Hollywood Drive: What it Takes to Break in, Hang in & Make it in the Entertainment Industry Eve Light Honthaner 9781138910928

Hollywood Drive: What it Takes to Break in, Hang in & Make it in the Entertainment Industry is the essential guide to starting and succeeding at a career in film and TV. The completely updated second edition features new interviews with industry professionals, information about the changing social media landscape, the wide array of distribution platforms that are available to aspiring filmmakers, and much more. Honthaner's invaluable experience and advice give those attempting to enter and become successful in the entertainment industry the edge they need to stand out among the intense competition.

Hollywood Drive explores the realities of the industry: various career options, effective job search strategies, how to write an effective cover letter and resume, what to expect on your first job, the significance of networking and building solid industry relationships, how a project is sold, and how a production office and set operate. You'll learn how to define your goals and make a plan to achieve them, how to survive the tough times, how to deal with big egos and bad tempers, and how to put your passion to work for you. Although no book or class can totally prepare you for a career in the entertainment industry, Hollywood Drive offers insights, direction, and a sense of confidence.

Eve Honthaner is the Deputy Director of the California Film Commission. Having previously come from a background in production management, she worked in various staff positions and in every freelance capacity from PA to line producer. She worked for companies such as DreamWorks and Legendary Pictures and on films such as Titanic, Just Married and Tropic Thunder. Since 1999, she has been teaching a popular summer course at USC's School of Cinematic Arts called Breaking Into the Film Industry. She's the author of The Complete Film Production Handbook, now in its 4th edition, and is a member of the Producers Guild of America.

"Eve hasn't lost her touch! In this updated edition she's retained her conversational style, making this an easy read as well as the go-to guide for anyone trying to break into the entertainment industry. The book is full of invaluable insights, such as the fact that being successful in this highly-competitive business isn't just about talent and luck, but also about having the right attitude. Hollywood Drive will continue to be required reading for my film and television students and should be for anyone serious about a career in show biz."

-Professor Jerry Gibbs, Curry College, Milton, MA

"Eve's common-sense writing tells one story after another about how our business works and continues to evolve. Her experiences in the real world and passion for teaching has motivated her to craft a book that is a must-read for anybody who wants to understand our business from the inside out. Real stories from real people about how things really work with hundreds of suggestions to keep you focused, motivated and 'driving through Hollywood.'"

-Jay Roewe, Senior Vice President, West Coast Productions, Home Box Office, Inc.

"For anyone seriously considering a career in the entertainment industry, Hollywood Drive is an indispensable resource. Eve takes a pragmatic, hands-on approach, breaking down a complex industry into easy-to-digest segments. Getting a foot in the door can be an arduous challenge, and this book is a godsend!"

-Amy Lemisch, Executive Director, California Film Commission

"I enthusiastically recommend Eve Honthaner's book Hollywood Drive to every aspiring filmmaker who is ready to hear solid truths, helpful hints, an accurate description of the current business, and Eve's rock-solid advice. I believe your time and financial investment will begin to pay off immediately.

This is a wise and practical book for filmmakers who want guidance and structure - whether you are in film school, never went to film school, or graduated ten years ago and are still trying to get your foot in the door. There are specific exercises within the book to help you identify and market "your brand" and understand how to better present yourself, your work and your potential. Eve devotes a chapter to the issue of diversity in the industry, both the shameful statistics AND the ways in which women and artists of underrepresented ethnicities NEED to take their rightful place in Hollywood.

Eve has wide experience of the Hollywood industry and has laid out both her knowledge and the realities in easy-to-read-and-digest chapters. She comprehensively and economically covers the industry, the tools you need to succeed, the obstacles (from without and from within), and many other considerations for making your dream your career. I've been in the business (and a professor) for twenty years, and I was still inspired reading Hollywood Drive!"

-Becky Smith is Vice Chair & Head of Production in the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. Emmy-nominated for directing (her show won an Emmy the same year), she has been working in television and features for over twenty years. She's a graduate of the Directing Workshop for Women at AFI, Stanford Film School and a member of the Television Academy and Women In Film.

"For years, Hollywood Drive has been required reading for my clients and students. It is far and away the finest resource on how to get and-equally important-keep a job in the industry. The level of detail is phenomenally useful, from how to figure out what you're best at, to which notepads to use, to phone etiquette, networking, diversity issues, and everything in between.

Now it's updated with bushels of new information, strategies, and oh-so-necessary pep talks. Job hunting is fraught with peril, and Hollywood Drive is a miraculous guide through the deep, dark woods of starting and maintaining a career.

If I'd had Hollywood Drive when I moved to Los Angeles, I'd live in a much nicer house."

-William M. Akers, WGA Lifetime Member, Author of Your Screenplay Sucks!