With a title like “How I Went To the Oscars without a Ticket” you may be asking yourselves, “Is this a how to book? Or maybe a motivational book? Or, yes, I know, an autobiography?” It is none of the above.
Who hasn’t dreamed of being up there with the stars on Oscar night? Also who wouldn’t want to be in on the Governor’s Ball? Author Dee Thompson did and was able to have his dream come true. In this small 81 page booklet we have the true story of how he did just that. It fulfills the promise of the title.
On the cover page it says it is a true life story. In the press release he sends out, Thompson promises to detail how he started his career as an actor. I looked and read it over and over yet did not find that in this story.
He also says in the press release that it will also show “how he was able to overcome his obstacles.” Handing out resumes and head shots does not constitute an obstacle. Everyone looking for a job hands out resumes. This is one thing a person looking for guidance and inspiration will not find in this story. He didn’t detail his background such as: where he grew up, what life was like before he decided to become an actor, his roles he played before he got discovered or the jobs he had before he became a filmmaker.
I would have liked more of an autobiographical slant. He doesn’t develop the story of what he did before “I got the acting bug and moved to Los Angeles, California in 1996. You see, I decided to do this after treading the acting waters on the East Coast first, back in North Carolina.”
He does say he used to work for the airlines part-time while he sent headshots to agents in L.A. He never mentions before that time. It is almost like it didn’t exist. It would have been nice if he had detailed some of the work in North Carolina
The back cover of the book states that he started his theater work on the stage at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, N.C. This is not mentioned in his work. Also stated is that he served in the U.S. Navy. This would have been a nice bit of information to develop in the book. The back of cover of the book states he did act in a baseball film “Major League: Back to the Minors” and in “Miracle in the Woods” which was a TV movie of the week.
The back also states that he wrote, directed, acted in and produced “Barbed Wire” a film accepted and premièred in 2006 at the Urban Film festival in Atlanta. These facts would have helped the story.
Thompson includes lots of pictures of the program for the 69th Annual Academy Awards. Also included are the detailed lists for each area up for nomination. This will be helpful for those who collect that type of information.
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