Table of Contents -- Introduction -- Chapter 1 The Commercial Director's World -- What Does a Commercial Director Do? -- How Is a Commercial Made? -- The Ad Agency's Role -- The Agency Staff -- Production and Post Production -- The Specializations -- Survival of the Specialized -- The Director's Relationship with a Production Company -- Chapter 2 Breaking into Commercials -- Creating a Spec Reel -- It's All About the Idea -- Brand Yourself -- Shoot the Same Commercial-Again and Again -- Stay Away from Variety -- Budget Concerns -- A Few No-Brainers -- Contacting Production Companies -- Into the Lion's Den -- Signing, and What to Look For -- I'm Signed-Now What Do I Do? -- Chapter 3 Getting the Job -- The Boards Come In-Now What? -- Your First Look at the Board -- Nuts-and-Bolts Stuff -- Pages Formatted Like a Movie Script -- An Agency Template with Two Columns -- Storyboards with Frames -- Animatic -- What Is Copy? -- Pack Shot -- Super -- Treatment -- The Conference Call -- Chapter 4 The Treatment -- The Appearance -- The Content -- Title Page -- Concept -- Story -- Notes -- Look -- Sound -- Casting -- Technical Considerations -- Locations -- Copyright -- Budget -- The Waiting Game -- Chapter 5 Director's Prep -- Shot List -- Beats -- Editing in Advance -- Shooting Board -- Chapter 6 Preproduction -- Casting -- Crew -- Producer -- Assistant Director -- Director of Photography -- Production Designer -- Location -- Stage -- Real Locations -- Production Design -- Wardrobe -- Car Prep -- Chapter 7 Preproduction Meeting -- Take Charge of the Presentation -- Tell the Story -- Step by Step -- Play the Game -- Tech Scout -- Schedule -- Chapter 8 Getting the Shot -- Concentrate on Your Objective -- Discover Your Approach -- Find the Moment -- The Meat -- The Intensity of the Performance -- Movement -- Transitions -- Variations -- Various Shot Sizes.

Go with the Flow -- The Voyeur Cam -- Beware o' the Elements -- Background Plates -- Moving Objects -- Different Exposures -- Logo Backgrounds -- Listen to the Experts -- The Atmosphere -- Chapter 9 Working with the Agency-Dealing with the Client -- Know Your Place -- Video Village -- Never Light According to the Monitor -- Less Is More -- Roll Tape, Hal -- The Attack of the Bad Idea -- Be Part of the Solution -- Extracurricular Activities -- Chapter 10 The Director's Cut -- The Lab -- Push Processing -- Pull Processing -- Skip Bleach/Bleach Bypass -- Dailies -- One-Light -- Safety One-Light -- Transfer All -- Let the Editor Have a Look -- It's Your Vision -- Enter: The Agency -- Chapter 11 Director's Prep -- Telecine -- Who Needs an Adjustment? -- Nitty-Gritty Telecine -- Digital Elements -- 3D Graphics -- 2D Graphics -- Online Edit -- Audio -- Location Sound -- Music Composing -- Sound Design -- Dialogue and Voiceover Recording and Re-Recording -- Audio Mix -- Putting It All Together -- Chapter 12 The Next Step -- The View from Hollywood -- International Representation -- How to Make International Friends -- Cannes You Look at My Reel? -- Work the Web -- Canada -- United Kingdom -- Italy -- Spain -- Germany -- Scandinavia -- Eastern Europe -- Asia -- Middle East -- South and Central America -- Australia/New Zealand -- Appendix -- The Interviewees -- Joe Murray -- Tor Myhren -- Matt Tolmach -- Kelly Trudell -- John van Osdol -- Jim Zoolalian -- Resources -- DGA -- AICP -- WheresSpot -- Shots Magazine -- Shoot Magazine -- 'boards Magazine -- Adweek -- Advertising Age -- Post Magazine -- Group101Spots -- FastChannel -- AdCritic -- Source TV -- LA 411 and NY 411 -- Technology Glossary -- Avid -- Frozen Moment -- Green Screen -- Helium Balloons -- High Definition (HD) -- Motion Capture -- Motion Control -- Photosonics -- Previz -- R1 Rig.

Remote (Stabilized) Head -- Repeatable Heads -- Russian Arm -- Snorkel Lenses -- Swing and Tilt Lenses -- Techno Crane -- Wire Cam -- Commercial Director's Sample Contract -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- R -- Q -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- Y -- Z.