It’s time to put some names to these faces.

World class climber Jimmy Chin met his future wife, filmmaker Chai Vasarhelyi, over a mountain – of footage.

He had been working for a number of years on the documentary that would become Meru, the story of an attempt by Chin and his fellow alpinists and friends Conrad Anker and Renan Ozturk to become the first to summit the perilous Shark’s Fin peak in the Himalayas. Perhaps because he was so close to the subject matter, the film wasn’t quite cohering.

“I had submitted it to a few film festivals and got turned down,” Chin explained during an Artists & Auteurs conversation at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen. He told moderator Thom Powers, TIFF’s documentary programmer and host of the Pure Nonfiction podcast, that while struggling over the film he crossed paths with Vasarhelyi at a conference. 

“I knew that she had quite an accomplished career as a filmmaker,” Chin said. “So, I asked her to screen what I had cut so far. She didn’t call me back for three months, but it was because she was in Senegal making another film. But then she came back, she screened it, she called me, said, what are you doing with this film?”

They bonded on a project that teemed with stunning footage shot by Chin and Ozturk.

“Just seeing the world through Jimmy’s lens was astonishing, and it was inspiring,” Vasarhelyi said. “And just understanding this very deep connection to the outside world, and also [it was] kind of the first time I had access as a viewer to these incredibly remote places in such a visceral way.”

Feelings of a deeper sort soon kindled between the cinematic collaborators.

“Jimmy and I began kind of falling in love in this process,” Vasarhelyi said. “But the main thing for me was I love Jimmy and was falling in love, and I wanted to help tell the absolute best version of his story.”

If Chin elevated the story – literally to 20,000 feet – what Vasarhelyi added was depth, turning what could remain a niche mountaineering tale into one about characters, three men and their emotional journey, not just their ascent.

“The question was whether these three mountain climbers would show up emotionally. And I think there was a magic in the idea that Jimmy and I were becoming permanently attached, like probably getting married, having a child,” she said. “Conrad and Renan really showed up. I remember Conrad sat for a seven-hour interview and cried. It all came [out] and so we knew we had a movie because they were able to reflect and speak in a way that civilians could understand.”

Vasarhelyi and Chin’s latest documentary, Wild Life, which they brought to CPH:DOX, also unfolds in gorgeous mountainous terrain, in remote sections of Chile and Argentina. But at heart it too is a love story, between Doug Tompkins and Kris Tompkins, both enormously accomplished people who became a couple later in life. 

“Doug Tompkins had led this very successful business life and created two of the largest brands on Earth, The North Face and then Esprit,” Vasarahelyi told Deadline at SXSW, where Wild Life played before heading to Copenhagen. “But then he had this awakening and said, ‘This is not enough. It’s not what I want to do.’ And then he leaves everything behind to go to Patagonia [Chile]. And then likewise with Kris, she was the founding CEO of the Patagonia company, and she ran it for 20 years. And then she too was like, ‘This is not my life. This is not where it can end. I don’t want it to end here.’” And she found the love of her life [Doug Tompkins] in her 40s. So, I think there’s something about this regeneration that really moved me.”

The Tompkins created a life together in Chile. They could have followed the example of other wealthy people and gobbled up lots of land for themselves to enjoy privately, but instead, as the film shows, they acquired millions of acres of wilderness in Chile and Argentina with the express purpose of giving it back to those countries to create national parks.

“This love story is about falling in love with this landscape of Patagonia and the lengths that they were willing to go to try and save this place that they loved,” Chin told us at SXSW. “That story to me was deeply personal and also hugely inspiring. So, that’s a big part of why we wanted to make this film, why we think it’s important, why we think it’s timely, because we’re at this moment where climate change is one of our biggest existential crises, and here’s a few people that have been able to enact such massive change around preserving the environment.”

Chin added, “What they achieved in conservation is something that we’ve never seen before, the biggest private land donation in the history of mankind.”

Chin and Vasarhelyi won the Academy Award for their 2018 film Free Solo, about climber Alex Honnold, who shimmied and scraped and clawed his way up the sheer 3,000-foot granite face of Yosemite’s El Capitan without use of ropes. The Rescue, from 2021, documented the miraculous rescue of Thai children who were trapped in a flooded cave (The Rescue, Free Solo and Wild Life are all National Geographic films; Meru was distributed by Music Box Films).

“It’s been very fulfilling to have this wonderful material with which to access this kind of elusive human potential, like warts and all,” Vasarhelyi said at the Artists & Auteurs talk. “In Free Solo, Alex had this audacious dream to climb El Capitan without a rope, but what was scarier for him was to talk to other people. And then, suddenly, in the film, he ends up falling in love and actually evolving emotionally, which has very little to do with his climb itself. So, they’re adventure films, but I think they’re also lenses to look at this fascinating edge that is pretty hopeful too, in that most of these stories we tell are about people who dare to dream and with determination and grit and a little help from their friends… achieve their dreams.”

Wild Life will be released by Picturehouse in theaters beginning April 14, with a broadcast debut on National Geographic Channel set for May 25, followed the day after by a launch on Disney+. 

As Deadline reported exclusively earlier this week, Vasarhelyi and Chin are already at work on their next project, also for National Geographic, directing a documentary under the working title Endurance. The film, co-directed by Natalie Hewit, will tell the remarkable story of how a team of marine explorers found the wreck of Sir Ernest Shackelton’s ship Endurance at the bottom of the Weddell Sea near Antarctica. The vessel sank after becoming stuck in sea ice in 1915 and was only discovered, intact on the ocean floor, last March.

Several years ago, Vasarhelyi and Chin embarked on a different kind of adventure – parenting. The couple brought their two kids to Copenhagen, where they decided to partake in a brisk Danish tradition – leaping into the icy river for an invigorating dip. That frigid plunge may seem tame compared to the expeditions Chin still undertakes in mountainous territories around the world as a professional climber and skier for The North Face Athlete team.

For Vasarhelyi, who describes herself as very much not a climber, worry is never far from her mind about the danger her husband faces on such extreme adventures.

“There is an argument that could be made that between Free Solo, The Rescue and even Wild Life, I’ve been trying to negotiate my feelings about risk and trying to understand as best I can, because we’ve committed to this life together. We have two wonderful kids,” she said. “I’m having an active, I don’t know, wrestling match inside me. And we’ve been talking about these questions a lot because you are more likely to die above 8,000 meters than you are under 8,000 meters. Like, this is a risky endeavor, even if you’re the best. But I’m not one to say, ‘You can’t,’ because certain individuals, this is what they live for. And we’ve spent some time looking at that question.”

For writers of hardboiled fiction, the private eye could act as a conduit, an unmoored guide moving freely across social ranks and situations. For director Nima Javidi – whose new series “The Actor” is the first Iranian production to premiere in competition at Series Mania – the thespian might play a similar role.

“Shakespeare said that all the world’s a stage,” Javidi tells Variety. “And that all the men and women are merely players, assuming different roles depending on their situations and what they want to achieve. I thought it was fascinating [to put performers in those private detective roles and have them], overcome obstacles, solve problems, and save themselves and others from difficulties by using their acting abilities.”

Led by Venice best actor winner Navid Mohammadzadeh (who recently anchored Saeed Roustayi’s Cannes-acclaimed “Leila’s Brothers”), “The Actor” follows Ali (Mohammadzadeh) and Morteza (Ahmad Mehranfar), two down-and-out performers with little to their names but a derelict theater for which they can barely make rent. Still looking to practice their chosen trade, the performing pair stage elaborate, costumed pranks, mostly paid for by Teheran’s rich-kid set. That is, until the duo catch the attention of a shadowy private firm that uses improv artists as investigators.

“This kind of role-playing in real life could expand forever, assuming so many different forms,” Javidi explains. “Unlike Sherlock Holmes, who uses his intelligence, or superheroes, who save people with their incredible strength, [Ali and Morteza] resolve their obstacles and accomplish their adventures by exercising their art. They act to save themselves and others from difficulties.”

Forging an intriguing mix of serial and procedural, and with a season order of 26 episodes, “The Actor” moves at a beguiling and deliberate pace, keeping viewers on-edge with an ever shifting tonal register. Like a scene partner — another “Yes And” party accompanying the two leads in bouts of make-believe — the series’ very style accentuates the roleplaying, extending notes of dread or humor or harrowing tension into one of the duo’s staged scenario, pushing forward more on mood than narrative all the way through.

“We’ve fallen into an abyss of repetition,” says Javidi, who came up from Iran’s auteurist filmmaking sector. “At least in terms of Iranian series production. So I think this series will offer audiences a new taste – to offer them something fresh and unique.”

Working with cinematographer Morteza Najafi, among others, Javidi bathes his series in a dim and moody glow that calls to mind Gordon Willis’ work on “The Godfather,” lending “The Actor” a broody visual grandeur that often cuts against the characters’ ridiculous antics as they try to evade creditors or pull cheap scams for paltry sums or enact elaborate real-world sketches. Careening headfirst into the staged reality of any new scenario, “The Actor” often plays as a valentine to make-believe.

“I take inspiration from the stage, from the actors themselves, and from the situations in which I find myself,” says Javidi. “The [further we go] the more we realize that all the characters are playing roles, and in my opinion, this is completely derived from reality. Now this story might be a bit more exaggerated than others, but in truth, everyone on this planet is playing a role.”  

Want to work in Hollywood? It’s time to hit the books. 

Hollywood is a glamorous and exciting place, but breaking into the film and television industry can be a daunting challenge. While there is no single path to success in Hollywood, reading books written by industry insiders can provide valuable insights and guidance on navigating the complex world of show business.

Whether you’re an aspiring writer, director, producer, or actor, there are certain books that are must-reads for anyone looking to work in Hollywood.

In this article, we’ll highlight ten books that offer unique perspectives and practical advice on everything from the economics of the industry to the art of storytelling. These books are essential reading for anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of how Hollywood works and how to succeed in this competitive field. 

Let’s dive into your reading list. 

10 Must-Read Books For People Who Want to Work in Hollywood

If you are interested in working in Hollywood, here are ten must-read books that can give you valuable insight into the industry and its workings:

1. The Hollywood Economist by Edward Jay Epstein: This book provides an in-depth analysis of the economics behind the film and television industry, including topics such as box office numbers, DVD sales, and piracy.

2. Adventures in the Screen Trade by William Goldman: This memoir by an Oscar-winning screenwriter William Goldman provides an insider’s perspective on the ups and downs of working in Hollywood, including his experiences writing classics like “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “The Princess Bride.”

3. The Big Picture: The Fight for the Future of Movies by Ben Fritz: This book explores the challenges facing the film industry in the digital age, including the rise of streaming services and changing audience tastes.

4. Making Movies by Sidney Lumet: This classic book by a veteran filmmaker provides a detailed look at the process of making a movie, from script development to post-production.

5. The Mailroom: Hollywood History from the Bottom Up by David Rensin: This book explores the origins of Hollywood’s legendary mailroom, where many future power players got their start, including studio heads and agents.

6. Powerhouse: The Untold Story of Hollywood’s Creative Artists Agency by James Andrew Miller: This book provides an inside look at the influential talent agency CAA, which has represented some of the biggest names in entertainment.

7. The Studio System by Douglas Gomery: This book provides a comprehensive history of the Hollywood studio system, which dominated the film industry from the 1920s to the 1950s.

8. Difficult Men: Behind the Scenes of a Creative Revolution: From The Sopranos and The Wire to Mad Men and Breaking Bad by Brett Martin: This book explores the rise of the “showrunner” in television, and how their creative vision has transformed the medium.

9. The Producer’s Handbook: Comprehensive Edition by Paula Landry: This book provides a practical guide to producing movies and television shows, including advice on budgeting, fundraising, and distribution.

10. The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller by John Truby: This book provides a detailed guide to storytelling, including tips on character development, plot structure, and theme, which are essential skills for anyone working in Hollywood.

Summing Up the Ten Must-Read Books for People Who Want to Work in Hollywood

Reading books by industry experts and insiders can provide invaluable insights and guidance for anyone looking to break into the world of Hollywood.

From exploring the history of the industry to practical guides on producing, budgeting, and storytelling, there are numerous books that offer unique perspectives and advice for aspiring writers, directors, producers, actors, and more.

Whether you’re looking to gain a deeper understanding of the business or hone your craft, the ten must-read books we’ve highlighted in this article are an excellent place to start. By learning from the experiences and wisdom of those who have come before you, you’ll be better equipped to navigate the complex world of show business and achieve your dreams of success in Hollywood.

Got a book I should add? 

Let me know in the comments.