There is no substitute for experience. I've had the privilege and honour to have worked alongside Terry Ackland-Snow for many years. Not only is he a prince among men and a close friend, he is also the design equivalent of Lionel Messi when it comes to creating a world and an environment for actors to do our stuff.

TRobson Green

'Tim Burton came in and commented, "Great, but how do they get in the car? There aren't any doors!"

Sadly, I hadn't thought of that.'

What do On Her Majesty's Secret Service, 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Great Muppet Caper have in common?

Terry Ackland-Snow worked on them, that's what.

In The Art of Film, Terry lifts the lid on his extraordinary career, from being held hostage by a wannabe film crew in Jamaica to forgetting to add doors to the Batmobile. It is an insight into a lifetime of working in the film industry, mixing the amusing anecdotes with revelations about just how the magic in these movies was created. With over 200 images, including set sketches and design plans, this is a book no film aficionado should be without!

Terry Ackland-Snow has been in the film and television industry for more than 50 years. Having worked on over 80 feature productions, he has amassed a wealth of knowledge and experience, all of which he now teaches on his art direction training courses based at Pinewood Studios. Wendy Laybourn has worked in the film industry since the early 1970s and has spent the past few years helping the future generation of filmmakers to understand the skills and crafts involved by publishing an industry magazine, Network Nine News, and a series of e-booklets, Do You Have What it Takes to Survive in Film Production?