Hollywood Shootout Gets the ShowBizWiz Seal of Approval

If you are interested in the movie business, check out the syndicated TV show Hollywood Shootout. It is a 30 minute show that airs on various stations depending on the television market, so check your local listings for time and channel. It is hosted by Peter Bart, editor-in-chief of Variety magazine, which is like the Bible for many in show business, and Peter Guber, Hollywood mogul/producer, who has worked on some legendary productions over the past several decades. This is not another thumbs up/thumbs down movie review show. It talks about the movie business from the inside out, covering topics like marketing of films, production techniques, they discuss the careers of various producers, directors and actors. These guys know how Hollywood works, and due to their clout and connections they are able to secure some impressive guests. They did a 2 part show with Steven Spielberg where the legendary director talked about how he chooses which films to direct, they talked about his early films like Jaws and Close Encounters and how they compare with later works like Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. Spielberg talked about his collaboration with Jeffery Katzenberg and David Geffen and how they formed Dreamworks SKG. Other guests I have seen on the show include James Caan (Guber knew him from his days working for the studio that did The Godfather), Jon Favreau discussed his directing of Iron Man, and Diablo Cody talked about how writing the screenplay for Juno launched her career to the next level. Philip Seymour Hoffman was on the show discussing the craft of acting, and his role in Capote. The set for the show is designed to look like a coffee shop with movie posters on the walls and extras posing as patrons in the backround. The show is a winner since Guber and Bart are not a pair who are on the sidelines of the movie biz, they are insiders sharing their precious nuggets of information with the rest of us.