Inventing The Movies: Hollywood's Epic Battle Between Innovation And The Status Quo, From Thomas Edison To Steve Jobs Review

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Inventing The Movies: Hollywood's Epic Battle Between Innovation And The Status Quo, From Thomas Edison To Steve Jobs ReviewOver the past several years, especially since he wrote a definitive article on the topic for Esther Dyson's Release 1.0, Scott Kirsner has become to go-to guy for insight about where digital entertainment is going. He's got more contacts than a dozen beat reporters and more new ideas than a dozen thought leaders. Inventing the Movies taught this media-watcher quite a bit and even the asides are bet you didn't know there's a brand of makeup called blu_ray. Anyone who wants a firm grounding in the never-ending wars between new ideas and entrenched attitudes should read this.Inventing The Movies: Hollywood's Epic Battle Between Innovation And The Status Quo, From Thomas Edison To Steve Jobs OverviewFrom Edison to the iPod, from the Warner Brothers to George Lucas, the story of how the movies became America's favorite form of escapist entertainment - and retained their hold on our imaginations for more than a century - is a story of innovators prevailing again and again over skeptics who prefer to preserve the status quo. Inventing the Movies unspools the never-before-told story of the innovators who shaped Hollywood: how a chance meeting at the Saratoga Race Track led to the end of black-and-white movies ... how Bing Crosby brought you the VCR ... how Walt Disney tamed television ... how a shotgun blast signaled the end of hand-made models and the beginning of digital special effects ... and how even the almighty Morgan Freeman had trouble persuading theater-owners that the Internet wasn't their mortal enemy. Inventing the Movies is an important read not just for fans of Hollywood's history, but for innovators trying to make change happen in any industry.

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Hollywood: The Movie Lover's Guide: The Ultimate Insider Tour of Movie L.A. Review

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Hollywood: The Movie Lover's Guide: The Ultimate Insider Tour of Movie L.A. ReviewI too purchased the original 'Movie Lover's Guide to Hollywood' (and 'New York') and thumbed through them until the bindings gave way. Never before or since have so many locations been compiled into one good book. The writing style makes you feel as if you're with a good friend on your own private tour, and without a doubt it's the most comprehensive guide around. I was thrilled to see an updated version was released.
That being said, I was disappointed in numerous factual errors scattered in this revision. The research assistants were apparently moonlighting at another job-or two-vs re-visiting some of the sites. Many of the errors are laughably obvious.
A few examples are: p.30: the photo of the 'Warner Hollywood' is actually the Hollywood/Mark Hellinger Theater on 51st Street in NYC(the same photo is on page 101 of the original 'Movie Lover's NYC');
p.50: the 'organized walking tours' by the Whitley Heights Civic Association tours were discontinued years ago;
p.69: the entire Hollywood Brown Derby building was torn down, the portion that is noted as surviving is representative of the architectural style of the original, but was separated by a driveway;
p.73; a defunct McDonald's, not an existing Burger King was on the site of the Top Hat Malt shop;
p 232: the Trocadero 'steps' were removed about a decade ago
p 313; Sharon Tate's Cielo Drive home has also been demolished although this is not noted in the text.
I could continue, but you get the drift.
Most disappointing was the glaring typo 'Janice' Joplin on the back cover. C'mon folks.
If you're not the nitpicky fact freak as I am, there is alot of good in this book, the additions of websites and phone numbers help and it's again an entertaining read and valuable resource. Just don't take it 'literally'.
And Mr. Alleman, when you go to update version 3, give me a holler. You're a talented writer and deserve better on the next go round.Hollywood: The Movie Lover's Guide: The Ultimate Insider Tour of Movie L.A. OverviewThe classic guide to who-did-what-where in Los Angeles, on- and off-screen, including:Film & TV locations:the Hollywood Hills house where Barbara Stanwyck seduced Fred MacMurray in Double Indemnity...the funky apartment building where William Holden lived in Sunset Boulevard...the exotic Frank Lloyd Wright mansion that's housed everyone from Harrison Ford in Blade Runner to David Boreanaz on TV's Buffy the Vampire Slayer....the landmark Art Deco former department store that has doubled for a glamorous hotel in Topper (1936) and an elegant nightclub in The Aviator (2004)... the Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street houses... the Seinfeld and Alias apartment buildings... the Six Feet Under funeral home...The Brady Bunch and Happy Days houses...the Charlie's Angels office...the real Melrose Place...and many moreVIP tours:from legendary studios like Warner Bros., MGM (now Sony Pictures), and Universal to movie-star homes like Barbra Streisand's former Malibu compound…Crime scenes and scandal spots:the driveway where Sal Mineo was murdered, the Nicole Brown Simpson condo, the Sharon Tate estate, Marilyn Monroe's last address, the Beverly Hills Mansion where Bugsy Siegal was rubbed out…the Hollywood hotel where Janice Joplin O.D.'d… Plus: Remarkable new museums...Superstar cemeteries...Historic hotels...Hip clubs and restaurants....Fabulous restored movie palaces… Spectacular movie star mansions and château apartments…Taking movie lovers behind the gates of the exclusive, often hidden world of Tinsel Town, Hollywood:The Movie Lover's Guide is the ultimate insider's guide to L.A.'s reel attractions.

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Hollywood Dealmaking: Negotiating Talent Agreements for Film, TV and New Media Review

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Hollywood Dealmaking: Negotiating Talent Agreements for Film, TV and New Media ReviewI work at a Production company and a lot of contracts we hand to outside lawyers, but this is a good tool for me because it goes into details and discusses each point in a contract. This is something I'd love to have had many years ago, when I just got started in the business, and now that I have it, I am learning a lot of new things. There isn't any other book out there- quite like this.Hollywood Dealmaking: Negotiating Talent Agreements for Film, TV and New Media OverviewHollywood Dealmaking has become the go-to resource for new and experienced entertainmentattorneys, agent trainees, business affairs executives, and creative executives.Entertainment attorneys and Hollywood insiders Dina Appleton and Daniel Yankelevits explain the negotiation techniques and strategies of entertainment dealmaking anddetail the interests and roles of producers, writers, actors, directors, agents,and studio employees in crafting a deal. This new edition captures the dramatic changesover the past five years in the film and television industry landscape, with twonew chapters: Reality Television details the sources of revenue, syndication possibilities,and format sales of these shows as well as the talent deals that are made and theInternet/New Media chapter delves in new digital formats such as mobile phones, gameconsoles, video-on-demand, and web-based apps, and explains where today's revenuesare generated, where the industry is headed, and talent negotiation issues. All theins and outs of negotiating are explained, including back ends, gross and adjustedgross profits, deferments, box office bonuses, copyrights, and much more. This easy-to-followreference is packed with expert insights on distribution, licensing, and merchandising.The book's invaluable resource section includes definitions of lingo for acquisitionagreements and employment deals, twelve ready-to-use sample contracts, and a directoryof entertainment attorneys in both New York and Los Angeles. In Hollywood Dealmaking,readers will recognize the key players in the process, understand the "lingo" ofcrafting deals, learn how to negotiate agreements for the option and purchase ofbooks and screenplays, be able to negotiate employment deals for all members of afilm or television crew, understand payment terms and bonuses, and be able to registercopyrights in scripts and other literary works.

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Hollywood Drive: What it Takes to Break in, Hang in & Make it in the Entertainment Industry Review

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Hollywood Drive: What it Takes to Break in, Hang in & Make it in the Entertainment Industry ReviewI attended author Eve Honthaner's class at USC in 2004. Titled "Breaking In, Hanging In and Making It," the class gave me all the skills and tools necessary to make it into the film industry in Hollywood. Her encouragement and burning desire to help people succeed in following their dreams translates well from the classroom to the page. For those who don't have 6 weeks and $2,000 to spend on her enlightening course at USC, this book is a real bargain. If you are serious about pursuing a career in Hollywood, "Hollywood Drive" will teach you the importance of networking and all the other skills necessary to get your foot in the door. Using the tried and true methods of Eve Honthaner, I got my first job in Hollywood with Fox -- and many more to follow. I now recommend this book to everyone who dreams of Hollywood and has the courage to pursue that dream.Hollywood Drive: What it Takes to Break in, Hang in & Make it in the Entertainment Industry Overview

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Entertainment 101: An Industry Primer Review

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Entertainment 101: An Industry Primer ReviewThe book taught me a lot about the fascinating entertainment industry. I reccommend it to experts and novices.Entertainment 101: An Industry Primer OverviewThis street-smart primer covers the inner workings and marketing of one of America's most influential and profitable exports: the industry that churns out motion pictures, television programming, theater, music, and new media. The authors provide a revealing look at the power elite and demystify an often misunderstood industry.

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Hollywood Economics: How Extreme Uncertainty Shapes the Film Industry (Routledge Studies in Contemporary Political Economy) Review

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Hollywood Economics: How Extreme Uncertainty Shapes the Film Industry (Routledge Studies in Contemporary Political Economy) ReviewDe Vany presents a profound and imaginative treatment of the economics of the movie business, one that has implications, not only for similar businesses such as publishing and music, but for our understanding of the dynamics of culture. When Richard Dawkins coined the term "meme" he unwittingly paved the way for tons and tons of sexy but shallow commentary on human culture. Though that is not what he set out to do - "meme" never shows up in the book - De Vany has given mathematical form to the behavior of movie memes and has demonstrated that it is the people who are in change, not the memes.
In the words of screen writer William Goldman, "nobody knows anything" about what happens to movies once they are released to the theatres. Most movies don't even break even, much less make a profit - not in theatrical release, which is what De Vany investigates. [These days, movies make money on DVDs and TV, but that's another story, told by Jay Epstein.] That's no way to run a business, but the problems are inherent in the nature of movies as a business venture. The deep and ineradicable condition of the business is that there is no reliable way to find out whether or not your movie has a market other than putting it on screens across the country and seeing if people come to watch.
Does having "bankable" names on the marquee guarantee that the movie will make bank? No. Does opening big on thousands of screens with PR from here to the moon guarantee that the movie will make bank? No. Does a small opening mean the film is doomed? No. Hence Goldman's remark.
But all is not chaos. Or rather it is, but chaos of the mathematical kind. De Vany shows that about 3 or 4 weeks into circulation movie dynamics (that is, the dynamics of people coming to theatres to watch a movie) hit a bifurcation. Most movies enter a trajectory that leads to diminishing attendance and no profits. But a few enter a trajectory that leads to continuing attendance and, eventually, a profit. Among these, a very few become block busters.
And those few come to dominate the statistics of movie economics. From the point of view of statistics based on the normal distribution those few are movies outliers and should be discounted. De Vany develops a statistical framework - he calls it the stable Paretian model - that gives proper attention to those block busters. The model is stable in the sense that it exhibits the same structure at all scales.
* * * * *
De Vany devotes particular attention to the structure of the movie business. During its glory years the industry was organized by the studio system. The studios owned both the means of production and the means of distribution. Stars, directors, writers, and craftspeople, all were on staff at the studios. When it came time to release films, the studio's distribution system went to work and the films went out to theaters owned by the studios and to independent theaters with long-term booking arrangement. The system worked well.
But in the 1950s an anti-trust action was brought against the studios and they were ordered to divest themselves of their theaters and stop the cozy booking arrangements. The result of that was that was that they lost the stars, directors, writers, and producers - who became independent contractors - and the costs of production went up. And those increased costs were passed on to the movie-goer.
De Vany argues, convincingly, that the studios were not a cartel that drove up prices for their own benefit. Rather, their arrangements, their ownership of theaters, helped them cope with the extreme uncertainty of the business. They had just enough direct control over exhibition practices to stabilize their income so that they could afford to keep the talent on staff. Once that stability was taken from them, they had to let the talent go. And that, in turn, meant that, each time a film was to be made, someone had to go out into the marketplace and put the team together, thus incurring transaction costs that didn't exist in the studio system.
* * * * *
An excellent book. Note that it's thick with mathmatics. But it also has lots of charts. You can read those even if you can't make sense of the equations.
Hollywood Economics: How Extreme Uncertainty Shapes the Film Industry (Routledge Studies in Contemporary Political Economy) OverviewJust how risky is the Movie industry? Is screenwriter William Goldman's claim that "nobody knows anything" really true? Can a star and a big opening change a movie's risks and return? Do studio executives really earn their huge paychecks? These and many other questions are answered in Hollywood Economics. The book uses powerful analytical models to uncover the wild uncertainty that shapes the industry. The centerpiece of the analysis is the unpredictable and often chaotic dynamic behaviour of motion picture audiences. This unique and important book will be of interest to students and researchers involved in the economics of movies, industrial economics and business studies. The book will also be a real eye-opener for film writers, movie executives, finance and risk management professionals as well as more general movie fans.

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Which Lie Did I Tell?: More Adventures in the Screen Trade Review

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Which Lie Did I Tell: More Adventures in the Screen Trade ReviewWilliam Goldman's follow-up to "Adventures in the Screen Trade" follows much the same form as that book. It's intended for an audience of prospective Hollywood screenwriters, but can be equally enjoyed by those interested in frank Hollywood gossip and tales from an insider. Goldman is a perfect tour guide across this terrain, for he loves to teach from his experiences, and is an entertaining and economical writer. Most of this book feels like a private chat with a friendly old uncle who's lead an exciting and adventure filled life.
Goldman starts by revisiting a successful section from his earlier memoir: anecdotes from his experiences writing his most recent work. Tales of adapting his own "The Princess Bride", his love for the material and for Andre the Giant; the good intentioned but eventual failures of "The Year of the Comet" and "The Ghost and the Darkness" (the latter is a good example of how the material can get away from the writer once an egotistical star is on board, in this case Michael Douglas); and how he went about adapting "Misery" and "Absolute Power". This last example was my favourite, for even though the book it's based on was pulp, and movie barely registered, Goldman uses it as a fine example on the problems of adapting, and how you need to be ruthless just to make the thing work. He takes you through his process step-by-step, and the parts where he's racking his brain on how to make the sucker work are tangible in their frustration. Also, there were some nifty Clint Eastwood moments that make you respect the Man with No Name even more.
The second section takes a look at several of Goldman's favourite film scenes (from a screenwriter's point of view), and proposes to analyze why they worked. While his passion for these moments is palpable, Goldman skimps on the analysis. Why was the zipper scene in "There's Something About Mary" so effective? Why does the chess scene in "The Seventh Seal" resonant still? He does a fine job, though, finding the importance of the cliff scene from "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid". But then he should know that one inside out, because he wrote it (Warning: if you have never seen or do not at all appreciate "Butch and Sundance", I'd stay away from this book; Goldman has enthusiastic affection for his first big hit, and returns to it often for examples; I myself love the movie and was glad to read more about it). The best part of this section is his attempt to wrestle credit for the crop-duster scene in "North by Northwest" from Alfred Hitchcock, and give it to the screenwriter, Ernest Lehman. I was convinced.
The third section offers the reader a chance to be screenwriter. Goldman presents several newspaper clippings as examples of possible source material for an original screenplay. He then takes us through the process of molding and shaping the materiel to the demands of the screen. It's pedantic Goldman at his best.
In the final section, Goldman presents an original screenplay he's written to various professional screenwriters, to show the function of a "script doctor" (Goldman's latest and most notorious Hollywood incarnation). The screenplay he's written, a tired detective adventure called "The Big A", is still in process, and it's a treat reading Goldman thinking out loud. He doesn't know where to go with the story at some points, and presents the reader with various possibilities. He's unsure about a scene he's just written, and admits to its inadequacies. He's having problems with character, and admits to that too.
But Goldman is not nearly as hard on himself as those he's solicited for help are. This was my favourite section of the book. On the one hand, the submissions he's received are biting, witty, and malicious in the most entertaining of ways. On the other hand, they full of a variety of great ideas, all of which would turn "The Big A" into a bona fide movie. Tony Gilroy (who wrote "The Devil's Advocate") is particularly effective on both of these fronts; his writing is lovable curmudgeonry at its best.
If Goldman ever decides to finish off this trilogy, I'll be right there waiting. Whether in narrative prose or memoir form, his writing is easily digestible, fun, and most importantly, informative. He wears his passions on his sleeve, and invites the reader to do the same. I was right there with him the whole time, lapping up his nuggets of wisdom. I guess the best praise I have is that everytime I finish a Goldman book, I get the itch to go write a screenplay myself. And feel perfectly equipped to do so.Which Lie Did I Tell: More Adventures in the Screen Trade Overview

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The Complete Making of Indiana Jones: The Definitive Story Behind All Four Films Review

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The Complete Making of Indiana Jones: The Definitive Story Behind All Four Films Review
I am a huge fan of the "Indiana Jones" series, even though I was slightly disappointed with the most recent film. However, this `coffee-table' style book is a classic keeper! Authors J. W. Rinzler and Laurent Bouzereau piece together all the information any fan could want. From the inception where George Lucas and Steven Spielberg first start the process to the final sequel, there's a ton of information here. It's almost comical the way the storyboards are so carefully and accurately drawn and then filmed. The chronicling of the initial three films is a lesson in production where you get the inside scoop from Spielberg, Lucas and the cast and crew, especially the last ("Crystal Skull") film. I particularly liked the section on "deleted scenes" as some seemed like a good idea and others were just plain silly. This book would make a great present as well.
The Complete Making of Indiana Jones: The Definitive Story Behind All Four Films OverviewFrom Raiders of the Lost Ark to The Kingdom of the Crystal SkullThe man with the hat is back–in the definitive behind-the-scenes look at the Indiana Jones epic action saga.When George Lucas and Steven Spielberg put their heads together to create a no-holds-barred action-adventure movie, bigger-than-life hero Indiana Jones was born. The rest is breathtaking, record-breaking box-office history. Now comes an all-new Indiana Jones feature film: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Here's your chance to go on location for an up-close, all-access tour of the year's most eagerly anticipated blockbuster, as well as the classics. The Complete Making of Indiana Jones is a crash course in movie magic-making–showcasing the masters of the craft and served up by veteran entertainment chroniclers J. W. Rinzler and Laurent Bouzereau. Inside you'll find:• exclusive on-set interviews with the entire cast and crew of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, including Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, Ray Winstone, and John Hurt–plus director Steven Spielberg, executive producer George Lucas, screenwriter David Koepp, and the incredible production team that built some of the most fantastic sets ever.• hundreds of full-color images–from storyboards, concept paintings, and set design schematics to still photos from all four films with candid action shots of the productions in progress• an in-depth chronicle of the making of the first three Indiana Jones movies–Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade–including transcripts of the original concept meetings, cast and crew anecdotes, production photos, and information on scenes that were cut from the final films• never-before-seen artwork and archival gems from the Lucasfilm Archives• and much more!Don't miss the thrilling new movie or this definitive making-of opus. It's as essential to fans as that trusty bullwhip is to Indy!

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Adventures in the Screen Trade: A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwriting Review

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Adventures in the Screen Trade: A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwriting ReviewGoldman (whose credits include Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Marathon Man, Misery, and the Princess Bride, and who is also a terrific novelist) was the first screenwriter whose name I recognized as having appeared on the credits of several films. He has since become my favorite, so when I found that he had written a book on the workings of the screenwriter in Hollywood--a town for which I have always had great fascination--I knew I had to read it. Unfortunately, it was years before I finally got around to it.
To give you an idea how good I think this book is, I had read Stephen King's Needful Things (app. 800 pages) in five days and that was at that point my quickest pace. Well, I read Adventures in the Screen Trade (including the full script of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid--a terrific read in itself, and alone worth the price of the book--a total of 600 pages) in two days. I just couldn't put the thing down, and I find that phrase to be a cliche of the most odious order. I was reading it at breakfast, on my commute in, at lunch, the commute out, all evening, and before bed. Goldman writes such a gripping story of his experiences in Tinseltown, that I was drawn in, always wondering what was going to happen next.
Only once did my interest flag, and that was halfway through a screen adaptation of a story presented in the book just beforehand. The story was ten pages, the adaptation forty, so I simply felt at that point that I was reading the story over, it was just longer. However, once I got over that and realized that the point of the exercise was to illustrate the differences in form, I read again with relish.
Goldman writes with a nicely conversational style--but not overtly so--that draws you in to his world. I think that this book would be especially of interest to anyone who wants to write for Hollywood (although you may not wish to continue with that dream after reading this), or any writers in general (as he goes over form and structure that is relevant to all writing), or to a fan of the behind-the-scenes workings of Hollywood.Adventures in the Screen Trade: A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwriting OverviewAs befits more than twenty years in Hollywood, Oscar-winning screenwriter William Goldman's sparkling memoir is as entertaining as many of the films he has helped to create. From the writer of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men and Marathon Man, Adventures in the Screen Trade is an intimate view of movie-making, of acting greats such as Redford, Olivier, Newman and Hoffman, and of the trials and rewards of working inside the most exciting business in the world.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Filmmakers and Financing, Sixth Edition: Business Plans for Independents Review

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Filmmakers and Financing, Sixth Edition: Business Plans for Independents Review*First Impression
**What this book is and what it isn't
***A Reference Book?
****Conclusion
*This is the second copy of Filmmakers and Financing that I own. I bought the 1st ed. fifteen years ago and, at the time, there weren't many books available and the internet was still relatively underground.
What I liked about the 1st ed. is that it served my initial need of needing to know about the many different aspects of the business side of filmmaking. This is by no means a book about how to write a business plan, neither the 1st ed. nor this 6th edition.
**This book is essentially a reference book that explains the many, many terms and conditions involved with the film industry and dealing with the various entities that do business under this umbrella.
As a business major, one of the things we were taught is that a business plan is a structured proposal that has several key ingredients.
-An introduction--where the company introduces itself and speaks of the nature of its business.
-The Goal(s)--both short-term and long-term. How the company will pursue its goals. When the goals will start, finish. The cost and the expected revenue(s) from such ventures.
-Ancillary Markets--These are possible partnerships or peripheral opportunities that may arise from the undertaking of the venture.
-The Budget--This includes charts and supporting evidence to justify the expenditures.
-Conclusion or Closing Statement.
This book has toward the ending chapters a fictional company and some vague charts.
***Brief explanations are presented for the following categories:
The Executive Summary
The Company
The Films
The Industry
The Markets
Distribution
Risk Factors, etc.
10 pages of tables from an imaginary company.
****This book, nevertheless, is an important book because it explains in the most simple manner the terminology of this industry. It also answers general questions pertaining to the marketing and negotiating of contracts.
Not much has changed since the 1st ed and I would have liked for Ms. Levison to use at least one concrete example: show the budget of the feature. Let me see the salaries of the actors. What were the terms that this independent film company negotiated with a major studio. How much profit was made through ancillary (dvd) markets. What is the cost of film processing. Show some typical expenditure reports.
With the exception of the actual business plan another Focal Press book addresses the very questions that is missing from Filmmakers and Financing: I would suggest a more comprehensive look can be found here, The Business of Media Distribution: Monetizing Film, TV and Video Content in an Online World, by Jeffrey C. Ulin.
This book has not kept pace with the needs of independents.
Filmmakers and Financing, Sixth Edition: Business Plans for Independents Overview
The first, most crucial step in making a film is finding the funds to do it. Let Louise Levison, who wrote the innovative business plan for "The Blair Witch Project," show you how. This unique guide teaches you not only how to create a business plan, but also how to avoid common business plan mistakes, so that you can attract and secure an investor. In jargon-free terms, the author leads you through every step. Each chapter concentrates on a different section of the business plan, including the industry, marketing, financing, and distribution. Large format films, new media and shorts are also discussed. The included companion web site features supplementary exercises and spreadsheets so that you get comfortable crunching the numbers--no math degree required! The sixth edition contains completely revised and updated industry data along with updated information on distribution including online and foreign markets. Plus, new interviews and case studies with filmmakers will show you real-world examples of equity investors and markets.

* Includes a companion web site with sample business plans, forms, spreadsheets, and hands-on exercises* Learn from real-world examples with new interviews and case studies. * Rock-solid guidance on how to develop a successful business plans for features, shorts, documentaries and more

Please visit the companion web site http://booksite.focalpress.com/companion/Levison

Registration is required to access the companion web site. The pass code may be found inside the book.


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