TONY BILL
MOVIE SPEAK
HOW TO TALK LIKE YOU BELONG ON A MOVIE SET (FEBRUARY 2009)
by Tony Bill
“Tony Bill’s Movie Speak won’t guarantee you a job in Hollywood, but having a knowledge of all of the industry terms will fool everyone into thinking you own the place.” —Steven Spielberg
“It’s about time our code was broken. What a wonderful insight into our business!” —Dennis Hopper
“Invaluable for those who have wondered what they’re really saying, and for those pitching projects and screenplays who wonder what they’re really being told.” —Roger Ebert
“A primer to the inner workings of a movie set, from ‘Apple Boxes’ to ‘Zooms.’ Whether you’re a Hollywood insider or simply a curious movie buff, this book tells you who it is, where it’s at, and why to bother. Finally, a book that celebrates the process—the dynamic web of people, technique, and artistry—underneath every foot of celluloid.” —Jodie Foster
When is a “groucho” not a comedian? A “seagull” not a bird? A “banana” not a fruit, and a “taco cart” not a food stand? What is the “Castle Rock Rule,” and when should you call for a “buff & puff”? And why expect trouble when the A.D. (assistant director) knowingly mumbles, “Gone with the Wind in the morning, Dukes of Hazzard after lunch”?
An oral tradition gathered and passed down for more than a hundred years, the language of moviemaking, like other secret lexicons, is the only accepted way of communicating on a set—and is all but unknown to the outside world. MOVIE SPEAK (Workman Publishing; February 2009; $8.95) finally cracks that code. It took an ultimate Hollywood insider to put it all together—Tony Bill, an Oscar-winning producer and someone who’s heard it all as an actor, producer, and director for 45 years. Technical, odd, mysterious, the working language of movies sheds light not only on the hugely complex process of making a film, but also on the invisible hierarchies of a set, the unspoken etiquette between cast and crew, and the evolution of a process that’s endlessly fascinating.
MOVIE SPEAK is a book about language, but through language it’s also a book about what it’s really like to be a director or a producer or an actor or a crew member. Amid the definitions that range from colorful to hilarious to bizarre, thoughtful essays containing personal observations and tips provide context for the ultimate guide on how to “talk movie.”