43 Ways to Finance Your Feature Film, Updated Edition: A Comprehensive Analysis of Film Finance

Book Description

This updated edition of John W. Cones’s now classic guide to independent film financing includes a discussion of new federal laws. Focusing on feature films, the comprehensive guide is also relevant to projects such as short films, documentaries, videos, multimedia presentations, and theatrical endeavors.

Customer Reviews:

A resource for producers new and old.......2000-06-09

How helpful this book is depends on how "green" you are about the film industry. Those with little to no knowledge about film production will find the book resourceful, informative and very "to-the-point" about the different types of financing available. The advantage/disadvantage sections are especially concise--it's always good to see both sides when it comes to deals potentially worth millions. The "further reading" sections at the end of chapter are also handy, if you want to do extra research on your own.

For those who are experienced film producers (or even those who have finished rigorous film producing and/or entertainment business academic programs, such as myself), the information may repeat many things you already know. Many of the strategies in this book I've learned about in producing classes and film financing seminars--and I'm just starting my career. So I'm sure that some seasoned producers may think this book is reinventing the wheel. However, I did think that the sections dealing with the different securities and corporation options were very informative as far as how they impact your tax status, the difference between active and passive investors, how your autonomy as a filmmaker/producer may be affected, etc. It breaks down a lot of tax legalese into layman's terms.

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Sight, Sound, Motion with infotrac: Applied Media Aesthetics

Average customer rating:

5 stars
Best in field
motion graphics professor
Fundamental book on the theory of the moving image
The Filmmaker's Bible of Aesthetics or What Works and Why

Sight, Sound, Motion with infotrac: Applied Media Aesthetics
Herbert Zettl
Manufacturer: Wadsworth Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 053452723X

Book Description

The most comprehensive book on the market, SIGHT SOUND MOTION/APPLIED MEDIA AESTHETICS describes the major aesthetic image elements--light and color, space, time-motion, and sound--and how they are used in television and film. Zettl's comprehensive coverage of aesthetic theory and how that theory can be successfully applied place this text in a class by itself. This edition is richly illustrated with visuals that often draw on traditional art forms, such as painting, sculpture, and dance.

Customer Reviews:

5 stars.......2005-10-10

The book is totally new and under very good condition, and the dilievery time is much earlier than i expected.

Best in field.......2004-12-28

This text thoroughly explains the intricacies of applied media asthetics in a concise and completely accessible way. It is a well organizied text that ehances its presentation through the use of many illustrations. I believe that this is the best text on the subject and that it has been since its first edtion.

motion graphics professor.......2002-06-04

"Sight, Sound, Motion: Applied Media Aesthetics explains the WHY of film and video production. If you're looking for HOW then turn to another book."

I would disagree with the above review. Only by learning WHY first, can we learn HOW later. This book is more than a cookie cutter approach to film and video. If you want to "click and drag" your way through an editing program, then true, this book is not for you. Add this to your collection if you want a book that teaches how to see and create film. Sight, Sound, Motion: Applied Media Aesthetics has staying power.

Fundamental book on the theory of the moving image.......2001-05-20

This was the assigned textbook for my digital video 2 class, and it is simply wonderful. Zettl is a very knowledgable man on the subject of creating images for film, video, and even new media. (Zettl's text Video Basics 3 was used in my digital video 1 class as well) This book lays a solid foundation for the theory behind how and why the viewer perceives the moving image, and how the filmmaker and video producer can create more pleasing and coherent productions.

While the biggest complaint I've heard about this book is it's over-reliance on theory, it still does a good job of contextualizing theory into practical application. Thus the title of the book: APPLIED Media Aesthetics. Although I haven't read any of Eisentien's theories behind filmmaking, I suspect that Zettl's treatment would compete rather well, and is probably more accessible for a modern reader.

This book covers all the bases from color and light, time and space and structuring audio to image. Zettl succintcly deconstructs the intelligent mind behind the images and sound of our cultures film and television productions.

Sight, Sound, Motion: Applied Media Aesthetics explains the WHY of film and video production. If you're looking for HOW then turn to another book.

The Filmmaker's Bible of Aesthetics or What Works and Why.......2000-11-04

This is probably the most important textbook a film production student can have on his/her shelf. NOT for how to work with actors or how to light a scene, but for understanding the underlying reasons of why things work due to our learned aesthetics and Western sensibilities.

Professor Herbert Zettl has written the most concise manual on why we has film viewers percieve things the way we do. He explains in detail (and layman's terms) how our aesthetics have been formed to interpret the dynamic medium of film and television.

How editing of action from shot to shot creates the illusion of continuous motion. How stagelines work so not to give the effect that your actor is jumping around from one side of the scene to the other. How to crop your shot BETWEEN the bodies natural cut-off points (i.e. neck, elbow, waist) to prevent the actor from looking like a disembodied head or torso.

This book is cover-to-cover insights into what we as viewers take for granted when we watch a good filmmaker's work, but may not consider when faced with the daunting task of mounting a film production and the on-set "reality" problems that dominate the filmmaker's mind when shooting a film.

I first read this book when I was in film school twenty years ago. Since then I have directed many professional film productions and I still review it before starting a new one to refresh myself.

Book Description

What's happening to the business of television? Television Disrupted: The Transition from Network to Networked Television will empower you to make informed business, career and investment choices by giving insights into the technologies, business rules and legal issues that are shaping the future. Youll learn about: Time-shifted and on-demand viewing, mobile video, file sharing, interactive and advanced media, advertising, copyright laws, paradigm shifts, parlor tricks and much, much more.

This book will serve as a baseline to help executives, investors or professionals get a handle on the future of television and the role it plays in evolving media.

Table of Contents
1: The Businesses of Television
2: Disrupting Television Using Existing Network Technologies
3: Internet
4: Existing Wireless Networks
5: Emerging Networks
6: Content, Storytellers, Gatekeepers and Related Skills
7: Networked Value Propositions
8: Media Consumption
9: Digital Rights Management and Copyright Laws
10: The Evolution of Advertising and Audience Measurement
11: Emerging Advertising Technologies
12: Television Disrupted

About the Author
Shelly Palmer, Managing Partner, Advanced Media Ventures Group LLC, is an award-winning inventor, technologist, composer and television producer. He is the host of Media 3.0 with Shelly Palmer, a weekly business news show that can be seen on public television and online at www.media30.com. He invented Enhanced Television (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Monday Night Football), the most popular form of interactive television in the United States. Mr. Palmer is 1st Vice President of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, NY. He created and chairs the Advanced Media Technology Emmy Awards which honors excellence in the science and technology of the media business. He is the author of one of the most popular television business news blogs, www.EmmyAdvancedMedia.com and he is a weekly columnist for www.Mediapost.com.

Customer Reviews:

Great book for better understanding the new media world.......2007-03-20

I was very pleased with the vast wealth of information provided in this book. It was easy to understand and covered all aspects of the state of the media world!

Television Disrupted.......2007-02-19

This is an excellent overview of all aspects of the television industry and what it is morphing into. I can see this being invaluable to anyone already directly involved in, or on the periphery of this industry.

It is educational as well for those not working in the business, or those looking to invest in the emerging technologies.

TV disrupted is the most intelligent book on current and future TV biz.......2007-02-11

Television Disrupted is an excellent book, well written and intelligently describing a wide range of complex topics surrounding traditional TV and internet delivered video. It does a particularly good job in describing the recent changes and potential future directions of the television industry.

Working within the software industry serving traditional television, people have frequently asked me what they can read to build their knowledge of the TV business. Historically, this has been a tough question to answer as there have been a few discrete magazine articles that were interesting, but I was unware of any books that were current, accurate, or made sense about the future of TV. Television Disrupted has solved this dilema by providing a great overview of the historical television industry as well as the massive changes that are pending as the television business takes advantage of the opportunities provided by internet delivered video.

Must Read for Media Execs.......2006-12-06

This book is a must read for those navigating the changing waters of the media industry. It contains a comprehensive industry overview, insightful analysis of current trends, thought-provoking predictions....and, it's an interesting and entertaining read as well.

Finally!.......2006-09-15

Finally a book about the future of media from someone intimately familiar with its past and present. Palmer has a unique perspective as both an extraordinary successful creative, and an extremely savvy businessman. The insights of his book were earned by doing, not learned by reading, and it distinguishes his perspective from nearly every other.

Counter Culture: The Allure of Mini-Mannequins

Average customer rating:

Packed with a colorful survey of commercial culture

Counter Culture: The Allure of Mini-Mannequins
Steven Heller
Manufacturer: Princeton Architectural Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1568983042

Book Description

If sex sells, what better come-on for merchants of the repressed decades of the 1930s, 40s, and 50s than the come-hither wink of a coquettish countertop mannequin? In Counter Culture, Steven Heller and Louise Fili take us on a colorful peep show of these sexy, sometimes erotic, but always fetishistic, plaster bodies and body parts. Theirs is a surreal look at how mannequins play on consumers' desires, acting as agents of seduction, beckoning us toward that ultimate act--the consumption of goods. In this entertaining book, Heller and Fili unearth the fault line between sex and shopping--between voyeurism and "just looking"--that underlies much of modern commerce.

Customer Reviews:

Packed with a colorful survey of commercial culture.......2002-02-05

The small-statured Counter Culture by Steven Heller and Louise Fili may too easily be missed on laden shelves, but is packed with a colorful survey of commercial culture examining how mini-mannequins and other counter displays both created art and appealed to consumer interests. Color photos of these mannequins pack the pages.

Average customer rating:

Perfect Introductory Book to Hollywood
Wanted: Hollywood film jobs
But it today!
A Great Book to get started
A Optimistic Joy

Hollywood 101: The Film Industry
Frederick Levy
Manufacturer: Renaissance Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1580631231

Book Description

Looking for a career in the film business? Look no further.Making it in Hollywood is possible. But only if you have a workable strategy. When author Frederick Levy launched his own fledgling career, he didnt' know a soul in the business. But that didn't stop him and it doesn't have to stop you. Hollywood 101 is a complete game plan for getting your foot in the door of the film industry. With fascinating inside stories and advice from key players, it takes you step-by-step up the ladder of success. Whether you aspire to be a producer, director, writer, talent agent, and any other behind-the-camera professional, this is the one book you need to turn your "reel" dreams into reality!

Download Description

More than simply a technical how-to book, Hollywood 101 is full of inside stories and advice from industry leaders.

Customer Reviews:

Perfect Introductory Book to Hollywood.......2007-05-17

I purchased a number of "get into film/hollywood" books and this one was by far the most helpful. While it doesn't have much of the typical career advice (how to write your resume, cover letters etc.), which are better covered in more general job hunting books, it is the perfect book to read to get a sense for the jobs that do exist in Hollywood. If you're interested in the industry, but find it something of a "black box" or are unsure exactly what type of position to try and look for, this book is the ideal starting point. Levy walks through the entire industry, from agencies to studios, to actors, directors, costume designers etc. Given the wide canvas, none of the positions are covered in too much detail, but I think the book ideally serves as an excellent starting point from which to know where to pursue more information.

Finally, the tone of the book is excellent - one of excitement and encouragement. While it's a small point, dry and depressing hollywood career books abound - it's refreshing to find one that's has an enthusiasm and optimism to match your own.

Wanted: Hollywood film jobs.......2007-03-29

The book is great. If you want to get in the to industry (that's what people call the film industry in Southern California), buy the book. It gives a complete break down of all the people that are required to make any movie. So next time when you watch the ending credits, you'll know what a key grip, best boy, art director, first assistance director does and be able to tell your friends as they walk out of the theater asking, "What's a best boy?"

But it today!.......2006-07-23

It was informative and not at all boring. A must-read for those who are new to the Industy. Explains the steps of advancement for nearly every job in the entertainment industry. Excellent resource for goal-setting/ career management.

A Great Book to get started.......2004-07-25

I am an entertainment buff and I thought this book was great for people who want a survey of jobs they can pursue. It gave an in depth look at a lot of the positions in the film business. If you want a general look at the possible jobs, get this book. If you are more interested in television, this book is a great start, but it doesn't say anything about that since its primarly about film so look for another book for further reading. I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to break into the business, it was really helpful for me.

A Optimistic Joy.......2003-03-03

Excellent book about breaking into the "Industry". This book details almost all jobs in the industry and really tells you how to go about securing that job without knowing someone who can help you. You may find that you are better suited for another career within the industry, one you never would have dreamed of. Frederick Levy is a guy who knows his stuff and truly wrote this book to help you succeed with your career in film. He talks about writing a Television 101.......I am waiting!! Although Hollywood 101 was just as helpful! After reading your book, I am more than ever convinced that I shall succeed as well. Thanks Mr. Levy, I look forward to more books on the Industry from you!!

The Perfect Thing: How the iPod Shuffles Commerce, Culture, and Coolness

Average customer rating:

An intriguing read on iPod and its impact
Insightful and Absorbing Read on iPods, Apple, Innovation and Marketing
Cool Device: search wheel, no on switch, the LCD, video, iPhones, fireware, g4, and iTune
Levy Nails It!
Far From Perfect (But Still Pretty Good)

The Perfect Thing: How the iPod Shuffles Commerce, Culture, and Coolness
Steven Levy
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743285220

Book Description

On October 23, 2001, Apple Computer, a company known for its chic, cutting-edge technology -- if not necessarily for its dominant market share -- launched a product with an enticing promise: You can carry an entire music collection in your pocket. It was called the iPod. What happened next exceeded the company's wildest dreams. Over 50 million people have inserted the device's distinctive white buds into their ears, and the iPod has become a global obsession. The Perfect Thing is the definitive account, from design and marketing to startling impact, of Apple's iPod, the signature device of our young century.

Besides being one of the most successful consumer products in decades, the iPod has changed our behavior and even our society. It has transformed Apple from a computer company into a consumer electronics giant. It has remolded the music business, altering not only the means of distribution but even the ways in which people enjoy and think about music. Its ubiquity and its universally acknowledged coolness have made it a symbol for the digital age itself, with commentators remarking on "the iPod generation." Now the iPod is beginning to transform the broadcast industry, too, as podcasting becomes a way to access radio and television programming. Meanwhile millions of Podheads obsess about their gizmo, reveling in the personal soundtrack it offers them, basking in the social cachet it lends them, even wondering whether the device itself has its own musical preferences.

Steven Levy, the chief technology correspondent for Newsweek magazine and a longtime Apple watcher, is the ideal writer to tell the iPod's tale. He has had access to all the key players in the iPod story, including Steve Jobs, Apple's charismatic cofounder and CEO, whom Levy has known for over twenty years. Detailing for the first time the complete story of the creation of the iPod, Levy explains why Apple succeeded brilliantly with its version of the MP3 player when other companies didn't get it right, and how Jobs was able to convince the bosses at the big record labels to license their music for Apple's groundbreaking iTunes Store. (We even learn why the iPod is white.) Besides his inside view of Apple, Levy draws on his experiences covering Napster and attending Supreme Court arguments on copyright (as well as his own travels on the iPod's click wheel) to address all of the fascinating issues -- technical, legal, social, and musical -- that the iPod raises.

Borrowing one of the definitive qualities of the iPod itself, The Perfect Thing shuffles the book format. Each chapter of this book was written to stand on its own, a deeply researched, wittily observed take on a different aspect of the iPod. The sequence of the chapters in the book has been shuffled in different copies, with only the opening and concluding sections excepted. "Shuffle" is a hallmark of the digital age -- and The Perfect Thing, via sharp, insightful reporting, is the perfect guide to the deceptively diminutive gadget embodying our era.

Customer Reviews:

An intriguing read on iPod and its impact .......2007-06-27

Why do people ask for an iPod when they want an MP3 player? Other players hold as many or more songs, and play them just as well. Owning an iPod is more about music than about keeping up with the latest trends. That is why the iPod still holds the top spot in MP3 player sales. Author Steven Levy explores how the iPod came to be and how it earned its status as a cultural icon. Even the book's iPod-looking cover could evoke emotion from an iPod fan. We recommend this book to iPod lovers who will relish its story. Businesspeople, trend spotters and marketers also will gain insight into the way Apple made millions from selling music, machines and coolness.

Insightful and Absorbing Read on iPods, Apple, Innovation and Marketing.......2007-05-31

The iPod has that certain something that leads its users to adore it like nothing before. People want nothing but an iPod. No substitutes even when the non-iPod has more memory, comes in your favorite color and costs over $100 less than an iPod. So how did the iPod earn this special treatment and the ability to compel people to say, "Cool" when they hold one?

A book cover in the disguise of an iPod, albeit on paper, still manages to ooze coolness though it isn't the real thing. Scroll your finger over the cover's button and scroll wheel and you can feel the smooth button extend slightly above the scroll wheel. Apple has established itself as a company that goes all out when creating a product, but there's much more to the iPod story than people realize. The Perfect Thing explores many aspects of the story.

While reading The Perfect Thing, I couldn't help but order an iPod Nano straight from Apple's Web site complete with my name engraved on its beautiful red skin -- as a replacement for my stolen iPod video. I also bought a cover to protect the iPod as I don't like it when my gadgets get marks on them. But then I reached the part where Steve Jobs took offense to seeing Levy's iPod covered up. Because of that, the beautiful red color and the way the aluminum felt -- I took off the cover for good.

The chapters, like iPod's shuffle feature, are independent and don't go in a specific order except the first chapter. I don't know if that's true, as I haven't seen another hard copy of the book.

"Perfect," goes behind the scenes of iPod's launch in October 2001, not the greatest timing after 9/11. "Download" covers the revolution of downloading and digitizing music including codec, MP3s, WinAmp, Napster and the record companies suing. "What makes an item cool?" sets the tone for the chapter titled, "Cool." Can there be a formula for coolness? This chapter teaches great marketing lessons from Apple's design, packaging and advertising of the iPod.

"Origin" returns to the iPod's roots on its development and the things that came before iPod that affected the iPod's creation. There's a reason we use the word podcast instead of audiocasts when referring to audio feeds. "Podcast" visits the formation of citizen broadcasting from CB radio to podcasting.

People judge each other by the clothing they wear, they do the same by the playlists they carry in their iPods as "Identity" delves into the fashion statement of playlists. No one expected Apple to make a comeback, not even when Steve Jobs returned in 2000, and "Apple" touches upon the comeback and how Apple surpassed the market's expectations. The iPod attracts thieves and the earbuds send a message to the public "to leave me alone" as the "Personal" chapter looks back at the Sony Walkman, the white earbuds, hearing loss and how users personalize their iPods.

The shuffle feature scrambles music hence the name for the cheapest and smallest iPod Shuffle. The feature is simple, yet the chapter on "Shuffle" offers fascinating insight into the possibility of a conspiracy behind the shuffle formula. Some people swear that some songs, artists and whatnot get more attention than others do. But everyone at Apple, including the engineers, says shuffle works randomly. Intriguing stuff anyway.

Marketers, iPod lovers, Apple lovers, Mac lovers, business people, technology people, gadget people. The book will appeal to all of them. After all, Levy writes, "The iPod is a pebble with tsunami-sized cultural ripples."

Cool Device: search wheel, no on switch, the LCD, video, iPhones, fireware, g4, and iTune.......2007-03-08

1. iPod will encourage the creation of virtual bookselves: music, movies, and books.
2. When Apple leaders began working on the iPod they saw the project as an enhancement of the Macintosh computer. Apples G4 cube significant reduced the bulky space requirements for desktop computers.
3. iPod changed Apple from a computer company to a consumer electronics company in four years and represented 60 percent of the income from the music related business.
4. Type "iPod" in google and you'll get a half a billion hits
5. By the end of 2005, Apple had sold 42 million iPods from $99 to $599 and had capture 75% market share; iTunes sold more than a billion songs at 99 cents, representing 85 percent of all legal downloads. Apple's stock had increased 700 percent.
6. When people encounter a machine that is easy and fun to use, they like it. The cool factor. IPod is cool.
7. iPod's success is the result of an uncanny alignment of technology, design, culture, and media thrust in the center of the digital age. Ipod makes a dull day come alive.
8. iPod initial capacity astounded consumer providing a 1,000 songs in the pocket.
9. Steve Jobs initial reaction to iPod was, "I haven't picked up any MP3 player that has made me go, `Wow, okay, I want to carry this everywhere I go. OK'. Everyone is going to want to have one of these."
10. Apple dispatched a pair of couier too hand delivered the iPod to a few select technical writers. On launch day the Apple couriers reached Newsweek.
11. Jobs relied on Firewire transfer speeds to make iPod feasible. There were seven and half million Mac users with firewire. Jobs said, "iPod will be a landmark product." Five to six minutes to rip a CD into iTunes and a few seconds to load to load an albums worth of songs into the iPod.
12. Playlist represent the character of the listener. We seem to be immersed in an age of musical voyeurism and musical exhibitionism.
13. Status comes from cool music libraries. "Such libraries distinguish one as a thinking person, a discerning individualist, a lover of fun, a blender of high and low culture, and a bird dog in unearthing undiscovered gems."
14. Learning through accumulation: "The ability to easily compile one's favorite songs in one place may make it easier to accumulate a collection of dazzling obscurities but also increase the capability of those libraries that are less than stellar."
15. At iPod's download headquarters, you can find more than a hundred celebrity playlists.
16. Reformulation: iPod circular scroll wheel search interface allowed searching of large lists, fast. It made the complicated digital music collection, easy.
17. iTunes software from Macintosh was built into iPod. IPod would sync effortlessly with a music library. "It was a recipe for something, well, perfect."
18. Cool is a term that is strong linked to iPod. Levy tells Bill Gates Tablet PC, Microsoft pen-based laptop, in spite of the technical virtuosity of many brilliant people was not cool. Gates replied, "It sounds to me like you're saying volume equals cool." Levy replied, "Profits are not necessarily tied to coolness". Gates challenged Levy to come up with an example of something cool that didn't sell well. Gates said, "In a sense, to be cool, you've got to have high market share. High market share is something that comes after hard work and making the hard decisions." Levy previously had showed Gates the iPod and Gates at the time thought the iPod would sale, but Gates tells Levy, "I knew the music player devices would sell well. And I knew as soon as they got this high volume, you would declare it cool. As night follows day."
19. iPod gives you a feeling your in the tribe.

Levy Nails It!.......2007-01-25

I didn't hold out much hope for Levy's latest effort, "The Perfect Thing". I had found his last Apple-based effort, "Insanely Great", to be decidedly less than, and strongly suspected this would be nothing more than a shallow Apple PR effort. How very wrong I was - forgive me Steven.

In what I think is his most effective, tightly written book to date, Levy combines a strongly personal narrative with great bits about the history of music media. Along the way he offers up a pretty darned comprehensive view of the various facets of the wide and complex subject of digital music - while at the same time painting a vivid, yet objective portrait of the iPod. I actually had to restrain myself from popping over to the nearest Best Buy and shelling out money I don't have to spend on one.

His gimmicky-sounding "shuffle" of the chapters (there are several editions of the book with the chapters in differing order, in a nod to the iPod's shuffle feature) did not become a distraction or a turn-off like I'd feared - although, I can't say it added much. I was struck, however, by how smoothly the book flowed despite the shuffle - which simply emphasized to me how well written the various essay-style chapters were.

I'll freely admit that I'm a big (BIG) Levy fan - but please don't let that fact turn you off. I simply can't find a weak spot in the whole package - and I'm typically pretty hard to please. This is really a remarkable book, that I strongly recommend.

Far From Perfect (But Still Pretty Good).......2007-01-17

People looked at me in a strange way when I told them I was reading a 300-page book about the iPod. "No, seriously. It's a whole book about the iPod!" Steven Levy, author of The Perfect Thing is senior editor and chief technology correspondent for Newsweek magazine and the author of five previous books. Levy is a technophile and over the course of his career has seen many products, many technologies, come and go. But I doubt any new product has aroused his interest like the iPod. Levy is absolutely in love with the iPod and with Steve Jobs, the man responsible for overseeing its creation. This book often reads like a hagiography of the man and his little technological marvel.

Interestingly, the book is "shuffled" so that different copies of the book will have the chapters in different order. While this is a neat idea, and a unique one that fits well with one of the iPod's most popular features, it means that there is no flow from chapter-to-chapter and also that there is some repetition. I can only imagine the logistical nightmare this represented for those who had to edit and proof the book!

In some ways it seems silly to write a biography of the iPod since it is, after all, only five years old (having released on October 23, 2001). It seems akin to writing a biography of an actress like Dakota Fanning. Sure she's a fantastic little actress, is highly sought after in Hollywood, and has already made her mark in Tinseltown (and we loved her in Charlotte's Web), but the fact remains that she is only twelve and her career is only beginning. Surely it would be too easy to write her biography. And surely it is too early to write seriously about the iPod. Then again, the iPod is not going anywhere soon and seems to be gaining both acceptance and prominence so perhaps a book is in order.

Despite displaying more than a little bias (how is this for hyperbole?: "The iPod nano was so beautiful that it seemed to have dropped down from some vastly advanced alien civilization. It had the breathtaking compactness of a lustrous Oriental artifact. It wasn't really much bigger than a large mint left on your pillow at a fine hotel.") this is an interesting and even an important book. The iPod is a significant device that has been accepted and embraced by countless millions of people. It may well come to define a whole generation. And if not that, it will surely speak volumes about a generation. It also represents a technology that Christians would do well to consider. After all, when we listen to our iPods we tend to tune out the world around us. In some ways I think the iPod is representative of the self-centered, individualistic culture we live in. By parking the little white buds in our ears, we can enter a little world all our own. We can turn off and tune in. We can listen to what we want to hear while ignoring everything around us. We can easily allow this good invention to become destructive to our relationships and even to our faith.

I was disappointed that the author spent the vast majority of the book looking at the past and the present with very little time dedicated to looking to the future and attempting to understand what the iPod's long term effects will be. Maybe a philosopher or historian or sociologist would be more qualified to attempt to predict how the iPod will be remembered ten or a hundred years from now. Is it a piece of technology that will be lost to history or will it be remembered as groundbreaking and as a product that changed the world? In the absence of such analysis, the most interesting chapters are those dealing with the history and development of the iPod. Ones dealing with identity, coolness and the personal nature of the iPod are also well worth reading.

One awfully tedious chapter deals with the "shuffle" feature and whether or not it is truly random (the answer being yes and no - no because computers cannot be truly random because they need to have some kind of a starting point, but yes because the songs are chosen as randomly as is possible). Levy decides, and this is true, I'm sure, that the human mind just doesn't cope well with randomness. Thus when our iPods seem to favor a particular song or artist, it is really just our minds playing tricks on us (which, of course, rings hollow when we hear a song for the third or fourth time in a day!).

Despite a few less-than-stellar chapters which seemed to be little more than filler, this was a valuable read as I sought to understand the iPod generation. The Perfect Thing is far from a perfect book (you probably saw that line coming!). Still, it is interesting enough for the most part and raises some interesting questions and concerns. At the very least it helped me understand the incredible, growing phenomenon that is the iPod.

Video Basics (with InfoTrac) (Wadsworth Series in Broadcast and Production)

Average customer rating:

A Great Start
Very Good
great book!!
Superlative
Bad Copies

Video Basics (with InfoTrac) (Wadsworth Series in Broadcast and Production)
Herbert Zettl
Manufacturer: Wadsworth Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0534612458

Book Description

Herbert Zettl has drawn on his expertise and field experience to bring you the new edition of Video Basics, which continues to be the most authoritative, current, and technically accurate student guide to video production. Meeting the instructor's needs for a briefer book, this text distills video basics so they can be covered in a single semester. The book moves students from video concepts and processes to production tools and techniques, and finally, to the production environment (studio or field, inside or outside) and its effects. A more conceptual framework leads the student from the idea (what to create) to the image (how to create) on video.

Customer Reviews:

A Great Start.......2006-03-02

This book is a must for anyone getting into video production. Full of basic information that is conveyed in an intuitive and concise way, plus there is plenty of advanced knowledge to keep you referring back for years to come. Definitely a staple for all video people.

Very Good.......2004-01-24

My boss told me to buy this book, and it is one of the best available book.

great book!!.......2002-08-09

i am an electronic media communications major and this book has been used for a number of years in my school's communications program. video basics 3 has everything you need to know and everything is explained in much detail, yet not too complicated. there are great illustrations throughout the book that are very helpful as well.
i bought this book used from my campus bookstore and i gotta wonder, why would someone return this book at the end of the semester? i still have mine and have re-read it through quite a few times, most definately something worth holding on to!

Superlative.......2002-04-24

This book gives a broad overview of the field of video. It is intended as a textbook for students in a university video course, however, the information that it contains will be valuable for anyone interested in improving their video skills, especially in professional contexts. Since the book is a textbook, each chapter begins with a list of key terms and definitions, and key concepts are highlighted in the text and repeated at the end of the chapter. Each chapter also contains instructions for a lesson in Zettl's Video Lab on CD (not included). The book covers many topics related to professional video production, including the video production process, the video team, video cameras, lighting, sound, editing, and the studio. I found the language to be very straightforward and highly informative.

Bad Copies.......2002-01-30

My copy of the book did not have chapters 3 and 4. I had a chapters 1 and 2 repeated. Check your copy of the book.

How to DJ Right: The Art and Science of Playing Records

Average customer rating:

Awesome...it's a "must have" for every dj...
Good pick and this is why.....
"Show you how to party right"
Everything you'll ever need to know and how to love it
Good laugh and great start

How to DJ Right: The Art and Science of Playing Records
Frank Broughton , and Bill Brewster
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0802139957

Book Description

DJs have gone from being underpaid live jukeboxes to becoming premier entertainers, producers, businessmen, and musicians capable of commanding admiration from thousands and earning serious money. Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton's Last Night a DJ Saved My Life was the definitive history of the DJ. Now they gather their mastery of the artistic and technical aspects of being a DJ into a clear, accessible, and entertaining guide. How to DJ is the perfect guide -- from the most basic keys to establishing a music collection and a distinctive sound, to elementary record-spinning, to the complex skills of scratching, hot-mixing, and beat-juggling, as well as the inimitable art of creating an evening of sound that is perfectly timed, balanced, and unforgettable. Diagrams throughout illustrate phrases, beat timing, and song structure with no reliance on music theory, and resource lists recommend everything from which songs are best (and most fun) to learn with, to good sources for building a library of disks, CDs, and MP3s. For those who want to turn pro, the authors give sage advice on the vagaries of the club and music business. Short quotes, anecdotes, and photos of famous DJs such as Grandmaster Flash and Derrick Carter are featured.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome...it's a "must have" for every dj..........2007-09-26

Although I'm a digital dj and laptop performer and this book is more "turntablist" oriented...I found it very interesting, every page you open has something to teach you...

Good pick and this is why............2007-08-09

I found the book to be very insightful and easy to understand. I would recommend this book to both the beginner and the advanced Dj.

"Show you how to party right".......2007-08-05

Very funny and informative guide to running the turntables. It takes a lot of work to make things happen in a club. This book takes you step by step through everything from how to find the best gear, to how to add special effects, scratching on beat, and making sure you get paid. There are plenty of pictures. The stories from real DJs such as John Digweed, Grandmaster Flash and more are laugh-out-loud funny. Go from dreaming of greatness to moving the crowd, with clues from the best.

Everything you'll ever need to know and how to love it.......2007-03-31

I had DJ'd for years prior to picking this up. Front to back in 2 days. I learned a lot of new technique and cleaned up on some of my old habits. The greatest thing I learned was how to get myself 'in'. I was a bedroom DJ all those years. This book taught me to grab the bull by the horns and show the world what I've got.

That was all great, but the true lesson was not something I learned from the book, but what the book reassured me of and demanded that I maintain.

Love for music.

The consistent undertone was that of a "you are a DJ, you have the duty to show the world this music and take them on a journey through it the way you see best".

If you own a single piece of vinyl or have been collecting for years and stuck in that bedroom, read this. If you've thought about being a DJ and have no vinyl, read this. If you have always wondered what "beat juggling" or "crab scratching" was, read this book.

Peace, Love and Jellybeans!

Good laugh and great start.......2006-11-11

Great book to get you on track if you're a beginner, or to give you a few new ideas if you've been spinning for a bit. Hilarious book, and you're sure to just sit there and laugh, then bust out the tables and try some new slip-cueing techniques. Recommended, highly.

The Big Picture: Money and Power in Hollywood

Average customer rating:

An authoritative, mesmerising read
a good book about recent changes in the industry
The New Hollywood Chicken/Egg Theory Exposed
Interesting book, but a lot of redundant information
Hollywood in the spotlight

The Big Picture: Money and Power in Hollywood
Edward Jay Epstein
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0812973828
Release Date: 2006-01-10

Book Description

In this unprecedented, all-encompassing, and thoroughly entertaining account of the movie business, acclaimed writer Edward Jay Epstein reveals the real magic behind moviemaking: how the studios make their money.
Epstein shows that in Hollywood, the only art that matters is the art of the deal: Major films turn huge profits not from the movies themselves but through myriad other enterprises, from video-game spin-offs and soundtracks to fast-food tie-ins, and even theme-park rides. The studios may compete for stars and Oscars, but their corporate parents view wth one another in less glamorous markets such as cable, home video, and pay-TV.
Money, though, is only a small part of the Hollywood story; the social and political milieus–power, prestige, and status–tell the rest. Alongside its remarkable financial revelations and incisive profiles of the pioneers who helped build Hollywood, The Big Picture is filled with eye-opening insider stories. If you are interested in Hollywood today and the complex and fascinating way it has evolved in order to survive, you haven’t seen the big picture until you’ve read The Big Picture.

Customer Reviews:

An authoritative, mesmerising read.......2007-05-01

If you want to understand how Hollywood became what it is today then this book ticks all the boxes: it tracks Hollywood from its beginnings in the early-20th century and the early part of the book focusses on the development of the big six media corporations in the world and who runs them and why TV and DVD are now far more important to the bottom line than straight theatrical release.

Some of the real examples of Hollywood's incredible loss-making ability are startling: one studio's 'greatest success' actually lost over US$60m, and you learn that the drivers of money and power are not the strong but actually it all boils down to children: what they want and don't want fuels the whole industry.

Fascinating stuff and very easy to read...five stars, no questions asked.

a good book about recent changes in the industry.......2006-09-26

Edward Jay Epstein's book provides an excellent overview of how business has changed in Hollywood since the 1970s. The book will give the reader a chance to think about how the industry moderates its relentless pursuit of money occasionally in order to pursue loftier goals. The book is particular strong in identifying key industry leaders, such as Lew Wasserman, who were able to respond quickly to changing circumstances and to rebuild the studio system in a new form after the rise of television. For a more complete history of the studio system, see Douglas Gomery's recently published book. But this one is a good read and it does a good job of recounting the recent history of the industry.

The New Hollywood Chicken/Egg Theory Exposed.......2005-11-16

Hollywood quality controlled by the bottom line? Gee, what an original concept. The question is, does Tinseltown point its checkbook any which way new media outlet winds blow or does it take a moral philosophical stance in a chaotic evil-is-hip era defined by a fantasy video game role playing culture of death?

Do most films today suck because they're only made for kids? And should it not matter because they're an easy target audience? That's a cop out. In the days of old Hollywood, moguls created demand across a wide demographic spectrum. Only advances in home media in the past 30 years have disaffected the issue of quality.

Epstein's new age filmic disorder tome basically applies cold harsh statistical reality to a cultural traffic accident and doesn't make a reasonable value judgment on what's happening. He's too busy dotting his is and crossing his ts with stat data to care. His beef is to say that's the way it is. Tough cookies.

As such, stating the facts and stressing the obvious is not rocket science when the largest demographic of Americans in 40 somethings are left out in the cold in ageist exclusion. Mature adults would rather stay at home because suits have decided only kids are worth making movies for. So they fear good filmmaking.

Any entertainment consumer with a clue is staying away in droves because the current generation of talent have no brains, style, taste or creativity for anything except that which will appeal to the lowest common denominator. And when the dream machine's quality control chicken is its egg, apathy becomes its own vice.

So don't blame the the demise of Americana on the rise of home video. Instead, blame the missing vision and low IQ of modern media decision makers and end users. Generations X and Y rule the roost. At the end of the alphabet, only Z is left. Does this signal our end days? Take in the latest 50 Cent flick to decide.

If we live in a world where movies and music contain no more important civil messages and merely serve as escapist pastime and we experience societal downfall as a result, soon there will be no bottom line to speak of. A show business peddling dreck to kids while good will falls to ruin doesn't deserve to survive.

The only useful thing this book has to say is that corporate entities make most of their profits in direct home DVD sales. So if you're making a movie, bypass bohemian green lighters who set the substandards and go straight to digital video. Not only is quality old hat these days. Film itself is an endangered species.

Interesting book, but a lot of redundant information.......2005-11-15

This is a good book about the evolution and the workings of the modern Hollywood system. (For summaries, see the other reviews.) I enjoyed the first third of the book a lot, but then it became more and more repetitive. A lot of the information contained in Part 4 ("The Economic Logic of Hollywood"), Part 5 ("Social Logic"), and Part 6 ("Political Logic") had been already presented in the preceeding parts. For example, I don't know how many times Epstein mentions the 29 million USD Arnold Schwarzenegger received for "Terminator 3" - it sure seems like a million times. In the end, you get the impression that the author had access to more detailed information about a limited number of movies (T3, Gone in 60 seconds) and then used them as examples for each and every point he is trying to make. All in all, some serios editing would have turned this really good book into an excellent one.

Hollywood in the spotlight.......2005-11-09

There's no business like show business, goes the old adage. But we now need a clarifier; which show business? The old show business of the 1940s-1950s of the big-budget epics starring the big name stars, or the new show business of DVD's, toys, stand-alone soundtracks, digital piracy, multi-national crews and casts and computer animation...

This book examines the evolution of the Hollywood business throughout the 20th century and into the early 21st century. Unlike other books of the same topic, this one looks at the major players, both individuals and companies, and covers a lot of the technological changes such as the advent of talkies, color movies, VHS, DVD, and the Internet. The book also deals with a lot of the legal / political issues, such as free-agency of actors and actresses, unions and guilds within the industry, copyright laws and intellectual property, and interconnected web that links TV, video, toy sales, franchise names, and company logos together.

The author shows how changes in technology and laws have changed the Hollywood business by changing relations between movie companies and their employees, between directors an