Writing Movies for Fun and Profit: How We Made a Billion Dollars at the Box Office and You Can, Too!

Though there are a couple of chapters about what you need to include in your screenplay, this isn't a book about how to write movies. Instead, it's a terrific behind-the-scenes look at the often baffling business of making movies in Hollywood. If you're at all interested in becoming a professional screenwriter in Hollywood, this is a fantastic place to learn what's in store for you, and how to really make a living writing screenplays. The irreverent humor gave me a few laugh out loud moments, but make no mistake--this is chock full of really useful insider information. I was very impressed.

I should start by mentioning that I have no interest in writing a screenplay. I do however love The State, Viva Variety, and Reno 911!, so I was very familiar with the authors of this book. Naturally I was dying to read it. It was everything I expected and more. There was tons of humor mixed with some really useful information. My favorite section was probably the chapter on determining if you had made it in Hollywood by where the different studios sent you to park.

Through all the humor, you get a real sense of passion for writing. They don't just do this for money; they write because they feel compelled to. They go through their process of writing an outline, pitching to studios, and then writing the screenplay. There is also a lot of show more useful information about how the studio system works and what to expect from the entire movie making process. I also learned a lot about all the different writing and production credits and the arbitration system with the writing guild. It's all very complex and fascinating.

Clearly if you are interested in writing screenplays, there is a lot of useful information here. Even for us non-writers though, there is so much stuff to learn from this book. Naturally, it's all relayed with tons of humor. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in movies. It is sure to entertain!

Galley provided by publisher for review. show less

A quick wit and a quick read. It's very entertaining and often informative.

More than I probably ever wanted to know about screenwriting in Hollywood. But presented in a funny and approachable way. And reaffirms I would not do well in Hollywood.