10 Exciting Ways To Get Paid To Watch Movies & TV Shows
How would you like to get paid to watch movies?
While it sounds too good to be true, there are indeed legit ways to earn money just by watching movies, movie trailers, and TV shows.
But you might be thinking:
How much money can you earn watching movies?
During publication of this article, you can earn anywhere between a few cents to hundreds of dollars by watching movies.
And guess what? Some of the popular ways you can get paid to watch a movie are among the best-paying side hustles today.
So without any more delays, below are the 10 different ways movie lovers can get paid to watch movies.
How to Make Money Watching Movies
| Different Ways To Get Paid To Watch Movies | Potential Income (Average) |
| Freelance Closed Captioner | $1 to $15 per hour |
| Netflix Tagger | $25 to $30 per hour |
| Start a Movie Blog | $23 per hour |
| Movie Review YouTube Channel | $29 per hour |
| Movie Podcast | $35 per hour |
| Watch Movie Trailer on Mobile Apps | Few cents up to a few dollars |
| Movie Focus Group | $20 to $200 per session |
| Movie Mystery Shopper | $10 to $40 per hour |
| Professional Film Critic | $42,876 annually |
| Movie Theater Employee | $13 per hour |
1. Work as a Freelance Closed Captioner
One of the best ways you can get paid to watch movies at home is by getting a part-time or full-time job as a freelance online closed captioner.
As a closed captioner, your task will be to add text and subtitles for movies and videos which will provide additional or interpretive information to audiences.
This option is especially great if you’re bilingual and can speak multiple languages.
But don’t worry if you are not bilingual.
Although being able to speak and understand multiple languages is a plus, you can stick to writing English subtitles for English movies and still get paid.
One of the best perks in working as a closed captioner is that you will be able to watch movies and other videos before they are released to the general public.
And in most cases, you’ll also be able to watch them several times to ensure you get the captions correct.
However, a good closed captioner needs to be more than just a movie lover. You also need to be able to type fast and accurately.
How much can you earn?
According to some sources, closed captioning rates can range from $1 per minute to $15 per minute.
How to get started?
Some of the best places to find a closed captioner job includes:
2. Become a Netflix Tagger
If you are often binge-watching Netflix shows, then you can consider getting paid for it by becoming a Netflix Tagger.
What’s a Netflix movie tagger, you ask?
Netflix Taggers are people who are paid to watch movies and shows on Netflix and label (categorize) them appropriately from genre, cast, language, and others.
The actual Netflix job board posting states that your primary task involves tagging, rating, researching, and enhancing metadata for the Netflix Originals catalogue as well as collaborating on special projects.
How much can you earn?
According to some sources, taggers can expect to be paid between $25 and $30 for their work.
However, your potential income as a Netflix Tagger highly depends on experience and other factors.
How to get started?
Proficiency in a second language beyond English is mandatory if you want to get paid to watch movies on Netflix, making it an excellent side hustle for bilinguals.
Furthermore, you must be passionate about movies and TV shows, have a deep knowledge of the entertainment industry, and 18 years of age to apply.
To learn more on how to become a Netflix Tagger and get paid to watch movies and your favorite shows on their platform, visit the Netflix website.
3. Start your own Movie Blog
While some people like the idea of working for other companies and businesses, there are also those that have entrepreneurial spirits and would rather make money as their own boss.
If this is you, then starting a movie review blog can be the way for you to get paid to watch movies!
Having a movie blog allows you to have a platform where you can share your point of view and honest thoughts regarding various movies.
However, you must remain unbiased and call out movies for what they are, good or bad.
This way, your blog can grow and become a trustworthy place where people online can go if they’re looking for honest movie reviews.
Some of the most successful movie review blogs are Little White Lies and Movie Blogger.
How much can you earn?
On average, successful bloggers earn around $23 per hour.
But what invites many people to start blogging is the fact that there are many ways to make money with a blog.
Bloggers can earn money by joining advertisement networks, affiliate marketing, publishing sponsored blog posts, selling merch, offering coaching services, and more.
And yes, it is possible to make money with a blog even as a complete beginner!
How to get started?
Contrary to what some people believe, starting a blog from scratch has become very easy these days. You can have a blog up and running within minutes!
Feel free to visit our complete guide on how to start a blog for beginners.
4. Start A Movie Review YouTube Channel
Starting a YouTube channel is another great way for people who have a passion for watching movies to make money online.
As a YouTuber, you will record videos and provide useful information about certain topics, in this case, about movies.
And don’t worry if you don’t want to record yourself on camera because you can create YouTube videos without showing your face.
Two of the most successful YouTube channels for movie lovers are CinemaWins and Cinema Therapy, both have millions of subscribers.
How much can you earn?
Successful YouTubers earn an average of $29 per hour.
And like blogging, you can make money with a YouTube channel by promoting affiliate products, joining ads networks, sponsorship, and selling merch.
How to get started?
Create an account on YouTube using your Gmail. You can also use your existing YouTube account if you already have one.
Then, sign in to YouTube, create a channel, and start uploading your videos.
5. Start a Movie Podcast
Here’s an interesting idea. How would you like to get paid by simply talking about your favorite movies and TV shows?
Yes? Then you can consider starting your own movie podcast.
Having your own movie podcast allows you not just to do movie reviews but even do analysis of the message a movie wants to convey, make predictions if a movie sequel is viable, and more.
Another great thing about having a podcast is you get to discuss movies with other film buffs.
Some of the most popular movie podcasts today include The Rewatchables, You Must Remember This, and Scriptnotes.
Is podcasting for you?
Podcasting is best suited for individuals who are open minded and genuinely enjoy having analytical and informative discussions about movies and films with other people.
How much can you earn?
Successful podcasters earn around $35 per hour.
And similar to blogging and having a YouTube channel, you can make money with a podcast by:
- Getting sponsorships
- Promoting affiliate products
- Selling online courses or exclusive content
- Selling merch
- Offer private coaching
- Asking for donations
How to get started?
You will need a studio or room where you will record your podcast. You will also need a computer, camera, microphones, headset, and lighting.
As for the online platform, you can create an account on Spotify, Stitcher, Audible, or Google Podcasts.
You can also host your podcast on your own blog or YouTube channel.
6. Watch Movie Trailers on Mobile Apps
There are apps today that will let you earn money by watching movie trailers.
And while you won’t make as much money watching movie trailers as watching actual movies…
These apps provide a unique side hustle to anyone who wants to make some extra money during their spare time.
You can also install these apps for free on your mobile phone and you can use them whenever and wherever you are as long as you have access to the Internet.
So if you have a computer or smartphone, a stable internet connection, and if you have nothing better to do during your spare time, try making money watching movie trailers.
How much can you earn?
Most apps will pay you a few cents up to a few dollars for watching movie trailers and certain video clips on their platform.
What Apps Pay You to Watch Movies?
Below are the most popular apps that pay users real cash to watch movie trailers.
- Viggle
- AppTrailers
- MyPoints
- The Nielsen Computer Company
- Swagbucks (one of the best ways to get paid reading emails)
- InboxDollars
- Perk.TV (Has shut down since December 1, 2019)
7. Join a Movie Focus Group
Members of a movie focus group get to watch early movie, short films, and TV show releases to provide valuable feedback to film makers.
As if that isn’t cool enough for any movie buff, members of movie focus groups are also paid!
How much can you earn?
You can earn anywhere from $20 to $200 per session by joining focus group studies.
How to get started?
Below are some of the best website where you can find a suitable movie focus group:
However, finding a movie focus group can be hard and its viability highly depends on your location and the screenings going on in your area.
8. Get Paid as a Movie Mystery Shopper
Most people don’t know that you can be a movie mystery shopper and earn extra income to watch movies.
Movie mystery shoppers (aka theatre checker) visit movie theaters and perform in-theater checks.
In most cases, mystery shopping companies will ask you about a particular theater’s performance, including how clean is the theater, are the staff treating customers well, are the seats comfortable, and more.
Basically, you are paid to evaluate the overall customer’s experience in a theater.
How much can you earn?
You easily earn anything ranging from $10-$40 per hour as a movie mystery shopper.
And the best part? You get to watch movies for free, sometimes you might even be able to get free drinks and snacks!
How to get started?
Some companies that hire people to work as mystery shoppers are:
9. Become a Professional Film Critic
Becoming a professional movie critic is considered to be the ultimate way to get paid to watch movies.
As a professional movie critic, you get to enjoy a lot of perks, including invitations to movie festivals, sneak previews, and the opportunity to watch films and TV shows in advance before their release date.
Besides getting paid a lot of money, distinguished movie critics are well respected and are treated like celebrities in the movie industry.
How much can you earn?
Based on the data from Comparably, the average movie critic in the US makes $42,876 annually.
How to get started?
Most movie critic job listings require you to have a four-year journalism or English degree. That being said, there are ways to become a movie critic without college.
Click here to find out how you can become a professional movie critic.
10. Get a Job at your local Movie Theater
And finally, you can get paid to watch movies by working in an actual movie theater.
You can work as a staff in the front lobby, usher, ticket checker, tech support, maintenance, or janitor, whichever position fits your skills and abilities.
Working in theaters seems like an obvious choice for people who want to get paid to watch movies.
However, this isn’t often the case as most people prefer to get paid to watch movies from home or online.
Furthermore, one downside of working at a movie theater is that in most cases, you won’t be able to focus on watching movies as you will have to perform various tasks and keep the theater in optimum condition for paying customers.
How much can you earn?
According to Chron, the average salary of movie theater employees is around $13 per hour.
How to get started?
Visit movie theaters near you and inquire if they have some job positions you can fill in.
You can also check online job posts or ask your friends if they know of any theaters that are currently looking for additional staff.
The Bottom Line
There are many ways movie lovers can get paid to watch movies today.
You can either work for businesses in the movie industry, install apps, or start an online business.
Pick one that suits your preference best and before you know it, you could be making money just by simply watching movies from home, online, or on your phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get paid watching Netflix?
One of our favorite ways to get paid to watch movies is by working as a Netflix Tagger. Your primary task as a Netflix Tagger would be to watch movies and TV shows on the platform and sort them out based on different criteria.
Which site can I watch movies and get paid?
Netflix, mobile apps, and freelance job platforms provides plenty of opportunities for people to make money by watching movies. Read on to discover a legit way for you to make good money with your love for movies.
How much can you earn watching movies?
While getting paid seems like an easy way to make money, your potential income with this gig highly depends on your skills, education background, and the company you work with. Depending on your clients, you can earn anywhere from a few cents to hundreds of dollars by watching movies.
Is there a job where you just watch movies?
Working as a Netflix Tagger or as a closed captioner are two of the many ways where you can get paid just to watch movies.