The Big Picture The Best Movies About Filmmakers, and ‘Boorman and the Devil’
19 snips
Sep 23, 2026 
Tracy Letts, the acclaimed actor, playwright, and screenwriter behind August: Osage County, joins a lively conversation about Boorman and the Devil and the infamous Exorcist II. They explore John Boorman’s daring career, why cinematic failures fascinate, what directors really do on set, and documentaries that capture filmmaking chaos. They also trade favorites among scripted portraits of filmmakers, from All That Jazz to The Disaster Artist.
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What A Director Actually Does
- The director’s job is not simply placing cameras; it is coordinating the entire production so a vision reaches the screen.
- Tracy Letts values directors who invite actors into an active dialogue about performance.
Directors Should Learn How Actors Work
- Directors should take acting classes or perform in plays to understand actors’ working realities.
- Technical fluency alone does not guarantee the ability to communicate useful ideas about character and performance.
The Director Must Own The Failure
- Ambitious directors ultimately own a production’s problems because they accepted responsibility for making the work.
- Coppola’s repeated admission that he was failing gives Hearts of Darkness its unusual emotional force.
