But What I Really Want to Do Is Direct: Lessons from a Life Behind the Camera

The idea to create & set the tone for a motion picture reverberated through the young mind of Ken Kwapis. At ten, he had his first experience, both positive & negative, behind the camera. Despite breaking a camera, he gazed at the salvaged film with wide-eyed wonder and pondered the possibilities. Kwapis threw himself into learning more about directing, despite the lack of available information. Now, five decades forward, he has become an accomplished Director of both Film and Television. He details his on-set work behind the camera during The Office pilot, as well as the topsy turvy world of The Larry Sanders Show. The movies & shows that impacted him emotionally at different parts of his life are followed by the tricks of the craft in directing in subsequent chapters. Kwapis merges the technical aspects with the deeply human, whether infusing his personality into his work or how to tailor notes to actors/actresses to improve their performances.

But What I Want to do is Direct functions as Autobiography/How to/Humor all wrapped into a sublime book. The author segues each chapter in a seamless fashion, going from seeing American Graffiti to instructions on how to take a meeting. Kwapis’ book hits the right tone with the reader and belongs next to the work of Sidney Lumet & William Goldman with respect to the creative world of Show Business. A+ work.