Why am I doing this?

My name is Ben and I started Screen Addict as the perfect place to put down all my ramblings about the films I watch and the games I play. As an aspiring critic, in either field, what better way to try and put myself out there than a blog to use as a portfolio for all my writing? I have always been told I should project all my feelings onto something like this because those close to me will know that I always have a lot to say! Having been immersed in these industries consistently for a few years, my enthusiasm and passion for each grows constantly. I expect I will only get more and more to say as I learn about my writing capabilities and engage with different experiences.

Why do I have these passions?

With film, I have just finished a degree in film studies and the whole experience has intensified my love for film by some margin. For many years I have loved film and been interested by it, mostly spurred by my A-level course. I also used to have regular film nights with my family However, this degree really forged a connection between me and film. Being able to spew constant film babble among like-minded individuals is the kick I needed to realise how much I like talking about film too. Building my writing skills through the course and things like Letterboxd has naturally lead me to want to become a critic.

Gaming is another story entirely. Ever since my dad brought me home a PSP at five years old, I have been obsessed. It has always been one of my main hobbies and I distinctly remember my first game being Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (2006). When I was younger I also remember watching my Nan play games, most of the time relatively niche and cheesy RPGs such as Two Worlds (2007) or Venetica (2009). Through her, I got into gaming outside of just sports and shooting games and became very into single-player stories of many kinds, particularly RPGs.

If I can take these hobbies further and be able to talk about them professionally then it would make me tremendously happy. Please enjoy my blog and feel free to share your thoughts and keep the discussion flowing. If you have anything in particular to recommend or want me to talk about, let me know in the comments below!