Nick Johnston Email & Phone Number

I've been the film critic and section editor here since 2017. Why do I say that I started in November 2016? I joined as a film contributor then but was soon promoted to the section editor after my first SXSW in March 2017. Since then, Vanyaland has become a one-stop-shop for the film fan tired of the boilerplate they get at other outlets, who enjoy their hard-hitting criticism and breaking news with a hefty dose of humor. As mentioned above, my writing at Vanyaland has been featured in ad campaigns from several studios. My contributions to the site (specifically some of my reviews) have caused our traffic to spike over the time I've worked there. I've forged relationships with publicists, filmmakers, and other writers; I plan and budget all section-related travel; I've worked on our social media; and, of course, I plan and execute specific coverage plans around new releases and anniversaries.

My freelance writing samples live on my Authory page, which is: www.authory.com/nickjohnston. Outlets I've written for include Polygon, Spectrum Culture, Suvudu, The National Book Critic's Circle Awards, and two episodes of the “Badlands” series for the award-winning podcast Disgraceland. I’m also a weekly contributor to The Feed on Star 99.9 in Connecticut.

Watertown, Massachusetts, Us

I managed all sorts of B2C content -- emails, longer-form articles, newsletters.

Boston, Massachusetts, Us

As a part of CSOFT, I crafted original blog content on a variety of translation and localization topics, collaborating with expert linguists in order to make top-flight posts about various subjects across the healthcare, manufacturing and entertainment spheres. I helped maintain SEO rankings for our website while preparing fresh copy for our landing pages, and have worked to strengthen our social media presence. I wrote press releases announcing the company’s presence at various industry exhibitions such as DIA, participated in crafting audio-visual content for those campaigns, and helped to realize our presence at those events and at ones the company has hosted, such as the annual summer soirée. I handled logistics for transportation and set-up and organized various aspects of the company’s move.

Somerville, Massachusetts, Us

I was responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of a high-volume location located near Fenway Park. I operated a register, handled our product, interacted with customers, logged and received inventory, and acted as a liaison between the company and the management at the Food Hall. A bonus perk is that I can make you a Cortado that tastes better than what you can get at Starbucks, as I received Barista Training as well.

Seattle, Wa, Us

I processed user-generated data for a [REDACTED] that you all have probably [REDACTED]. I learned an entirely new type of counter-intuitive house style guide in a matter of days and was praised for my speed and accuracy at transcribing and quantifying said data. For the first half of my days as a contractor, I worked remotely, and, for the second, I worked in an office in the Back Bay. I did well in both environments.

Basking Ridge, Nj, Us

I worked in the Marketplace section of the MIT Bookstore in Kendall Square, which was basically their convenience section. I stocked shelves, managed inventory, assisted customers, and kept an accurate count at the register -- you know, the typical retail experience. I am still proud of the organizational job I did in the storeroom all these years later.

Us

I was one of the last interns to work at the iconic Boston alt-weekly before it shut down in 2013, may it rest in peace. Though I primarily wrote content for the music blog published on the paper's website and did other clerical tasks, I also wrote pieces for the food, film, and gaming sections of both the digital and physical components of the publication. I helped organize yearly features like the "50 Bands 50 States" cover story/large party that we would do, and I even wrote a cover-adjacent story about "The Dark Knight Rises." I learned a lot there -- how to work in a newsroom, the basics of proper journalism -- and I do whatever I can to carry the spirit of that place with me in all that I do,

Fun fact: I know how to thread and operate a 35mm film projector, and I also know how to use now hopelessly outdated digital tech that AMC used in their transitional period from celluloid to full digital projection. I'll bet you a Mighty Marvel No-Prize that you can guess which was easier to work with, and here's a hint just in case: it was the one where you had to lug a giant put-together print on wheels from platter to platter.

Master Of Fine Arts (M.F.A.), Creative Writing

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Majors: Writing, Literature And Publishing, Media Studies / Minors: Ethics And Philosophy, History