A documentary short film depicting the work of the motion picture director. An anonymous director is shown preparing the various aspects of a film for production, meeting with the writer and producer, approving wardrobe and set design, rehearsing scenes with the actors and camera crew, shooting the scenes, watching dailies, working with the editor and composer, and attending the first preview. Then a number of real directors are shown in archive footage (as well as a predominance of staged 'archive' footage) working with actors and crew.
Richard L. Bare
Frank Capra
Phyllis Coates
John Huston
Vivien Leigh
Michael Curtiz
Edward Biby
Roy Del Ruth
Paul Douglas
Bess Flowers
John Ford
Art Gilmore
Creighton Hale
Ray Heindorf
Elia Kazan
Burt Lancaster
Ida Lupino
Gordon MacRae
Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Leo McCarey
Harold Miller
Jack Mower
John Pickard
Ruth Roman
Brick Sullivan
John Wayne
Tennessee Williams
Jack Wise
William Wyler
Jane Wyman