Entertainment 101: An Industry Primer
By Rodger W. Claire Pomegranate Press, Ltd., Beverly Hills, CA: 1999.
ISBN: 0-938817-16-7.
Reviewed by Rochelle Caviness - January 23, 2006
Have you ever wondered what a "Best Boy" is, or does, while watching the credits of a movie roll by? Are you curious about how movie deals are struck in Hollywood? Do you have a TV sitcom idea that you want to pitch to a network executive but don't know the ins and outs of the business? Never fear, Entertainment 101, by Rodger W. Claire, will answer all your questions.
Offering a comprehensive overview of the entertainment industry, Entertainment 101 is divided into six sections each covering a specific entertainment niche. These include film, television, music, theatre, and radio. An entire section is devoted solely to the "New Media" that revolves around the Internet. A component of each section is encyclopedic like entries that describe the jobs and job functions of the various people within the given medium. These entries offer detailed job descriptions of the various 'players' and how they aid in the completion of the final project. For those that just can't wait to read the book to find out, a 'best boy' is a lighting technician that works on the movie set, and is just as likely to be a 'girl' as a 'boy'.
The meat of this book is found in the eye opening essays that explain how the deals are 'made', including information on the astronomical amounts of money that can be involved. As well as historical highlights that explain the changes that have taken place within the entertainment industry, and how those changes have affected the products that are produced. Claire also explains the role played by agents and managers and how they are viewed in each segment of the entertainment industry; both by the moguls and the entertainers they represent.
The entertainment industry is one that is constantly changing, and to compensate for this, a web site has been set up where updates to the book will be posted. This will ensure that the readers will always have the most current information on the industry available to them. In addition, Claire offers his insight into what he thinks lies ahead, both for the newer mediums as well as the old standards like radio and the theatre.
In a clear and fluid style, Claire explains the terminology and inner workings of the entertainment industry, including insights on how would be writers, entertainers and craftspeople can get their foot in the door of this very competitive industry. Even if you are not a want-to-be player in the entertainment industry, this wonderfully insightful guide will help you understand how that industry functions. This is accomplished by walking you, step-by-step, through various projects, such as cutting a record and the publication of an online e-zine. Claire shows how these projects come together, taking you from the earliest moments when an idea is being 'pitched' to the moment when you watch or listen to the end product.
Informative and fun to read, it was hard to find anything wrong with this book. I found the information provided on salaries, and how the 'talent' was paid by the various industries to be extremely enlightening, but what I especially liked was the book's glossary. The glossary explained a host of interesting terms, not otherwise covered in the book. For example, a 'Honey Wagon' is the trailer that serves as the on-location restroom. I've never seen another entertainment book that went into such detail!
