--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ultimately, I prefer being in front of…" description: "\"Ultimately, I prefer being in front of the camera. I didn't train to be a director and my eye on it is purely a narrative exercise. I deal with the emo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf2/adrian-lester-6198_actor_ultimately-i-prefer-being-in-front-of-th_1534793.jpg" --- # Ultimately, I prefer being in front of the camera. I… ![“Ultimately, I prefer being in front of the camera. I didn't train to be a director and my eye on it is purely a narrative exercise. I deal with the emotions of the characters involved because I'm an actor.” quote by Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf2/adrian-lester-6198_actor_ultimately-i-prefer-being-in-front-of-th_1534793.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf2/adrian-lester-6198_actor_ultimately-i-prefer-being-in-front-of-th_1534793.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf2/adrian-lester-6198_actor_ultimately-i-prefer-being-in-front-of-th_1534793.jpg) > “Ultimately, I prefer being in front of the camera. I didn't train to be a director and my eye on it is purely a narrative exercise. I deal with the emotions of the characters involved because I'm an actor.” [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The actor prefers on‑camera work, seeing directing as a narrative tool rather than a career goal, and focuses on portraying characters’ emotions. **In simple terms:** He likes acting on camera and uses directing only for storytelling. Key Takeaway Focus on acting and narrative storytelling. Themes artistic expression career focus storytelling emotional depth Mood reflective enthusiastic inquisitive Type artistic motivational When to use this quote - film sets - theatre rehearsals - creative workshops Key Concepts character development visual storytelling performance technique Questions to Reflect On - How does narrative perspective influence performance? - What balance between acting and directing yields the best storytelling? A Different Perspective Directing may limit acting opportunities if pursued heavily. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) [Director Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director-eye-5703298/) [Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Involved Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involved-actor-306594/) [Narrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative/) [Narrative Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative-exercise-5703299/) [Prefer Camera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prefer-camera-2934393/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Train](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/train/) ## Related quotes > [I have to admit, if I had my druthers, I'd prefer one camera TV. 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But when there are not those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherien-dabis/when-there-s-an-actor-involved-the-actor-s-talking-to-the-director-or/) [Cherien Dabis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherien-dabis/) > ['Scandal' is certainly different from anything else I've been involved with as an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-malina/scandal-is-certainly-different-from-anything-else-i-ve-been-involved/) [Joshua Malina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-malina/) > [I like the timeframe involved in being an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-urban/i-like-the-timeframe-involved-in-being-an-actor/) [Karl Urban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-urban/) > [A digital director shouldn't be out front, but a campaign manager's job is to set a narrative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-parscale/a-digital-director-shouldn-t-be-out-front-but-a-campaign-manager-s/) [Brad Parscale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-parscale/) > [I've always been interested in medicine and was pleased when my brother became a doctor. 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The audiences pick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/there-s-always-a-subtle-shift-that-happens-in-any-play-i-ve-done-that/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [Never mind that British history is liberally dotted with ethnic minorities; to most scriptwriters they simply don't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/never-mind-that-british-history-is-liberally-dotted-with-ethnic/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [It's interesting, now we have these huge TVs with wonderful sound and so on at home, we're awash with wonderful dramas from so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/it-s-interesting-now-we-have-these-huge-tvs-with-wonderful-sound-and/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [What's been crucial to 'Hustle's' success is the sense that the gang could survive in prison or on the streets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/what-s-been-crucial-to-hustle-s-success-is-the-sense-that-the-gang/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [There are certain actors who, when they appear in a drama, you know exactly what you're going to get. That's not me - if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/there-are-certain-actors-who-when-they-appear-in-a-drama-you-know/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [Every time I've played a role - every time - I've been hit by the same response of 'Oh goodness, that's interesting.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/every-time-i-ve-played-a-role-every-time-i-ve-been-hit-by-the-same/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [I am brilliant at not doing paperwork. I could teach a degree in procrastination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/i-am-brilliant-at-not-doing-paperwork-i-could-teach-a-degree-in/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [At heart, I'm analogue. I'm one of those people who has to buy something if they walk past a stationery shop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/at-heart-i-m-analogue-i-m-one-of-those-people-who-has-to-buy/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [The Undeclared War' is one of those series that points at something that should concern us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/the-undeclared-war-is-one-of-those-series-that-points-at-something/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [I try to be as healthy as I can, but I fail in so many ways. Haagen-Dazs strawberry cheesecake ice cream is one downfall;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/i-try-to-be-as-healthy-as-i-can-but-i-fail-in-so-many-ways-haagen/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [When cosmetic surgery is used to hold back the passage of time I think it's a bit dodgy. I've been at the odd party…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/when-cosmetic-surgery-is-used-to-hold-back-the-passage-of-time-i/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [I'm not the kind of actor who's going to fit well with a long-running series unless that series offers me the chance to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/i-m-not-the-kind-of-actor-who-s-going-to-fit-well-with-a-long-running/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [I think the best characters are people you're not sure of, that you keep on going: 'God, I hate that person,' but you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/i-think-the-best-characters-are-people-you-re-not-sure-of-that-you/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [The arts safeguard our culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/the-arts-safeguard-our-culture/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) [Explore all 99 Adrian Lester quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. 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