Inside Hollywood: A Writer's Guide to Researching the World of Movies and TV (Behind the Scenes)

This is an exceptional guide to all things Hollywood. It is particularly important for screenwriters, but it is useful as well for novelists. It describes the movie industry, the television business, the individuals who create art and entertainment, their culture, lifestyle and language. There is a particularly useful chapter on the process of moving a screenplay from the author's imagination to its actual production and a chapter on the geography of southern California. In addition to its usefulness as a history, a guide and a how-to book, it is also very helpful as a reference book. It is filled with information on Tinseltown offices and institutions, with addresses and phone numbers provided. There are three glossaries of Hollywood terms: professional terms, production terms and slang. This is a book that will enrich the experience of filmgoers; at the same time it is a perfect guide for student writers and aspiring filmmakers. Since it was published in 1998, some of the material is now out of date, but this book tells you what to look for; the internet can supplement it with current addresses and current phone numbers. I would also recommend (as John Morgan Wilson does), William Goldman on Hollywood, Syd Field on Screenwriting and Mike Davis on Los Angeles. He provides a fulsome list of other titles. Check them out.