Reviews on Review

By RaeAnne Marsh

Review a movie without seeing it? That's what Jimmy does. His is the "unseen" half of podcast "Scene Unseen Movie Reviews"(http://www.sceneunseenpodcast.com/).

Jimmy and friend Chris - who has seen the movie - carry on a 30-minute conversation that digresses bounteously but always comes back to center: their review of a specific movie.

Themselves members of the film industry, they evince a respect for the medium and for the practitioners of the craft. "I always try to find something positive, even if it's a movie we've bashed to all hell, because I know how much time and effort it takes," shares Chris. That doesn't temper their take, though, as their opinions fall where they may. "Positive," therefore, may mean stretching to laud the director for an earlier effort - or even just complimenting the art department on a great font for the poster.

"We know film and we love film," says Chris. And he's off to the theater to review the next one. Jimmy, however, has to hold back and wait a while (although on occasion, waiting has proven too difficult and he's sneaked out to take in the show).

But how can he review a movie without seeing it? "I studied film history and marketing," says the former business student. For each podcast, Jimmy studies the film's box office and marketing, looking at how well a studio does at getting the film out there to the general public.

It all started with what Chris calls "our rants" at work. "People enjoyed listening to the funny banter between Chris and Jimmy," recalls producer Matthew Ward, who met the two when all three were working in production on a film. "We tested the waters on what we could do creatively" and collaborated on their first podcast (July 7, 2006). "We had no idea how to do this; we'd never done it before."

Planning only "to take it a step at a time," they got on Apple iTunes right away - and became one of the top 100 picks.

With their email address thus widely advertised, they started getting letters right away. "Their personalities mix with so many people; everyone can relate to one or the other," says Ward. They keep it an informal "friends talking to friends about movies" format - no thumbs involved. Listeners respond, according to Ward, with "I totally agree" or "I totally disagree" as well as with "Hey, if you're ever in Italy, I've got a place for you to crash."

Chris and Jimmy have expanded their program beyond the movie reviews to include DVD picks and even filmmaker interviews. Their focus is craft, not celebrity. "We do two kinds of interviews," says Chris. "One is to help promote a new film, and the other is to introduce legendary filmmakers [like Ray Harryhausen] to younger audiences."

Industry connections have played no part in their podcast, they emphasize. "It's all a grassroots effort," Ward maintains. And now, he adds, people call and request an interview opportunity.

Scene Unseen keeps its focus on film - and the filmgoing experience. Chris eschews the glamorized reviewer screenings or the solo home screeners, preferring to share the experience in the public theater, where "people are there because they want to be."

Which is where Chris wants to be, too - and where Jimmy heads as soon as production of their weekly podcast is finished.