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Film, television and performing arts

  • Author:
    Donovan, Kevin
    Summary:

    It began as rumours. Whispers at dinner parties. Warnings about bad dates with a Canadian celebrity. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, superstar CBC broadcaster Jian Ghomeshi revealed his interest in "rough sex" in a long Facebook post, and a scandal of unprecedented scale descended on the radio host. What the public did not know was that months before Ghomeshi's emotional post, Canadaland podcaster Jesse Brown and Toronto Star journalist Kevin Donovan were quietly pursuing serious allegations against him. In Secret Life, Donovan takes us inside the Star's investigation. Step by step, he explores the story as only he can: the media frenzy, his own personal and professional doubts, the women who came forward with stories about an alleged dark side of a national idol, and Ghomeshi's ignominious firing and dramatic criminal trial. Taking us behind the scenes, Donovan sheds light on the journalistic process and the complexity of gathering information about a highly sensitive matter from named and confidential sources, including those women who feared it was their word against a beloved public figure's. Secret Life is a thought-provoking account of the landmark Ghomeshi exposé; that sparked a nation-wide discussion on sexual assault, the cult of celebrity, and the politics of power and gender in the workplace.

  • Author:
    Schellhardt, Laura
    Summary:

    Write a great script and get it into the hands of the Hollywood players!  So you want to be a screenwriter? Whether you want to write a feature film or a TV script or adapt your favorite book, this friendly guide gives you expert advice in everything from creating your story and developing memorable characters to formatting your script and selling it to the studios. You get savvy industry tips and strategies for getting your screenplay noticed! * The screenwriting process from A to Z -- from developing a concept and thinking visually to plotline, conflicts, pacing, and the conclusion * Craft living, breathing characters -- from creating the backstory to letting your characters speak to balancing dialogue with action * Turn your story into a script -- from developing an outline and getting over writer's block to formatting your screenplay and handling rewrites * Prepare for Hollywood -- from understanding the players and setting your expectations to polishing your copy and protecting your work * Sell your script to the industry -- from preparing your pitch and finding an agent to meeting with executives and making a deal Open the book and find: * The latest on the biz, from entertainment blogs to top agents to box office jargon * New story examples from recently released films * Tips on character development, a story's time clock, dramatic structure, and dialogue * New details on developing the nontraditional screenplay -- from musicals to animation to high dramatic style * Expanded information on adaptation and collaboration, with examples from successful screenwriting duos

  • Author:
    Tyler, Parker
    Summary:

    Parker Tyler (1904-1974) was a noted American film critic, and this text is regarded as his most significant work. Devoted to homosexuality in films, it aims to look beyond the obvious and to observe the psychology of sex roles, at the same time recognising film as the realm of contemporary mythology. Tyler was once described as one of the most consistently interesting and provocative writers on film that America has produced, "well-informed and free of cant."

  • Author:
    Clemens, Michael D.
    Summary:

    The stunning portrayals of the Canadian landscape in the documentaries produced by the National Film Board of Canada, not only influenced cinematic language but shaped our perception of the environment. In the early days of the organization, nature films produced by the NFB supported the Canadian government's nation-building project and show the state as an active participant in the cultural construction of the land. By the mid-1960s however, films like Cree Hunters of Mistassini and Death of a Legend were asking provocative questions about the state's vision of nature. Filmmakers like Boyce Richardson and Bill Mason began to centre the experiences of First Nations people, contest the notion that nature should be transformed for economic gain, and challenge the idea that the North is a wild and empty landscape bereft of civilization. Author Michael Clemens describes how films produced by the NFB broadened the ecological imagination of Canadians over time and ultimately inspired an environmental movement.

  • Author:
    Summary:

    Screening Justice in Canada is a scholarly exploration of films that focus centrally on crime and justice in Canada. Defining Canadian crime films as those that focus significantly on crime and its consequences in Canadian society, the book is as much about the ways crime films provide vehicles for understanding what it means to be Canadian as it is about the depiction and representation of crime and justice in Canadian cinema and television. The films examined in this book span all regions of Canada and include case studies of films set in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, British Columbia's Lower Mainland, the Canadian prairies, Ontario, and Quebec. Moreover, Canadian crime films produced from the 1930s to the present are included in these analyses. Contributors to this multi-and interdisciplinary volume are drawn from Criminology, Criminal Justice Studies, English literature, Art History, Film Studies and Communications, Cultural Anthropology, Sociology and Women's and Gender Studies. This is the first comprehensive Canadian volume on crime films that takes up cultural criminology's call for more critical scholarly analyses of the interplay between crime, culture, and society. Adopting American criminologist Nicole Rafter's concept "popular criminology," the essays in this volume all take crime films seriously as popular efforts to understand the causes, consequences and meanings of crime in Canadian society.

  • Author:
    Segaloff, Nat
    Summary:

    How do the most glamorous people in Hollywood behave when they're not in the public eye? Nat Segaloff knows because he followed them for decades. These are the dirty deeds as seen by a publicist who kept them out of the papers and then became a reporter who put them back in.

  • Author:
    Kendrick, Anna
    Summary:

    The New York Times bestselling collection of humorous autobiographical essays by the Academy Award nominated actress and star of Up in the Air and Pitch Perfect . Even before she made a name for herself on the silver screen starring in films like Pitch Perfect , Up in the Air , Twilight , and Into the Woods , Anna Kendrick was unusually small, weird, and "10 percent defiant." At the ripe age of thirteen, she had already resolved to "keep the crazy inside my head where it belonged. Forever. But here's the thing about crazy: It. Wants. Out." In Scrappy Little Nobody , she invites readers inside her brain, sharing extraordinary and charmingly ordinary stories with candor and winningly wry observations. With her razor-sharp wit, Anna recounts the absurdities she's experienced on her way to and from the heart of pop culture as only she can—from her unusual path to the performing arts (Vanilla Ice and baggy neon pants may have played a role) to her double life as a middle-school student who also starred on Broadway to her initial "dating experiments" (including only liking boys who didn't like her back) to reviewing a binder full of butt doubles to her struggle to live like an adult woman instead of a perpetual "man-child." Enter Anna's world and follow her rise from "scrappy little nobody" to somebody who dazzles on the stage, the screen, and now the page—with an electric, singular voice, at once familiar and surprising, sharp and sweet, funny and serious (well, not that serious).

  • Author:
    Porter, Lynnette, Lavery, David, Robson, Hillary
    Summary:

    “Save the cheerleader, save the world.”

    With that immediately memorable mantra, Heroes became the top–rated new series of fall 2006. Featuring such archetypal characters as one with a split personality, one who can fly, one who can see the future, one who can time travel — and the evil villain out to steal all of the powers for himself — the show touches our inner comic book fan, even if we’ve never cracked open a comic book.

    Saving the World: A Guide to Heroes includes essay analyses of the many reasons why Heroes’ audiences were kept so entranced. Authors Lynnette Porter, David Lavery, and Hillary Robson are experts in the field of television analysis, having penned books on Lost, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Deadwood, Seinfeld, The Sopranos, and many others. In this book, they explore the history of comic books making their way to the screen, and how this show has been affected by the decades of comic book superheroes that precede it; the series’ archetypal characters; the fandom surrounding the show; its link to other series such as Lost; creator Tim Kring and how he is the driving force behind the show. The book will include brief episode guides of the first season.

    Saving the World will finally help the large audience of the show understand the mysteries of the series.

  • Author:
    Palmater, Candy
    Summary:

    A powerful, often funny, always inspiring memoir from a beloved comedian, professional orator, actor, entertainer, gone all too soon. Candy Palmater loved to connect with people. She lived for the stage, her effervescent presence on television and radio ignited and inspired audiences, touching them with her warm, often spicy humour as well as her positive message about love and kindness. And she always believed that it is never too late to pursue our dreams and that we should never allow others to negatively influence our life's desires. Candy described herself as a queer Mi'kmaw lawyer-turned-comic raised by bikers in rural New Brunswick and on the surface, she met with enormous success - on leaving government and the practice of law, she started a career as a stand-up comedian, which led to starring in five successful seasons of her own national TV show, hosting many radio shows and co-guest hosting CTV's The Social, and landing a recurring role on a hot new sitcom in her fifties. But she is the first to tell you she made all kinds of mistakes and experienced all kinds of failure along the way. Running Down a Dream is Candy's story, in her own words, of the highs, the lows, the moments of doubt, the turning points when she listened to her gut and tuned out all the people saying no. It's also a tribute to her family and the love that always bolstered her, despite their own hard times. She shares her stories to inspire us to embrace our failures and to believe in ourselves. And most importantly, Running Down a Dream is a call to love ourselves for who we are. The world lost Candy in late 2021, and yet she left us with this gift -- a memoir and a message that will inspire us for years to come.

  • Author:
    Spencer, Liv
    Summary:

    All the juicy details on the breakout hit TV show that has people talking, tweeting, and tuning in week after week

    Rosewood Confidential is the first companion book to the dark deeds, ugly secrets, and flashy fashion of Pretty Little Liars. With six Teen Choice Awards (including Choice Summer TV Show two years in a row) and nominations from People’s Choice and GLAAD Media Awards, the show is a fan favourite, ratings success, and trending Twitter topic every time a new episode airs.

    Rosewood Confidential features an episode guide to the first two seasons of ABC Family’s hit show, bios of the stars, and the story of how a New York Times bestselling book series by Sara Shepard became a pop culture phenomenon. It’s as thrilling as a text message from a dead girl.

  • Author:
    Lynch, David
    Summary:

    An unprecedented look into the personal and creative life of the visionary auteur David Lynch, through his own words and those of his closest colleagues, friends, and family ' adapted by David Lynch from the print book especially for this audio program. In this unique hybrid of biography and memoir, David Lynch opens up for the first time about a life lived in pursuit of his singular vision, and the many heartaches and struggles he's faced to bring his unorthodox projects to fruition. Lynch's lyrical, intimate, and unfiltered personal reflections riff off biographical sections written by close collaborator Kristine McKenna and based on more than one hundred new interviews with surprisingly candid ex-wives, family members, actors, agents, musicians, and colleagues in various fields who all have their own takes on what happened. Room to Dream is a landmark book that offers a onetime all-access pass into the life and mind of one of our most enigmatic and utterly original living artists. With insights into... Eraserhead The Elephant Man Dune Blue Velvet Wild at Heart Twin Peaks Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me Lost Highway The Straight Story Mulholland Drive INLAND EMPIRE Twin Peaks: The Return Adapted For Audio

  • Author:
    Hunter, Martin
    Summary:

    Romancing the Bard offers a look at the Stratford Festival in its first fifty years as it developed from a bold venture driven by vision of a handful of eager enthusiasts to its present status as a multi-million dollar cultural and commercial enterprise. With profiles of Stratford personalities from founder Tyrone Guthrie to current artistic director Richard Monette, it provides glimpses of intrigue and conflict both offstage and on. The book traces the development of a distinctive Canadian acting style, the soaring costs of production and design, the conflict between artists and moneymen, the external image promoted by publicists or imposed by critics and the changing mandate as the Festival assumes an increasingly populist character. This is a celebration of a uniquely successful artistic enterprise, and focuses on some of the Festival’s finest productions. Illustrated with photographs from the Festival archives.

  • Author:
    Ebert, Roger
    Summary:

    Roger Ebert’s criticism shows a nearly unequaled grasp of film history and technique, and formidable intellectual range...” —New York Times Pulitzer Prize–winning film critic Roger Ebert presents more than 600 full-length critical movie reviews, along with interviews, tributes and journal entries inside Roger Ebert’s Movie Yearbook 2013. It includes every movie review Ebert has written from January 2010 to July 2012. Also included in the Yearbook: —In-depth interviews with newsmakers and celebrities —Tributes to those in the film industry who have passed away recently —Essays on the Oscars, reports from the Toronto Film Festival, and entries into Ebert's Little Movie Glossary

  • Author:
    Ebert, Roger
    Summary:

    The only film critic to win the Pulitzer Prize, Roger Ebert collects his reviews from the last 30 months in Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook 2012. Forbes Magazine described Ebert as the "most powerful pundit in America." In January 2011, he and his wife Chaz launched Ebert Presents at the Movies, a weekly public television program in the tradition that he and Gene Siskel began 35 years earlier. Since 1986, each edition of Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook has presented full-length movie reviews, with interviews, essays, tributes, journal entries and "Questions for the Movie Answer Man," and new entries in his popular Movie Glossary. Inside Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook 2012, readers can expect to find every movie review Ebert has written from January 2009 to July 2011, including The Social Network, Waiting for Superman, Inception, The King's Speech, My Dog Tulip, The Human Centipede and more. Also included in the Yearbook are: * In-depth interviews with newsmakers and celebrities, such as John Waters and Justin Timberlake. * Memorial tributes to those in the film industry who have passed away, such as Blake Edwards, Tony Curtis and Arthur Penn. * Essays on the Oscars and reports from the Cannes and Toronto Film Festivals.

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  • Author:
    Orlean, Susan
    Summary:

    Rin-Tin-Tin was discovered on a WWI battlefield in 1918. The adorable German shepherd went on to star in several movies throughout the 1920s and 30s. Eventually, his legacy was cemented in a popular 1950s television program.

  • Author:
    Rainnie, Bruce
    Summary:

    With over 25 years of broadcasting experience, Bruce Rainnie has collected stories from every news, political and sports arena. He has forged a unique partnership with PEI's legendary weatherman, "Boomer" Gallant, and has worked closely with iconic figures like Ron MacLean, Don Cherry, and Peter Mansbridge. Bruce did the first TV interview with hockey sensation Sidney Crosby back in 1996 and has remained in contact with him ever since. He has also had the fortune of chronicling the remarkable career of Olympic Gold Medalist, Heather Moyse. This book includes entertaining and often hilarious reflections from these encounters, as well as many other anecdotes from his quarter-century as a news and sports anchor.

  • Author:
    Selvin, Joel
    Summary:

    Chronicles the private life of television's first child actor--from his celebrated youth through his slow descent into depression and addiction as a struggling adult, and to his untimely death.

  • Author:
    White, Jerry
    Summary:

    Revisioning Europe :The Films of John Berger and Alain Tanner, is among the few existing English-language discussions of the films made by British novelist John Berger and Swiss film director Alain Tanner. It brings to light a political cinema that was unsentimental about the possibilities of revolutionary struggle and unsparing in its critique of the European left, and at the same time optimistic about the ability of radicalism - and radical art - to transform the world. Jerry White argues that Berger and Tanner's work is preoccupied with ideas that were both central to the Enlightenment and at the same time characteristically Swiss. Translations of previously unpublished essays by both John Berger and Alain Tanner are included as appendices.

  • Author:
    Weitzman, Elizabeth
    Summary:

    A charming and timely tribute to the women who broke glass ceilings in film and television, debuting during an historic time of change in the entertainment industry. Renegade Women in Film and TV blends fascinating biographical profiles and exclusive interviews with icons like Barbra Streisand, Rita Moreno, and Sigourney Weaver to celebrate the accomplishments of 50 extraordinary women throughout the history of entertainment. Each profile highlights the groundbreaking accomplishments and essential work of pioneers from the big and small screens, offering little-known facts about household names (Lucille Ball, Oprah Winfrey, Nora Ephron) and crucial introductions to overlooked pioneers (Alla Nazimova, Anna May Wong, Frances Marion). From 19th century iconoclast Alice Guy Blaché to 21st century trailblazer Ava DuVernay, Renegade Women honors the women who succeeded against all odds, changing their industry in front of the camera and behind the scenes.

  • Author:
    Meunier, Claude
    Summary:

    Vingt ans après le succès du Journal d'un Ti-Mé, le Popa extralucide et délirant de La Petite Vie nous revient avec ses « réflexions mentales » déjantées, complémentées par les interventions de Jaqueline, de Pogo et des autres membres de la dysfonctionnelle famille Paré. Légèrement paranoïaque mais cultivé, Popa ne craint pas d'aborder l'actualité : il se demande s'il est lui aussi #MeToo, dévoile les secrets de ses préparatifs pour la COVID, se prononce sur les réseaux sociaux, tente d'imaginer le XXIIe siècle… Voilà un livre qui réjouira à nouveau la société québécoise par son irrévérence, sa fraîcheur et son feu roulant d'humour absurde.

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