Bean, a freelance writer based in Florida, tells the story of how the film industry first set up shop in his home state during the Silent Era, and how its eventual migration to Southern California was the result of political instability, racial tension and even the advent of World War I. Using firsthand accounts and media archives, the author notes how 300 films were made in Jacksonville studios by 1928 (including the first film in Technicolor). His research also suggests that the eventual shift to the West Coast may have been instigated through industry sabotage from Hollywood. The writing is brisk and will appeal to general audiences, yet the book is respectably complete with notes, a bibliography, and an index. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)