Book excerpt: Basics Film-Making: Directing Fiction introduces the essential aspects of the directorial process, focusing on the requirements of short films while also drawing on classic examples from the world of feature films. It looks at the tricky balancing act of art and business, offering guidelines and basic principles rather than instructions. Divided into the three key stages of the film-making process - pre-production, production and postproduction, the book provides students with a framework to begin directing their own productions. The chapters are interspersed with case studies investigating the working practices of leading professionals such as Robert Rodriguez, and Mike Leigh.