Today we’d like to introduce you to Dustin Chase.
From the secluded mountains of Western North Carolina, Dustin Chase started writing film reviews for a local video store before he graduated high school. The connection he found helping, discussing and interacting with the moviegoer, whether they agreed with him or not, was invaluable. Unlike many teenage piers, Dustin always knew what he wanted to do. Write film reviews, do entertainment journalism reporting and interview actors.
In 2006, Dustin was introduced to Roger Ebert through world renown local artist Mel Chin. This fueled his passion even deeper. Receiving his bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from The University of North Carolina Asheville, Dustin landed his first on-camera Oscar nominee interview for his final project in the program; it was Jennifer Tilly.
After graduation, he did a year in Los Angeles and was then offered a non-related job in the Houston area which led to a variety of opportunities following his move to Galveston Island, TX in 2009. Texas Art & Film was created with Texas entrepreneur Evan H. Zimmerman, JD, and became a platform to professionally publish Dustin’s reviews. He was then accepted into The Houston Film Critics Society in 2012 and became the film critic for Texas’ oldest newspaper The Galveston County Daily News in 2011. Dustin also did a year-long movie review show “Livin’ Large” on NEWS 92FM with Joe Leydon & Doug Harris in 2014.
Dustin was approached by CW39’s NEWSFIX in the fall of 2014 to be their weekly on-air film critic for a segment called Flix Fix, which aired over 200 episodes. Accepted as a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association in 2016 Dustin continues to attend major film festivals like the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and interview stars like Cate Blanchett and Susan Sarandon. In 2017, Dustin was awarded first place in “Comments & Criticism” from the AP Managing Editors of Texas for his work in The Galveston Daily News.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Coming from the backwoods of Western North Carolina meant I was behind the curve at trying to do what I wanted professionally. I didn’t have a clue how to get there and decided the best way was to let my work or my passion for reviewing movies speak for itself. I never claimed to be a good writer, but it’s my persistence and dedication that typically wins people over. Sacrifice has always been a part of my journey, whether it’s sacrificing time with family, negating friends and relationships, I have always stayed focused on work and the continuous climb.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Texas Art & Film story. Tell us more about it.
Texas Art & Film started as a joint venture then turned into something I needed to take full responsibility of. While TAF is still the backbone, the vault of all my review work, it’s an extension of all my other outlets. TAF still maintains about 10k visitors a month, and that combines with the readership in the newspaper and other various outlets in which my reviews reach viewers, now including RottenTomatoes.com shows that the “Dustin Chase reviews” have continued to expand. I think what sets me apart from other film critics is how I approach film and what I expect from it. I rarely give glowing or positive reviews. It takes a lot to get an “A Grade” out of me. In fact, I have a difficult time populating a top 10 list year because of a lack of “A Grade” films. Typically in a year, I will review and therefore write about 200 reviews. I expect a lot more from cinema because I realize that as a society we are going out to the theater less and less. When someone watches their one movie a month, I want to ensure I have given them all the information they need to choose the best experience. My philosophy is also that film is one of the last mediums of teaching adults new things, so it’s always important for me that a film change the viewer, even if it’s ever so slightly.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck, fate, whatever you want to call it. I think people and circumstances come into our life without the true purpose being revealed until we are on the other side looking back. I took the construction job in Houston as a temporary position, never dreaming that the Houston/Galveston area would be the best combination of North Carolina and Los Angeles. That move was one of the best decisions I ever made.
Contact Info:
- Website: TexasArtFilm.net
- Phone: 8283358890
- Email: dustinchase@texasartfilm.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dustinchasew
- Twitter: @TexasArtFilm
- Other: http://www.criticschoice.com/members/dchase/
Image Credit:
The 2 modeling shots are by Blake Ballard
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