On The Set: The Hidden Rules of Movie Making Etiquette

by Paul J. Salamoff, Bill Zahn (Illustrator)

When it comes to Hollywood etiquette on the movie set, nobody gave better advice than Spencer Tracy. Asked by a young actor what advice the master could offer him, Tracy replied, "Know your lines and don't bump into the furniture." Strangely enough, no one has collected Hollywood's movie set rules of behavior until now. Backed by the industry and film unions, there is no other resource book like Movie Sets 101: the Definitive Survivor's Guide by Paul J. Salamoff, an eighteen-year veteran of the movie industry with credits spanning over fifty films, ten television series and numerous commercials. Whether you are new to the industry, a seasoned pro or just interested in what the credits mean at the end of your favorite movie, this book is for you. Salamoff has worked in the industry as a Special F/X Make-Up Artist, Producer, Writer, Director and Executive and has compiled what he has learned throughout the years on movie sets to help others. "Not only will you learn about the different jobs on the movie set but, for the first time, you'll discover the hidden rules of movie set etiquette they don't teach you in film schools," explains Salamoff. Each chapter covers a different movie set department (i.e. talent, grip, costume, electric, etc.). Offering practical advice from over 70 top industry professionals this vitally useful information is presented with wit and humor and packed with anecdotal advice that will not only help those wanting to break into film but actually help them succeed while trying.

Genres: Film

240 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2005

About the author

Paul J. Salamoff has worked for over 30 years in film, TV, video games, and graphic novels as a writer, producer, director, executive, and make-up f/x artist.

Paul is the author of On the Set: The Hidden Rules of Movie Making Etiquette; the graphic novels Hired Guns, Discord, and Logan’s Run. His short stories and essays have appeared in anthologies, including Midian Unmade: Tales from Clive Barker’s Nightbreed and The Cyberpunk Nexus: Exploring the Blade Runner Universe.

Paul currently teaches screenwriting at New York Film Academy. He is a two-time Bram Stoker Award nominee who made his feature-film directorial debut in 2019 with Encounter, a science fiction drama based on his original screenplay, which won Best Independent Film at the 46th annual Saturn Awards.

He lives in Burbank, CA, with his daughter Samantha, son Ethan, cats Toby & Tigger, and a Dalek.

Reviews

[Maddie]

Very helpful and informative!

[JHM · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a movie production insider, but I thought that this book gave a nice, high-level introduction to what the different departments of a motion picture production company do and how to act in a professional manner on a movie set.

I would have given it more stars if it had been a more in-depth treatment and if it had been properly edited. There were a lot of basic spelling and punctuation mistakes which distracted from the professionalism of the intent.

Still, as a life-long movie fan I enjoyed the peek behind the scenes.

[Adam Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many useful insights and a few amusing stories. It did seem like it took a lot of pages to get to the point some times. And if your interest in filmmaking follows a specific area, reading about the disciplines that are only distantly related may feel superfluous.