9 Essential Books on Filmmaking and Directing

Even if you’re at the top of your game or currently getting hands-on at an intensive filmmaking school program, it can pay dividends to do some additional learning behind the scenes.

Thankfully, for those who live and breathe the craft, there are more than a few excellent books in which to immerse yourself and get even further ahead of the game…

… in fact, it could be argued that there are too many to choose from. With this in mind, join us as we separate the wheat from the chaff with:

9 Best Books on Filmmaking and Directing

The following is a summary of the best filmmaking books written by filmmakers, for filmmakers. Naturally, any list of this kind features a certain level of subjectivity, but all of the below are industry renowned titles and come highly recommended.

The Filmmaker’s Handbook

The Filmmaker’s Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age (2013 Edition) by Steven Ascher and Edward Pincus

A staple of filmmaker’s bookshelves for well over a decade, the latest edition of The Filmmaker’s Handbook has revitalized all of the essential knowledge which it has become known for and brought it right up to date. If you don’t own this book already, you’re doing yourself a disservice.

On Directing Film

On Directing Film (1992) by David Mamet

David Mamet is heralded for both his on-stage work (for which he has won Pulitzer and Tony prizes) and also his work on the screen, having ratcheted up a couple of Oscar nominations. As such, Mamet has more than a few nuggets of wisdom to share throughout the pages of On Directing Film, making it a mandatory read for directors… or really, anyone working in film.

Easy Riders, Raging Bulls

Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-and-Rock ‘N’ Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (1999) by Peter Biskind

While not a manual on filmmaking, Peter Biskind’s Easy Riders is essential reading in order to fully understand the foundations on which modern-day Hollywood was built. We could have chosen any title by this highly engaging cultural critic – Down and Dirty Pictures is also highly recommended – but Easy Riders is a great place to start.

Directing: Film Techniques & Aesthetics

Directing: Film Techniques & Aesthetics (Fifth Edition, 2013) by Michael Rabinger and Mick Hurbis-Cherrier

Another must-read for either those at filmmaking school or looking to make a career hop over to the director’s seat. What isn’t covered on the profession in this book could probably fit on the back of a postage stamp. From start to finish, this truly is one of the most comprehensive books ever written – and frequently updated – on the art and science of directing.

How to Shoot a Feature Film for Under $10,000

How to Shoot a Feature Film for Under $10,000 (And Not Go to Jail) by Bret Stern (2002)

Coupled with one of the more authoritative, traditional tomes on filmmaking listed here, Bret Stern’s very liberating approach to the topic will have you on the road to becoming an indie maverick in no time. How To Shoot a Feature Film For Under $10,000 is guaranteed to revolutionize your approach to problem solving (and hopefully make you a much better filmmaker in the process.)

On Film-Making

On Film-making: An Introduction to the Craft of the Director (2005) by Alexander Mackendrick, edited by Paul Cronin

Alexander Mackendrick’s seminal volume on the craft of filmmaking has long been an industry standard text, and one that has helped countless individuals find their own cinematographic eye and achieve success in directing. Following the great director and teacher’s death in 1993, the various handouts he would give to his students were collated by Paul Cronin and presented in this book (with a foreword from Martin Scorsese.)

In the Blink of an Eye

In the Blink of an Eye (2nd Edition, 2001) by Walter Murch

As a thought-provoking treatise on the practicalities and aesthetics of cutting film, In the Blink of an Eye is a book everyone who works in editing should read. Don’t be put off – this isn’t a technical manual on the hows of editing, but more of a meditation on the whys.

Making Movies

Making Movies by Sidney Lumet (1995)

Legendary director Sidney Lumet didn’t see filmmaking as magic, so this magician was more than happy to share his secrets. Lumet wasn’t just a visionary–he was very much a workman, and believed having a clear, firm control of his set would lead to a smooth production that would allow everyone, from crew to cast, to do their best. The five-time Oscar nominee backs up his ideas with sample shot lists and schedules and other practical templates filmmakers can use to this day.

Rebel without a Crew

While Mexican director Robert Rodriguez is now more known for his blockbuster epics like Alita: Battle Angel and the Spy Kids movies, Rodriguez first rose to prominence with his independent film El Mariachi, which he shot with only $7,000. One way he saved money was by serving as his own editor, cinematographer, writer, producer, director, and film scorer–roles he still fills for many of his much higher-budgeted films to this day. His guerilla-style, ultra low-budget take on indie filmmaking is detailed in his book Rebel without a Crew, a must-read for filmmakers who don’t have millions of dollars at their disposal to make the movie of their dreams.

Rebel without a Crew by Robert Rodriguez (1995)

Read any other excellent books on filmmaking that we should be checking out and including here? Don’t hesitate to drop your suggestion in the comments below, and let’s chat books! And check out NYFA’s filmmaking programs to learn more about movie making.

Here’s what’s worth reading.

What books should filmmakers read, especially when starting out? Which ones are worth your time?

We get this question a lot from students of our online film school. They’re eager to supplement their studies with books on every aspect of filmmaking – from screenwriting to directing to producing to editing to cinema history – but aren’t always sure what to prioritize.

To point them in the right direction and help cut through the clutter, we’ve curated 10 of our favorite books for beginning – and for that matter, experienced! – filmmakers. Consider this your first film school reading list!

I. Poetics | Aristotle

“I promise you,” exhorts legendary screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, “If something is wrong with what you’re writing, you’ve probably broken one of Aristotle’s rules.”

Those rules are set forth in Poetics, Aristotle’s examination of the dramatic elements of plot, character, language, and spectacle through the lens of classical Greek tragedy. It may be thousands of years old, but Poetics is a timeless foundation for the fundamentals of storytelling.

II. The Hero with a Thousand Faces | Joseph Campbell

Although there’s no shortage of worthy screenwriting books available – among them, Robert McKee’s Story; Syd Field’s Screenplay; and Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat – our favorite is Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces, essentially a masterclass in comparative mythology. Famous as director George Lucas’ inspiration for Star Wars, this book illuminates the similarities in stories across time, space, and cultures, revealing the stages of the Hero’s Journey. It’s a difficult, scholarly read that’s well worth the effort.

After finishing Campbell’s classic, consider working your way through Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey, an unofficial companion piece that explores the relationship between mythology and storytelling.

III. The Hollywood Standard | Christopher Riley

Have you ever wondered how to format your screenplay professionally? Recommended by screenwriter John August, The Hollywood Standard is an essential reference that details formatting conventions for screenplays and television scripts.

IV. On Directing Film | David Mamet

A Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and Oscar-nominated filmmaker, David Mamet discusses the craft of directing in On Directing Film, based on a series of classes he taught at Columbia University’s film school.

Mamet preaches the importance of thinking visually. He draws on the teachings of many of the Russian masters, from Konstantin Stanislavsky to Sergei M. Eisenstein, and admires director Alfred Hitchcock’s emphasis on pre-planning. Ultimately, On Directing Film is a fascinating read that will challenge your understanding of how to direct and what it means to be a director.

V. Hitchcock | François Truffaut

A staple in every film aficionado’s library, Truffaut’s Hitchcock presents 50 hours of interviews with master filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock, covering his directorial career and unique perspective on the craft. First published in 1967, it’s an entertaining read full of sharp insights into cinematic questions that continue to resonate today.

VI. Shooting to Kill | Christine Vachon

Here is a chronicle from the frontlines of independent filmmaking that reveals what it’s like (and what it takes) to get a bold movie produced. Christine Vachon – recently the driving force behind director Todd Haynes’ Oscar-nominated Carol – reveals the guts of the filmmaking process, from developing a script to finding financing and managing egos. Along with A Killer Life, Shooting to Kill charts Vachon’s path to success balancing art and commerce. It serves as an inspiration for every independent filmmaker who’s had to realize their creative vision with limited resources and against the odds.

VII. Rebel Without a Crew | Robert Rodriguez

Like Shooting to Kill, filmmaker Robert Rodriguez’s Rebel Without a Crew is an anthem for everyone in the indie filmmaking world. Rodriguez shares how he made his debut film, El Mariachi, on a shoestring budget.

Although the industry has changed since Rebel Without a Crew was first published, it’s still an illuminating read with actionable insights that encourages you to get out there and start making movies!

VIII. The War of Art | Steven Pressfield

Novelist Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art is short, but it packs a powerful punch. Honestly, this book changed my life by changing my understanding of what it means to be a creative professional. You’ll walk away from this volume rejuvenated and committed to realizing your full potential as a filmmaker. I make a point of reading The War of Art once every year.

IX. In the Blink of an Eye | Walter Murch

A spirited investigation of why and how film editing works, In the Blink of an Eye addresses both the aesthetic and practical concerns of cutting a movie. It’s a short but essential guide to the craft written by an Academy Award-winning editor and sound designer.

X. Easy Riders, Raging Bulls | Peter Biskind

Discover how studio films changed in the age of Coppola, Lucas, Spileberg, and Scorsese. Biskind conducted hundreds of interviews for this analysis of Hollywood in the 1970s, illuminating a decade characterized by brazen auteurs and cinematic experimentation.

If you enjoy Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, then also read Biskind’s Down and Dirty Pictures, which pulls back the curtain on the emergence of the independent film industry in the 1990s. Both books help put indie filmmaking in context, connecting us to our past so that we can better prepare for the future.

This is by no means a comprehensive reading list, but it is a valuable jumping-off point! If you’re ready for more, consult our roundup of 7 books by famous filmmakers to inspire you, then take a look at 5 filmmaking textbooks we recommend for the next time you’re in need of a no-nonsense, clear-cut compendium covering directing, cinematography, and the world of sound.

Here’s hoping that these 10 titles stoke your passion for filmmaking and stimulate your creativity, as they have ours! Of course, please feel free to share your favorites in the comments below. We always love recommendations!

A good film producer is really a ‘Jack of all trades’ She (or he) knows a lot about storytelling and screenwriting, something about law and contracts, a lot about different phases of production, distribution, financing, script break down. organizing a crew and artistic leadership.

No, single book covers all those subjects. So the list of books would be too long for this answer. But here’s a few to get you started, that I think are good.

1. The Complete Film Production Handbook. Focal Press, written by Eve Light Honthaner
2. The Producers’s Business Handbook, - published by Variety and Focal Press and written by John J. Lee and Anne Marie Gillen.
3. The Biz, the basic business, legal and financial aspects of the film industry. Published by Silman-James Press, and written by Schuyler M. Moore.