by John | Mar 31, 2023 | Alex Ross, Elite Consulting, Our Books
Exclusive reveal from Dr Alex Ross’s groundbreaking new book.
Due out in May, this fascinating new volume will open up unique insights into how Hollywood invented and evolved its ‘calculated blockbuster’, and its future in the age of streaming. Check out the book’s newly-unveiled cover, including inspiring quotes and testimonials we’ll share below! Just another example of the value we at WriteMovies bring to the industry and to your projects: all our consultancy services can be delivered by Dr Alex Ross directly. Get in touch today!
Consultancy Services by Alex Ross at WriteMovies.com
Here’s the cover to BLOCKBUSTED…
And here’s what it has to say…
“This book outlines in extensive and unique detail how studios make money not just on blockbusters, but also eventually from all movies, as Alexander Ross uses his vast experience, inside knowledge, and scholarly expertise to lay out both the successes and the mistakes of the ‘blockbuster era.’ I highly recommend it to scholars in film studies and business, film school students working toward a career in the film industry, and budding film producers and studio executives.”
– Hal Lieberman, Former Head of Production at Universal Pictures
“This book provides an original and welcome contribution to the literature about Hollywood. Building on his ears of experience in the film industry, insights from prominent industry actors, and rigorous research, Alexander Ross offers a compelling account of the risk of the modern blockbuster business model through details case studies of seminal movies, and of its viability in the streaming video-on-demand age. A valuable read for cinema students, scholars, and professionals.”
– Allègre Hadida, Universty of Cambridge
“In these case studies, Ross debunks many myths built up about them. His case studies demonstrate the relentless attention of studio executives to the possibilities of generating revenue. This book captures this practice and, in so doing, provides a valuable contribution to the hard-nosed worldview of Hollywood.”
– John Sedgwick, Oxford Brookes University
In this book, Alexander Ross highlights how creative entrepreneurs saved the Hollywood studios in the 1970s by establishing the calculated blockbuster, consisting of key replicable markers of success, as Hollywood’s preeminent business model. Ross demonstrates how visionary individuals such as Coppola, Spielberg, Lucas, and Zemeckis helped create the modern, calculated blockbuster business model (BBM). However, with the rise of streaming giants and the studios struggling to compete, many consumers of entertainment now elect to partake from the comfort of their homes, making the difference between “cinema” and “television” anachronistic. Revisiting the history of those 1970s blockbusters and their ongoing impact on contemporary filmmaking, Ross offers distinct analysis on whether the calculated blockbuster can continue to lead, or if the streamers will continue to generate their own content and, eventually, fully control the dissemination process. For scholars and students in film, pop culture, and business along with aspiring filmmakers, screenwriters, producers, and executives, the book will be a valued resource.
Alexander Ross is a researcher in history at New College, University of Oxford.
by John | Feb 16, 2023 | Alex Ross, Elite Consulting, Our videos
Value your time – consult with a Hollywood professional.
Dr. Alex Ross says: “Value your time, always run a new script idea by an industry pro first. I have 20+ years of experience in the film industry. I work with all the studios and major agencies. Several of my clients have received Academy Nominations.
At whatever stage of writing you are, just let me know what you need. No one reads a rewrite. My feedback will optimize your script…”
by John | Jan 19, 2023 | Alex Ross, Elite Consulting, Our Books
Blockbusted is a new book charting the evolution of Hollywood’s calculated blockbuster, and will be released in the coming months – but the book has already been recognized and acclaimed by leading industry professionals. It’s even challenging the industry’s long-held assumptions, as you can see below. Check out these first endorsements – just the start of the industry acclaim for Blockbusted we’ll be updating you with over the coming months. Get the input of the book’s author Dr. Alex Ross into your own project at here – or email us at info@writemovies.com to get the ball rolling!
Universal Pictures former Head of Production and Paul Sammon
“This book outlines in extensive and unique detail how studios make money not just on blockbusters, but also eventually from all movies, as Alexander Ross uses his vast experience, inside knowledge, and scholarly expertise to lay out both the successes and the mistakes of the ‘blockbuster era.’ I highly recommend it to scholars in film studies and business, film school students working toward a career in the film industry, and budding film producers and studio executives.”
– Hal Lieberman, Former Head of Production at Universal Pictures
“You are holding a volume which, to my relatively seasoned mind, adds a unique contribution to text-based cinema studies. This book is a persuasive, rigorously researched study of the evolution of the contemporary Hollywood blockbuster. It lays down a parallel track which posits an apparently astonishing argument, flagrantly challenging a long-held bit of supposed critical wisdom – William Goldman’s oft-quoted dictum that “nobody knows anything.” Indeed, Alexander Ross maintains that certain players inside The Dream Factory’s upper echelon of studio chiefs, producers, and mega-agents are not only intelligent, sophisticated mavens, they actually know what they’re doing.”
– Paul Sammon, film industry professional and author
These are the first examples of the industry acclaim for Blockbusted we’ll be sharing with you over the coming months.
by John | Jan 13, 2023 | Alex Ross, Elite Consulting, Our Books
Essential reading for screenwriters this year! The history of the modern Hollywood blockbuster, with dozens of awesome interviews!
We’re proud to announce that this year Dr. Alex Ross will be publishing his new book BLOCKBUSTED – a history of modern Hollywood blockbuster films, packed with amazing industry interviews and insights. Film fans are going to love this!
The book is due to be published in May or June. Alex says: “every fan of The Godfather, Jaws, Star Wars, ET, Back to the Future and Blade Runner will want to find out more, as the book will provide never before shared insights.”
We’ve got lots of insights, endorsements and extracts from the book to share with you over the coming months… let the countdown begin!
Click here to see what Alex can do for you!
by John | Dec 7, 2022 | Alex Ross, Development Notes, Elite Consulting, Script Mentoring offers, WriteMovies News
by John | Feb 7, 2020 | Elite Consulting, Highlights, Pitching, Writing Insights
To give a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes at WriteMovies and TalentScout International Management, our Director of World Wide Development Ian Kennedy is sharing a week of his Hollywood/L.A. Diary with us at the start of March.
Expect news of meetings at major studios and with Elite producers, screenwriters and other adventures in Hollywood, plus a string of fresh images of iconic Hollywood locations.
In the meantime, we’ve brought together two of our Elite Mentors and a former WriteMovies winner living in Los Angeles to share their L.A. industry pitching tips. Here’s what they had to say… first, about staying there and getting around town.
Our experts:
ALEX ROSS, WriteMovies founder, film producer and former LA agent
BOBBY LEE DARBY, Screenwriter and WriteMovies Elite Mentor
KATHRYN NAWROCKI, Screenwriter and former WriteMovies Award Winner (more…)
by John | Mar 26, 2018 | Elite Consulting, WriteMovies News
VIDEO GAMES AND BOARD GAMES: Mark Brendan (DIRT 3, F1 2010, WORLD IN CONFLICT, KINGS OF THE REALM, DRAGON RISING, SOLOMON KANE)
Meet our new Elite Script Mentor, here to help YOU get the best from your ideas for video games…
“Mark Brendan is a writer and game designer. He has worked on numerous games, both analogue and digital, for companies such as Games Workshop, Target Games, i-Kore, Climax, Codemasters, and Vivendi as well as publishing games related fiction and magazine articles. He is currently working on a Solomon Kane board game for French games publisher Mythic Games, and writing screenplays for Dark Matter Films, the production company he co-founded in 2017. His video game titles include DIRT 3, Brian Lara International Cricket 2007, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising, World in Conflict, F1 2010, and Kings of the Realm.”
We’re delighted to have Mark on board and we look forward to sharing new insights into video games for you from us, Mark, Habib Zargarpour (whose games credits include 007 and NEED FOR SPEED titles).
Of course, we’re still just as intent on screenplays and other writing as we’ve always been: check out the new categories of our contests below!
- Screenplays
- Shorts
- Stageplays (theatre)
- Teleplays (long and short form pilots)
- Spec scripts
- Books, including comic books and graphic novels
- Video game scripts
Meanwhile, here’s a reminder of what our Elite Mentoring services offer, and whose mentoring you can hire through us…
WriteMovies Elite Mentoring for Writers includes:
- Constructive, professional, and honest feedback on the cinematic potential of your script by industry veterans.
- Either: Personal mentoring by actual Hollywood Producers, Face-to-Face (if in Los Angeles) or on the phone; or, detailed notes encompassing feedback on dialogue, story line, structure, pace, characters etc.
- Full analysis on length and effectiveness of story telling.
- Accurate predictions on possible audience response emotionality and possible cult factor.
- Professional advice on how executives and producers analyze your material and what they look for.
- Pointers to convince executives and producers of your passion and competence as well as the box office potential.
- Fundamental career advice on how to get agents, how to pitch and what to write.
- The option for recommended scripts to be pitched to agents and producers in Hollywood.
- All of which gives you vastly more confidence proceeding if you know your script is perfect.
Take the next step to get your script produced, with one of these top Mentors:
Request Mark to be your gaming script Elite Script Mentor for just $499, right here…
