A magical tour of filmmaking fundamentals for creators of all ages and experience levels

Action!

An Illustrated, DIY Guide to Making Your Own Movies

by Bill Brown (Author)

Praise for previous edition:

"Brown brings the ease and warmth of his movie narration and Dream Whip writings and drawings to the nuts and bolts of working with movie film [...] Bill acts as your generous guide and fellow traveler, keeping things straight forward and practical." —Thomas Comerford, Art Institute of Chicago

"For anyone tired of taking all the wrong shots or just trying to figure things out, this is a great learner’s permit." —Jamais Jochim, The Portland Book Review

"No one else makes aspect ratios and depth of field more fun to learn. [...] Many of my students read it cover-to-cover even when I only assign one chapter!" —Sabine Gruffat, professor, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Have you ever wanted to make your own movies, documentaries, music videos, or vlogs? In this easy-to-read and magnificently illustrated volume, you will learn why movies move, how film and video cameras work, how to light and expose your shots to get the best results, and so much more! It’s guidebook for all ages and experience levels. Whether you’ve got a phone and a YouTube account, an old Super-8 handheld camera, or a fancy, state-of-the-art motion picture studio, Bill Brown, aka "Professor Know-It-All," will give you all the technical knowledge you need to let your ideas come to life.

SUBJECT: DIY / Art and Design / Microcosm / Movies

PUBLICATION: Aug 25, 2026

PRICE: $16.99

ISBN: 9781648414411

FORMAT: 192 pp, 5x7", paperback

WHOLESALE: Standard

CARTON QTY: 42

ART: b&w illustrations

Marketing Notes

New edition features a new introduction and chapters on evergreen editing and post-production concepts.
Updated for modern technology and platforms, but still focused on being helpful no matter what device you use.
Handwritten text and illustrations make Action! feel like you're reading a how-to guide from a friend.
Great for teens, students, creatives, and lifelong learners at all experience levels

Bill Brown is a filmmaker, a photographer, and an author who has produced the films Buffalo Common, Confederation Park, Hub City, Mountain State, The Other Side, Life on the Mississippi, and Roswell. He is the author of all 16 issues of the zine Dream Whip and the book Saugus to the Sea. His whereabouts are currently unknown.

A small, innovative publishing house, Microcosm Publishing specializes in work designed to make the reader feel good about being alive, take an active role in bettering their life, and impact the world around them. Microcosm has developed a reputation for teaching self-empowerment, showing hidden histories, and fostering creativity through challenging conventional publishing wisdom with books and zines about DIY skills, food, politics, and art. Our books are printed in the USA.