Synopses & Reviews
In a
Freakonomics meets Hollywood saga, veteran investigative reporter Edward Jay Epstein goes undercover to explore Hollywoods “invisible money machine,” probing the dazzlingly complicated finances behind the hits and the flops, while he answers the surprisingly puzzling question: How do the studios make their money?
Along the way we also learn much about star system and what makes the business tick:
+ What it costs to insure Nicole Kidmans right knee ...
+ How and why the studios harvest silver from old film prints ...
+ Why stars do—or dont do—their own stunts ...
+ Why Arnold Schwarzenegger is considered a contract genius ...
+ How Hollywood goes about doping outside investors and hedge fund managers ...
+ Why Lara Croft: Tomb Raider is considered a “masterpiece” of financing ...
Synopsis
Investigative reporter Epstein asks: Why is it that even the biggest grossing new movies rarely break even during their theatrical release? The author penetrates the complicated economics of Hollywood to uncover what he calls the studios' invisible money machine.
About the Author
Edward Jay Epstein, who wrote the "Hollywood Economist" column for Slate, is the author of The Big Picture: Money and Power in Hollywood, as well as many other books. He writes frequently for the Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, and The New Yorker, and he lives in New York City. His website is edwardjayepstein.com
Table of Contents
Introduction: Why journalists don't understand Hollywood -- The popcorn economy -- Star culture -- Hollywood's invisible money machine -- Hollywood politics -- The new studio system -- Epilogue: The end of the beginning--or the end?