Taste of Cinema Review: Worth It? (Not for Everyone)

I have recently come across a website called Taste of Cinema that offers a way for you to earn by writing movie lists. So, if you're a film buff with a knack for writing, it might be one of the more enjoyable ways to earn online.

However, before you go for this opportunity, I urge you to read this Taste of Cinema review because it will show you exactly what it offers. That way, you can properly decide if this is the right opportunity for you or not.

So, let’s take a look at Taste of Cinema, shall we?

What is Taste of Cinema, and what does it offer?

Taste of Cinema (ToC) is a film-focused website that publishes thoughtful and in-depth articles about movies from around the world. So, to earn, you must write articles for them. And in case you're wondering, yes, it's legitimate because you'll actually get paid to write.

However, just because it does pay, doesn’t mean it is a good fit for you. To find out what Taste of Cinema offers is for you, you must first understand how it works. The only way to do so is to take a look at its earning opportunity, so you will have a clear picture of how much effort and time you must invest in it.

So, here’s how to earn from Taste of Cinema.

The earning opportunity – Writing film lists

The only way to earn from Taste of Cinema is by writing film lists. These lists can range from “10 Underrated Horror Movies” to “15 Films Every Martin Scorsese Fan Should Watch.”

The idea of the article is to introduce the best films from different filmmakers, countries, genres, and eras. These in-depth lists not only serve as guides to good movies, but they should also give you a bigger picture and thorough understanding of the film culture of a certain country, genre, or cinema movement.

This means you’ll have to write about movies from all over the world and not just the ones Hollywood produces. Based on what I’ve observed while checking out the website, the lists don’t focus on recent Hollywood blockbusters, but mostly on world cinema and the classics.

That’s what makes Taste of Cinema different from many other film-focused websites. 

Now, before you do anything else, I suggest you read the lists found on the site, so you will get an idea of the tone and style that should be used.

Then, you’ll need to pitch your idea to Taste of Cinema’s editor. Your pitch should include the proposed title, what the article will cover, and a few lines about yourself. If your pitch gets accepted, you'll be given a deadline and guidelines.

Once your article is submitted and passes editorial review, it’ll get published and you’ll be paid. That’s how straightforward the process is. In the next section, I will discuss how you will be paid.

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How do you get paid?

When you write an article for Taste of Cinema, you have two options as compensation: get paid a certain amount or promote something (link to your organization, website, social media, books, or products) in the article.

If you choose to promote something, you won’t get paid.

If you want to earn money, you can’t promote something. That’s how its payment system works.

Now, it’s not quite clear how the site will pay you if you choose to get paid, but based on feedback from other people who have written for the site, ToC uses PayPal as its payment method.

So, if you choose to get paid, expect to receive your compensation after the article is published.

Overall, I would say its payment system is relatively straightforward. I like the fact that it uses a convenient payout method like PayPal. If you are interested in more sites that use a convenient payout method, I recommend you also check out the top sites that pay via PayPal.

How much money can you make?

The amount you can earn from Taste of Cinema will depend on how many articles you can write. So, it all boils down to the articles you can come up with. In my opinion, half of the work is thinking about what type of list you can write, and the other half is the actual content.

If you have a lot of ideas, then you can potentially earn a good amount from ToC. As for the amount you can earn per article, it’s not quite clear because the site doesn’t mention anything about how much they pay, but based on feedback from contributors, the amount you will earn will usually range from $30 to $50.

That’s a decent rate, in my opinion. Just remember that your article idea must be approved before you can earn from it, and that is not an easy thing to do.

This is why I would consider its earning potential to be not that great, because it’s not something you can earn from regularly.

Can you use it on mobile?

Since you will mainly be writing articles, you’ll need to sit in front of a computer to earn from Taste of Cinema. So, to answer the question above, NO, you can’t. You’ll need a laptop or desktop if you want to earn from ToC.

Who can join Taste of Cinema?

Taste of Cinema accepts submissions from anywhere in the world. They don’t care which country you live in as long as you can submit a high-quality article.

It doesn’t have a member dashboard you can log in to, so you don’t have to go through a sign-up process. Instead, you can apply to become a contributor by emailing your application to davidattoc@hotmail.com.

The email should contain your age, occupation, favorite films/directors/actors/genres, writing experience, how long you have been following Taste of Cinema, and if you were a TOC contributor before.

You must also include your idea for the article. Then, you also have to indicate if you want to become a regular contributor or if it is just a one-time deal.

After you’ve sent your application, you just have to wait for their reply. They say that they will usually reply to applications within three weeks, so it can take quite some time. That’s why this is not a great option if you are looking to earn immediately.

Can you get support?

The website doesn’t have an FAQ section for writers, but as mentioned earlier, they will send you the guidelines if you get accepted as a contributor. Everything you need to know will be included in the guidelines, so you don’t need to check out any Help or FAQ section, in my opinion.

But if you really want to talk to a representative, you can reply to the email they send to you. That’s the only way to get in touch with Taste of Cinema.

Final Verdict

Taste of Cinema is a site that lets you earn extra cash by writing articles for them. It has certain advantages, but it also has some limitations you must consider.

To help you with your decision, I have summarized its pros and cons, so you can see a clear overview of what Taste of Cinema offers.

In my opinion, Taste of Cinema is not for everyone. I only recommend you go for it if you are well-versed in world cinema and classic movies. That’s because the site mainly focuses on those two categories.

If you fit the bill, then you can go ahead and apply to become a contributor. Just keep in mind that it can take a while before you hear back from them. So, if you want to earn immediately, this is not a good option.

You are better off finding other ways to earn extra cash.

Now, if you are looking to earn a full-time income online completely on your own terms, then one of your best options is to set up your own online business and just write for yourself. For that, you can check out this guide on how to build your online business.

It will teach you how to set up an online business from the ground up, so you can earn a full-time income online.

If you have any comments, questions, or experiences with Taste of Cinema, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.