Synopses & Reviews
Two of Hollywood's major players come together to share their insights and anecdotes about the art and business of filmmaking in the twenty-first century. Inspired by the graduate course that they have taught at the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television, Shoot Out is animated by observations from more than three decades in Hollywood.
As Peter Bart and Peter Guber follow the path from the "eureka" of the original idea until the denouement of its appearance on late-night television, the driving force behind the narrative is the ever-present "shoot out" the standoffs and confrontations, entanglements and dilemmas as writers, directors, producers, stars, and agents vie to put forward their own-often conflicting-agendas in the search for the Holy Grail. From the rise and fall of the studio system to the emergence of stars as entrepreneurs to the dynamic role of the independents, Shoot Out draws on a vision of the future as well as the repeated and often unheeded lessons of the past.
Review
"Writing in a direct, refreshing and honest style, Bart and Guber offer an intimate view of the film industry....[T]he book is best at telling fascinating illustrative anecdotes....This isn't a tell-all expose...but rather an informal, highly entertaining step-by-step survey of how all the parts of filmmaking fit together." Publishers Weekly
Review
"In some entertaining asides, Bart and Guber trade off giving short sidebars on famous personalities in the film industry. The result is an insider's view of how some of the most popular films in history were made and subsequently consumed by the public. This will appeal to evolving filmmakers and others interested in learning about the day-to-day process of getting movies into production and up on the screen." Library Journal
Review
"The best book I have read about the movie industry." Larry King
Review
"Elegantly written and passionately argued, Shoot Out is a labor of love by two articulate, insightful, and seasoned insiders an indispensable guide to anyone who aspires to navigate the challenging and often treacherous waters of contemporary Hollywood." Robert Rosen, Dean, UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television
Review
"Hilarious and often informative, Bart and Guber combine their more than thirty years' experience in a tour of this wild, wacky, volatile industry." John Singleton, filmmaker
About the Author
Peter Guber, the founder and head of Mandalay Entertainment, has served in a variety of key executive posts, ranging from head of production at Columbia Pictures to president of Sony Entertainment. He has been associated with many award-winning and successful films, including The Deep, Midnight Express, Rain Man, Batman, and Enemy at the Gates. He has been a faculty member at the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television for more than twenty years, where he established and teaches, with Peter Bart, a graduate course in the Independent Film and Television Producers program.
Table of Contents
Roll Credits 1
1. Eye of the Storm 5
2. The Holy Grail 31
3. The Mapmakers 61
4. The Alchemists 81
5. The Illuminati 109
6. The Zookeepers 135
7. The Golden Rule 153
8. The Crucible 187
9. The Dream Merchants 211
Reshoots 255
Bibliographical Note 263
Index 265
About the Authors 275