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Teenage Movie Reviewer: ‘I knew what I was meant to do’

Q: Hi, Robert. I’m excited to announce that you’ll be one of A News Cafe.com’s newest contributors. You will have a regular movie review column, complete with your videos, based upon your existing reviews. But before we begin your column, I know readers want to know more about you, and so do I. Can you tell us a bit about yourself, please?

Robert Burke Clever Critic

Robert Burke has been reviewing movies since he was 9 years old.

Hello Doni! Thank you for having me. I am a 13- (14 on Feb. 6, 2017) year-old boy who currently attends Sequoia Middle School (this will change in less than a year when I go to high school). My family consists of my father, Michael Burke, my mother Roxanne Burke, my two sisters, Kelsey and Annelise Green-Burke, and me. I am the youngest in the family. Other than film, I love to act, and have been in many plays such as “A Christmas Story” where I played Ralphie Parker, Shasta College’s “To Kill A Mockingbird” where I played Dill and I was just cast as Ellard In Shasta College’s “The Foreigner”.

Q: I’ve seen you act up close when you and I were in “To Kill a Mockingbird” a few months ago. You did an awesome job playing Dill. I apologize that my character, Mrs. Dubose, yelled at you.

But seriously, your dad and I worked together what seems a million years ago at the newspaper. In fact, I remember when you were born. I know, you probably hate to hear that. But your dad is who first told me about your reviews, which I finally checked out recently. I was blown away at how well-produced your videos are, and the details and information and knowledge that comes through in your videos. You obviously really know your stuff. Tell us about your reviews, and how you started.

I started reviewing films from a very young age, around 9 or 10, on a separate YouTube channel for quite a while. Upon moving to San Diego for 7th grade, I met my co-founder and friend, Connor, and together, we started The Clever Critics. Connor and I posted reviews together on the channel until I moved back to Redding during the summer.

Conner and Robert

Friends Conner and Robert created the Clever Critics.

Both of us wanted to continue to review, so we started our own separate reviews on our channel, Connor’s Critiques and Robert’s Reviews. My inspiration comes from another YouTube channel called Collider Movie Talk (was called AMC Movie Talk at the time). I’d been passionate about film my entire life, but I didn’t quite know how to express it, but after seeing someone else critique film in video format, I knew what I was meant to do.

Q: I don’t know if you realize how rare it is for a person to say those words: I knew what I was meant to do. I know adults who haven’t figured that out yet. It’s really something that you already have such a clear idea of what you want to do. I’m curious about your first review. Do you remember what it was?

Yes, my very first review was for “The Lego Movie”.

Q: I notice you have a comments section below your reviews, and there was one snarky comment. Many adults can’t handle public criticism, let alone a kid having to deal with it. I’ve experienced this myself over my career, and know that it can sting. Especially after you put so much work into your reviews, and put yourself out there, how do you do you handle it when you get critical, or even mean comments?

I will admit, I had a hard time at first with taking negative feedback in the comment section. For the most part, I simply ignore the negative talk. It’s usually someone who can’t understand that I have my own opinion that may be different from theirs. However, I’m completely open to constructive criticism; if someone mentions that I do something they don’t like, but back it up with meaningful points and examples, then I will take it and try to implement it into my videos. If someone comes on saying that my opinion is “wrong,” I just ignore them. Responding to it fuels their rage, and deleting it lets them know that they’ve won, while ignoring it helps them to calm down and maybe see something in a new light.

Q: That’s an extremely mature outlook, Robert. I think you’re handling the negative stuff just right, and more important, you’re not taking it personally, which is difficult for even the most seasoned writers and reviewers.

So, back to the movies. Can you give a short list of your favorite movies? And while we’re at it, how about some of your least favorite?

My favorites change constantly, and movies move up and down on my list. As of right now, though, my list would consist of (in no particular order):

“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975, dir. Miloš Forman)
“The Decalogue” (1989, dir. Krzysztof Kie?lowski)
“The Conversation” (1974, dir. Francis Ford Coppola)
“12 Angry Men” (1956, dir. Sidney Lumet)
“Bicycle Thieves” (1948, dir. Vittorio De Sica)
“2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968, dir. Stanley Kubrick)
“The Lord of the Rings Trilogy” (2001-2003, dir. Peter Jackson)
“Diabolique” (1965, dir. Henri-Georges Clozout)
“The Graduate” (1966, dir. Mike Nichols)
“The Breakfast Club” (1985, dir. John Hughes)
“Sunset Boulevard” (1950, dir. Billy Wilder)
“It’s A Wonderful Life” (1946, dir. Frank Capra)
“Rear Window” (1954 dir. Alfred Hitchcock)
“The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” (1966, dir. Sergio Leone)
“Seven Samurai” (1954, dir. Akira Kurosawa)
“High and Low” (1963, dir. Akira Kurosawa)
“8 1/2” (1963, dir. Federico Fellini)
“The King of Comedy” (1982, dir. Martin Scorsese)

I also did a Top 10 Best Films of 2016, which you can watch here.

I haven’t seen too many films that are considered “the worst films ever made,” but as far as the ones I’ve seen, my least favorite would be:

“The Last Airbender” (2009, dir. M. Night Shyamalan)
“Gods of Egypt” (2016, dir. Alex Proyas)
“Fred: The Movie” (2010, dir. Clay Weiner)
“Norm of the North” (2016, dir. Trevor Wall)
“The Star Wars Holiday Special” (1978, dir. Steve Binder)

I also did a Top 10 Worst Films of 2016, which you can watch here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDTXGtC06CA

Q: So, how does it work with you reviewing movies that are rated R? I mean, do you watch R-rated movies?

I will watch some R-rated movies, but that usually depends on my mother researching the movie and then she says if I can see it or not. She looks at the themes, positive/negative messages, and thematic content in films to decide if I can see it or not. You typically should not rely on me for R-rated movie reviews, but my partner, Connor, does review a lot of them, so you’ll be able to find them there.

Q: OK, good to know. Actually, I just watched your latest review of “The Founder”.

I was impressed with your ability to add video to your review. Can you walk us through a review, and the editing process?

On average, it takes me an hour to an hour and a half to shoot, edit, and upload a review. First, depending on if it’s day or night, I will set up photo lights in my room. If it’s daytime, I will use a lamp and light from outside. Then, I will set up the microphone and the camera, and prepare the notes that I take while watching the film on the tripod the camera is set up on. After that, I sit in my chair, and shoot the review, trying to develop my opinions as best as possible.

Thirteen-year-old Robert Burke produces his video movie reviews from his bedroom/recording studio. Photo by Michael Burke.

Thirteen-year-old Robert Burke produces his video movie reviews from his bedroom/recording studio. Photo by Michael Burke.

Once the shooting is done, I take out the SD card, and import it onto my computer, where I drag it into iMovie and begin editing. I’ll use clips from a certain website and take images on Google Images. When I’m done with that, I’ll upload them to YouTube, and press publish.

Q: Good grief! That’s really cool, Robert! I’m not kidding when I say that if you taught a class on how to shoot and edit video, I’d be the first in line to be a student.

Subject change: Dare I ask what kind of career you have in mind when you’re an adult?

No surprise here but I would love to be a film director/screenwriter.

Q: No surprise at all, and I have no doubt that’s exactly what you’ll do. I’m so glad you’re sharing your talent with us here on A News Cafe.com so we can follow your success. I’m really excited about your column.

Thanks, Robert. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Yes, thank you so much for this opportunity Doni, and thank you to all of your followers who’ll watch my reviews.Robert Burke Clever Critic

Doni Chamberlain

Independent online journalist Doni Chamberlain founded A News Cafe in 2007 with her son, Joe Domke. Chamberlain holds a Bachelor's Degree in journalism from CSU, Chico. She's an award-winning newspaper opinion columnist, feature and food writer recognized by the Associated Press, the California Newspaper Publishers Association and E.W. Scripps. She's been featured and quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, L.A. Times, Slate. Bloomberg News and on CNN, KQED and KPFA. She lives in Redding, California.

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