you want to subscribe to Media Magazine, then please click here.

Teaching Children Good Communication

This has nothing to do with films but I just joined the Yahoo Contributor Network and have had my first article pulished on it today. The article is about teaching children to speak properly in class rooms and not allowing them to use their street slang speak at inappropriate times.

The Yahoo Contributor Network looks like a really fun thing to get involved with and looks like it might actually pay for articles being published. I only just joined and they sent out a call for articles based around the idea of children in schools needing to be taught the correct ways of speaking so they would have better employment prospects in the future.

As I'm a teacher and I always have to put up with kids strolling into my class and saying 'WhaGwan?' and saying 'safe' to me instead of thanks, I get a little frustrated with it. It's not like we're living in an Attack the Block kind of hood where the kids walk in 'tooled up' so I don't know where they get the idea that this language is acceptable in the classroom. I don't even know where they hear this language unless it's just films and TV?

Anyway I wrioe this article and I hope it doesn't make me sound like a total snob but I just want kids to be able to know the difference between when they can and should use slang and when they need to speak a bit more formally.

Click on the title of the article below to be magically transported there:

Why there is ‘nowt’ wrong with teaching children to speak proper English

I do hope you enjoy it and don't think I sound like a total snob. Your comments are always welcome either here or there or anywhere you like. I'd loved to hear your opinion on the matter!

Letter in Empire Magazine

Were actor Donald Sutherland and graphic novelist Alan Moore twins separated at birth? That is the question I posed in my latest letter to make the hallowed letters page of world's greatest film magazine Empire. Below is the letter in full and to my surprise it was published in the March issue 2013.

Dear Empire,

I had to read your exclusive interview with Alan Moore very carefully to check I wasn't missing the part about Donald Sutherland playing Moore in an Oscar-baiting biopic of the graphic novelist. Lurking beneath that awesome beard is Sutherland's haunted eyes from Don't Look Now. Seriously go and look... see? Either that or The Hunger Games' President Snow has let himself go a bit.

Sorry about the blurry picture. As usual you can blame my trusty Blackberry camera. Anyway the letter appearing made me very happy! It's all part of an elaborate ploy for them to start noticing me and maybe my name will stick in their heads and one day they will be on my doorstep, bunch of flowers in hand, begging... yes that's right BEGGING me to come and write stuff for them! Mwoohahahahahahaha! Since I started writing to Empire and Total Film each month, this is the third letter I've got in the magazines. This was the first letter I got in Empire and this is the first letter I got in Total Film.

Real Entertainment: Star Directors and the Modern Documentary

Possibly not the most exciting post but just giving myself a shout out for getting an article published in Splice: Studying Contemporary Cinema Volume 6 Issue 1 Spring 2012 journal.  It is 5000 words long and took me a lot of time to complete.  I only wish I could share it with you all here.  Unfortunately I cannot but if you do want to get yourself a copy or want to subscribe to Splice, head to the Auteur website here to find out how.

Each issue sells for £12.00 or you can subscribe to get 3 issues per year for £38.  Not a penny too much for such high quality writing I can assure you!  Anyway here's a quick bit about what I wrote:

The title is Real Entertainment: Star Directors and the Modern Documentary and here is the opening paragraph:

'The term documentary is tricky to define and the films are often even more challenging to watch, enjoy and categorise. Is documentary a genre, a form or a mode? Much ink has been spilt defining, grouping and identifying documentaries as an alternative to fiction cinema. Perhaps this is the most useful place to start when discussing documentary. This group of films are non-fiction or as Patricia Aufderheide puts it, ‘documentary is a film genre in which a pledge is made to the viewer that what we will see and hear is about something true and real’ (2007: 56).'

Here is a further snippet that gives a clearer idea of the thrust of the article:

'The three documentaries that will be focused on in this article were all released to critical acclaim and varying degrees of box-office success in the last ten years. Two are made by recognisable figures that feature in their own documentaries, Michael Moore and Morgan Spurlock, while the third is directed by a film-maker becoming better known for his work in fiction film, Kevin Macdonald. Bowling for Columbine (2002) is an extremely controversial film that explores gun culture in America in the wake of the Columbine High school tragedy. It won the Oscar for Best Documentary at the Academy Awards in 2003 and grossed over $35 million worldwide. Super Size Me (2004) continued the trend of director/stars putting themselves in their films front and centre in an attempt to make their documentaries more accessible and entertaining. Spurlock attempts to eat nothing but food from McDonald’s for 30 days in order to investigate the effects such a diet would have on his body. Finally Life in a Day (2011) is an ambitious experiment that combines footage shot by people from all around the world on their own cameras and endeavours to cut it together into a feature film about one day in the life of planet Earth and its inhabitants. These examples reflect the range of documentary films that have been made in recent years and also the impact they can have, both at the box office and in society more generally.'

  

I hope you like the sound of it.  I enjoyed writing it and seeing my name in print!  Just to prove I'm not making this all up or dreaming it, here is a lovely picture from the new issue.

So that's it from me today!  Hope you all have a lovely weekend and if you ever want me to contribute anything to any of your wonderful blogs, I'd be more over the moon than a slobbery puppy getting a new owner!  So please feel free to drop me a line just like Andina and Keith did.

I Love That Film Loves You All Movie Blogging Buddies!  Happy freaking weekend!