Who is overseeing the audio part of this project?

Are you kidding me? How is it possible that a wonderfully-written book, read with an interesting voice, is so poorly produced? How is it possible that NO ONE has corrected the MULTIPLE mispronunciations of characters names, titles, locations, etc. It's incomprehensible. I had to LOOK UP Arad because I didn't know that the VO actor was referring to Avi Arad. It's not AIR-EDD; it's AH-RAHD. What about Menahem Golan? He pronounces his first name "MEN-AY-HEMM". OMG. These are just two of the examples.

Every heard of due diligence?

Cringe-worthy.

9 people found this helpful

And now you know!

Loved the insight, and the perspective on modern Hollywood. Also enjoyed the author's choice of material from the Sony hack.

4 people found this helpful

Seems like the audiobook was rushed

Content of the book is very good and informative. I will say that Ben Fritz can be overly dismissive of things he doesnt like (Adam Sandler films did well on dvd because of fraternity brothers and stoners, a pretty dismissive view of the Chinese, and constantly reminding us that one of the big Netflix guys started as a college dropout managing a video store).
Tim Pabon is only ok. I have no problem with him referring to Warner Brothers as Warner Brothers, Warners, and Warner Bros. Which are used interchangeably. Dont know why people have jumped on that. It does seem like they should have used some more takes (a pause before the reading of a difficult last name like its the first time hes reading it, last names changing [Pascall becomes Pascull a couple times], words mispronounced, and a couple chuckles while reading that dont fit what he is saying. It comes off at times as a first read through instead of a polished piece.
Great book, ok audiobook.

3 people found this helpful

Best book I have heard in a while.

I loved it. The only issue I had was that every mention of "Warner Bros" was pronounced just like that... Warner Bros rather than Warner Brothers. Made it sound like hipsters rather than a legendary movie studio. Otherwise a stellar book and an amazing performance.

3 people found this helpful

Could have been great

This review is largely about the production of the audiobook. The content of the book is fascinating, with an incisive, thoughtful look at the motion picture industry in the 2010s. The impact of streaming and franchises are examined in depth and provide a listener with information that clearly informs the challenge of transition that the film biz has been going through for the past several years.

However, if the reader is someone with little or no knowledge of the film industry, it would behoove Audible to hire a a 'prooflistener', similar to a proofreader. It was frustrating hearing the reader mangle the pronunciation of names, whether it was calling Idris Elba 'Eye-dris' or Yair Landau 'Yeir' instead of Yah-ear' or the Cannes Festival 'Cans' instead of 'Kon'. But the most annoying error was the constant naming of Warner Bros. 'Warner Bros.' instead of 'Warner Brothers'. These errors continually took me out of the book and compromised my ability to fully enjoy a well written report.

1 person found this helpful

A modern history book of movies

Amazing book.
Very well researched and written
Unique perspective of modern day TV and movies
Highly recommend to anyone with an interest in the movie business

1 person found this helpful

Great book, informative and entertaining

Loved the subject matter and the intimate look behind the curtain of the glamorous world of Hollywood

Fantastic Book - But Is Anybody Directing?

Really enjoyed this book - well reported and really well written. The sections that deal with the Sony hack and its ramifications read almost like a thriller. However, like other reviewers, I have to say that the narration, with its jaw dropping mispronunciations, was really distracting and took away from the experience. I can definitely understand how a young or unsophisticated narrator may not know (or care to learn) how to pronounce names like Menahem Golan, Warner Bros. (no, it is NOT Warner BROES!), or words like "Bona Fides" or" Wunderkind" or "St. Tropez" or even "Imminent" (!), but you have to wonder whether or not there is an adult in the room paying attention when these things are recorded. Is there no director? Are they in that much of a rush to get through these recordings that no one is willing to stop and make a correction? When you hear Warner Bros. pronounced Warner BROES literally dozens of times throughout the book you can get a little testy. They are asking people to pay for these audiobooks, so maybe a little quality control is not too much to ask for in return.

Goo, but…

The pronunciation mistakes are jarring. Warner Bros? I Ron Man?

Otherwise quite enjoyable. Blah blah blah

Another production marred by mispronunciation

I assume there’s plenty of cost and labor involved in an audio production so why nobody spent 30 mins to make a production guide or listened to what the reader was doing is beyond me.

It’s a book offering a somewhat insider view of Hollywood from a journalist whose reporting in business and finance is quite technical and savvy re: “the business” and the reader makes mistakes that most fans of movies wouldn’t make, much less industry people. the G is soft in gyllenhaal, I don’t think any pascal pronounces her last name the way a French man named pascal does and the constant “Warner bros” rather than brothers is the biggest tell. Might seem minor but it drove me nuts. Also the pronunciations of foreign phrases. Good book, sound is clear, reader mars it and nobody takes the time to correct.