Katie Everds raised $30,000 to get her product out into the world, but then she lost it. “I was so stressed out because I promised all these people that bought my product that I would deliver,” Everds said. Read more...

Photo: Alumna Katie Everds invented the Tillow, a beach towel containing a removable pillow, storage space and a touchscreen-sensitive pocket. She will be featured on the TV show “Quit Your Day Job,” a show geared towards helping aspiring entrepreneurs. (Marley Maron/Daily Bruin)

James Franco gets a lot of criticism for the kinds of projects he attaches himself to. Why would one of the most talented and bankable stars of his generation attach himself to so many low-budget duds? Read more...

Photo: (Courtesy of A24)

Jeff Annison has an idea that has never been attempted in a Hollywood studio: Let fans have a financial stake in the movie productions they love and enjoy. Read more...

Photo: UCLA alumnus Jeff Annison (left) and Paul Scanlan (right) co-founded Legion M, the world’s first fan-owned entertainment company. Fans can become shareholders in Legion M and provide creative input in the development of films from their initial conception to final completion. (Courtesy of Jeff Bartee)

The first comic book I ever owned was “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.” I was too young to read, so my Dad did it for me, shaping an undying affinity for the character that has pretty much taken over my life. Read more...

Photo: (Warner Bros.)