Producer Thoughts: 5 Must-Read Books
For those not aware, I host a podcast called The Producer Podcast. The show focuses exclusively on the producing aspect of the film industry. In a recent episode I did with Aaron Burns, he talked about how we gain experience in three ways. 1) By Studying it, 2) By Doing it and 3) By Mentorship. Today we’re going to look at the first way, by studying it, in the context of reading books.
Now a days the internet is filled with YouTube videos, social media posts, podcast and blogs about filmmaking. Yet personally, I always found the amount of content aimed more at producers in short supply. During the course of my producer journey I’ve come across a number of books that are either aimed at producers or are a must-read for producers. So if you’re looking to learn more about this area of the industry take note.
5. Behind the Scenes Books
This is where I first got my start in learning about the craft of filmmaking. At the time I was first getting into film my local library had the big The Making of Star Wars Revenge of Sith book that went through the whole journey of producing the film. I checked that book out so many times from the library to re-read it as well as study the BTS pictures. Reading these books has always given unique insight into the making of the film from the filmmakers and cast themselves and I have learned and taken notes from quite a few. One of my favorites was actually the one on the making of Pendragon: Sword of His Father. They had a whole section where they laid out all the different practical fire effects they did in the film and what type of fuel they used. So if you have a favorite movie out there I'd highly recommend seeing if they have a “Making Of” book and seeing what you can learn from it.
For those that read my previously blog post about 5 books every business-owner should read this one will be familiar. As a filmmaker marketing yourself and your skills can be hard at times, especially with such a competitive industry. That’s why a great way to to market yourself is simply in showing your work. I realize as a producer this can be hard. A lot of what we do is sensitive and classified material (i.e. contracts, budgets, releases, contact info, etc.) However finding ways to show what you do and what you’re learning is a great way to get out there in the industry. Whether it’s a YouTube series, social media posts, blogs or a podcast, take the time to find and know your audience, and then show your work. The book itself has great tips on figuring out what to share, when to share and how it is helpful.
This book came recommended to me by another producer in the industry that has many more years of producing experience. The book is great for beginning producers who are new to the narrative space as it walks you through from start to finish on producing a film. Everything from deal-making, financing, hiring, distribution and more is covered in the book. My only wish is that they would bring out a new edition. While the most recent, third edition, is great it is beginning to be outdated and lacking knowledge on areas such as streaming which has come into play in recent years. This book is very much focused on the narrative side of the film industry. So if you’re looking to learn more about producing your next feature I highly recommend you read it cover to cover. If you work more in the commercial side of the industry there are some sections you can just glance over but all in all it’s a great book. My favorite part is that they include example contracts for most of the things they talk about so that you can get an idea of what the contract looks like.
I first learned of this book while listening to The Script to Screen Podcast when they were talking to Dallas Jenkins, Director on The Chosen. The only reason this book takes the number 2 spot instead of the number 1 spot is because it is a little more focused on directors and actors. However; I still learned a lot reading this book, especially hearing the actors’ perspective on a number of topics including rehearsals, scenes that include more intimate moments between actors, using body doubles and more. Even as a producer it gets you thinking about what you can do in the pre-production phase of a project to make sure everyone is on the same page to deliver the best film possible.
1. Clearance & Copyright By Michael C. Donaldson and Lisa A. Callif
And Finally, taking home the number 1 spot is Clearance and Copyright. Once again this book came highly recommended from a fellow filmmaker who had used it a lot. This book is already in it’s fourth edition and delves into the topic of copyrights, trademarks, permissions, etc. Personally, I haven’t even owned the book for an entire year and have already referenced it on numerous film projects for clarifications. The book covers everything from what you all have to do to prove you own the copyright, to making sure you don’t infringe on someone else’s copyright and more. Written by two industry professionals that spend every day working in the legal side of the industry the book is filled with stories of actual lawsuits and their outcomes and why they happen. The book also contains example contracts with notes on why different things are included to better understand what they are talking about and why it’s important.
So there you have it. My top 5 books for every film producer to read as of the writing of this post. While you don’t have to read any of these books to be a great producer, I’m a firm believer that one should never stop learning and if that means taking 15 minutes to read a few pages a day from a book then I say it’s worth it. Are there other books you’ve read that you think every producer should read? Drop the title in the comments below.