Friday, Mar 22...your choice reviews

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Next week we are beginning our photojournalism unit.

The second review is your choice. It may be of a film, a theatre production, music or dance performance, video game or a restaurant. You will find detailed information about the process below.

THIS IS DUE NEXT Thursday, March 27  by the end of class. It should be a minimum of 400 words. I will give you class time on Tuesday to write. NOTE: if you are on a field trip or leaving town early, you must turn this in before hand. No late reviews will be accepted. Plan accordingly. I strongly suggest you watch your film, play your game, attend your concert or art show or eat out this weekend. Although I am not collecting your notes, you know what is needed to write a good review. TAKE NOTES. 

In class today, please read through the general material below and submit to me specifically what you will be reviewing.

How to write a restaurant review: Offer Some Background – Be sure to offer as much information about the restaurant you are reviewing as possible, including location, phone number, type of cuisine, hours, etc. On many restaurant review websites you must add the restaurant to the site database (if it is not already there) and fill in any information the site asks for (like whether or not the restaurant serves alcoholic beverages or takes reservations). If another user posted inaccurate information – such as the wrong hours – change the information yourself or inform the website directly.

Give Both Pros and Cons – Maybe the food was less than stellar but was the service unparalleled? If your restaurant experience was riddled with both pros and cons, make sure you list both to provide readers with an accurate, well-rounded review.

Name Specific Entrees – Most restaurant-goers will appreciate specific recommendations and whether or not you loved or hated the food. Listing specifically what you ordered will help validate your opinions. Some review websites even have a spot where you can list exactly what dishes you ordered.

Evaluate the Entire Experience - While the food is obviously the main attraction of any restaurant, there are other factors that can greatly influence the overall dining experience including ambiance, décor and service are important to note. For example, how quickly did you receive your food and was the server attentive to your needs? Did the décor enhance or distract from the overall ambiance of the restaurant? Be specific as possible about the details of the restaurant.

Use Descriptive Adjectives – To really spice up your review (no pun intended), use descriptive adjectives. For example, instead of simply saying that the grilled chicken you ordered was “bad,” tell why it was bad; was it dry, bland, too salty, etc? Rest assured, you can never provide too much detail in a restaurant review.

Let Your Personality Shine Through – No one wants to read a boring, dull review of anything, let alone a restaurant. Furthermore, there is no added value or insight to your review if you simply copy what someone else has already written. Make your review highly personal and unique to you, using your own “voice;” readers will be much more interested and find your review helpful if it is genuine

How to write a theatre or concert review:

1. Your review should be  consistently clear, readable and interesting. Ultimately, your review should generate popularity and profitability.
Note: Music-loving freelancers who have built solid readership and suitable publication experience have discovered that they may earn free media passes to concerts. In other cases, concert reviewers can count concert tickets as tax-deductible business expenses, if they have written and published concert reviews for payment.
Many concert reviewers point out that they have even been invited backstage to meet and interact with well-known musicians.
PRACTICAL STUFF
Here's a practical guide to writing a review of a live concert.

1) Writing Concert Reviews: Choose the concert you plan to attend and review.
To start, most concert reviewers choose to specialize, focusing on their own particular musical tastes. For example, if you simply love the symphony, you might begin attending orchestral concerts and publishing concert reviews on such performances. If you prefer hip hop, rap or rock music, attend a performance.

2) Writing Concert Reviews: Attend the program, and watch carefully.
Take notes, if possible. Be advised that recording devices (such as video cameras and audio recorders) are not allowed in most concerts.
Make a list of songs or musical numbers performed during the concert. (Often, concert reviewers may obtain set lists before concerts.) Jot down impressions, specific performance details and any surprises that may occur during the concert. These notes will prove essential when it comes time to write the review.
 Focus on your  subject as much as possible, not any perceived "star" quality. Remember: real journalists aim at writing the news, not to becoming the news.
3) Writing Concert Reviews: Include essential elements in your concert review.
    Be sure to include the name of the musical act (or acts) in your concert review. Mention orchestral conductors, soloists and other key players by name.
       Briefly outline the musical genre, and point out why this concert may have been notable. (as with the film review, you should have done some background reading.) For example, was this a reunion concert of previous musical colleagues or a benefit concert for a certain charitable cause? Was the concert part of a major musical event, such as a music festival, or simply a local band performing in a street fair?
The best concert reviews evaluate both content and performances, describing the songs and overall quality of the performance in specifics and overall. Concert ratings may include musical specifics, as well as technical quality (sound, staging, pyrotechnics, props and other details).
Although a concert review focuses primarily upon the performance, an adept concert reviewer may also comment on the audience. Was it a full house with standing room only or a sparsely attended event? Did the audience seem enthusiastic and involved or disappointed and disinterested?
No concert review is complete without an accurate description of the concert venue and the concert date. If the concert is part of a series or ongoing run, the concert review should mention the remaining dates and times. If the performers will take the same act on the road to other cities, a comprehensive concert reviewer will cite the remaining tour stops and dates.
4. Writing Concert Reviews: Edit your concert review carefully