Few people have a true understanding of what it takes to get a feature film made and released. How does a film progress from idea to finished product? How do film directors interact with other creative personnel such as actors, set designers, cinematographers, and editors? What is it like to work in the film industry in the twenty-first century? What is the relationship of the so-called "independent" filmmaker to the major Hollywood studios? This searching work provides answers to these questions through a collection of original career interviews with nine exciting film directors.The prestigious cast of directors interviewed in the course of this volume include: Anthony Minghella ("The English Patient", "Cold Mountain"); Gus Van Sant ("My Own Private Idaho", "Good Will Hunting"); Neil Labute ("In the Company of Men", "Nurse Betty"); Julie Taymor ("Titus", "Frida"); John Dahl ("The Last Seduction", "Rounders"); Sam Mendes ("American Beauty", "Road to Perdition"); Alexander Payne ("About Schmidt", "Sideways"); Michael Polish ("Northfork", "Twin Falls Idaho") and Nancy Savoca ("Dogfight", "If These Walls Could Talk").The interviews reveal what factors led to their decision to make films, and focus on the creative output of each in in-depth and career-comprehensive dialogues. Each interview is preceded by a brief account of the director's background, and ends with a discussion of the current state of filmmaking. Along the way, the author addresses issues that are crucial to an understanding of the directors' work and creative processes. The book also includes a main introduction, individual introductions to each conversation, a conclusion, filmographies, and an index.