Meg Shields

Meg has been writing professionally about all things film-related since 2016. She is a Senior Contributor at Film School Rejects as well as a Curator for One Perfect Shot. She has attended international film festivals such as TIFF, Hot Docs, and the Nitrate Picture Show as a member of the press. In her day job as an archivist and records manager, she regularly works with physical media and is committed to ensuring ongoing physical media accessibility in the digital age. You can find more of Meg's work at Cinema Scope, Dead Central, and Nonfics. She has also appeared on a number of film-related podcasts, including All the President's Minutes, Zodiac: Chronicle, Cannes I Kick It?, and Junk Filter. Her work has been shared on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour, Business Insider, and CherryPicks. Meg has a B.A. from the University of King's College and a Master of Information degree from the University of Toronto.
Rango Close Up

Animating Ugly: The Wonderful Weirdness of ‘Rango’

By Meg Shields 

Here’s a video essay celebrating the bizarre imagination of ‘Rango’.

Do The Right Thing Dance

A Brief History of Dance in Film

By Meg Shields 

Here’s a montage celebrating 125 years of one of the greatest artistic team-ups of all time: dance and film.

West Side Story Cops

Revisiting the Police Presence in ‘West Side Story’

By Meg Shields 

Almost sixty years later, ‘West Side Story’ is as vital and relevant as the day it was released.

The King Of Staten Island Pete and Kids

“An Improv for Cameras”: How Robert Elswit Shot ‘The King of Staten Island’

By Meg Shields 

Here’s an interview with cinematographer Robert Elswit on the joys and challenges of blending comedy and naturalism in ‘The King of Staten Island.’

Rev Possum

How ‘Possum’ Uses the Uncanny as a Metaphor for Trauma

By Meg Shields 

What’s worse than doppelgangers, puppets, and spiders? A combination of all three of course.

A Hidden Life Mountain

The Philosophy of Terrence Malick

By Meg Shields 

Here’s a video essay that explains what Terrence Malick’s filmography can teach us about the work of Martin Heidegger.

Honeyboy Image

How to Read ‘Honey Boy’ as an Act of Forgiveness

By Meg Shields 

Here’s a video essay on why ‘Honey Boy’ operates on empathy.

Eli Short Film

Animating a Manic Episode: The Bold, Beautiful Sundance Short ‘Eli’

By Meg Shields 

What we’re watching: a true story that draws from the realms of high strangeness, magical thinking, and manic delusion.

Nichelle Nichols Uhura Star Trek

On Blaxploitation and Breaking Barriers: The Radical Impact of Nichelle Nichols

By Meg Shields 

Representation matters. Just ask Nichelle Nichols.