The event was organised by George Martin, former producer for The Beatles, to raise funds for the Caribbean island of Montserrat after a major volcanic eruption earlier that year. This unrepeatable event starred many iconic British and American rock musicians such as Phil Collins, Ray Cooper, Carl Perkins, Jimmy Buffett, Mark Knopfler, Sting, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Midge Ure, Arrow and many more. This concert was held on 15 September 1997 at the Royal Albert Hall.

The film is the long-awaited reunion concert of the renowned folk pop music duo, more than a decade after their separation as musical performers. It was recorded on the 19th September 1981 at a free benefit concert on the Great Lawn in Central Park, New York City, where the pair performed in front of an audience reported at the time as 500,000 people. The film includes two songs that had not appeared on the album.
Rolling Stone called the concert 'one of the finest performances, one that vividly recaptured another time, an era when well-crafted, melodic pop bore meanings that stretched beyond the musical sphere and into the realms of culture and politics.'

On 20th and 21st of December 1980, Dire Straits played at the Rainbow Theatre, London. Both nights were recorded for broadcasting on BBC2 television. Cameras were on hand to film the return of Dire Straits from their triumphant 1980 Brothers in Arms world tour. The film features a superb concert they played and band members talk about their music and the pressures and the consequences of success.
Rehearsals took place at the Whood Wharf studio in London as well, between March 4-7, 1980, as well as interviews Less than a year later, before the recording sessions for ‘Making Movies’ ended (after Mark admitted that he wished they would continue indefinitely), David would leave the band, never to return.