What I Really Want to Do Is Direct: Seven Film School Graduates Go to Hollywood

For this evenhanded book, entertainment journalist Frolick, a New York University film school alumnus, spent three years tracing the careers of seven recent film school graduates as they negotiated their way through the neon wilderness of Hollywood. While most books on the movie business tend to emphasize either its glamour or its squalor, Frolick takes a refreshingly middle-of-the-road course. Although none of his diverse subjects meets with utter rejection, neither do they experience anything like the success they dreamed of. One does get to direct a feature film, an agonizing process in which he fights with his uninspired stars to finish a low-budget movie that is then released straight to video. Frolick's diverse cast includes two women, one gay man, and an African American male, and he lets these engaging and likable filmmakers tell their own stories, in articulate and often surprisingly candid transcripts. He also includes commentary from industry successes such as Robert Benton and Gary Ross. In the end, the false hope and tribulation these aspiring filmmakers experience make the book read like a cautionary tale, especially considering that Frolick picked as his subjects top students from the country's most prestigious film schools. Essential reading for those venturing into Hollywood, and an enlightening look at the unglamorous hard work and determination needed. (Nov.)