I Say, Hollywood

A BBC crew has just left town after taping countless hours of Hollywood at work and getting “extraordinary access” for “Hollywood Now,” a six-hour segment to air in England at Christmas, according to producer Nick Kent.

Kent and director Margy Kinmonth did lunch at Le Dome, hung out at a Lakers playoff game, prowled the offices at 20th Century Fox, etc.--months of research and taping--to capture “the craft of filmmaking, how the business works and Hollywood as a community.”

Kent’s now with his crew in Michigan for “The Screenwriter” segment, interviewing Kurt Luedtke (“Out of Africa,” “Presumed Innocent”). The other five hourlong segments deal with “The Studio,” “The Producer,” “The Agent,” “The Star” and “The Director.” Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sydney Pollack, Dawn Steel, Barry Diller, Oliver Stone, Robert Townsend, Nora Ephron and Tom Pollock have been among the many luminaries who agreed to go on camera, with more lined up when the BBC team returns here in July.

Kent thinks Hollywood is so cooperative because of his serious approach. “There’s a myth (around the world) that Hollywood is either a very glamorous city, or Sodom and Gomorrah. We’re looking at it as a company town that’s much more complex than many people realize.”