In spite of the complexity of film production, the information presented in Lights, Camera, Action! is laid out in a clear, organized fashion and is easy to understand. This is not surprising since author Lisa O’Brien’s credentials are impressive: an experienced writer, producer, and creator of children’s television shows in the U.S. and Canada, she has written and produced segments for Discovery Channel and currently works for Disney. O’Brien uses the first few pages of the book to introduce the idea of acting in movies and explains what screenplays and casting are all about. She then presents Johnny, a boy close in age to the reader. The reader follows Johnny’s acting career from first acquiring an agent, through auditions, preparing for a specific movie role, and the actual shooting of a film. The editing and marketing of a movie are also included. In addition to reading about Johnny’s acting experiences, the reader also learns about the gaffer, best boy, key grip, foley artist, stunt doubles, and visual effects team, whose roles are explained in the text as well as the cleverly designed glossary at the end of each chapter.

The designer, Julie Naimska, is also to be commended for the creative way in which she deals with a ton of information. Interviews with real people in the movie industry, suggestions for acting strategies, mini-quizzes, and drama exercises each have their distinct sidebar and logo. General information is organized in short paragraphs and in columns. Stephen MacEachern’s offbeat colour illustrations enhance the text but don’t overwhelm it.

Open to any double spread in the book and you can jump right in. This is not the kind of book that must be read in sequence. However, it is the kind of book you’ll want to refer to again and again.