Inside Hollywood: A Writer's Guide to Researching the World of Movies and TV »

Discover the history of Hollywood with this close-up look at studios, job profiles, and a geography that details where the stars live, work and play. Packed with charts, trivia and glossaries to help make you a Hollywood insider!

Library Journal

There are a lot of fine "how to write a screenplay" titles out and about, but what makes Keane's How To Write a Selling Screenplay unique is the examination on a step-by-step basis of a screenplay, The Crossing, that the author wrote. The teacher/pupil-type exchange, as you closely examine the screenplay, reads almost as if you were asking pertinent questions in class at just the right moments. Keane discusses each screenwriting point (opening sequence, inciting incident, plot point #1, etc.) as it occurs in his screenplay. This makes for twice the fun as you learn solid screenwriting tactics and get to read a thrilling story to boot! Wilson's Inside Hollywood is an eclectic sampling of Tinseltown, never too much information, never quite enough, but a perfect starting point for anyone interested in the motion picture industry. This survival guide to the biz also comes in a format unlike anything this reviewer has ever seen before. Where else will you find the history of Hollywood, an overview of the movie and television industries, and an examination of various film-related job titles, salaries, etc., while taking a quick look at the city of Los Angeles itself? Both books are well written and are essential for strengthening your movie-writing collection.Marty D. Evensvold, Magnolia Branch Lib., TX