Customer Reviews

Inventing The Movies: Hollywood's Epic Battle Between Innovation And The Status Quo, From Thomas Edison To Steve Jobs

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Over the past several years, especially since he wrote a definitive article on the topic for Esther Dyson's Release 1.0, Scott Kirsner has become to go-to guy for insight about where digital entertainment is going. He's got more contacts than a dozen beat reporters and more new ideas than a dozen thought leaders. Inventing the Movies taught this media-watcher quite a bit and even the asides are fun: bet you didn't know there's a brand of makeup called blu_ray. Anyone who wants a firm grounding in the never-ending wars between new ideas and entrenched attitudes should read this.

Subtitled "Hollywood's Epic Battle Between Innovation and the Status Quo, from Thomas Edison to Steve Jobs," Scott Kirsner's "Inventing the Movies" traces the evolution of all the major technological advances in the cinema -- from the introduction of sound, color, and widescreen formats, to digital projection, digital cameras ("filming without film"), and the new business models ushered in by the Worldwide Web.

The book is a fascinating case study in the difficulties of introducing technological change in an industry that carefully guards its well-entrenched business models. While technological progress may appear to be inevitable, the amount of money riding on each major studio release tends to tilt the scales in favor of those who want to preserve the status quo. The fear that a new technology will upset the (very profitable) apple cart runs throughout Kirsner's book, which spans the entire history of the cinema -- from its origins in the late 19th century up to the present.

Full of wonderful details and compelling insights, "Inventing the Movies" is recommended reading for anyone interested in technology, the history of the movies, or how technological change can get bogged down by the fear of undermining the dominant business models in any industry.

I wasn't sure what to make of this book when I picked it up, but it exceeded my expectations. It's a very thoughtful look into innovation and blows away many myths. For example, many think innovation is about an-idea-in-the-shower that catches fire quickly; instead, Mr. Kirsner shows that the road to innovation *implemented* is fraught with opponents, tensions, politics, and fear. Innovation usually involves a gradual "chipping away" campaign. By looking at one industry over a long period of time and analyzing its multiple cycles of innovation, the author provides a very thoughtful perspective as to why entrepreneurship is hard. A must-read for entrepreneurs, I think. And, a fun read, too--I too would love to be invited to George Lucas' house for thought-provoking conversation.

As one who considers himself a dedicated moviephile, I found Inventing the Movies to be both illuminating and entertaining. The wealth of information it offers in barely more than 200 pages is astounding and the manner in which technical detail is interwoven with personal stories keeps one's attention throughout. I would heartily recommend this book to anyone with even a passing interest in the motion picture industry.

Finally, someone got it right.

There are dozens of books about Hollywood's history, and dozens more about the convergence of Hollywood & the new technologies - but none that address each topic in the context of the other.

Only in bringing the two discussions together can any meaningful predictions be made - and that's what Mr. Kirsner has done so well in this book.

A fascinating, quick read.

This was such a great book!I couldn't put it down. It's the first book I've read that really explores the technological history of the movie business, with lots of movie trivia along the way. I particularly enjoyed the story about why Bette Davis didn't want to appear in a technicolor movie. There are ideas and examples in the book that would be useful to anyone trying to introduce new ideas to an industry.

I am a long-time member of the Director's Guild of America and working in Hollywood. I am also an entrepreneur holding an issued U.S. Patent (6,792,411) for a new method of financing movies and the Chairman/Founder of [...]. To me, this book is the definitive work on not only every invention to effect the movie business from Thomas Edison to Steve Jobs, but even more importantly, it shows how the "preservationists" fought the "innovators" tooth and nail to keep them from changing the movie business' status quo.

But this book actually offers much more, as it chronicles the resistance that an entrepreneur faces when trying to implement new ideas in a major industry run by old-boy networks and major corporations (movie studios). The book greatly encouraged me by showing that ANY new and innovative idea is often met with extreme resistance.

As a lover of movies and the movie business, I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone, as it is the definitive work on motion picture history, the changes that took place in the movie business, and the people and inventions that caused those changes.

Gene Massey, Hollywood

Inventing the Movies is really well written, describing with great clarity the history of innovation in the entertainment industry. Kirsner shows the century-long efforts of Hollywood pacesetters to innovate while others preferred to maintain the status quo. The author's extensive use of sources and recognizable theme makes his book compelling for both industry aficionado and the layman alike.

See the blog posting here: http://www.newsoftwarepathways.com/blog/?p=25

Very well thought out and insightful. As an independent filmmaker, and at a time when the industry is going through so much change, I found it to be a very stimulating and relevant read.

"Inventing The Movies" is an incisive chronicle detailing the history of technology in filmmaking. It is filled with fascinating tidbits and facts about the struggles movie innovators faced when attempting to enhance how movies are made.

Scott Kirsner has compiled a wealth of historical facts and he presents them in a wonderfully entertaining manner.

Truly an excellent and quick read. I highly recommend this book to any cinephile looking to understand the evolution of technology in film.