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 practising, director.