Last updated: August 2026
By creating an account, you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions. CriticBridge operates a platform connecting independent filmmakers with independent film critics for paid review services. CriticBridge is a service provider and technology platform only. Critics and filmmakers are independent contractors and are not employees, agents, partners, or joint venturers of CriticBridge or of one another. CriticBridge does not direct, supervise, or control the content, timing, or manner of any critic's review. Fees paid by filmmakers compensate critics for their time, expertise, and professional labor in producing a review; no fee is compensation for a particular opinion, rating, or outcome.
CriticBridge is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of Rotten Tomatoes, Fandango, or any other third-party review aggregator or publication. Any reference on the platform to a critic's "Rotten Tomatoes-approved" or similarly described status reflects that critic's own independently earned standing with that third party, verified by CriticBridge for informational purposes only. CriticBridge does not control, influence, or guarantee any critic's eligibility, standing, or continued approval with Rotten Tomatoes or any other outlet.
Filmmakers agree to: provide accurate submission information and working screener access; pay all agreed review and listing fees in full and on time, regardless of whether a review is later restricted, delayed, or excluded from publication on a third-party platform; respect editorial independence and never request, condition payment on, or retaliate based on a particular rating or opinion; not misrepresent a critic's identity, outlet, or affiliation; clearly specify in the listing any embargo release date or other publication conditions; and not initiate direct contact with critics about assignments, as described in Section 9.
Critics agree to: provide truthful, verifiable credentials and outlet affiliations and promptly notify CriticBridge of any change in Rotten Tomatoes or other third-party approval status; deliver honest, independent reviews within the agreed deadline; not accept assignments they cannot complete on time; comply with the confidentiality and embargo obligations in Section 6; not use the platform to solicit business outside CriticBridge; not initiate direct contact with filmmakers about assignments, as described in Section 9; and grant the limited license described in Section 11.
CriticBridge charges a platform fee on all review payments, deducted from critic payouts. Filmmakers pay a listing fee ($10 for films under 45 minutes, $15 for longer films) and select one of three critic tiers: Reach ($35 per review), Press ($65 per review), or Prestige ($85 per review plus a $10 per review publicist coordination fee). Deadlines within two weeks incur a rush fee of $10 per review. A critic's fee is earned upon timely delivery of a completed, good-faith review meeting the assignment requirements, and is due in full regardless of whether that review is subsequently accepted, restricted, delayed, or excluded from publication by Rotten Tomatoes or any other third party. Each critic is capped at three concurrently active assignments. Once a critic has claimed an assignment and the assignment's due date has not passed, all fees associated with that assignment are non-refundable under any circumstances. CriticBridge's ability to reverse or reassign a critic's claim is limited, discretionary, and not guaranteed, and a claimed assignment in progress may not be canceled for a refund. Withdrawal requests are processed by CriticBridge administration.
With respect to each assignment, critics agree to: not share, copy, record, or reproduce screener links, passwords, or screening materials; not disclose unreleased film content, plot details, or proprietary materials before the film's public release, except as part of the published review; not redistribute press kits beyond the purpose of the commissioned review; and, where a listing specifies an embargo release date, not publish or make publicly available any review, rating, or commentary on the assigned film before that date. Breach of this section is grounds for immediate removal from CriticBridge and forfeiture of unpaid earnings tied to the breach, and may expose the critic to a direct claim by the affected filmmaker as described in Section 7. This section survives termination of a critic's account.
Any breach by a critic of the confidentiality or embargo obligations in Section 6, or of any other listing condition, is solely the responsibility of the breaching critic. CriticBridge does not control, supervise, or direct the timing or content of any critic's publication and is not responsible for a critic's failure to comply with an embargo, non-disclosure obligation, or listing condition. Filmmakers agree that their sole and exclusive remedy for such a breach lies against the breaching critic, and not against CriticBridge. Upon notice of a breach, CriticBridge may at its discretion remove the offending content and suspend or terminate the critic's account under Section 15, but has no obligation to pursue further action on a filmmaker's behalf. This section survives termination of any account.
Payment for a review does not guarantee a positive review. Filmmakers may not request specific ratings, scores, or favorable language. A critic who feels pressured to alter an honest opinion should report the filmmaker to CriticBridge administration.
Filmmakers and critics may not initiate, request, or engage in direct contact with one another regarding any claimed or completed assignment, through any channel, including email, social media, messaging, phone, or in person. Prohibited contact includes requests to change or reconsider a rating or review, commentary directed at the other party about a specific assignment, attempts to build a relationship outside the platform to influence coverage, and solicitation of work outside CriticBridge. This section reflects CriticBridge's own standards for unbiased criticism and is consistent with the conflict-of-interest principles in Rotten Tomatoes' Critics Code of Conduct. Communication reasonably necessary for screener access or scheduling may be conducted through CriticBridge administration. A party contacted in violation of this section must notify CriticBridge administration within five business days. Violation is grounds for suspension or termination under Section 15.
Users may not use, reference, or imply affiliation with any third-party publication, critic, or brand, including Rotten Tomatoes, Fandango, or any film outlet, in any content, marketing material, demonstration, or platform listing, unless that affiliation is genuine, current, and accurately described. Fabricated bylines, invented outlet affiliations, or placeholder content bearing a real third party's name may never be used in any public-facing material without a clear and conspicuous label identifying it as a mock-up. A user responsible for content that misrepresents a third party's identity or affiliation will indemnify and hold CriticBridge harmless from any resulting claim, in accordance with Section 13.
By submitting a review, a critic grants CriticBridge a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to reproduce and display excerpts of that review, not exceeding fifty words, for CriticBridge's own promotional purposes, always attributed to the critic and outlet. This license does not transfer ownership, and the critic retains all rights in the full review. CriticBridge will not use any Rotten Tomatoes trademark, the Tomatometer, an RT score, or RT branding in connection with any promotional use under this section. A critic may request removal of an excerpt from active materials, completed within ten business days; this does not apply to materials already distributed to third parties. This license does not extend to republishing a full review without the critic's separate written consent.
CriticBridge is a platform facilitator. It is not responsible for the content of any review, the quality of any film, disputes between filmmakers and critics, or any third party's decision regarding a critic's eligibility, approval status, or publication of a review. CriticBridge is not liable for any damages arising from a critic's breach of an embargo, confidentiality obligation, or other listing condition, including lost profits, lost distribution or festival opportunities, or reputational harm; a filmmaker's sole remedy for such a breach lies against the breaching critic as described in Section 7. To the maximum extent permitted by law, CriticBridge's total liability will not exceed the total platform fees collected from the affected user in the twelve months preceding the claim. CriticBridge is not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages.
Each user agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless CriticBridge, its officers, and its affiliates from any claim, loss, or expense, including reasonable legal fees, arising from that user's content, conduct, breach of these Terms, or violation of a third party's rights. Each critic additionally agrees to indemnify CriticBridge from any claim arising out of that critic's breach of an embargo, non-disclosure obligation, or other listing condition, including any claim brought by a filmmaker in connection with such a breach.
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or use of the platform will be resolved through binding individual arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association, and not as a class or representative action. Either party may seek injunctive relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to protect confidential information or intellectual property rights pending arbitration.
CriticBridge may suspend or terminate any account for breach of these Terms, including confidentiality or embargo violations, fraudulent activity, harassment, false credentials, violation of Section 9 or Section 10, or any conduct that undermines the integrity of the platform.
These Terms constitute the entire agreement between a user and CriticBridge regarding platform use. If any provision is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full effect. CriticBridge may assign these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets; users may not assign their rights without CriticBridge's written consent. Neither party is liable for delay or failure to perform caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control. CriticBridge's failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver of that provision. CriticBridge may update these Terms at any time and will notify users of material changes by email; continued use after notice constitutes acceptance.