We'll resist the obvious "lights, camera, action" reference for this guide. That is an old, tired cliché, completely unbefitting for this excellent game.

That is mostly because The Movies is in fact more than a game: it's also a software tool for exhibiting your creative side, something that is thankfully becoming more and more challenged as games evolve. Although it appears (and plays) in the style of The Sims, there's a lot more room for fun and a lot more control over your subjects' specific actions.

This guide will do its best not to make comments on what makes a "good" movie, because there is no such universal concept. Instead, we will bring you the most information and advice as anywhere else on the Internet to assist you in creating your masterpiece, from choosing the right set to setting up subtitles.

So, pull up your director's chair, grab a bucket of popcorn topped with a half-pound of "butter," slurp that soda, and enjoy the ride. You're about to get a crash-course in movie making and catering to stars. And when it's over, there will be nothing left to do but compose your own blockbuster and screaming "lights, camera, action!" to your stars.

…Wait, what'd we just say? Aw, crap.

In this IGN Strategy Guide for The Movies, you'll find:

• Stars: A step-by-step guide on how your actors and directors tick, what keeps their little virtual selves happy, and how to kiss their butts without getting germs.
• Other People: It takes more than stars to get things accomplished. This section will list the other people involved in making movie magic.
• The Studio Lot: Your lot is your machine, and it must be maintained well to keep the good movies coming out.
• Making Movies: A somewhat general essay about how to create movies for the game.
• Advanced Movie-Maker: The Advanced Movie-Maker is where you go to make your own movie, and this section will give you a list of every function at your disposal.
• Post Production: To touch up and perfect your movie, this section will be essential.

Get The Movies Online Strategy Guide

Unverified. This small edit will allow you to start in the year 2000, and every item unlocked. Make a copy of the folder's contents, in case you change things to destroy your game.

Enable the viewing of hidden and system files by following these commands TOOLS, FOLDER OPTIONS, VIEW (HIDDEN FILES).

Head for the directory ...\Application Data\Lionhead Studios\The Movies\... and locate a file with the name UNLOCKING and open the file using Notepad. Replace the contents with the following:

highest_decade = 2000
[prizes]
RANKPRIZE_1
RANKPRIZE_2
RANKPRIZE_3
RANKPRIZE_4
RANKPRIZE_5
RANKPRIZE_6
RANKPRIZE_7
RANKPRIZE_8
RANKPRIZE_9 
RANKPRIZE_10
RANKPRIZE_11
RANKPRIZE_12
RANKPRIZE_13
RANKPRIZE_14
RANKPRIZE_15
RANKPRIZE_16
RANKPRIZE_17
RANKPRIZE_18
RANKPRIZE_19
RANKPRIZE_20
RANKPRIZE_21
RANKPRIZE_22
RANKPRIZE_23
RANKPRIZE_24
RANKPRIZE_25

Save the file as it was originally (not TXT) and reboot your game. The changes seen should be immediate.

This will let you choose from more decades like 1930, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 2000 at the start of Sandbox mode. Just be careful what you do, since this involves editing the XP registry for your game executable.

(1.) Click the 'Start' on the Start Menu and then 'Run'. You can also press the MS key and R together.

(2.) Type in regedit.

(3.) Click on the names in this order:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Software
Lionhead Studios Ltd
TheMovies

(4.) Once you've gone to 'The Movies', double click on the 'Allow Any Decade'.

(5.) In the 'Value Data' box, change the '0' to a '1' and then click 'OK' to save the changes. This allows any decade to be used for Sandbox mode.

(6.) Close the window(s) and boot 'The Movies'.

WARNING: Don't try to change anything else in your Windows registry, unless you're positive you know what you're doing.