Style Living Self Celebrity Geeky News and Views
In the Paper BrandedUp Hello! Create with us Privacy Policy

These two companies want to pay someone $1,300 or P65,000 to watch scary movies

By PINKY S. ICAMEN Published Sep 14, 2021 9:15 pm

Don’t sing those jolly ol’ Christmas carols yet as Halloween is already lurking right around the corner. And while binge-watching horror movies is part of the season’s highlights, why not try to earn some cash while doing so?

These two companies are looking for individuals to indulge in horror flicks, and they are compensating horror movie buffs with $1,300 (P65,000) and more.

Halloween Horror Hustle 

Photo from financebuzz.com

Financial company FInanceBuzz is looking for an individual to record his or her heart rate while watching the “13 scary movies ever made.”

The announcement said: “A horror lover for hire who is brave enough to watch 13 scary movies to find out whether high-budget horror movies deliver more scares than low-budget ones.”

The chosen individual who will take on the “Horror Movie Heart Rate Analyst” position will be hooked up to a Fitbit, which the company will provide, while watching the movies to track the individual’s heart rate throughout the movie analysis.

The analyst will also rank the movies based on his or her prediction of the size of their production budgets.

Why horror movies? According to the company, horror is the most profitable genre regardless of the budget set to film them.

“More often than not, horror movies are scary because of their story… not the budget of the production studio,” it said. “Some of the most spectacular slasher films and terrifying thrillers were made with chump change compared to superhero sequels and well-known franchises.”

Here is the list of the movies that the chosen one will indulge in:

  • Saw
  • Amityville Horror
  • A Quiet Place
  • A Quiet Place Part 2
  • Candyman
  • Insidious
  • The Blair Witch Project
  • Sinister
  • Get Out
  • The Purge
  • Halloween (2018)
  • Paranormal Activity
  • Annabelle

The Horror Movie Heart Rate Analyst will have from Oct. 9 to 18 to watch these films. Aside from the Fitbit, the company will send the $1,300 payment and a $50 (P2,500) gift card for whatever is needed to fund his or her binge.

Applications are due by midnight of Sept. 26. Applicants, who must be at least 18 years old and a resident of the United States, need fill out the application form, which includes a portion where hopefuls are to explain why they are the perfect person for the job.

‘The King of Horror’ binge for one (un)lucky winner

Photo from dishnetwork.com

You can’t talk about Halloween without mentioning the man, “The King of Horror,” Stephen King. 

So for this season, TV satellite provider Dish Network is looking for an individual to watch 13 movies based on Stephen King’s most chilling novels. 

The company said the gig for the “Stephen King Scream Job: Chapter Two,” whose first run took off in 2019 Halloween season, is not for the faint of heart.

Among the tasks of the chosen individual are to monitor their heart rate, log their sleeping pattern, and note down their thoughts before watching each movie. To make sure these bases are covered, the company is also providing a worksheet where they will log the experience.

Here are the Stephen King classics that are waiting for the (un)lucky one:

  • Carrie (original or 2019 remake)
  • Children of the Corn
  • Christine
  • Creepshow
  • Cujo
  • It (original or 2017 remake)
  • It Chapter Two
  • Misery
  • The Mist
  • Pet Sematary (original or 2019 remake)
  • Salem’s Lot
  • The Shining
  • Doctor Sleep

What’s in store for the candidate that will take on the job?

Aside from the $1,300 cash prize, the company is also providing a swag bag worth $350 (P17,000), a Fitbit for heart rate tracking, and a “survival kit” with blanket, popcorn, candy and some Stephen King paraphernalia. 

Those who would like to apply for the gig, who must be at least 18 years old and a US citizen or permanent resident, need to fill out an application form, and in 200 words or less, explain why they are the best fit for the job. (Bonus points if the applicant includes a video showing his or her “Halloween Spirit.”)