The Art Of Directing - Making Magic in Film and Television

This accessible book is an exploration of the condition of the director from an insider’s perspective, discussing how directors survive and thrive in the immensely challenging environment of the film and television industry.

By exploring the director’s condition through the lens of the author’s own lengthy and varied experience, this book provides a unique, but generally applicable, insight into the world of directing. It constitutes not just a helpful walk-through of the various craft-skills a director must possess, but also a guide to negotiating the many pitfalls the unwary director may encounter in the industry. In addition, it explores the necessary prerequisites to excel in the field, whilst positioning itself as a very contemporary take on the subject, including such topics as directing action, working with actors in intimate and intense scenes, and the important and expanding aspect of the director’s relationships with visual effects in film.

Structured as a series of essays drawn from several decades as a working director in the UK, The Art of Directing will provide a wealth of essential lessons for the aspiring, as well as the practicing, director.

Tim Leandro is Senior Lecturer in Directing for Film and Television at the University of York. He is a twice BAFTA-nominated film and television director, whose career spans more than three decades. Originally a video artist in the 1980s, Leandro then moved into factual television and documentaries at the BBC, before segueing into drama in the early 90s. Leandro has made dramas for all the main terrestrial UK broadcasters across a wide range of genres including children’s drama, soap, high-end drama, single films, series and serials.

Additional Info

• • ISBN 9781032731575

    190 Pages 24 B/W Illustrations

    Published May 2, 2025 by Routledge