How can I get an insider's view of the media industry?
August 5, 2011 1:31 PM Subscribe
How can I get an insider's view of the media industry?
I would love to understand how popular media (news, reality shows, movies, music, etc.) is created, from an industry insider's perspective. Things like:
- Which types of shows are scripted vs. semi-scripted vs. unscripted (e.g. news/late-night interviews)
- How corporate, and political influence tactics are used, and how shows use these techniques without getting in trouble.
- Relationships between media companies and advertisers
- How filming & editing techniques are used to achieve various effects (I have found TVTropes to have a lot of valuable information here).
- How studios navigate legal issues, e.g. (1) getting permission to show people's faces on hidden camera shows like Cheaters, and (2) doing things that would be illegal for civilians to do, e.g. when the hosts of The Real Hustle break into private property.
- How insiders are incentivized against spilling secrets
- TV shows that may have surprising target demographics, and how companies go about marketing a show to a target demographic.
- Who does what in the making of a show, from the high-level executives down to the bottom level.
The closest thing I've found is BBC's Screenwipe. However, I have found it to be full of fluff and snark, with the occasional interesting insider fact buried in.
Any valuable books/shows/movies/articles/websites on the subject?
I would love to understand how popular media (news, reality shows, movies, music, etc.) is created, from an industry insider's perspective. Things like:
- Which types of shows are scripted vs. semi-scripted vs. unscripted (e.g. news/late-night interviews)
- How corporate, and political influence tactics are used, and how shows use these techniques without getting in trouble.
- Relationships between media companies and advertisers
- How filming & editing techniques are used to achieve various effects (I have found TVTropes to have a lot of valuable information here).
- How studios navigate legal issues, e.g. (1) getting permission to show people's faces on hidden camera shows like Cheaters, and (2) doing things that would be illegal for civilians to do, e.g. when the hosts of The Real Hustle break into private property.
- How insiders are incentivized against spilling secrets
- TV shows that may have surprising target demographics, and how companies go about marketing a show to a target demographic.
- Who does what in the making of a show, from the high-level executives down to the bottom level.
The closest thing I've found is BBC's Screenwipe. However, I have found it to be full of fluff and snark, with the occasional interesting insider fact buried in.
Any valuable books/shows/movies/articles/websites on the subject?
The best thing would be to actually sit down and talk to people, honestly -- a lot of the "juicy" insider stuff is hard to find written down anywhere, particularly when it comes to current media and particularly in a manner that isn't already coded for other "insiders" to parse.
Ask around -- do you know anyone who works in television or film? How about an editor? A screenwriter? Someone who's in marketing, particularly if their outfit buys airtime on TV? An entertainment lawyer?
I've done enough work, and know enough other people, that I could answer a few of these questions in a very general way, but to get really in-depth replies you'll probably have to track down lots of people in lots of different specialties.
Alternately, if you have the time, money and inclination, a cinema studies course -- or really, an entertainment law course -- might cover a lot of this.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 2:14 PM on August 5, 2011
Ask around -- do you know anyone who works in television or film? How about an editor? A screenwriter? Someone who's in marketing, particularly if their outfit buys airtime on TV? An entertainment lawyer?
I've done enough work, and know enough other people, that I could answer a few of these questions in a very general way, but to get really in-depth replies you'll probably have to track down lots of people in lots of different specialties.
Alternately, if you have the time, money and inclination, a cinema studies course -- or really, an entertainment law course -- might cover a lot of this.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 2:14 PM on August 5, 2011
Response by poster: Another topic of interest:
- what's live vs. shot in advance
- how live TV/radio is done (e.g. I've heard there is a delay of a few seconds)
- are call-in shows real? (e.g. HSN, LoveLine, other radio shows) If not, is it illegal, and are the hosts aware that it's fake?
posted by lunchbox at 2:25 PM on August 5, 2011
- what's live vs. shot in advance
- how live TV/radio is done (e.g. I've heard there is a delay of a few seconds)
- are call-in shows real? (e.g. HSN, LoveLine, other radio shows) If not, is it illegal, and are the hosts aware that it's fake?
posted by lunchbox at 2:25 PM on August 5, 2011
Some books which may help:
Desperate Networks
The Showrunners: A Season Inside the Billion-Dollar, Death-Defying, Madcap World of Television's Real Stars
The Late Shift: Letterman, Leno, and the Network Battle for the Night
The War for Late Night: When Leno Went Early and Television Went Crazy
posted by sharkfu at 2:33 PM on August 5, 2011 [2 favorites]
Desperate Networks
The Showrunners: A Season Inside the Billion-Dollar, Death-Defying, Madcap World of Television's Real Stars
The Late Shift: Letterman, Leno, and the Network Battle for the Night
The War for Late Night: When Leno Went Early and Television Went Crazy
posted by sharkfu at 2:33 PM on August 5, 2011 [2 favorites]
The podcasts from Creative Screenwriting magazine are full of juicy tidbits, though nothing formalized.
posted by vecchio at 4:56 PM on August 5, 2011
posted by vecchio at 4:56 PM on August 5, 2011
Writing Movies for Fun and Profit has a ton of (fascinating) detail about the business and politics of the film industry, particularly where blockbuster "tentpole" films are concerned.
posted by mellifluous at 5:23 PM on August 5, 2011
posted by mellifluous at 5:23 PM on August 5, 2011
Not all the time, but Marc Maron's WTF podcast often gets into industry stories with the guests. An interesting one for me was listening to Thomas Lennon (of Reno 911) talk about the process of screenwriting in the industry. He and his partner Ben Garant have written an odd mix of films, many of which you wouldn't necessarily associate with his comedic style, but have also been massively successful - case in point, Night at the Museum. (Case out of point - Taxi).
posted by shinynewnick at 7:09 PM on August 5, 2011
posted by shinynewnick at 7:09 PM on August 5, 2011
- Which types of shows are scripted vs. semi-scripted vs. unscripted (e.g. news/late-night interviews)
Everything is scripted. If it wasn't written beforehand than the editors fashion it as though it was.
- How corporate, and political influence tactics are used, and how shows use these techniques without getting in trouble.
Everything is a system of personal favors designed to win future favors, from the lowest levels to the highest.
- Relationships between media companies and advertisers
Often they are one and the same. For example, the future of advertising looks identical to entertainment: advertisers wants to make experiences so good that they become the destination, not merely an interuption.
- How filming & editing techniques are used to achieve various effects (I have found TVTropes to have a lot of valuable information here).
This is extremely easy to analyze when you look at any program with the sound off. Without the distraction, the cheap tricks are easier to spot. Pay special attention to casting: who is good looking, who isn't and why each is casted the way they are.
- How studios navigate legal issues, e.g. (1) getting permission to show people's faces on hidden camera shows like Cheaters, and (2) doing things that would be illegal for civilians to do, e.g. when the hosts of The Real Hustle break into private property.
These "victims" sign their rights away for financial agreements.
- How insiders are incentivized against spilling secrets
They are more interested in staying employed currently and in the future. Each of these people have worked hard to get where they are--why risk it?
- TV shows that may have surprising target demographics, and how companies go about marketing a show to a target demographic.
A tremendous and surprising amount of "doing their homework". Groups of people are employed to give their opinions. Ideas are workshopped until the numbers line up. This is a large business.
- Who does what in the making of a show, from the high-level executives down to the bottom level.
Executive Producer: aligns money or clout
Producer: plans all, keeps everything on schedule, resolves conflicts, hires crew
Director: aligns creative processes
Director of Photography: hits the button
Editor: lines up the times the DP hit the button
Casting Director: controls the world's idea of what "good guys" look like
Basic Sub Groups: Actor, Camera, Costume, Makeup, Set Design, Lighting, Effects, etc.
If you like this stuff, your next step is to take a History of Cinema course (for credit or no-credit) at your local university or community college. They're more affordable than you realize. Books are good too.
posted by Murray M at 8:29 PM on August 5, 2011
Everything is scripted. If it wasn't written beforehand than the editors fashion it as though it was.
- How corporate, and political influence tactics are used, and how shows use these techniques without getting in trouble.
Everything is a system of personal favors designed to win future favors, from the lowest levels to the highest.
- Relationships between media companies and advertisers
Often they are one and the same. For example, the future of advertising looks identical to entertainment: advertisers wants to make experiences so good that they become the destination, not merely an interuption.
- How filming & editing techniques are used to achieve various effects (I have found TVTropes to have a lot of valuable information here).
This is extremely easy to analyze when you look at any program with the sound off. Without the distraction, the cheap tricks are easier to spot. Pay special attention to casting: who is good looking, who isn't and why each is casted the way they are.
- How studios navigate legal issues, e.g. (1) getting permission to show people's faces on hidden camera shows like Cheaters, and (2) doing things that would be illegal for civilians to do, e.g. when the hosts of The Real Hustle break into private property.
These "victims" sign their rights away for financial agreements.
- How insiders are incentivized against spilling secrets
They are more interested in staying employed currently and in the future. Each of these people have worked hard to get where they are--why risk it?
- TV shows that may have surprising target demographics, and how companies go about marketing a show to a target demographic.
A tremendous and surprising amount of "doing their homework". Groups of people are employed to give their opinions. Ideas are workshopped until the numbers line up. This is a large business.
- Who does what in the making of a show, from the high-level executives down to the bottom level.
Executive Producer: aligns money or clout
Producer: plans all, keeps everything on schedule, resolves conflicts, hires crew
Director: aligns creative processes
Director of Photography: hits the button
Editor: lines up the times the DP hit the button
Casting Director: controls the world's idea of what "good guys" look like
Basic Sub Groups: Actor, Camera, Costume, Makeup, Set Design, Lighting, Effects, etc.
If you like this stuff, your next step is to take a History of Cinema course (for credit or no-credit) at your local university or community college. They're more affordable than you realize. Books are good too.
posted by Murray M at 8:29 PM on August 5, 2011
Hi. Memail me and I will give you some contacts.
posted by parmanparman at 9:46 PM on August 5, 2011
posted by parmanparman at 9:46 PM on August 5, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by kendrak at 2:11 PM on August 5, 2011