Making a movie can be a complex process that usually takes years. Even though we're usually talking about the luxury part of it, with award shows like the Oscars and famous actors in fancy clothes, the making of the film is not usually that glamorous, especially when you take independent filmmakers. From writing the script to casting actors, working on the pre-production to build scenarios and costumes, arranging everyone's schedules, shooting on location, and finally editing the footage to come up with the finished product, every step presents its own challenges and obstacles. But they bring so many characters and worlds that we love to watch and binge, being from the seat in a movie theater or on our own couch at home.

In the midst of content that we can find today, some TV shows and documentary series offer viewers a glimpse into the creative process of making a movie, sometimes with reality shows to spark a competition, where we can follow the ups and downs of the production process, to dramatic series about iconic movies that are embedded in the history of cinema. Whether you're a die-hard movie fan or if you're simply curious about how it all happens, these shows will surely provide a lot of insights and entertainment.

10 Hollywood Weapons: Fact or Fiction? (2017)

hollywood weapons_ fact or fiction_
Outdoor Channel

This is for explosion and special effects fans. Did you ever wonder how crazy stunts are made? Or do you know the process behind the technology used to create iconic characters like the T-800 from Terminator 2: Judgment Day? Then Hollywood Weapons: Fact or Fiction? is just the show for you. Throughout five seasons (so far), a team of experts explores the science behind the movies and explains the physics and engineering principles behind each stunt or effect, demonstrating how they achieved such spectacular results on screen. Hosted by Terry Schappert and Larry Zanoff, Hollywood Weapons offers a unique behind-the-scenes view of the filmmaking world and the details that go into movie magic.

9 Cinema Marte Dum Tak (2023)

Cinema Marte Dum Tak
Prime Video

If you're a fan of Bollywood movies or would like to see directors with a tiny budget in action, Cinema Marte Dum Tak is available on Amazon Prime Video and follows four distinctive Indian directors who worked through the 90s and 2000s: Vinod Talwar, J Neelam, Kishen Shah and Dilip Gulati. The show interviews them on their experience working that time and the projects they made but also gives them a budget, so we can see them in action, bringing life to monsters with bad prosthetics, working with actors, and tight schedules. It's a great opportunity to see the film industry outside of Hollywood and check out one of the great aspects of this craft: improvisation.

Related: Best Behind the Scenes Documentaries, Ranked

8 The Chair (2014)

the chair 2014 Starz
Starz

This experimental series/reality show follows the premise that movies are a product of the director's vision. Using the same original screenplay, the same budget, and filming in the same city, The Chair brings two first-time directors into the spotlight, Shane Dawson and Anna Martemucci, as they search for locations, face time management challenges during shooting, and get through the edit and post-production to come out with the finalized version of a movie. This is a great idea if you wonder how a small crew can get a film done and how the same place and the same story can become two different things entirely.

7 One Perfect Shot (2022)

hbo one perfect shot
HBO Max

Hosted by Oscar nominee and Emmy winner Ava DuVernay, who is also the creator of the series When They See Us (2019), each episode focuses on a famous director to talk about some of their favorite scenes. One Perfect Shot takes us inside famous movie scenes and lets filmmakers such as Patty Jenkins, Aaron Sorkin, and John M. Chu walk the viewers through the challenges, details, and obstacles they faced while shooting their projects. How did they manage to get this perfect shot? Also, in every episode, the directors share with us one perfect shot - as says the title - of their favorite filmmakers and how it inspired them to work in the film industry. By analyzing these moments of visual brilliance, the series provides a unique perspective on the cinema's power to move and inspire audiences.

6 The Directors (2018)

the directors 2018
Starz

With seven seasons, The Directors give us what it promises: an analysis of the career of some of the most iconic directors in cinema history. From the medium's early pioneers, such as Alfred Hitchcock, Cecil B Demille, and Billy Wilder, to more recent names like Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, and Wes Anderson, each episode covers a range of interviews into the life and work of a particular director.

Sit back and relax, watching how the path of those legendary directors unraveled throughout their lives and how they managed to create art and produce unforgettable scenes no matter the time, the technology, or the studio. These conversations provide a unique insight into the creative process behind some of the greatest films ever made and the challenges that shaped each director's career.

5 The Story of Film (2011)

The Story of Film An Odyssey

The Story of Film: An Odyssey is a miniseries, winner of the Peabody Awards in the Entertainment category in 2013, that talks in-depth about cinema history from the late 19th century until the modern days. You can watch years of evolution and understand how the media adapted itself to modernity and societal paradigm changes. Presented by film critic and historian Mark Cousins (who was also awarded for his work in the series), this show is built around a collection of interviews with filmmakers and professionals from the industry, with exclusive images of locations as it invites us to embark on a journey about movies not just in Hollywood, but around the globe.

Related: 10 Awesome Movies That Survived Chaotic Productions

4 Marvel Studios: Assembled (2021)

Marvel Studios: Assembled - WandaVision
Disney+

If you ever watched a scene on a Marvel show and wondered how that was made, this is the chance to find out. Take a peek behind the scenes of every Marvel show with Assembled. Each episode features a show that's been released in Disney+, such as WandaVision, Loki, Ms. Marvel, etc. Check exclusive interviews with the cast and crew, discover production secrets and tricks that help brings those characters we love to the screen, and see how the magic is made from the other side of the camera as Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe unfolded on our TV screens. With some exclusive content, we can also grasp a bit of the opinion of the crew about the creative process behind the characters and how they wish to fit inside the bigger narrative of the vast MCU.

3 Project Greenlight (2001)

Project Greenlight
HBO Max

Project Greenlight is a reality TV show on HBO Max where you can experience the process of making an independent film from start to finish. Produced by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, the idea of this competition is to put aspiring filmmakers against each other to win the opportunity to direct a feature film that will be produced by HBO Films. Since it's a big opportunity many directors look for, especially at the beginning of their careers, the contestants put their abilities to the test. An interesting inside look at the challenges of filmmaking, from the pitch process to pre-production, development, management, shooting, and editing.

During the show, the participants receive mentorship from established industry professionals with special appearances, including directors, producers, and screenwriters, as they work together to bring their vision to the screen.

2 Hollywood (2020)

hollywood-netflix-cast_1200x630
Netflix

Hollywood is a Netflix drama series about the golden age of Hollywood in the 1940s. The show explores the complex social and political dynamics of the entertainment industry at the time, including issues of race, gender, and sexuality. The story follows a group of aspiring actors, writers, and directors trying to make a career in Hollywood while featuring real-life figures from the time, including Rock Hudson, Anna May Wong, and Hattie McDaniel. It offers a compelling look at an interesting moment in American cinema history and raises important questions about representation and power that continue to resonate even today.

Overall, Hollywood is a thought-provoking and engaging series that blends history and fiction in an entertaining and insightful way while raising important questions about representation and power that continue to resonate today.

1 The Offer (2022)

The Offer streaming on Paramount+
Paramount+

The Offer is a drama series that tells the story behind the making of The Godfather. The show follows from the point of view of Al Ruddy (Miles Teller), the film's producer, and his journey to bring the movie to the big screen. Through a mix of dramatic scenes and interviews with real-life figures from the industry, this show is set in the late 1960s, when the film industry was going through major changes around the world of Hollywood. Explore the many difficulties Ruddy and his team had to overcome, from finding the right director and cast to securing, financing, and dealing with the mafia's influence on the industry. If you want to know more about the production of this classic film, The Offer is a must-watch for anyone interested in the history of cinema.