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Reviews tagging 'Cursing'
Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood by Maureen Ryan
2 reviews
moonytoast's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
4.75
We have to remember one big truth about the entertainment industry—not just as it is presently constructed but as it has always been constructed. Those who run it care about power and money. Profits that used to be measured in millions now are measured in billions. Every penny has to be squeezed from every possible corner of the industry. [...] If those with power think it saves money to ignore monstrous behavior—if it save money to not care about who gets damaged, broken, or otherwise abused during the creative process—well, that's what happens.
I think this is a must-read nonfiction book for anyone loves film and television, even those who may not be as tuned into the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. It breaks down so many issues that have plagued and continue to plague Hollywood, which often create a toxic and abusive work environment for writers, actors, assistants and various workers across the entertainment industry, particularly lower to middle-level workers.
There is so much that this book digs into regarding various workplaces and an abundance of harrowing personal experiences from those she interviewed, but it's not a book without hope or a vision for a better future; Maureen Ryan demonstrates that Hollywood does not have to be this way and there are demonstrable changes that can be made to create a better, healthier work environment for everyone.
I, for one, hope that future comes sooner than later. If the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes put enough pressure on the AMPTP to come to the table and cede to the demands of those unions, that won't nearly solve all of the issues Ryan brings up in this book. But it would be a good start.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, and Racism
scottnap's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
medium-paced
5.0
This is a hard read but a necessary one for anyone looking to go into the entertainment field.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Racism, Gaslighting, Grief, Homophobia, Cursing, Sexism, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
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