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I am looking for brief proposals (title and synopsis, 250 to 500 words) for essays that could be included in Star Power: Celebrity Rule in New Hollywood, an upcoming two-volume collection to be published by to Praeger Publishers. The essays will focus on individuals important to contemporary Hollywood. They should be about 7,500 words (plus notes and bibliographical material) and will be due by January 31, 2013 (proposals by August 31, 2012). Contributors will receive a free copy of the set.
Thanks,
--Aaron Barlow
Overview:
Today’s top media stars parlay their star power into much more than money and immediate control. Many of them develop what amount to mini-empires where they can take on different roles in different projects, sometimes acting, sometimes directing, sometimes producing This isn’t new: Building on the successes of Charlie Chaplin, Orson Welles, and a few others of the Studio Era, people like Woody Allen and Clint Eastwood began to expand their own activities a generation ago. Today, it is commonplace, but has never been seriously examined. This set will look into how individual artists take success today in one area of entertainment and use it to move successfully into other entertainment activities.
Possible subjects (though there are many more who could be included):
Volume 1: The Power of Youth, Beauty and On-Screen Talent

Introduction

From the Disney Factory
1. Christina Aguilera
2 Myley Cyrus
3. Jonas Brothers
4. Brittany Spears
5. Justin Timberlake

Star Power:
6. George Clooney
7. Matt Damon
8. Johnny Depp
9. Will Ferrell
10. Tina Fey
11. Mel Gibson
12. Angelina Jolie
13. Sean Penn
14. Robert Redford
15. Adam Sandler
16. Ben Stiller
17. Stanley Tucci
18. Denzel Washington
19. Keenan Ivory Wayans
20. Oprah Winfrey

Volume 2: The Powers behind the Camera

21. J. J. Abrams
22. Judd Apatow
23. Michael Bay
24. Kathryn Bigelow
25. Tim Burton
26. Coen Brothers
27. Matt Groening
28. Peter Jackson
29. Spike Lee
30. Seth MacFarlane
31. Tyler Perry
32. Chris Rock
33. Jason Reitman
34. Robert Rodriguez
35. Martin Scorsese
36. Ben Silverman
37. Kevin Smith
38. Steven Spielberg
39. Quentin Tarantino
40. Joss Whedon