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.

• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)
• Warner Bros. Pictures
• Richard L. Bare
• Frank Capra
• Phyllis Coates
• John Huston
• Vivien Leigh
• Michael Curtiz
• Edward Biby
• Roy Del Ruth