Quotes by Director | Beyond Motive 28/67

top of page

Quotes by Director

"You ought to love what you're doing because, especially in a movie, over time you really will start to hate it."

"You ought to love what you're doing because, especially in a movie, over time you really will start to hate it."

Francis Ford Coppola, American Director

Love, Time, Hate, Will

13

"They say now in America that final cut doesn't mean anything. As Harvey Weinstein said to some film-maker, 'You can have final cut. I'll open your film in Arkansas.'"

"They say now in America that final cut doesn't mean anything. As Harvey Weinstein said to some film-maker, 'You can have final cut. I'll open your film in Arkansas.'"

Mira Nair, Indian Director

Media, America, Film, Now, Open

13

"Movies are not about the weekend that they're released, and in the grand scheme of things, that's probably the most unimportant time of a film's life."

"Movies are not about the weekend that they're released, and in the grand scheme of things, that's probably the most unimportant time of a film's life."

Quentin Tarantino, American Director

Life, Movies, Time, Film

13

"I want to tell you a terrific story about oral contraception. I asked this girl to sleep with me and she said 'No.'"

"I want to tell you a terrific story about oral contraception. I asked this girl to sleep with me and she said 'No.'"

Woody Allen, American Director

13

"It's a good place when all you have is hope and not expectations."

"It's a good place when all you have is hope and not expectations."

Danny Boyle, English Director

Hope, Expectations

13

"The English countryside is the most staggeringly beautiful place. I can't spend as much time there as I like, but I like everything about it. I like fishing, I like clay- pigeon shooting."

"The English countryside is the most staggeringly beautiful place. I can't spend as much time there as I like, but I like everything about it. I like fishing, I like clay- pigeon shooting."

Guy Ritchie, British Director

Time, English, Fishing

13

"Obviously all of us have thought about Vietnam, particularly in my generation in Australia that were part of conscription and fought there. Our friends came back, forever changed. So there were a lot of questions."

"Obviously all of us have thought about Vietnam, particularly in my generation in Australia that were part of conscription and fought there. Our friends came back, forever changed. So there were a lot of questions."

Phillip Noyce, Australian Director

Friendship, Thought, Friends, Questions, Vietnam

13

"This paperback is very interesting, but I find it will never replace a hardcover book - it makes a very poor doorstop."

"This paperback is very interesting, but I find it will never replace a hardcover book - it makes a very poor doorstop."

Alfred Hitchcock, English Director

13

"So I decided to move that scene in the doctor's office to two-thirds into the movie, after the viewers had come to know Ryan and Ali and share in their happiness."

"So I decided to move that scene in the doctor's office to two-thirds into the movie, after the viewers had come to know Ryan and Ali and share in their happiness."

Arthur Hiller, Canadian Director

Happiness, Office

13

"One person's crazyness is another person's reality."

"One person's crazyness is another person's reality."

Tim Burton, American Director

13

"We are not that flash, me or the missus. In fact, we are quite low-maintenance."

"We are not that flash, me or the missus. In fact, we are quite low-maintenance."

Guy Ritchie, British Director

13

"It's not easy to strap yourself down to a desk and bash on a keyboard when you know you can direct lots of films, because directing films is fun and interactive and gregarious. Writing isn't."

"It's not easy to strap yourself down to a desk and bash on a keyboard when you know you can direct lots of films, because directing films is fun and interactive and gregarious. Writing isn't."

Guy Ritchie, British Director

13

"The press don't like to say nice things because nice is boring. It's much better to label me the devil. What we do is not brain surgery. We are entertainers, plain and simple, and we're responsible to bring that money back, to make a profit."

"The press don't like to say nice things because nice is boring. It's much better to label me the devil. What we do is not brain surgery. We are entertainers, plain and simple, and we're responsible to bring that money back, to make a profit."

Michael Bay, American Director

Money, Devil, Press, Profit

13

"Some people turn from God because they cannot understand how a good God can permit evil in the world."

"Some people turn from God because they cannot understand how a good God can permit evil in the world."

Walter Lang, American Director

God, People, Evil, World

13

"I didn't really want to be a comedian."

"I didn't really want to be a comedian."

Allan Carr, British Director

13

"When you've written a movie, you then get together with a whole lot of people and make it. In many ways, I think it is far nicer to be with people rather than being completely solitary."

"When you've written a movie, you then get together with a whole lot of people and make it. In many ways, I think it is far nicer to be with people rather than being completely solitary."

Neil Jordan, Irish Director

13

"I don't really know what is shocking. When you tell the story of a man who is beheaded, you have to show how they cut off his head. If you don't, it's like telling a dirty joke and leaving out the punch line."

"I don't really know what is shocking. When you tell the story of a man who is beheaded, you have to show how they cut off his head. If you don't, it's like telling a dirty joke and leaving out the punch line."

Roman Polanski, French Director

13

"For me optimism is two lovers walking into the sunset arm in arm. Or maybe into the sunrise - whatever appeals to you."

"For me optimism is two lovers walking into the sunset arm in arm. Or maybe into the sunrise - whatever appeals to you."

Krzysztof Kieslowski, Polish Director

Optimism, Lovers, Sunset, Walking

13

"In fact, 95% of the people in my films have been nothing less than a pleasure to work with."

"In fact, 95% of the people in my films have been nothing less than a pleasure to work with."

Guy Ritchie, British Director

Work, People, Fact, Nothing

13

"I learned to take the first job that you have in the business that you want to get into. It doesn't matter what that job is, you get your foot in the door."

"I learned to take the first job that you have in the business that you want to get into. It doesn't matter what that job is, you get your foot in the door."

Wes Craven, American Director

Business, First, Job, Want

13

"Time was God's first creation."

"Time was God's first creation."

Walter Lang, American Director

Time, God, Creation, First

13

"A lot of time mistakes are very interesting - you look for the behaviour that's not the one you expect."

"A lot of time mistakes are very interesting - you look for the behaviour that's not the one you expect."

Barry Levinson, American Director

13

"When you shoot a musical, you're shooting to lipsynch tracks, so we had to figure out our choreography and work out what we wanted to do with each number before we did it."

"When you shoot a musical, you're shooting to lipsynch tracks, so we had to figure out our choreography and work out what we wanted to do with each number before we did it."

Norman Jewison, Canadian Director

13

"I'd like to do a story about the medieval ages where in every scene you'd sort of feel that you were in the 12th century. That would be great to get that feeling."

"I'd like to do a story about the medieval ages where in every scene you'd sort of feel that you were in the 12th century. That would be great to get that feeling."

Oliver Stone, American Director

Emotional, Feeling

13

"There's evidence of a social decline in direct proportion to technology and the industrialization of the motion picture industry."

"There's evidence of a social decline in direct proportion to technology and the industrialization of the motion picture industry."

Mark Rydell, American Director

13

"Till now I have never shot a scene without taking account of what stands behind the actors because the relationship between people and their surroundings is of prime importance."

"Till now I have never shot a scene without taking account of what stands behind the actors because the relationship between people and their surroundings is of prime importance."

Michelangelo Antonioni, Italian Director

People, Actors, Importance, Now

13

"I prefer to watch people."

"I prefer to watch people."

Michael Winterbottom, British Director

13

"Films are always pretentious. There's nothing more pretentious than a filmmaker."

"Films are always pretentious. There's nothing more pretentious than a filmmaker."

John Milius, American Director

13

"The proper route to an understanding of the world is an examination of our errors about it."

"The proper route to an understanding of the world is an examination of our errors about it."

Errol Morris, American Director

Understanding, Errors, Examination, World

13

"So, it didn't do well. But now when I talk to kids who are first seeing it, they're surprised to hear the movie failed at the box office. Sometimes that's what happens."

"So, it didn't do well. But now when I talk to kids who are first seeing it, they're surprised to hear the movie failed at the box office. Sometimes that's what happens."

David Zucker, American Director

Movies, First, Kids, Now, Office

13

"I love huge movies. Not sure I am the guy to make them, but you can rely on me being there watching them."

"I love huge movies. Not sure I am the guy to make them, but you can rely on me being there watching them."

Danny Boyle, English Director

Love, Movies, Being

13

"The professional world was much more unpleasant than I thought. I was always wishing I could get back that enthusiasm I had when I was doing shows at college."

"The professional world was much more unpleasant than I thought. I was always wishing I could get back that enthusiasm I had when I was doing shows at college."

Francis Ford Coppola, American Director

Thought, Enthusiasm, College, Wishing

13

"You do the best job you can. You take it step by step. It's hard enough to make a movie. If it works, that's great. If it means something beyond the moment to somebody, they can take it and it lasts through the years, we'll see."

"You do the best job you can. You take it step by step. It's hard enough to make a movie. If it works, that's great. If it means something beyond the moment to somebody, they can take it and it lasts through the years, we'll see."

Oliver Stone, American Director

13

"I am neither a sociologist nor a politician. All I can do is imagine for myself what the future will be like."

"I am neither a sociologist nor a politician. All I can do is imagine for myself what the future will be like."

Michelangelo Antonioni, Italian Director

13

"I never, ever want to apologize for a film. If it's bad I'll say it's my fault. And that's what I can say so far in all the films that I've done, that if you don't like it, it's entirely my fault."

"I never, ever want to apologize for a film. If it's bad I'll say it's my fault. And that's what I can say so far in all the films that I've done, that if you don't like it, it's entirely my fault."

Ken Burns, American Director

Mistake, Fault, Film, Want

13

"For me now, it's about what you would write and what you wouldn't write, and that's how I select what I am going to do. It can be quite nice being brought a concept by a studio for me to work on."

"For me now, it's about what you would write and what you wouldn't write, and that's how I select what I am going to do. It can be quite nice being brought a concept by a studio for me to work on."

Neil Jordan, Irish Director

Work, Being, Now

13

"There are a lot of movies made for nobody."

"There are a lot of movies made for nobody."

Stan Brakhage, American Director

13

"I kind of worry about that a little bit - we lost our film culture for 30 years because the Americans came in and bought up all the cinema chains and wouldn't show any Australian films."

"I kind of worry about that a little bit - we lost our film culture for 30 years because the Americans came in and bought up all the cinema chains and wouldn't show any Australian films."

Yahoo Serious, Australian Director

Worry, Americans, Cinema, Culture, Film

13

"Most directors have little lists in their heads of people they really want to work with."

"Most directors have little lists in their heads of people they really want to work with."

Alan Parker, British Director

Work, People, Want

13

"Oh yeah - I watched Knife in the Water, saw the shot, and repeated it. But even if I hadn't seen that film, inevitably the camera would've ended up on top of that mast, I mean if you think of it there are only so many dynamic shots on a boat."

"Oh yeah - I watched Knife in the Water, saw the shot, and repeated it. But even if I hadn't seen that film, inevitably the camera would've ended up on top of that mast, I mean if you think of it there are only so many dynamic shots on a boat."

Phillip Noyce, Australian Director

13

"In Afghanistan, this is the problem, because everybody holds a piece of that mirror, and they all look at it and claim that they hold the entire truth."

"In Afghanistan, this is the problem, because everybody holds a piece of that mirror, and they all look at it and claim that they hold the entire truth."

Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Iranian Director

Truth, Afghanistan

13

"We have an uncanny ability to make birds do what we want them to do. In Blood Simple there's a shot from the bumper of a car and it's going up this road and a huge flock of birds takes off at the perfect moment."

"We have an uncanny ability to make birds do what we want them to do. In Blood Simple there's a shot from the bumper of a car and it's going up this road and a huge flock of birds takes off at the perfect moment."

Joel Coen, American Director

Car, Ability, Birds, Blood

13

"The secret to film is that it's an illusion."

"The secret to film is that it's an illusion."

George Lucas, American Director

13

"I love the look of planes and the idea of how a plane flies. The more I learn about it the better I feel; while I still may not like it, I have a sense of what is really happening."

"I love the look of planes and the idea of how a plane flies. The more I learn about it the better I feel; while I still may not like it, I have a sense of what is really happening."

Martin Scorsese, American Director

Love, Idea, Flies, May

13

"The real trouble with film school is that the people teaching are so far out of the industry that they don't give the students an idea of what's happening."

"The real trouble with film school is that the people teaching are so far out of the industry that they don't give the students an idea of what's happening."

Brian De Palma, American Director

People, Idea, Film, School

13

"I had some big ups and downs when I was in my 20s and the one thing I learned was, no matter how low it gets, something good will come along - something always comes out of that dark period."

"I had some big ups and downs when I was in my 20s and the one thing I learned was, no matter how low it gets, something good will come along - something always comes out of that dark period."

Darren Aronofsky, American Director

13

"The thing that I had saved up for myself and wanted most to bring off was a fully fledged professional production of Hamlet at the Royal Shakespeare Theater in Stratford."

"The thing that I had saved up for myself and wanted most to bring off was a fully fledged professional production of Hamlet at the Royal Shakespeare Theater in Stratford."

Trevor Nunn, English Director

Aspiration, Production, Shakespeare, Theater

13

"The first work of the director is to set a mood so that the actor's work can take place, so that the actor can create. And in order to do that, you have to communicate, communicate with the actors. And direction is about communication on all levels."

"The first work of the director is to set a mood so that the actor's work can take place, so that the actor can create. And in order to do that, you have to communicate, communicate with the actors. And direction is about communication on all levels."

William Friedkin, American Director

Work, Actor, Actors, Communication

13

"One of the joys of going to the movies was that it was trashy, and we should never lose that."

"One of the joys of going to the movies was that it was trashy, and we should never lose that."

Oliver Stone, American Director

13

"Compassion is a two way street."

"Compassion is a two way street."

Frank Capra, American Director

13

bottom of page