July 2025

Holben Publishes The Director’s Guide to Everything

Jay Holben, an ASC associate member and the technical editor of American Cinematographer, has released The Director’s Guide to Everything, a 600-page deep dive into the daily realities of professional directing. Drawing on decades of experience behind the camera, Holben delivers a no-nonsense roadmap to mastering the director’s role from the first conversations in prep to the final decisions in post. He covers the language and inner workings of every department, equipping directors with the tools to collaborate meaningfully across the production; he also reflects on the responsibilities of leadership — how to inspire a crew, work with actors, manage creative pressure and keep a production moving forward without losing the soul of the...more