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Development Girls : The Hollywood Virgin's Guide to Making It in the Movie Business

Development Girls : The Hollywood Virgin's Guide to Making It in the Movie Business

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Puh-leeze
Review: Hey, I worked in the NY development community when the book proposal of D-Girl went out from an assistant agent at WMA. It was quickly faxed around to all the NY dvelopment and scouting office so we could all laugh at it. Shocker when Doubleday bought it, and even worse that some readers are now taking it seriously. I am 25 and female, but thank god I never got a job because of my Prada accessories or aerobicized ass. Hadley seems to forget that the average entry level salary is about $30,000, no overtime. And that the job is hard. Hadley also omits the fact that she was the assistant in a 2 person office that lost its studio deal, then went to a notoriously third rate company after months of unemployment. Development can be glamorous, but whenever I went to my studio's premieres, it was always as much work as anything else. People listen to you when you have things to say, not when you accessorize with brand names. I found that being informed, having an opinion on recent manuscripts and plays, and forming true friendships with my peers in the development community helped me more than any flirting or Rolex did. The sad fact is that the industry is shrinking, nowhere more so than in NY. If you want to have a long-term career in the industry, you have to garner respect: not for your wardrobe, but for your brain and your work ethic.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Buyer beware!
Review: The reader in Massachusetts has a good point. What use is a how-to guide when the author is such a flagrantly dishonest individual? When I worked in "the biz" in New York, Hadley was unaffectionately known as "Hadajob" for her series of lateral, entry-level moves. Perhaps the reason the book is so empty and silly (although, I must confess, I actually couldn't get through it)is because the author never got beyond the cubicle. Instead of a chapter on something truly helpful, say advice on honing scriptnotes, we get tips on xeroxing. As they say in writing programs, write what you know.

I suggest Ms. Davis try her hand at fiction next. Not only does she clearly have an overactive imagination, but, judging from the number of positive reader reviews here, she is obviously quite prolific.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Don't bother buying it!
Review: Well, I can't say that I'm surprised that there are so many reviews... there's nothing like a trashy book on the business to get everyone hot and bothered. The book is really not worth much. Unfortunately, Hadley represents much of what's wrong with her generation. Like many of the young people who are attracted to Hollywood, she has no real talent or brains -- instead she relies on image, superficiality, and appearance. While there were some funny bits that rang true, there was no substance to the book -- it was a just series of silly remarks from the mouth of a silly girl. When I read Hadley's bio, I expected something more intelligent (I'm curious how much Mr. Davis gave to Penn to accept his daughter) but found that the book was really a waste of my time. It was also disappointing (but typical) that Hadley had friends and associates write rave reviews on the Amazon site. Hopefully, this book will disappear and Hadley will build a career based on substance instead of spin.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Trite and uninformative
Review: This book is poorly written and not very informative

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Not a credible source
Review: There are many angry reviews here. True, the book is awful. true, it is shallow. true, the person who is serious about this job could probably use more substantial and intelligent advice than what is offered... Now here's another one to add to the pile: The author is not honest. In a recent interview in a magazine, she claimed to do a particular, specific job for a certain filmmaker... who my uncle works for, and has worked for for about fifteen years. Interestingly, neither he nor anyone else in the office has ever had contact with her, much less heard of her.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: The most insipid book ever?
Review: Ms. Davis' book represents a new low for publishing--the insipid chronicle of a woman who could get vertigo in a sewer. Let's hope this Carnie Wilson-look-a-like's TV scripts aren't as inane as this.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Player Haters
Review: While my fellow reviewers are spending their time dissing Hadley on the internet, she's out getting book deals and writing for a hit TV show... I have one thing to say: PLAYERS DON'T HATE, THEY CONGRATULATE!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Why kid yourselves and call the BOOK shallow?
Review: It is clearly a shallow industry and anyone who thinks that style is not essential has probably not worked in ther business, and if they have, probably just looked like everyone else and never thought about it. I read the book and thought it very distinctly reflected the various experiences that I had in the movie biz. I left the business feeling ashamed of a world where assistants get lattes and d-girls live with a wildly inflated sense of importance and glam. Why blame the book for being honest rather than the industry for being shallow? Why pretend that Hadley can't write when she is obviously clever, cute and concise.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Let's face it, the book sucks.
Review: The reviewer from West Hollywood takes the most pretentious, pompous tone of them all, telling everyone to just calm down, etc etc etc. Face it, the book is awful. No, the bad reviews are not about Hollywood jealousy. The bad reviews are about reviewing a bad book honestly. The reason, I believe, the reviews take a personal tone is that the book is written in such personal tone. Ever meet someone who makes you vomit? Ever meet someone who makes you roll your eyes? That's what this book brings out in the reader. It's just too personal a take on the experience-- and it's the voice of this annoying girl that are making readers gag or take offense. That's what this book brings out in people. Maybe if the book was just slightly more objective in writing, so would the reviews.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: fraudulent drivel
Review: The book is an insult to all of the hard-working people indevelopment who rely on their good taste and hard work to get ahead.

As someone who has truly worked his/her (I'll keep my gender neutral) way up the development ladder, I feel it is my obligation to warn anyone gullible enough to believe this book will help land a glamorous Hollywood career. Do yourself a favor, work hard, trust your creative instincts, and learn from Hadley's mistakes.


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