The Reel Deal: Writing About Movies writing course e-book by acclaimed movie critic Betty Jo Tucker

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The Reel Deal: Writing about Movies
by Betty Jo Tucker
ISBN: 9780979608018 (E-Book)

When you purchase this E-Book from Long Story Short Publishing, you will also receive a free copy of CONFESSIONS OF A MOVIE ADDICT by author/instructor Betty Jo Tucker.

THE REEL DEAL: WRITING ABOUT MOVIES is designed for people who want to learn various techniques for writing movie reviews as well as for interviewing actors, directors, screenwriters and other film personnel. Six lessons from Betty Jo Tucker’s online course for the LSS School of Writing are included in this E-Book version as follows:

In addition, those who purchase this E-Book from Long Story Short, Inc. will receive a free paperback copy of the author’s book, CONFESSIONS OF A MOVIE ADDICT.

"The content of The Reel Deal: Writing about Movies is rich, yet delivered concisely. Betty Jo somehow manages to impart a lot of information in each lesson in a clear, succinct, and enjoyable way, while keeping the lesson brief and manageable. That is a special talent. She has a humorous, engaging touch to her writing that is very appealing and made me feel that I could learn to write reviews. Inclusion of links, recommended reading, and references to other critics was very helpful...I learned a great deal. Even more, it is a start for something new for me, so I can add 'life-changing' as well." ~ Joanne Ross, San Francisco

” I had so much fun with THE REEL DEAL. The lessons were varied, never boring and helped me look at movies in a different way.” – student evaluation.

“THE REEL DEAL is a remarkable class! The instructor packs her well-organized lessons with valuable information for anyone interested in writing about movies.” – student evaluation.

I thought it might be helpful to describe the reviewing process I follow. I begin by going over any notes taken while watching the film (which isn’t easy, considering my handwriting makes chicken-scratches look good). I think about which areas I want to emphasize, decide on a “hook” for the opening, and then start writing. The first and last paragraphs are hardest for me, probably because I want them to match up in some kind of coherent manner and I’m not always successful at doing this.

In the main body of the piece, I try to deal with the film’s essence while focusing on what I think matters the most about the movie. Giving away too much about the plot is a no-no and makes for a boring review, so I try to avoid this as much as possible. I also like to add a bit of humor, if appropriate, and some behind-the-scenes information about the film that most readers may not be aware of. In addition, I mention any of my personal biases where needed.

After I finish my first draft, my husband checks it for “elbows” -- things that stick out and interfere with the flow. (Every film critic needs someone who will be candid about what needs fixing in each review.) Whenever my husband isn’t available, I read the review out loud to myself. This helps discover any awkward phrasing.

Finally, the most important step of all -- the dreaded re-write. I check again for errors in grammar, overuse of passive verbs, lack of specifics, and unclear references. To me, a review is never finished. It can always be improved. If I didn’t have a deadline, I’d probably still be working on the first review I ever wrote!

Whoever you are – a student, a teacher, or just a film addict who wants to move forward and explore the enigmatic world of cinema at a new, professional level, Betty Jo Tucker’s course, THE REEL DEAL: WRITING ABOUT MOVIES, is the right place for you to be. Think about it: you’re given six marvelous sessions that are meant to orient you step by step in the expanding cosmos of cinema by providing you with the most valuable technique, knowledge and advice one can only dream of. Metaphorically speaking, each session is your step forward toward a creation of your own world in which you, its spirit, soul, and creator, are going to thrive and develop in the direction your intellect and taste suggest.

This course is definitely going to enrich you both professionally and humanly. It will teach you a lot of secrets of craftsmanship; to use them successfully you, however, should develop your voice and reveal your unique ‘fingerprint.’ Betty Jo Tucker’s course is designed for boosting and stimulating your creativity, though not without your dedication and a deep, passionate involvement.

What I admire above all about this course is an intelligent way of balancing the objective techniques of writing and the subjective ways of the critic’s self-expression and analysis. Being a proponent of subjectivity as an integral part of the evaluative process, I highly appreciate Betty Jo Tucker’s hidden message that techniques are still techniques; they can’t substitute for critic’s original vision. I immediately associated Jeffrey Chen’s saying, “Everything is a matter of subjectivity and relativity” that Betty Jo recites with an article by Aron Katsenelinboigen, a late professor emeritus in Wharton School, “License for Subjectivity.” Using the game of chess as a model, he talks about subjectivity in evaluation and shows how his concept guided and supported many serious business people.

In art, the ‘license for subjectivity’ becomes a no less important thing. From the first to the last session, Betty Jo generously shares her experience and the experiences of other critics not only to familiarize her students with the existing names and methodologies but also to let them know that the diversity of approaches, opinions, and evaluations is natural for the creative process. Her other hidden message, therefore, is: Don’t be afraid to follow your own artistic intuition and express your own critical views, using your methodology and values. Your unique voice matters.

Along with the sessions on writing you will also be given a valuable session on ethics that will assist you tremendously in handling a possible negative feedback of some of your readers. Betty Jo’s excerpts from her own exchange of letters with such readers are at a great help; they show once again that graceful ways of handling awkward situations are possible and, moreover, necessary for the critic to preserve his latitude of thought, treating diverse reactions with respect.

I Hate Betty Jo Tucker
Warren Epstein, film critic for THE GAZETTE in Colorado Springs, writes, "I hate Betty Jo Tucker. As a fellow Colorado film critic, I've loathed her for years. Sure, you can call it professional jealousy. But see it from my perspective. We all go to a film festival. Most of us get an article or two out of it. Betty Jo gets an adventure. She ends up being served dinner by the filmmakers, for heaven's sakes! Well, now I have to put up with her new book, CONFESSIONS OF A MOVIE ADDICT, and believe me, it's about as Betty Jo as it can be. She takes us behind the scenes of the entertainment industry, sharing her favorite celebrity interviews and revealing her personal connections and passions for the movies. As if we care. (OK, the mishap at her first X-rated film had me laughing. But just a little.) You'll probably read this book and fall in love with Betty Jo. Fine! See if I care."

Thumbs Up!
Betty Jo's passion for movies, the insights she brings to her reviews and interviews, and her marvelous talent for taking you right along with her into the theater make CONFESSIONS OF A MOVIE ADDICT a must-read --- even for non-addicts. ---- Liz Larrabee, author of RANDOM PIECES: VIGNETTES FROM THE THIRTIES and LIZ LARRABEE'S BOOK

A Funny Look at Movies
by James Colt Harrison, editor of National Film PreVue Magazine

If Oscar's were given for the funniest book of the year, then "Confessions of a Movie Addict" by Betty Jo Tucker would win hands down! Film critic Tucker is as star-struck today as she was as a little girl when she was frightened out of her wits by FRANKENSTEIN and later in high school when she did impersonations of Rita Hayworth singing "Put the Blame on Mame." She fell hopelessly in love with the movies and movie stars. The affection she developed warped her mind from that point on to her present day success as a film critic. It has been said you have to be nuts to be a movie critic, and Tucker would probably agree.

Tucker takes us through her life in a chatty, gossipy way that serves the book's topic well. She regales us with hilarious personal encounters with movie stars and directors. Her unique and jolly way of looking at films is sampled in the reviews that are also included in the book.

If you love movies as much as I do, you'll love CONFESSIONS OF A MOVIE ADDICT. I haven't had so much fun since I watched a Laurel and Hardy comedy. Short of doing pratfalls, Tucker will set you laughing out loud with her confessions.

SUSAN SARANDON: A TRUE MAVERICK (by Betty Jo Tucker)
Reviewed by Chris Mansel for The Muse Apprentice Guild

In a world of so many film critics that it is dizzying to contemplate, one of the rare figures that stands out is Betty Jo Tucker. Ms. Tucker writes with an endearing quality of a true fan of the movies that haven't allowed her to be cast in the work she re-creates in her reviews. Her new book, SUSAN SARANDON: A TRUE MAVERICK, is not, I repeat NOT just the average book written by a critic to either get closer to a celebrity or to treat the work of the actor like the pinnacle of the craft. A TRUE MAVERICK guides us through the artistry and the sometimes-turbulent life, private and public, of one of American Cinema's most talented actresses.

As you turn the pages of A TRUE MAVERICK you realize just how much a maverick the author is herself; it is best stated in the following passage:

"As an anti-war protestor during U.S. involvement in Vietnam, I understand Sarandon being upset when people think she doesn't love this country. ‘Peaceniks’ were suspect back then, too. I remember my job as a college dean being in jeopardy as a result of hiring the famous pacifist poet Daniel Berrigan to teach in the Upward Bound program. Those were troubled times, and calling fellow citizens traitors for harboring opinions about military action didn't help solve anything -- nor will it now."

Ms. Tucker focuses a special section of the book to The Myelin Project, and even has stated that all proceeds she receives from the sale of this book will go to this worthwhile fund. Susan Sarandon became involved with The Myelin Project while making the film, "Lorenzo's Oil." Another excerpt from TRUE MAVERICK:

"When Lorenzo was five years old, he began doing strange things like bumping into objects. Augusto and Michaela soon received the horrifying news that their son had a rare, incurable genetic disorder that would cause him to lose all his bodily functions and die before he reached his teens. This disorder, known as adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) only affects boys, but it is passed on through the mother. The Odones refused to look at this illness as incurable, so they began doing research on their own. After two years of fighting with the medical establishment and parents of other ALD boys, they discovered a blend of plant oils they thought would help their son."

A TRUE MAVERICK is as far-reaching and as endearing as Betty Jo Tucker herself. From the films of Susan Sarandon ("Dead Man Walking" and "The Cradle Will Rock") to the activism of an American citizen, you can call her a True Maverick, in a time when standing out in the crowd can’t be the safest place.

HER INFINITE VARIETY
(Film Critic Donald J. Levit Reviews SUSAN SARANDON: A TRUE MAVERICK)

Vampires and baseball are two longtime passions. Underrated The Hunger and praised Bull Durham are among the best modern movies of the two. But though both star Susan Sarandon, I had never quite been swept onto her bandwagon.

Three years after Confessions of a Movie Addict, her humorous, human reflections on a half-century love affair with the world of cinema, Betty Jo Tucker’s Susan Sarandon: A True Maverick (both Hats Off Books) does the same for her more specific subject, the ageless/gracefully aging fifty-six-year-old superstar out of Edison, New Jersey.

This is thankfully not your cradle-to-now biographical chronology of fan factoids like baby steps and foods and adolescent crushes. Nor is it content simply to unleash the standard-issue encomium-after-praise. Balancing lots of compliments from a variety of sources, are the complaints of nay-sayers (particularly regarding her public stances on political and social issues), many conveniently grouped in the chapter, “Her Critics Speak Out.” Instead, it is a portrait of la Sarandon in her many facets as high-profile celebrity, woman, mother, significant other and social activist as well as a performer who tackles a range of on- and off-screen rôles which reflect on one another.

In this age of information and misinformation blitz, Tucker’s book seamlessly organizes a literal ton of material and makes it fun (even to the 1867 surname origin of the word maverick). Combining interviews, reviews (favorable and negative), articles and Web sites to bring her subject to readable reality, Tucker equally includes unfortunately lesser known activities such as the star’s work as Special UNICEF Representative, spokesperson for The Myelin Project (growing out of her portrayal of Michaela Odone in Lorenzo’s Oil) and fund- and consciousness-raiser for a number of human rights, women’s and health causes. Tired of sometimes not especially aware entertainment figures espousing this or that, I find myself convinced here, won over by the reasonableness of Sarandon’s giving something back, not telling the public what to think but helping it to know enough to make intelligent choices.

Adjectives recurring in others’ comments indicate the versatility of the woman and the actress--from tough/aggressive and yet vulnerable, sexy and also mature, crazy and at the same time no-nonsense--who herself speaks of a fondness for those “with a passion for their stories.” Tucker, too, is obviously such a person. The only regret is that there are not more pages of the author here. The book is short, with fully half taken up by a filmography, bibliography, list of Web sites and selected reviews, which are helpful but available elsewhere and in some cases already noted within the text. Though this is a way of saying that one wants more of this good thing, still the book will reward fans and amaze and convert others (like myself).

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The Reel Deal: Writing about Movies by Betty Jo Tucker ISBN: 9780979608018 (E-Book)

The Reel Deal: Writing about Movies
by Betty Jo Tucker
ISBN: 9780979608018 (E-Book)