Shoot Out: Surviving the Fame and (Mis) Fortune of Hollywood [Hardcover]

Peter Bart (Author), peter guber (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 9, 2002

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.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Most popular films are the end product of unique, creative filmmaking talent and technical expertise. However, sometimes the personalities involved in the production of a film steer the direction that the film takes. In this book, two filmmaking production veterans, Bart (editor in chief of Variety) and Guber (founder, Mandalay Entertainment), tell stories about the people who have affected the reality of popular film. Their years in the industry give them the wherewithal to relate all kinds of interesting anecdotes about famous directors, screenwriters, studios, and other members of Hollywood film production society past and present. 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. Recommended for media libraries and academic libraries emphasizing popular film. David M. Lisa, Wayne P.L., NJ
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Peter Bart, editor-in-chief of Variety and Daily Variety, has been a reporter for The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. He has played key roles in developing and supervising such films as Rosemary's Baby, True Grit, The Godfather, Paper Moon, and Harold and Maude. He served as vice president for production at Paramount, senior vice president at MGM, and president of Lorimar Films. He is the author of several books, including Who Killed Hollywood? and Fade Out.
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.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Adult; First Printing edition (May 9, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399148086
• ISBN-13: 978-0399148088
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,093,161 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hollywood Campfire Stories, May 10, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Shoot Out: Surviving the Fame and (Mis) Fortune of Hollywood (Hardcover)

I had a chance to hear Bart and Guber speak at the Los Angeles Times Book Fair about this book and to meet them at the book signing afterward. My initial interest was in trying to find out if the stories you hear about guys like this are true. Was Guber really the type of person depicted in Kim Masterss book "Hit and Run"? Was Bart really the most hated man in Hollywood as a recent Los Angeles Magazine article suggested. Was Shoot Out (a loaded title if I ever heard one) the chance for these two guys to launch a full scale assault against their numerous critics? If that's what anyone is expecting (I know I was) you might be a bit disappointed. But it's not all bad.

This book is an interesting guidebook through the process of making movies from A to Z and I have to admit that it was a pretty enjoyable read. These guys have been in the entertainment business a long time and clearly know a thing or two about a thing or two when it comes to making movies. I found many of the stories and anecdotes amusing and relevant not only to "the industry" (in which I toil away at a menial production job currently) but relevant to many business practices in general.

In a way, I respect them for not pandering to the lowest common denominator and writing a Lynda Obst or Mike Medavoy style tell all (in case you haven't noticed I read way to many of these types of books). Shoot Out is not a great book, but for anyone who wants to learn about the true inner workings of Hollywood from two guys who've held a bunch of high level jobs, it is well worth your time...

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book, but great web site, May 18, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Shoot Out: Surviving the Fame and (Mis) Fortune of Hollywood (Hardcover)

Different genre, but this book has a promotional effort on the web that is as significant to the book world as the Blair Witch site was to the movie world. Bravo to the authors and the publishing company for taking the lessons taught in the book and making them accesssible on a completely different scale even if you only have a 56k modem...

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hollywood Spinsters Tell Campfire Stories, June 10, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Shoot Out: Surviving the Fame and (Mis) Fortune of Hollywood (Hardcover)

A terrific must-read for anyone pursuing a career in film or just the civilian Hollywood enthusiast. This book mergers a nuts-and-bolts broad view of how tinseltown operates with two film titans' war stories. Just don't forget that this is anything but impartial, with Guber's personal stories highlighting his victories and skipping over his failures. Bart comes off as having less to gain than his self-championing co-author, who can't help but toot his own horn at every turn. The narcissism notwithstanding, a quick, informative read.