A behind-the-scenes look from a sociologist and movie fan, studded with firsthand accounts, research, anecdotes, and glimpses from the trenches.

What do cities do in movies? What do movies do in cities? Through examples set in Paris, Marseille, and even Versailles, Rome, and Los Angeles, Gwenaële Rot examines the relationship between a city and a cinematic production. During the short-lived period of shoot, people who work in film and people who work for a city learn to cooperate to make filming possible. As film crews take over locations, these places used as settings are no longer fixed, restricted, or cut off from prying eyes. Instead they open to outside influences, incorporating changes, constantly rebuilding themselves over the course of events.