The Bull Sheet #1: Happy New Year!
Bi-weekly news and updates on what's going on at The Bull's Eye.
Happy Holidays, people, and welcome to the first-ever edition of The Bull Sheet, a bi-weekly (I hope!) update on what’s going on behind the scenes at The Bull’s Eye. News, thoughts, reflections, what’s coming up, and a bit behind the scenes—it’s all here. There might even be some general film and TV news too, at least when it comes to topics that interest me.
The Bull Sheet will be shorter, less structured, and a bit more chaotic than what you might have read elsewhere on the site. Where regular articles go through thorough spell checks and refinements, these won’t be quite as polished.
Before we begin, a note about the name. Having the surname Bull (yes, that really is my surname) grants me all kinds of hilarious opportunities, especially when writing in English. I mean, I named my new Substack site The Bull’s Eye, so now, playing on the newspaper term “broadsheet,” it just had to be called The Bull Sheet. You’re welcome!
Right, let’s get on with it. But before we do, I want to give a big thanks to those of you who have subscribed to The Bull’s Eye since I started in November. It really means a lot!
Award Season
As a voter in the Golden Globe Awards, the end of the year is anything but calm and peaceful. You can read my article on what it’s like to be a voter in the Globes here, so I won’t repeat all that, but lately, I’ve reflected on what it’s like to write those articles based on all the interviews, press conferences, and other events that pile up in the last couple of months of the year.
This year, the voting body of the Golden Globes grew to 334 members. I might have been responsible for some of them, having “recruited” the Norwegian film journalist
(give him a follow, folks) during my second year of voting and two Danish guys from Moovy, a website I sometimes write for, the year after.There were… so… many… press events this year. While some of them have already turned into articles, there are several more on the way, including pieces featuring the always charming and neurotic Hugh Grant, my favorite among film composers Hans Zimmer, Nicolas Hoult, and Lily-Rose Depp from Nosferatu, Gladiator II film composer Harry Gregson-Williams, the series creator Jonathan Nolan and actor Walton Goggins from Amazon’s Fallout, and more.
These kinds of articles are great for The Bull’s Eye. Going forward, they’ll mostly be concentrated around the end of the year and the beginning of the new year, that is, during Awards Season, when the press meets the industry.
And while writing them is fun, it’s often frustrating. It’s more like being some kind of “word mechanic” than a writer, as I have to select, organize, refine, and fit all those quotes into the article like some kind of jigsaw puzzle. It’s a lot of work, and while it’s absolutely worth it, I’m ready to begin focusing on other deep-dive articles and reviews soon.
What’s Coming in 2025
Alright, so other than all those interview articles, what’s coming? I have more than that planned for 2025. Lots more.
One of the first articles I have planned for 2025 is another one themed around Middle-earth and Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy. It’s actually an update of an older article that no longer exists online. This piece explores how Peter Jackson’s movies almost never made it to the screen and what happened when they did. It also includes an interview with the film’s Executive Producer
.Staying in Middle-earth, I’m considering writing a long-form article exploring the first two seasons of Amazon’s epic series The Rings of Power. This series, like most films and shows that lean heavily into fandom these days, has inspired, let’s say, some enthusiastic discussions online. I aim to give it the same treatment as my exploration of the Star Wars fandom, which you can read here.
Another article I have planned this year is called “Shivering with Anticipation”, which will explore my favorite cult film, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which has its 50th anniversary in 2025. The article will cover the people and inspiration behind the film, the story, the wildly bonkers characters, and the insane songs they sing. It will also explore the film’s legacy, including live stage shows around the world.
These are just some of the ideas I have for the new year. If you have any ideas you think I might like, feel free to comment below or reach out to me on social media.
Pricing in 2025
While you can subscribe to The Bull’s Eye for free, keep in mind that every article moves behind the paywall one month after it’s published.
Upgrading to a paid subscription gives you unlimited access to all articles, the ability to comment on articles and reviews, and some exciting new perks rolling out this spring.
Starting February 1st, 2025, the subscription price will increase to $7 monthly or $70 annually. If you’re thinking about becoming a paid subscriber and want to lock in the current $50 annual rate, now’s the time—just be sure to subscribe before February 1st.
The Referral Leaderboard
Another way you can support The Bull’s Eye is by spreading the word. Substack has a built-in reward system for this: the more subscribers you bring in, the more complimentary (“comp”) months you earn. I’ve even added a leaderboard at the top of the site so you can see who’s leading the charge and helping out the most.
And That’s a Wrap!
That’s it for now. Thank you again for being part of these first two months of The Bull’s Eye. I hope you’ve had a wonderful holiday season and are kicking off the new year on a high note.
Happy New Year! Until next time!