Greg Dean Schmitz
Encyclopedia
Greg Dean Schmitz is an American online film critic
known for his movie
news website
, Upcomingmovies.com (1997 to 2002), and its second version as Greg's Previews of Upcoming Movies as part of Yahoo! Movies
(2002 to 2007). Schmitz is currently the weekly columnist of The Weekly Ketchup for Rotten Tomatoes
and a contributing columnist for Fandango
.
, the son of an Air Force weatherman, and as a child also lived in Satellite Beach, Florida
. Schmitz graduated from high school in Westfield, Wisconsin
in 1988, and then moved to Tampa, Florida
, where he received a Master's degree in Library Science from the University of South Florida
in 1995. During his time in Tampa, Schmitz was active in campus activities, which included co-running WBUL
, the largest student-run radio station in Florida, and running for student body president in 1993. After college, Schmitz's career as a public reference librarian began with two years at the Okefenokee Regional Library System in Waycross, Georgia
from 1995 to 1997, and continued at the Oshkosh Public Library in Oshkosh, Wisconsin
from 1997 to 1999.
On August 14, 1997, Schmitz created a Geocities
website called Bookhouse's Previews of Upcoming Movies as a way to avoid having to repeat the same information in chat rooms and message boards when people would ask questions about movies that hadn't been released yet, or that were rumored to be at some stage of development in Hollywood. The site quickly outgrew Geocities, and was re-launched under the name of Upcomingmovies.com in early 1998. By October 1999, the site was earning enough of an income from advertising that Schmitz was able to quit his day job as a librarian. In 2001, Schmitz teamed up with Yahoo! Movies
, bringing the site there under the new name of Greg's Previews of Upcoming Movies. Schmitz also moved to Santa Monica, California
as part of the change, and during his time in California, he co-starred in a television pilot for MGM Television
called The Movie Fan Show, was frequently quoted in publications like USA Today
and The Chicago Sun-Times, and made several radio appearances, including The Howard Stern Show.
In May 2003, Schmitz became ill and was diagnosed with Hereditary Hemochromatosis, a genetic disorder which had been poisoning Schmitz's internal organs since birth, resulting in over a dozen disorders. As Schmitz's conditions worsened, his ability to continue working on the site, which had previously been a 60+ hour job, declined. In 2007, Schmitz's contract with Yahoo! Movies
ended, and online publication of Greg's Previews of Upcoming Movies was halted. Schmitz's health improved, and in January 2008, Schmitz began writing online again as a weekly columnist for Rotten Tomatoes
, and in May 2008, began writing as a contributing columnist for Fandango
.
Film criticism
Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films, individually and collectively. In general, this can be divided into journalistic criticism that appears regularly in newspapers, and other popular, mass-media outlets and academic criticism by film scholars that is informed by film theory and...
known for his movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
news website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
, Upcomingmovies.com (1997 to 2002), and its second version as Greg's Previews of Upcoming Movies as part of Yahoo! Movies
Yahoo! Movies
Yahoo! Movies , provided by the Yahoo! network, is home to a large collection of information on movies, past and new releases, trailers and clips, box office information, and showtimes and movie theater information. Yahoo! Movies also includes red carpet photos, actor galleries, and production...
(2002 to 2007). Schmitz is currently the weekly columnist of The Weekly Ketchup for Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
and a contributing columnist for Fandango
Fandango (ticket service)
Fandango is a corporation in the United States that sells movie tickets over the telephone and Internet, enabling customers to ensure ticket availability and avoid lines at the movie theater.-Services:...
.
Life and career
Schmitz was born in Falmouth, MassachusettsFalmouth, Massachusetts
Falmouth is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States; Barnstable County is coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 31,531 at the 2010 census....
, the son of an Air Force weatherman, and as a child also lived in Satellite Beach, Florida
Satellite Beach, Florida
Satellite Beach is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 9,577 at the 2000 census. As of 2005, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 9,811. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. Schmitz graduated from high school in Westfield, Wisconsin
Westfield, Wisconsin
Westfield is a village in Marquette County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,217 at the 2000 census. The village is located mostly within the Town of Westfield...
in 1988, and then moved to Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, where he received a Master's degree in Library Science from the University of South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
in 1995. During his time in Tampa, Schmitz was active in campus activities, which included co-running WBUL
WBUL (AM)
Bulls Radio is the University of South Florida student radio station. It broadcasts on 1620 kHz on the USF campus and is also carried on the HD Radio signal of 88.5 WMNF and on an Internet audio stream....
, the largest student-run radio station in Florida, and running for student body president in 1993. After college, Schmitz's career as a public reference librarian began with two years at the Okefenokee Regional Library System in Waycross, Georgia
Waycross, Georgia
Waycross is the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Ware County in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 14,725 at the 2010 Census. A small portion of the city extends into Pierce County. According the U.S...
from 1995 to 1997, and continued at the Oshkosh Public Library in Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
As of the census of 2000, there were 62,916 people, 24,082 households, and 13,654 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,662.2 people per square mile . There were 25,420 housing units at an average density of 1,075.6 per square mile...
from 1997 to 1999.
On August 14, 1997, Schmitz created a Geocities
GeoCities
Yahoo! GeoCities is a web hosting service, currently available only in Japan.GeoCities was originally founded by David Bohnett and John Rezner in late 1994 as Beverly Hills Internet . In its original form, site users selected a "city" in which to place their web pages...
website called Bookhouse's Previews of Upcoming Movies as a way to avoid having to repeat the same information in chat rooms and message boards when people would ask questions about movies that hadn't been released yet, or that were rumored to be at some stage of development in Hollywood. The site quickly outgrew Geocities, and was re-launched under the name of Upcomingmovies.com in early 1998. By October 1999, the site was earning enough of an income from advertising that Schmitz was able to quit his day job as a librarian. In 2001, Schmitz teamed up with Yahoo! Movies
Yahoo! Movies
Yahoo! Movies , provided by the Yahoo! network, is home to a large collection of information on movies, past and new releases, trailers and clips, box office information, and showtimes and movie theater information. Yahoo! Movies also includes red carpet photos, actor galleries, and production...
, bringing the site there under the new name of Greg's Previews of Upcoming Movies. Schmitz also moved to Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
as part of the change, and during his time in California, he co-starred in a television pilot for MGM Television
MGM Television
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television is an American television production/distribution launched in 1955 and a subsidiary of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc....
called The Movie Fan Show, was frequently quoted in publications like USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
and The Chicago Sun-Times, and made several radio appearances, including The Howard Stern Show.
In May 2003, Schmitz became ill and was diagnosed with Hereditary Hemochromatosis, a genetic disorder which had been poisoning Schmitz's internal organs since birth, resulting in over a dozen disorders. As Schmitz's conditions worsened, his ability to continue working on the site, which had previously been a 60+ hour job, declined. In 2007, Schmitz's contract with Yahoo! Movies
Yahoo! Movies
Yahoo! Movies , provided by the Yahoo! network, is home to a large collection of information on movies, past and new releases, trailers and clips, box office information, and showtimes and movie theater information. Yahoo! Movies also includes red carpet photos, actor galleries, and production...
ended, and online publication of Greg's Previews of Upcoming Movies was halted. Schmitz's health improved, and in January 2008, Schmitz began writing online again as a weekly columnist for Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, and in May 2008, began writing as a contributing columnist for Fandango
Fandango
Fandango is a lively couple's dance, usually in triple metre, traditionally accompanied by guitars and castanets or hand-clapping . Fandango can both be sung and danced. Sung fandango is usually bipartite: it has an instrumental introduction followed by "variaciones"...
.