--- product_id: 76094518 title: "On Directing Film" price: "€ 14.20" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.pt/products/76094518-on-directing-film store_origin: PT region: Portugal --- # On Directing Film **Price:** € 14.20 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** On Directing Film - **How much does it cost?** € 14.20 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.pt](https://www.desertcart.pt/products/76094518-on-directing-film) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description A masterclass on the art of directing from the Pulitzer Prize-winning (and Oscar and Tony-nominated) writer of Glengarry Glen Ross , Speed the Plow , The Verdict , and Wag the Dog Calling on his unique perspective as playwright, screenwriter, and director of his own critically acclaimed movies like House of Games, State and Main, and Things Change , David Mamet illuminates how a film comes to be. He looks at every aspect of directing—from script to cutting room—to show the many tasks directors undertake in reaching their prime objective: presenting a story that will be understood by the audience and has the power to be both surprising and inevitable at the same time. Based on a series of classes Mamet taught at Columbia University's film school, On Directing Film will be indispensible not only to students but to anyone interested in an overview of the craft of filmmaking. "Passion, clarity, commitment, intelligence—just what one would expect from Mamet." —Sidney Lumet, Academy Award-nominated director of 12 Angry Men , Dog Day Afternoon , Network , and The Verdict Review: ABC for Youtubers - This should be the first book for youtubers and 2nd should be how to shoot video that doesn't suck Review: I saw the Masterclass and then I had to read his book. - I randomly saw this book on desertcart recommends and I ordered it, as only a few days ago I saw Mamet's MasterClass and heavily influenced me. I was really apprehensive when I picked this book because it was a really tiny book and pretty costly compared to its size. However, being a fan of Mamet and someone who works mostly in film line I had to buy it and read it. I loved how Mamet has written this book. Yes, there is not much content on this book but every word in the book is golden and will help you in your film writing and direction career more than any other book with 100 pages. Most the content is written in the form of dialogues between him and his students. It was like you were actually sitting in a workshop with Mamet himself guiding you and telling you about his experiences and how to make a good movie. Though the name of the book is "On Directing Film", I would say this book is more about screenwriting than direction. This is because Mamet by profession is a writer first, being a creator of several plays, screenplays and novels and a director later with superb films such as "House of Games". I loved this book and I am going to read it again. The last page of this book has made a huge impact on me. There is a question that one of his students ask him that what if he works really hard on his movie but the movie still doesn't work. Basically, it is the question that everyone wants to ask - whether one's hard work will pay. Truth is that no one can tell anyone in 100% confirmation that whether his hard work will pay off. You just have to do hard work and then wish everything ends in success. Mamet answers the student in the form of a story and it was the perfect ending to a perfect book. Of course, you have to read the book to know what that story was. If you are a filmmaking student, and a wannabe writer-director, this book is a must read and is another bible which you should read religiously, again and again, to get inside the mind of the master screenwriter legend called Mamet. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #12,593 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #31 in Cinema & Broadcast (Books) #164 in Encyclopaedias & Reference Works (Books) #259 in Words, Language & Grammar | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 947 Reviews | ## Images ![On Directing Film - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71ph+1t3GRL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ABC for Youtubers *by K***R on 16 March 2026* This should be the first book for youtubers and 2nd should be how to shoot video that doesn't suck ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I saw the Masterclass and then I had to read his book. *by S***O on 1 February 2019* I randomly saw this book on Amazon recommends and I ordered it, as only a few days ago I saw Mamet's MasterClass and heavily influenced me. I was really apprehensive when I picked this book because it was a really tiny book and pretty costly compared to its size. However, being a fan of Mamet and someone who works mostly in film line I had to buy it and read it. I loved how Mamet has written this book. Yes, there is not much content on this book but every word in the book is golden and will help you in your film writing and direction career more than any other book with 100 pages. Most the content is written in the form of dialogues between him and his students. It was like you were actually sitting in a workshop with Mamet himself guiding you and telling you about his experiences and how to make a good movie. Though the name of the book is "On Directing Film", I would say this book is more about screenwriting than direction. This is because Mamet by profession is a writer first, being a creator of several plays, screenplays and novels and a director later with superb films such as "House of Games". I loved this book and I am going to read it again. The last page of this book has made a huge impact on me. There is a question that one of his students ask him that what if he works really hard on his movie but the movie still doesn't work. Basically, it is the question that everyone wants to ask - whether one's hard work will pay. Truth is that no one can tell anyone in 100% confirmation that whether his hard work will pay off. You just have to do hard work and then wish everything ends in success. Mamet answers the student in the form of a story and it was the perfect ending to a perfect book. Of course, you have to read the book to know what that story was. If you are a filmmaking student, and a wannabe writer-director, this book is a must read and is another bible which you should read religiously, again and again, to get inside the mind of the master screenwriter legend called Mamet. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good read *by M***N on 2 January 2016* The book was in good condition and it a decent and quick read. Pretty thin, like 120 pages at most if not more and gives some interesting views on minimalism in film ## Frequently Bought Together - On Directing Film - Making Movies - In the Blink of an Eye: A Perspective on Film Editing, 2nd Edition --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.pt/products/76094518-on-directing-film](https://www.desertcart.pt/products/76094518-on-directing-film) --- *Product available on Desertcart Portugal* *Store origin: PT* *Last updated: 2026-07-12*