Lights, Camera, Action!: Making Movies and TV from the Inside Out

Steve Pitt is a Toronto-based freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. He has written many young adult and children's books, including Day of the Flying Fox: The True Story of World War II Pilot Charley Fox.

Just about everyone has wondered what it would be like to be a movie or
television star. Lisa O’Brien is a writer and producer who has many
children’s television programs to her credit. O’Brien is also a
media instructor, and in Lights, Camera, Action!, she gives young
readers a down-to-earth look at the preparation and persistence needed
for success on the silver screen. The first half of the book explores
the entertainment industry from an actor’s point of view, taking the
reader through acting classes, agents, auditions, and landing a part in
a film production. O’Brien mentions repeatedly how much parents are an
essential part of a child star’s winning equation.

The second half of the book explores the many other careers that make
movie magic happen. Showbiz vocabulary is spotlighted in each chapter in
a sidebar called “Screen Speak.” Short interviews with such
entertainment professionals as make-up artists, casting directors, and
stunt people focus on background expertise. The book’s overall layout
is colorful and easy to follow. Stephen MacEachern’s lightly humorous
but lucid illustrations match the prose perfectly. Highly recommended.