​There are thousands upon thousands of films on Netflix to choose from, so that poses the question that I get from a lot of people. Zos, how do you come up with films to write about when you suggest them on your blog?

Well, here is my process of how I make film suggestions.

I sometimes make top five lists or I pick films on YouTube but mainly I write about what is good on Netflix because it is the number one streaming platform for movies.  Ninety percent of my articles I write stem from Netflix. This is because there is a common problem amongst people that sit around with their friends for 45 minutes trying to decide what to watch on Netflix.

On my Instagram (@David_Z_Artist) and Twitter (@DavidZosel) accounts (Which you should follow), I try to consistently post my “film of the day”, so that people can have a source to find cool films to watch. But, whenever I try to pick a film to write a suggestion review, it requires a whole process.

​I hate making bad suggestions. Hate is a strong word, but this is a case of being hateful. If I make a bad suggestion for a film, then I feel like I have failed my readers.

Over fifteen films are watched before I write about it. Not only are there numerous amounts of films that I watch, but most ideally they have to match certain specifications before I write.

Generally speaking, the film needs to be low budget and independent. So, not a Hollywood Blockbuster that is heavily marketed. I want to suggest “diamonds in the rough” that most people are not seeing in theaters or have any initial interest in watching.

First, I try to watch about ten to twenty films. Then I organize my thoughts of which ones were in the top five of my favorites. Next, I compare them based on different categories:

1. Morals that you can learn which are relevant to today’s world.
2. How it relates to issues of today.
3. Pure Artistry (acting, direction, cinematography, lighting).
4. Excitement.
5. The story.
6. The dopamine factor (Getting your mind blown).
7. Why it would be worth your time.
8. Empathy.
9. Relevance
10. The importance of why people need to watch it.

Everyone one of these things gets a score of 0-10. Then I add it up and whichever one has the most points, wins.

​But, I can veto this point system to just make personal due to having a great feeling about a film.

So, how do I make a decision on a whim like that? Well, I just use my gut. 

Not all films need to be on Netflix, new or a feature-length movie. If a film is old, new, high-budget or low. I will suggest it. If it is good art that moves me then I will use my gut to write about it.

I’d rather write from film selection from the feeling in my gut than to use the selection process that I use.

​Why? Because the selection process takes a long time which involves watching countless films that no one has ever heard of before. A lot of them are mediocre productions. But, I give every film a chance and sometimes it takes me fifteen to twenty movies to make a decision. Therefore, the films I find right away that are little “hidden gems” are like instant film suggestion article for me. I can passionately write about them and it cut’s down the selection process. These are generally my best articles because I write about these films with a greater passion.

I wish every film I watched for my readers would be an instant hit for me to write about, but that is not how it works. There are a lot of mediocre films out there and it is my job to find the really good ones for you so that you don’t miss out on them.

Sitting around and watching mediocre films, trying to find that “hidden gem” is the reason why that I am the self-proclaimed “Cat of Cinema”. Like a cat waits around all day for a mouse to come out of its hiding place, I am hunting for good films just like a cat waits for the right opportunity to pounce on its prey.  In my case, I am preying on good films, not mice.

So, if you have a film for me to watch, please email me your suggestions and maybe I just might write about it.

Remember,
“The Zos Knows”.
​
David Zosel
The Cat of Cinema