Budding filmmakers, television producers, directors, writers, and students get a crash course on the independent production scene in this riveting account of the business and its key players. Now revised to reflect the latest production trends in the entertainment industry, this book is packed with never-before-revealed secrets about the challenging and exciting role producers play in bringing a film or television pilot to the screen, told by two veteran, award-winning producers. Readers will learn what skills and traits they need to succeed as the mastermind behind an independent production, including insider tips on how to assemble and manage a talented ensemble of writers, directors, actors, and crew-members. The book also includes up-to-date contact information for film festivals and foreign distributors, as well as sample budgets, film partnership proposals, and other forms. Aspiring film and television artists will find the practical understanding and insight vital to success.

In Hollywood, it's not just what you know, it's "who you know that counts! With "Writer's Guide to Hollywood Producers, Directors, and Screenwriter's Agents you have the friend you need to succeed in this very competitive industry. In this insider's guide, Hollywood screenwriter Skip Press tells you who's who, what they're looking for, and, most important, how to reach them--by mail, phone, fax, even e-mail. Also included: - Essential information on submission protocols and preferences for hundreds of agencies and production companies - Extensive interviews with key people - How Hollywood works: An A-Z tour - Books, CD-ROMs, and other back doors to Hollywood - And much, much more! "Skip Press has written a book that combines fearless opinions and invaluable hard facts, both of which are hard to find in Hollywood. This book is thoughtfully written, clearly laid out, and of great value to beginners and old-timers alike." --Gareth Wigan, co-vice chairman, Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group "An invaluable resource for breaking into the movie and television business." --Barbara Anne Hiser, Emmy-winning cable and network television producer "[This book is] not only entertaining but a valuable tool for anyone interested in show business." --Paul Mason, Sr., vice president of Production, Viacom "The bonus for any reader of this book is that Skip Press is just a good writer--accessible, clear, persuasive, motivating, and easy-to-understand." --Jerry B. Jenkins, author of the "Left Behind series and "'Twas the Night Before "An insightful guide to the intricate Hollywood network." --Oliver Eberle, founder and CEO, ShowBIZ Data.com Aboutthe Author Skip Press, a novelist, screenwriter, and producer, is the author of "How to Write What You Want and Sell What You Write and dozens of other titles, as well as hundreds of entertainment articles and short stories. He lives in the Los Angeles area.

$50 Billion of Advice in One Book* Have you ever wondered why some books and stories are adapted into movies, and others aren't? Or wished you could sit down and pick the brains of the people whose stories have been adapted--or the screenwriters, producers, and directors who adapted them? Author John Robert Marlow has done it for you. He spoke to book authors, playwrights, comic book creators and publishers, as well as Hollywood screenwriters, producers and directors responsible for adapting fictional and true stories into Emmy-winning TV shows, Oscar-winning films, billion-dollar megahits and smaller independents. Then he talked to the entertainment attorneys who made the deals. He came away with a unique understanding of adaptations--an understanding he shares in this book: which stories make good source material (and why); what Hollywood wants (and doesn't); what you can (and can't) get in a movie deal; how to write and pitch your story to maximize the chances of a Hollywood adaptation--and how much (and when) you can expect to be paid. *This book contains the distilled experience of creators, storytellers and others whose works have earned over $50 billion worldwide. Whether you're looking to sell film rights, adapt your own story (alone or with help), or option and adapt someone else's property--this book is for you.

This little book aims to help you figure out how to get your story told on big screens or small. It offers nearly thirty years of observation of how things happen in the business of entertainment. Dr. Ken Atchity's Hollywood experience ranges from writing to managing to producing; he's seen Hollywood from nearly every angle.

A revealing guide to a career as a film producer written by acclaimed author Boris Kachka and based on the real-life experiences of award-winning producers—required reading for anyone considering a path to this profession. At the center of every successful film is a producer. Producers bring films to life by orchestrating the major players—screenwriters, directors, talent, distributors, financiers—to create movie magic. Bestselling author and journalist Boris Kachka shadows award-winning producers Fred Berger and Michael London and emerging producer Siena Oberman as movies are pitched, financed, developed, shot, and released. Fly between Los Angeles and New York, with a stop in Utah at the Sundance Film Festival, for a candid look at this high-stakes profession. Learn how the industry has changed over the decades—from the heyday of studios to the reign of streaming platforms. Gain insight and wisdom from these masters’ years of experience producing films, from the indie darlings Sideways and Milk to Academy Award–winning blockbusters like La La Land. Here is how the job is performed at the highest level.

By March 2020, the spread of COVID-19 had reached pandemic proportions, forcing widespread shutdowns across industries, including Hollywood. Studios, networks, production companies, and the thousands of workers who make film and television possible were forced to adjust their time-honored business and labor practices. In this book, Kate Fortmueller asks what happened when the coronavirus closed Hollywood. Hollywood Shutdown examines how the COVID-19 pandemic affected film and television production, influenced trends in distribution, reshaped theatrical exhibition, and altered labor practices. From January movie theater closures in China to the bumpy September release of Mulan on the Disney+ streaming platform, Fortmueller probes various choices made by studios, networks, unions and guilds, distributors, and exhibitors during the evolving crisis. In seeking to explain what happened in the first nine months of 2020, this book also considers how the pandemic will transform Hollywood practices in the twenty-first century.

This book provides the in-depth information, exercises, and worksheets that will provide readers with the tools to become successful, enlightened filmmakers. Most novices are unaware of the “business” aspects of the film world or that producing Hollywood films will involve contracts, budget constraints, personnel, scheduling, legal issues, insurance, and safety regulations. Many first time filmmakers spend all their time on their “creative endeavors” and often forget to establish production management strategies or consider business ethics as integral parts of the process. In many cases the result is litigation or insurance problems that can lead to financial hardship and/or the inability to distribute the film. The book includes a companion CD-ROM containing the forms and documents covered in the text. Solutions to exercises and PowerPoint slides are available to instructors.