Making It In Hollywood…By: Bryan Hidalgo and Gail O’Donnell

Making It In Hollywood  Book Review

 

About Making It In Hollywood

LEARN the secrets of how to become a successful actor, screenwriter, director, or producer from the people who’ve made it—and are continuing to make it! Authors Bryan Hidalgo and Gail O’Donnell have interviewed more than 100 of today’s top actors, screenwriters, directors, and producers—including Oscar and Emmy winners—who reveal, in their own words, how they started, how they work, how they got where they are today, and how you can get there too.

The result is a truly inspirational compilation of interviews, with answers, encouragement and guidance straight from the horse’s mouth. Discover where to start, what training to pursue, when to get an agent, how to be your best at auditions, and much more.

In-depth interviews were conducted with stars, creators, writers, directors, or producers of such hit TV shows as Lost, 24, House, The Shield, Sex and the City, Breaking Bad, Desperate Housewives, Hawaii Five-O, How I Met Your Mother, Grey’s Anatomy, Criminal Minds, Southland, Law and Order: SVU, Medium, Castle, One Tree Hill, Boston Legal, Without a Trace, Sons of Anarchy, Dexter, Nip/Tuck, Moonlighting, X-Files, and Oz, and motion pictures such as Twilight, Marley & Me, Hairspray, Pulp Fiction, When Harry Met Sally, Mission: Impossible, Star Trek, X-Men, Serpico, Back to the Future, Spider-Man, Jurassic Park, Mrs. Doubtfire, Catch Me If You Can, The Devil Wears Prada, Forrest Gump, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, True Lies, The Phantom of the Opera, Harold & Kumar, Austin Powers, Eat Pray Love, American Beauty, The Proposal, and Face/Off, among many others.

Sit down with Hollywood’s finest and let them help you start “Making It In Hollywood”!

Save the Children, as the recipient of a portion of the authors’ royalties from the sale of Making It In Hollywood, gratefully acknowledges the efforts of authors Bryan Hidalgo and Gail O’Donnell, and participating industry professionals for their roles in the creation of this book.

Here’s what reviewers are saying about Making It In Hollywood!

“Making It in Hollywood is a must read for all those taking acting classes, or aspiring to “get tape” in the industry. It’s a great gift as a graduation present to those that like to be on the receiving side of the lights, as well as those more comfortable writing or making movies. It’s a book that crosses genres from reference to philosophy, from self help to anecdotal humor. This is an invaluable book for not only people seeking work in the entrainment industry but for fans of the magic of Hollywood. This book is easy to read, filled with actual stories of those who’ve found success and is literally a blueprint on how to build your career. It can best be summed up with the song lyrics from New York, New York, “If you can make it there, you can make it … anywhere.”

MY REVIEW

Are you seeking directions that will land you to a career in Hollywood? Are you overwhelmed with everything involved on your trip to ‘Making it to Hollywood’? Then this book has the answers for you! Filled with advice, direction, suggestions, answers to questions you might have, answers to how others made the trip of their lives. In this book, you will find over 100 actors, screenwriters, producers and directors that have been interviewed by the authors and complied in this book of over 600 pages.

You will hear from actors such as:
Seinfeld’s Jason Alexander;
Screenwriters such as Carlton Cuse (Writer and Executive Producer of Lost);
Director of the movie Ex-Files Rob Bowman;
Todd Black producer of The Back-Up Plan.

You find answers to questions such as:
How did your career begin?
What advice would someone need preparing for an audition? I
s it important for a director to have studied acting?
What are the essential skills do you think a producer should have?
Would you recommend film school for someone interested in becoming a screenwriter?

I have given you an idea of what is in this book. Believe me, it is chunked full of enough questions and answers to keep you busy for a while. The authors did an awesome job of finding the right questions for each job mentioned, as well as finding the people to best answer these questions. In the pages of this book, you will very well see that a career in Hollywood does not come quick and easy. It takes much time and patience during the time you are training for your dream job.

I really enjoyed this book, though I’m not interested in a Hollywood career! It was interesting for me to see how each person’s career begin, and what it took to land them in the job they are now doing. So I not only recommend this book to all who are interested in a Hollywood career, but anyone who is interested in the people who entertain us.

 

About Bryan Hidalgo

Bryan Hidalgo is an entertainment attorney who worked for several years in Business and Legal Affairs for Columbia Pictures, TriStar Pictures, MCA Records, and Geffen Records, before transitioning to private practice.  He is a graduate of the UCLA School of Law.  Prior to his legal career, he performed as a concert pianist, and was an Official Pianist for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremonies.  In addition to serving as an industry consultant, Bryan is currently working on his next book.  He lives in Los Angeles, California.

His latest book is Making It In Hollywood.

Visit his website at www.makingitinhollywood.biz.

 

About Gail O’Donnell

Gail Gradin O’Donnell is an accomplished Hollywood makeup artist. Her artistry has graced some of the most beautiful and recognized celebrity faces in the world on all the major film and television award shows, including the Academy Awards, Emmys, Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild. She has recently launched her own line of makeup. Prior to her career as a makeup artist, Gail was employed by the prestigious Creative Artists Agency, Inc., and has been a personal assistant to Alan Alda. She resides in Los Angeles, California.

Her latest book is Making It In Hollywood.

Visit her website at www.makingitinhollywood.biz.