[2] Poetry in Motion is Mann's second feature film after Imagine the Sound.

The director later decided to create an anthology of "post-Beat" poets for a film.

His idea was based on the poem anthology publication The New American Poetry 1945–1960 by Donald Allen.

[4] Almost 40 poets performed more than 75 poems, and filmmaker Emile de Antonio helped cut down the filmed material to 90 minutes long.

Performers include Allen Ginsberg, Kenward Elmslie, and Anne Waldman.