Quotes by Director | Beyond Motive 34/67

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Quotes by Director

"If you're a director, your entire livelihood and your entire creativity is based on your self-confidence. Sometimes that's dangerously close to arrogance."

"If you're a director, your entire livelihood and your entire creativity is based on your self-confidence. Sometimes that's dangerously close to arrogance."

Trevor Nunn, English Director

Creativity, Arrogance, Self

45

"We can't worry about competition. Besides, you aren't competing with anyone but yourself. They have nothing to do with whether you make a good movie or not."

"We can't worry about competition. Besides, you aren't competing with anyone but yourself. They have nothing to do with whether you make a good movie or not."

Chris Wedge, American Director

Competition, Nothing, Worry

45

"These films however, have ambiguity built into them, because it's too easy in film to make a strident work of propaganda or advertising, which are really the same thing anyway, meaning the message is unmistakable."

"These films however, have ambiguity built into them, because it's too easy in film to make a strident work of propaganda or advertising, which are really the same thing anyway, meaning the message is unmistakable."

Godfrey Reggio, American Director

Work, Advertising, Ambiguity, Film

45

"It's hard to know whether certain characters come to life or not, they either come to have their own life or they don't. I've written many things in which the characters just remain inert."

"It's hard to know whether certain characters come to life or not, they either come to have their own life or they don't. I've written many things in which the characters just remain inert."

Neil Jordan, Irish Director

45

"Symbolism perhaps is a bit in your face, and I've tried my best to control that as best I can as I've grown older and thought that one could approach something with a little more subtlety."

"Symbolism perhaps is a bit in your face, and I've tried my best to control that as best I can as I've grown older and thought that one could approach something with a little more subtlety."

John Schlesinger, British Director

Thought, Control

45

"In dire economic times, movies are relatively inexpensive entertainment for the whole family."

"In dire economic times, movies are relatively inexpensive entertainment for the whole family."

John Lasseter, American Director

Family, Movies, Entertainment

45

"Dali was the great painter then and surrealism was a way of life."

"Dali was the great painter then and surrealism was a way of life."

Vincente Minnelli, American Director

Life, Surrealism

45

"I want to see, that's all. This is my life. I want to see."

"I want to see, that's all. This is my life. I want to see."

Leni Riefenstahl, German Director

45

"It is the idea that it's a movie in a movie. So I did it."

"It is the idea that it's a movie in a movie. So I did it."

Penelope Spheeris, American Director

Creativity, Idea

45

"The quietest poetry can be an explosion of joy."

"The quietest poetry can be an explosion of joy."

James Broughton, American Director

45

"We have built our State on the freedom of personal adventure."

"We have built our State on the freedom of personal adventure."

John Grierson, British Director

Adventure, Freedom, State

45

"The mountain music... is compelling music in its own right, harking back to a time when music was a part of everyday life and not something performed by celebrities."

"The mountain music... is compelling music in its own right, harking back to a time when music was a part of everyday life and not something performed by celebrities."

Ethan Coen, American Director

Life, Music, Time, Right

45

"And I taught acting for years, and without knowing it that was the real thing that started bending me toward directing."

"And I taught acting for years, and without knowing it that was the real thing that started bending me toward directing."

Sydney Pollack, American Director

45

"I don't want to be made pacified or made comfortable. I like stuff that gets your adrenaline going."

"I don't want to be made pacified or made comfortable. I like stuff that gets your adrenaline going."

Kathryn Bigelow, American Director

45

"Walt Disney had always tried to get more dimension in his animation and when I saw these tapes, I thought, This is it! This is what Walt was waiting for! But when I looked around, nobody at the studio at the time was even halfway interested in it."

"Walt Disney had always tried to get more dimension in his animation and when I saw these tapes, I thought, This is it! This is what Walt was waiting for! But when I looked around, nobody at the studio at the time was even halfway interested in it."

John Lasseter, American Director

Time, Thought, Animation, Disney

45

"We always have a take that's 'one for fun', so once you've got what you need, you can do what you like. Something does occasionally pop out of that tree. I'm always open to ideas."

"We always have a take that's 'one for fun', so once you've got what you need, you can do what you like. Something does occasionally pop out of that tree. I'm always open to ideas."

Guy Ritchie, British Director

Creativity, Ideas, Fun, Open

45

"Five years ago, Samira did not want to continue in the regular school system in Iran. To help her with her education, I set up a home school. It wasn't just for my family, it was open to other friends."

"Five years ago, Samira did not want to continue in the regular school system in Iran. To help her with her education, I set up a home school. It wasn't just for my family, it was open to other friends."

Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Iranian Director

Home, Education, Family, Friends

45

"The difficulty of writing a good theatre play set in new reality was even greater given that the level of similitude to life that is allowed in a film would not work on the stage."

"The difficulty of writing a good theatre play set in new reality was even greater given that the level of similitude to life that is allowed in a film would not work on the stage."

Andrzej Wajda, Polish Director

Life, Work, Difficulty, Film

45

"You're not a historian, but most historians will tell you that they make very discrete judgment as to what facts to omit in order to make their book into some shape, some length that can be managed."

"You're not a historian, but most historians will tell you that they make very discrete judgment as to what facts to omit in order to make their book into some shape, some length that can be managed."

Oliver Stone, American Director

Fact, Facts, Historians, Judgment, Order

45

"A scientist is an unlikely character to put at the center of a movie."

"A scientist is an unlikely character to put at the center of a movie."

Bill Condon, American Director

45

"Seeing a murder on television can help work off one's antagonisms. And if you haven't any antagonisms, the commercials will give you some."

"Seeing a murder on television can help work off one's antagonisms. And if you haven't any antagonisms, the commercials will give you some."

Alfred Hitchcock, English Director

Work, Help, Murder, Television

45

"The great difference between screen acting and theatre acting is that screen acting is about reacting - 75% of the time, great screen actors are great reactors."

"The great difference between screen acting and theatre acting is that screen acting is about reacting - 75% of the time, great screen actors are great reactors."

Nicolas Roeg, English Director

Time, Acting, Actors, Difference

45

"Thank God I don't live in Los Angeles. I think if you're there the whole time it just gets out of proportion and you lose touch completely with reality."

"Thank God I don't live in Los Angeles. I think if you're there the whole time it just gets out of proportion and you lose touch completely with reality."

Sam Mendes, British Director

Time, God, Reality

45

"There's no question that Whale's movies are classics. They were wonderful, and successful."

"There's no question that Whale's movies are classics. They were wonderful, and successful."

Bill Condon, American Director

Movies, Successful, Question

45

"Money is everywhere but so is poetry. What we lack are the poets."

"Money is everywhere but so is poetry. What we lack are the poets."

Federico Fellini, Italian Director

Money, Poetry, Poets

45

"I hope they get something of interest out of it, but I'd rather they all hate it and I like it, instead of vice versa... I make films to please myself first, and if the audience likes them, all the better."

"I hope they get something of interest out of it, but I'd rather they all hate it and I like it, instead of vice versa... I make films to please myself first, and if the audience likes them, all the better."

Terry Zwigoff, American Director

Hope, First, Hate, Interest

45

"I did have an offer to direct one of the Alien movies but I wasn't too excited about all the effects work."

"I did have an offer to direct one of the Alien movies but I wasn't too excited about all the effects work."

Walter Hill, American Director

45

"If you are prepared to make a fool of yourself for them then you usually get that back. I think that there are points where you become so close to an actor, you know them so well, almost as well or better than their spouse. You have to know them, warts and all."

"If you are prepared to make a fool of yourself for them then you usually get that back. I think that there are points where you become so close to an actor, you know them so well, almost as well or better than their spouse. You have to know them, warts and all."

Adrian Lyne, English Director

44

"I think my biggest break though came probably on Patriot Games because it was the biggest, longest second unit up to that point. It was like five months of shooting and a huge crew."

"I think my biggest break though came probably on Patriot Games because it was the biggest, longest second unit up to that point. It was like five months of shooting and a huge crew."

David R. Ellis, American Director

Sports, Games, Months

44

"It was a really interesting time in New York in the late 70s and early 80s, and the music scene was really, really interesting because you didn't have to be a virtuoso to make music, it was more about your desire to express things."

"It was a really interesting time in New York in the late 70s and early 80s, and the music scene was really, really interesting because you didn't have to be a virtuoso to make music, it was more about your desire to express things."

Jim Jarmusch, American Director

Music, Time, Desire

44

"Disney had such a hold on the mind of America-they were Adolf Hitler. The whole country thought Disney was some sort of god and that animation was some sort of pure thing for children."

"Disney had such a hold on the mind of America-they were Adolf Hitler. The whole country thought Disney was some sort of god and that animation was some sort of pure thing for children."

Ralph Bakshi, American Director

God, Thought, America, Animation

44

"Kevin and Annette... I wanted them to do it together. They clearly wanted to work with each other."

"Kevin and Annette... I wanted them to do it together. They clearly wanted to work with each other."

Sam Mendes, British Director

44

"As filmmakers, we can show where a person's mind goes, as opposed to theater, which is more to sit back and watch it."

"As filmmakers, we can show where a person's mind goes, as opposed to theater, which is more to sit back and watch it."

Darren Aronofsky, American Director

44

"I think my work shows that I love women. I understand where these types of criticisms are coming from because black people have been so dogged out in the media, they're just extra sensitive."

"I think my work shows that I love women. I understand where these types of criticisms are coming from because black people have been so dogged out in the media, they're just extra sensitive."

Spike Lee, American Director

Love, Work, Women, People

44

"Jackie Gleason said that comedy is the most exacting form of dramatic art, because it has an instant critic: laughter."

"Jackie Gleason said that comedy is the most exacting form of dramatic art, because it has an instant critic: laughter."

Chuck Jones, American Director

Art, Comedy, Laughter

44

"In films murders are always very clean. I show how difficult it is and what a messy thing it is to kill a man."

"In films murders are always very clean. I show how difficult it is and what a messy thing it is to kill a man."

Alfred Hitchcock, English Director

44

"When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear American voices on them, and we held out."

"When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear American voices on them, and we held out."

Nick Park, British Director

People, America, American, First

44

"Animation is the only thing I ever wanted to do in my whole life. I have no desire for live-action or anything else."

"Animation is the only thing I ever wanted to do in my whole life. I have no desire for live-action or anything else."

John Lasseter, American Director

Life, Animation, Desire

44

"We live in a society that compels us to go on using these concepts, and we no longer know what they mean."

"We live in a society that compels us to go on using these concepts, and we no longer know what they mean."

Michelangelo Antonioni, Italian Director

44

"One of the other things I think that I've been able to do in my life, is to listen well."

"One of the other things I think that I've been able to do in my life, is to listen well."

John Frankenheimer, American Director

44

"It's an entire industry focusing on young male viewers that want action and violence. They sell us something that isn't valid. They're selling films like a product."

"It's an entire industry focusing on young male viewers that want action and violence. They sell us something that isn't valid. They're selling films like a product."

Norman Jewison, Canadian Director

Action, Selling, Violence, Want

44

"Do people really want liberty, equality, fraternity? Is it not some manner of speaking?"

"Do people really want liberty, equality, fraternity? Is it not some manner of speaking?"

Krzysztof Kieslowski, Polish Director

Equality, People, Liberty, Want

44

"In the first years after 1989, films were partly financed from the state's budget as well as by public television. Still, except for a few special cases, most films are made this way."

"In the first years after 1989, films were partly financed from the state's budget as well as by public television. Still, except for a few special cases, most films are made this way."

Andrzej Wajda, Polish Director

Media, First, Public, State, Television

44

"Whereas my producer literally worked on this thing for 10 years and because I gave that presenter credit to David Lynch, she to this day never gets credit. It really kills me."

"Whereas my producer literally worked on this thing for 10 years and because I gave that presenter credit to David Lynch, she to this day never gets credit. It really kills me."

Terry Zwigoff, American Director

Movies, Credit, Day, Years

44

"To this day, I get rewrite offers where they say: 'We feel this script needs work with character, dialogue, plot and tone,' and when you ask what's left, they say: 'Well, the typing is very good.'"

"To this day, I get rewrite offers where they say: 'We feel this script needs work with character, dialogue, plot and tone,' and when you ask what's left, they say: 'Well, the typing is very good.'"

John Sayles, American Director

Work, Character, Day, Needs

44

"When I was 13 years old, a professional theater company in my town needed a kid actor. I auditioned, and I got the part, so for just a few weeks I became a member of the company and I met some professional actors."

"When I was 13 years old, a professional theater company in my town needed a kid actor. I auditioned, and I got the part, so for just a few weeks I became a member of the company and I met some professional actors."

Trevor Nunn, English Director

Actor, Actors, Company, Old

44

"I'm Godless. I've had to make my God, and my God is narrative filmmaking."

"I'm Godless. I've had to make my God, and my God is narrative filmmaking."

Darren Aronofsky, American Director

44

"I guess why the Ocean's films are hard for me is because on the one hand you have to make sure the performances are there, but on the other hand it's a film that demands, to my mind, a very layered and complex visual scheme. That takes a lot of time to figure out."

"I guess why the Ocean's films are hard for me is because on the one hand you have to make sure the performances are there, but on the other hand it's a film that demands, to my mind, a very layered and complex visual scheme. That takes a lot of time to figure out."

Steven Soderbergh, American Director

Time, Film, Mind, Ocean

44

"I work with a lot of movie stars."

"I work with a lot of movie stars."

Norman Jewison, Canadian Director

44

"These wrestlers aren't organized. They have no union, no pension and no insurance. You meet wrestler after wrestler who sold out Madison Square Garden ten years ago, basically running on fumes today. There's a lot of drama there."

"These wrestlers aren't organized. They have no union, no pension and no insurance. You meet wrestler after wrestler who sold out Madison Square Garden ten years ago, basically running on fumes today. There's a lot of drama there."

Darren Aronofsky, American Director

Wrestlers, Drama, Garden, Running, Today

44

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