About the Book:

From one of America's most acclaimed directors, comes Making Movies, a brilliant book that is both a professional memoir and a definitive guide to the art, craft, and business of the filmmaking from the director's perspective. Actors will find this useful as it provides a great overview of the entire filmmaking machine and clearly defines the different roles and responsibilities within filmmaking.

"Invaluable … I am sometimes asked if there is one book a filmgoer could read to learn more about how movies are made and what to look for while watching them. This is the book." — Roger Ebert

How is a movie made and what exactly does a director do? The book Making Movies is like a "master class" with filmmaker Sidney Lumet who attempts to illuminate every circumstance, internal and external, emotional and technical, involved in the arduous process that culminates in what we see on the big screen. Only the director knows the background to the scenes, behind every passing frame of film, and the complex series of details and decisions involved, from budget considerations to divine inspiration, from the earliest rehearsal to the final screening.

Award-winning director Sidney Lumet's knowledge of the art and craft of directing is considerable. He was known for being meticulously organized and prepared with a good reputation for bringing movies in on time and on budget, qualities which helped him maintain his career through its ups and downs. He directed 45 films in 50 years. All are skillful and entertaining, many are enduring classics: 12 Angry Men, The Verdict, Dog Day Afternoon, Network. He discusses everything from art direction and wardrobe, shooting and editing, the verbal and mechanical soundtracks, to the distribution and marketing of a film and the role of the studio. It's an informative, entertaining page-turner that is stocked with usable advice and examples, and even though the technology has changed since it was written, it's still an incredibly relevant and vital perspective.

What people say:

"Film would be a better place if every director were required to share with other romancers of film his process. It is a gift to us all that it is Sydney Lumet, one of America's greatest filmmakers, who is sharing his point-of-view." — Stephen Spielberg

"Sidney is the maestro… His book is like his films – frank, honest, pacey, and very, very smart. Anyone seriously interested in films should read it." — David Mamet

"Remarkable … as dignified as the movies [Lumet] has made and yet deeply felt and very moving… Anyone who truly loves ought to read what he has to say about them … Delightfully engrossing." — Los Angeles Times

"Lumet, the acclaimed director of such films as Dog Day Afternoon and Network, presents an anecdotal insider's account of the key elements in filmmaking." — Publishers Weekly

About the Author:

Sidney Lumet (1924-2011) was an American director, producer and screenwriter who continued making films through his 60s and 70s, eventually directing more than 40 films, which garnered some 50 Oscar nominations. The son of an actor and a dancer he was literally born into the performing arts. Known for guiding strong performances in films such as 12 Angry Men, Network and Dog Day Afternoon, he received five Oscar nominations and was awarded an honorary Oscar in 2005 for his "brilliant services to screenwriters, performers and the art of motion pictures."