Other books that might interest you

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  Reel Facts: Unbelievable Stuff...

  Jeff Lenburg

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  This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice. 
  2023 BEST BOOK AWARDS FINALIST - BEST PERFORMING ARTS BOOK 
  ONLY IN HOLLYWOOD CAN THINGS THIS UNBELIEVABLE HAPPEN 
  As any actor, producer, director, or screenwriter can attest, working in the movie business isn't easy. After Jack Nicholson filmed his first screen test for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, studio mogul Louis B. Mayer politely told him afterwards: "I don't know what we can use you for, but if we ever do need you, we'll need you real bad." In the late 1960s, Paul, John, George, and Ringo–better known as The Beatles–were set to star in a movie version of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy novel, The Lord of the Rings, until Tolkien objected over the loudness of their music. Steven Spielberg snubbed Charlton Heston for the lead role in Jaws believing his "save the day" disaster movie performances would overshadow the movie's real star–the killer shark. 
   What does this unbelievable stuff have in common? Scores of these and other tantalizing tidbits and scintillating stories that really happened to famous film stars and in the movies are meticulously detailed in one fun, fact-filled volume, REEL FACTS. This fascinating, full-color copiously illustrated treasury offers an inside the Hollywood grapevine look at it all—classic movie star rejections, remarkable movie ideas that misfired (or the greatest movies never made), amazing extremes actors have undertaken in preparing for film roles, unforeseen calamities that disrupted or delayed movies in production, fantastic film foolery perpetrated in popular movies on audiences, notable casting mishaps, the worst screen kissers, and much more. 
  For avid movie lovers and film buffs alike, this entertaining chronicle shows filmdom's favorite stars and movies in general like you have never seen them before.

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  Mastering the Philly Accent - A...

  Oscar Stanley

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  This comprehensive audio guide helps actors and language enthusiasts master the distinctive sounds of Philadelphia speech. Perfect for performers preparing for auditions, dialect coaches, and anyone fascinated by American regional accents.
   
  Discover the unique "wooder" phenomenon, where locals transform "water" into something entirely different. Learn the complex Short-A Split System that gives Philadelphia speech its characteristic melody. The guide breaks down distinctive consonant patterns like L-vocalization and subtle R-dropping that create authentic Philly speech rhythm.
   
  Explore how nasal resonance uniquely shapes vowel sounds and understand unexpected stress patterns in multi-syllabic words. Follow along with practice phrases and exercises developed by a dialect expert to internalize these speech patterns naturally.
   
  The course includes contemporary and traditional pronunciations, showing how the accent evolves across generations while maintaining its core character. Build an authentic vocabulary with regional expressions like "jawn," "youse," and "down the shore."
   
  Whether you're studying dialect for acting roles, preparing for an upcoming Philadelphia-based production, or simply interested in American regional speech patterns, this audio resource provides everything needed to convincingly reproduce this distinctive urban dialect.
   
  Keywords: Philadelphia accent, Philly dialect training, acting preparation, regional American speech, dialect coaching, wooder pronunciation, short-a split, L-vocalization

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  Hallelujah Junction - Composing...

  John Adams

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  John Adams is one of the most respected and loved of contemporary composers, and "he has won his eminence fair and square: he has aimed high, he has addressed life as it is lived now, and he has found a language that makes sense to a wide audience" (Alex Ross, The New Yorker). Now, in Hallelujah Junction, he incisively relates his life story, from his childhood to his early studies in classical composition amid the musical and social ferment of the 1960s, from his landmark minimalist innovations to his controversial "docu-operas." Adams offers a no-holds-barred portrait of the rich musical scene of 1970s California, and of his contemporaries and colleagues, including John Cage, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass. He describes the process of writing, rehearsing, and performing his renowned works, as well as both the pleasures and the challenges of writing serious music in a country and a time largely preoccupied with pop culture.Hallelujah Junction is a thoughtful and original memoir that will appeal to both longtime Adams fans and newcomers to contemporary music. Not since Leonard Bernstein's Findings has an eminent composer so candidly and accessibly explored his life and work. This searching self-portrait offers not only a glimpse into the work and world of one of our leading artists, but also an intimate look at one of the most exciting chapters in contemporary culture.

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  Theatre of the Unimpressed - In...

  Jordan Tannahill

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  How dull plays are killing theatre and what we can do about it.
     
  Had I become disenchanted with the form I had once fallen so madly in love with as a pubescent, pimple-faced suburban homo with braces? Maybe theatre was like an all-consuming high school infatuation that now, ten years later, I saw as the closeted balding guy with a beer gut he’d become. There were of course those rare moments of transcendencethat kept me coming back. But why did they come so few and far between?
     
  A lot of plays are dull. And one dull play, it seems, can turn us off theatre for good. Playwright and theatre director Jordan Tannahill takes in the spectrum of English-language drama – from the flashiest of Broadway spectacles to productions mounted in scrappy storefront theatres – to consider where lifeless plays come from and why they persist. Having travelled the globe talking to theatre artists, critics, passionate patrons and the theatrically disillusioned, Tannahill addresses what he considers the culture of ‘risk aversion’ paralyzing the form.
    
     
  Theatre of the Unimpressed is Tannahill’s wry and revelatory personal reckoning with the discipline he’s dedicated his life to, and a roadmap for a vital twenty-first-century theatre – one that apprehends the value of ‘liveness’ in our mediated age and the necessity for artistic risk and its attendant failures. In considering dramaturgy, programming and alternative models for producing, Tannahill aims to turn theatre from an obligation to a destination.
     
  ‘[Tannahill is] the poster child of a new generation of (theatre? film? dance?) artists for whom "interdisciplinary" is not a buzzword, but a way of life.’ —J. Kelly Nestruck, Globe and Mail
     
  ‘Jordan is one of the most talented and exciting playwrights in the country, and he will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.’ —Nicolas Billon, Governor General's Award–winning playwright (Fault Lines)

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  Anthems We Love - 29 Iconic...

  Steve Baltin, Cameron Crowe

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  Read by the author. 
  "Anthems We Love is not just a tale of artistic adventure, it's also a manual for artists and fans alike. There is no formula. Just these inspiring stories of the heart . . . " —Cameron Crowe, Academy Award–nominated director, producer, and screenwriter (Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous, Say Anything, and Pearl Jam Twenty) 
  From U2 to Carly Simon, the Temptations to TLC, artists describe in their own words how their songs became the soundtrack of your life in this celebration of music featuring original interviews by acclaimed music journalist Steve Baltin. 
  Which Beach Boys’ song brings Paul McCartney to tears? What makes “Light My Fire” a rite-of-passage song for teens in every generation, according to Doors guitarist Robby Krieger? What is it about music that brings back so vividly the passion of our early loves, our deepest losses, our richest memories? 
  Acclaimed music journalist Steve Baltin examines twenty-nine iconic songs of modern music to ultimately answer: what transforms a song into an anthem? How did these songs become such a part of our culture? Featuring original interviews with superstar musicians like the Beach Boys, Shania Twain, and Earth Wind and Fire, this book offers a detailed celebration of songwriting, fan connections, memorable live performances, and more. 
  A must-have anthology for music fans, Anthems We Love showcases the most beloved and popular songs of all time, including Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” the Jackson 5’s “ABC,” Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way,” and TOTO’s “Africa.” More so, it centers the artists behind these songs—and the songs that formed the soundtracks of their lives—as they share stories, for the first time, about how writing an anthem has changed their lives, those of their fans, and our world. 
  Photos are included in the audiobook companion PDF download.

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  Mastering Film & Animation...

  Virversity Online Courses

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  This course equips aspiring filmmakers and animators with essential skills to craft and deliver compelling pitches that capture attention and secure opportunities. By mastering pitching, students will boost confidence, storytelling abilities, and industry knowledge to present projects successfully.Learn film and animation industry fundamentals, including key roles and processes. Develop captivating narratives with scriptwriting techniques focused on structure, character, and dialogue. Understand your audience through market research to tailor pitches effectively. Create clear, persuasive messages supported by engaging visual aids and well-designed pitch decks.Gain practical skills in negotiation, legal rights, and relationship-building to confidently sell your projects. Explore real-world case studies revealing what makes pitches and script sales successful. Build resilience to handle rejection, use feedback constructively, and network strategically within the industry.Starting with a solid industry foundation, the course guides you through storytelling fundamentals to craft narratives that resonate. Learn to develop pitches that highlight your project’s value and stand out in a competitive market. Emphasis on visual aids ensures presentations engage potential investors or collaborators.Beyond pitching, the course covers selling strategies, protecting your work with contracts, and building meaningful industry relationships. Case studies provide insight into effective real-world strategies. Emotional tools help you handle rejection with resilience and leverage feedback for growth.By course end, you’ll have a comprehensive toolkit for confident pitching—from storytelling and presentation to navigating the industry—enabling you to turn creative ideas into tangible film and animation opportunities with clarity and professionalism.(1,754 characters)

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