Current and aspiring film directors can make their job easier by studying the 10 directing fundamentals outlined in detail in this book. The first five chapters are practical in nature: a successful director must first have a screenplay, a cast, a crew, a budget, and good health. The final five address the psychology of directing, including the development of craft, command, pace, luck, and "chutzpah," which the author defines as "boldness coupled with extreme self-confidence." Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

David K. Irving, both a director and a teacher of film, is the chair of the graduate film program at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts Asia campus.