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John Badham on Directing - Prologue

“His newest book is ‘John Badham on Directing,’ a candid and entertaining primer on the psychological, technical and managerial elements that go into directing a movie or TV series. The book also features interviews with such actors as James Woods and Richard Dreyfuss and directors Brett Ratner, Donald Petrie, D.J. Caruso and Martha Coolidge”

— Susan King, Los Angeles Times

“indisputably the most valuable book on the craft of film directing yet published" - Wade Major & Tim Cogshell, FilmWeek & CineGods

“Invaluable first-hand insight for vets and novices alike in three key areas: how to work with difficult actors, techniques for preparing and executing action sequences, and how to analyze and deconstruct problematic scenes.” - Carley Johnson, DGA Quarterly

“What I appreciate the most about Mr. Badham’s writing is how practical the information is. He doesn’t make much room for lofty ideas of art, what is wrong with cinema, problems with producers these days, etc. None of that seems to matter when you are on the set trying to get your actors out of a rut, or in the editing room hating yourself for not getting that one shot. He focuses on basic, useful information that you can actively use on the set to communicate to your cast and crew.” - Justin Pugh, MicroFilmmaker Magazine

“Now a lot of ‘how to’ books have crossed my desk, but this is something special for several reasons. One, he has reached out to other directors such as Martha Coolidge, Christopher Nolan, Paris Barclay, Oliver Stone and Steven Soderbergh (and a couple who are no longer with us such as John Frankenheimer and Sydney Pollack) for their stories, suggestions and insights. It’s like being in a master class on directing from the best in the business, along with commentary from actors, cinematographers and producers. It covers everything from what you want out of storyboarding, strategies behind effective action scenes and, most of all, getting the best possible performances from actors.” - Cari Beauchamp, Indiewire (on John Badham on Directing)

“With the new book John Badham on Directing, the filmmaker assumes a broader role as world-wise instructor, offering sage tutelage on everything from working with actors to nailing down stories and tones. He also recruited friends like Taylor Hackford, Jodie Foster, Patty Jenkins, Ryan Murphy and Steven Soderberg to “guest lecture” with bite-sized tidbits throughout. A great read for working and aspiring Spielbergs.” - Kevin Polowy, Yahoo Entertainment, “It List”

“Exceptionally well-organized and presented, John Badham on Directing would make an ideal curriculum textbook for directorial film classes and should be considered essential reading for anyone wanting to successfully craft a movie from a writer’s script. While an exceptionally and an unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, film school, community, and academic library Film/Television/Video/Movie Direction & Production collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of film students, academia, aspiring film directors, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.” - Midwest Book Review

“What’s so lovely is it’s about people, so many of the other books are so technical and practical, which this book [John Badham on Directing] is as well. That’s what this industry is, and that is what this book tells so beautifully I think. It reminds you, this is the core of it, your relationship with actors especially.” - Robbie McKane, The Filmmakers

“Continuing change in the power dynamics of the entertainment industry have prompted a veteran filmmaker to update his 2013 book… A lifetime ago, when I was a college undergrad, there were certain professors whose lectures were standing-room-only events. It didn’t matter if you were actually taking their courses; they had the kind of classroom charisma that made for a great learning experience. I can imagine that John Badham, a professor of Film and Media at California’s Chapman University, is that sort of teacher.” - Michael Walsh, Reeling Back

“It’s useful for those interested in directing but also entertaining and informative for film fans.” - Mark Burger, Yes! Weekly

-“How a Hollywood Legend Directs Actors… The man’s filmography is incredible, he’s an absolute icon, a brilliant director and an author… the book is really fantastic, it’s absolutely packed with so much incredible and honest information…. For me as a newer director, I haven’t done my first feature yet.... something that I am constantly worried about and thinking about is working with actors, actors who have a lot more experience than I do on features, these named actors. But even just down to just that relationship with an actor. How do you do that better? How do you come to that relationship in a way that is going to be most helpful for the talent to help them get to the place that they need to get to. How do you collaborate best?... And John had, of course, incredible things to say…”- Ryan Connolly, Film Riot

“John Badham on Directing is a must-read for anyone that wants to know how to make a movie...” - Clint Morris, MovieHole

“John Badham on Directing: Notes from the Sets of Saturday Night Fever, War Games, and More. In it, he draws on 40-plus years in the industry to provide budding filmmakers with practical tips on working with actors, staging action scenes, and making sure that the film playing in their heads finds its way onto the screen as accurately as possible. At the same time, the book is so chock-full of anecdotes and insights — not just from Badham, but also from such colleagues as Steven Soderbergh and Oliver Stone — that even those not planning a career behind the lens will want to check it out for its compelling glimpse behind-the-scenes.” - Dan Persons, Huffpost

-“Would-be directors will learn everything here, from how to collaborate with actors to help them feel comfortable and give the best performances they can to exploring character motivations and what a director can do to clarify those. The veteran director also discusses important and often overlooked aspects of directing, such as planning for efficiency in a way that keeps costs and man hours down as well as working with a crew to get maximum effort and enthusiasm out of them... John Badham on Directing makes for a valuable addition to any film reference library.” - Andrew J. Rausch, C-U Blogfidential

“The book [John Badham on Directing] offers an engaging look at the psychological, technical, and managerial elements that go into helming a film or TV show.” - Alex Simon, The Hollywood Interview

“There is nothing like hearing the experience of someone who has spent a lifetime in the trenches. From such an illustrious career, John Badham probably has stories to tell, but wisely steers clear from this and dedicates his book on what directing actually is: it is a craft that can be taught, and an art that can’t be taught and can only be recognized when you see it. Therefore, probably knowing all too well the elusive nature of a successful directorial effort, he has pared down what he has to transmit to wise, practical, and ingenious principles that should be taken to heart.” - Baptiste Charles, Raindance

“Producers really need to read this book and appreciate that rehearsal time saves money in filming time as it resolves all manner of problems… I’ve learnt a lot that I can apply elsewhere. Badham writes a lot of sense and from experience, showing his own failures and learning from them himself. If you have plans to direct, even if it’s only as an amateur, there is much to learn. There is also a lot about management skill and communicating with people so there really is something here for everyone.” - GF Willmetts, SF crownest

“Grab a cup of coffee, a cozy chair and spend a few hours hanging out with legendary director, John Badham. Badham’s conversational and friendly writing tone makes us forget that we’re actually learning. The book is filled with solid lessons, superb advice and insightful stories from the sets of several classic films we love!” - Forris Day, Jr., Scared Stiff

“I know exactly how you feel. You finished John Badham’s first book I’ll be in my Trailer, and wished desperately that he’d come out with another book. His interviews were so entertaining, his lessons so accessible, and his overall conversational tone so delightful—one book wasn’t enough!

While the first book was mostly focused on the director-actor relationship, John Badham on Directing broadens the syllabus to other aspects of directing. Always humble, always entertaining, director John Badham uses his triumphs and mistakes as lessons in how to keep tension in a scene and how to keep the big picture in mind at all times…. I’ve read a lot of film books during my three years as a film student, many of which were written by my teachers. None compare to John Badham’s books. These are in a class by themselves. No pun intended.” - E. H. Nolan, writer

-“And, after reading this book [I’ll Be in My Trailer], I believe that, through his writing and directorial techniques that he outlines in this book, Mr. Badham may be providing one of the most singularly useful and fascinating approaches to the director/actor dynamic that I have ever read.” - Jeremy Hanke, MicroFilmmaker Magazine

“[I’ll Be in My Trailer] is written in a dip in and out style, and that’s the best way to enjoy it too, I think. Badham is a man who’s candid that he’s learned from his mistakes on movie sets, and he’s got lots of advice for potential directors, generously illustrated with compelling examples from his own career.” - Simon Brew, Den of Geek

“One of the best and most brutally honest books on filmmaking ever written, I’ll Be in My Trailer, about the relationship between actors and directors…. I think [it] is one of the best filmmaking books that are written.” - Per Holmes, HollywoodCameraWork

“When I read this [I’ll Be in My Trailer], I’m thinking, this is actually just a good management book. Not just in film, but just how to treat people properly. And you really nailed it on the heads with a lot of this… a lot of people have to just take [their] ego down a notch and work through it together, which is what the book’s all about… I love that.” - Forris Day Jr., Coffeeshop Conversations

“I loved John Badham’s I’ll Be in My Trailer: The Creative Wars Between Directors and Actors. It has been one of the most useful books I’ve read about directing actors for the screen….. If anyone’s qualified to do a nuts and bolts book about directing, John Badham is your guy.” - Alex Epstein, Screenwriter

“Why do we care about the trust? We care because a trusting person is going to give you more of their creativity. A person who doesn’t trust you is going to say I'll just give him what I know is safe.” - Tommy G. Kendrick, Actors Talks Acting