How to Make it in Hollywood [Paperback]

Linda Buzzell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2, 1996

Renowned psychotherapist and career counselor Linda Buzzell is the expert in knowing how to create and develop a career in Hollywood. With this book, she shows you how to look at your personality, your strengths, your weaknesses, your special skills, and your talents in order to target your personal goals and maximize your career success. She then explains all the jobs in Hollywood and how to find them, get them, and advance through each stage in your career.

How To Make It in Hollywood includes everything you need to know about agents, managers, lawyers, the casting couch, chutzpah, schmoozing, networking, Godfather Calls, rhino skin, Power Rolodexes, handling rejection, constant unemployment, and keeping yourself on the track to your dreams when real life keeps telling you to give it all up and move back to Cincinnati!

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The title has an exploitative ring that perfectly suits the material. The basic premise--that talent is not enough--is sound and the execution is thorough. However, the odds against a successful career in Hollywood films are so unfavorable that only those crazed with ambition are likely to "make it," and they are not likely to need a guide such as this. Sections entitled "Dropping by Peoples' Offices Uninvited," "How To Get Through to People on the Phone," and "Shmoozing with the Stars" inadvertently border on satire. The rest of the information found here can be pieced together from newspaper gossip columns. This book should be perused at the bookstore and kept away from the extremely gullible. Not recommended.
- Brian Geary, West Seneca, N.Y.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Linda Buzzell has worked as a production company vice president at Columbia and Lorimar, a development executive for Jacques Cousteau, and an associate producer of documentaries for ABC and PBS.

As the founder and director of the Entertainment Industry Career Institute, she has helped thousands of people in the entertainment industry with both personal and professional issues. She teaches at the American Film Institute and lives in California.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: It Books; 2 Sub edition (February 2, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062732439
• ISBN-13: 978-0062732439
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #351,016 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buying & reading this book = a smart career move!!!!, November 2, 1998

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How to Make it in Hollywood (Paperback)

If you only have enough money to buy one book about show-biz careers, this should be the one! Buzzell brings her background as a career counselor to the table, as well as her stints at various film studios. She knows what YOU need to know and she share that knowledge in an accessible way. I would recommend this book to anyone considering ANY job in the entertainment industry. It's not just for actors or other so-called "talents", it's a must-read for technical/crew people as well.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential for anyone in the entertainment, or creative, biz, September 29, 1997

By 

[e-mail] (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Make it in Hollywood (Paperback)

Buzzell's book is like having a personal career counselor at hand 24 hours a day. This is not about headshots or mailrooms or union dues, but about the self-marketing skills necessary to get and keep working in a highly competitive, volatile field -- and keep sane! She homes in on the critical business skills necessary, including positioning yourself, developing a presence and industry image, tested networking techniques for the creative fields, and much more insightful career planning for all areas of the entertianment industry -- above and below line. She also helps you put your goals, triumphs and falls in perspective; a reasonable, attainable strategy to keep working; and honest cautionary tales and motivational techniques. The secret to "making it" is out. But I recommend this book not only to people pursuing Hollywood dreams, but to friends seeking careers in Silicon Valley or any other field where marketing one's self and "soft" skills (e.g., programming, art, design) are critical. Whenever I feel lost in my career, I go back to this book.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Advice for Any Market!, January 29, 2000

By 

Susan Grisanti - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Make it in Hollywood (Paperback)

A great book for anyone in the entertainment industry, not just the film industry; covers in depth topics such as how to network and how to handle rejection, and how many attempts one can expect to make before securing a position in the industry. Also great advice on entertainment resume writing; I'm already looking forward to the next edition!