The Business of Film: A Practical Introduction (American Film Market Presents)

So you want to make films, do you? Then you should seriously consider buying “The Business of Film – A Practical Introduction” as part of your education and reference. It should be required reading for film schools everywhere, just as it is also highly recommended for any self-motivated filmmaker (as every filmmaker should be). Being a full-time video producer and ambitious filmmaker, I am amazed that a book such as this (and the contents it explores) was not part of the curriculum back in the day when I was in film school (over two decades ago… gasp!). What was taught to me then were the technical and aesthetic aspects of film production and analysis, which in and of themselves are fine and dandy. But none of that amounted to a hill of beans in the real world without actually learning the way in which films are funded, produced, and distributed. Authors Paula Landry and Stephen R. Greenwald have written a highly informative book that clearly and concisely explains the film industry from a business perspective. They begin with a history of the film industry from its infancy, explaining how it developed and transformed by the nature of market and governmental forces. Sounds boring? It is not at all! With this essential historical foundation summarized, they go on to apply how this foundation applies to today’s film industry, as well as how these same market forces are just as relevant today as they were then. The authors delve into how this historical groundwork relate to contemporary film development, financing, production, distribution, marketing, exhibition, and more. Being a fiercely independent filmmaker, I started my own video production business years ago which is finally going in the direction of making films that are close to my heart. There is so much valuable information covered in this book all I could do upon reading it is to shake my head as to why I had not had this explained to me when I was much younger. If I could find one criticism, it would be that the price is not exactly cheap. But that definitely should not be a deterrent. Filmmaking is not exactly an inexpensive enterprise either, and the book’s price is incomparable to the wealth of information that it provides. If you are truly committed to learning and being successful in this industry, then read this book!

I learned so much from just the first 50 pages of this book I was compelled to stop reading and write this review. The book is like a textbook but more engaging and better organized. I would recommend this to anyone in the industry or who wants to learn more about it. 10/10

An excellent introductory book for the business film. I cannot recommend it enough. While it is not the most exciting book by any means, the content is well researched and fairly well organized. Definitely recommend taking notes becase the content is quite dense.

I'm sometimes skeptical about Second Editions, wondering if I'm just getting a slightly reheated version of the book I originally bought. Not so with Landry & Greenwald's update. Much has changed in the world of film-making since 2009 (like, who uses real (reel!) film anymore :-)?) and "The Business of Film" has changed with it. Still comprehensive, insightful, and imaginative, this is your travelogue to a whole new media landscape. Don't start shooting without it.

Ask anyone in any of the many creative fields what advice he or she would give someone getting into their business, and it would be "Take a business course. Learn how your business works. Your ideas are worth everything, but without some sense and knowledge of how things work—and work best—then your promise may amount to little more than nothing. This book is the perfect foundation for building a career in film.

Paula loves films and film-making, and she loves people and collaborating with them. This all comes through in her writing. She knows her stuff - very, very well. I can't recommend this enough if you want to be ON it, from start to finish! She's clear and thorough in her writing and organization, and presents her ideas with excitement and clarity. What more could you want?

Paula Landry has a deep knowledge into the film industry and the media industry in general. It is not a surprise the launching of the second edition of her book "The Business of Film: A Practical Introduction" . This book presents accurate information about the film industry and all is needed to know to succeed in the making of a film. Nancy Apolo

Paula Landry has a vast insight into film making. I have personally worked with her for a film -- a low budget independent feature that went on to win various awards and receive film festival recognition. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to get the most from their film budget and boost their visibility.