--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a director you have to be at 30,000 ft…" description: "\"As a director you have to be at 30,000 ft objectively looking at everything, wondering if you're making the right objective, emotional, story, characte..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/alex-kurtzman-30346_character_as-a-director-you-have-to-be-at-30-000-f_431491.jpg" --- # As a director you have to be at 30,000 ft objectively… ![“As a director you have to be at 30,000 ft objectively looking at everything, wondering if you're making the right objective, emotional, story, character choices. As the writer, while you're asking all of those same questions, you're also forced by the nature of what writing is to be looking at…” quote by Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/alex-kurtzman-30346_character_as-a-director-you-have-to-be-at-30-000-f_431491.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/alex-kurtzman-30346_character_as-a-director-you-have-to-be-at-30-000-f_431491.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/alex-kurtzman-30346_character_as-a-director-you-have-to-be-at-30-000-f_431491.jpg) > “As a director you have to be at 30,000 ft objectively looking at everything, wondering if you're making the right objective, emotional, story, character choices. As the writer, while you're asking all of those same questions, you're also forced by the nature of what writing is to be looking at everything under a microscope. That's the difference between the two jobs.” [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing high‑level vision with detailed scrutiny is essential for directors and writers, each requiring different focus levels. **In simple terms:** Directors see the big picture; writers examine details. Key Takeaway Embrace both perspectives in your work. Themes creativity leadership detail orientation Mood reflective determined Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - film production - script development - creative meetings Key Concepts vision analysis storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How do you switch between macro and micro mindsets? - When does detail hinder progress? A Different Perspective Balancing may lead to analysis paralysis if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) [Director 30](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director-30-3802345/) [Emotional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Two jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-jobs/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writer Asking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-asking-3802344/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Looking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-looking-363849/) ## Related quotes > [And while dollars have little to do with it, the fiction writer should be asking the same question any capable film producer would ask:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-standiford/and-while-dollars-have-little-to-do-with-it-the-fiction-writer-should/) [Les Standiford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-standiford/) > [“Do not insult a writer by asking him questions related to books written by someone else. If you are not reading the books written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/do-not-insult-a-writer-by-asking-him-questions-related-to-books/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [Remember, with writing, what you’re looking for is just one person to come up and tell you, 'I love you for what you do.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/remember-with-writing-what-you-re-looking-for-is-just-one-person-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Conceptual writing is looking for that "Aha!" moment, when something so simple, right under our noses, is revealed as being awe- inspiring, profound, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/conceptual-writing-is-looking-for-that-aha-moment-when-something-so/) [Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/) > [“the translator says that a sentence is born into this world neither good nor bad, and that to establish its character is a question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cusk/the-translator-says-that-a-sentence-is-born-into-this-world-neither/) [Rachel Cusk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cusk/) > [Writing is looking for music between sentences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-densmore/writing-is-looking-for-music-between-sentences/) [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) > [First of all the criteria that I have that goes into any career decision is whether or not I have the life experience, emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cage/first-of-all-the-criteria-that-i-have-that-goes-into-any-career/) [Nicolas Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-cage/) > [As Harvard developmental psychologist Robert Kegan, who has studied Bridgewater, says, in most work places everyone is working two jobs. The first is whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/as-harvard-developmental-psychologist-robert-kegan-who-has-studied/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [It's coaches. It's people that are involved in kids' lives at every level, and it's supporting their parents. Their parents need better jobs. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-shalala/it-s-coaches-it-s-people-that-are-involved-in-kids-lives-at-every/) [Donna Shalala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-shalala/) > [My mom would get up every day at 4 A.M. and worked two jobs. I always felt I was the poorest kid on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-masvidal/my-mom-would-get-up-every-day-at-4-a-m-and-worked-two-jobs-i-always/) [Jorge Masvidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-masvidal/) > [Quality is more important than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/quality-is-more-important-than-quantity-one-home-run-is-much-better/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [My mom used to work two jobs to take care of me, my brothers, and my sisters. She worked hard to take care of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-alsina/my-mom-used-to-work-two-jobs-to-take-care-of-me-my-brothers-and-my/) [August Alsina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-alsina/) > [My students are working one, sometimes two jobs. They have kids. They're going school. They're dealing with real everyday problems. They are inspiring because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-biden/my-students-are-working-one-sometimes-two-jobs-they-have-kids-they-re/) [Jill Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-biden/) > [I worked with women who were nurses and workers, women who worked in hotels, janitors who basically cleaned buildings, worked two jobs just to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecile-richards/i-worked-with-women-who-were-nurses-and-workers-women-who-worked-in/) [Cecile Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecile-richards/) > [If you're the president you only have two jobs: peace and money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/if-you-re-the-president-you-only-have-two-jobs-peace-and-money/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) ## More by Alex Kurtzman > [When you're working on a scene, both in the script phase and also in the moment, you look around and you wait for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/when-you-re-working-on-a-scene-both-in-the-script-phase-and-also-in/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [I think our goal and intention is to make sure that, when you watch each episode, you don't have to make that choice, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/i-think-our-goal-and-intention-is-to-make-sure-that-when-you-watch/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [I think what all the Universal monster movies are defined by, and what makes them very special, is that it's really the only genre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/i-think-what-all-the-universal-monster-movies-are-defined-by-and-what/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [The thing for me, and I can only really judge this by what I respond to myself as an audience member, I really only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/the-thing-for-me-and-i-can-only-really-judge-this-by-what-i-respond/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [I think what people watch television for is the emotional continuity, from episode to episode, and feeling that the experience that they had, four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/i-think-what-people-watch-television-for-is-the-emotional-continuity/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [In fact, we actually listen to fans all the time. It's helpful because you want to get a sense of what people are looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/in-fact-we-actually-listen-to-fans-all-the-time-it-s-helpful-because/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [You used to have to make a choice. Is it a serialized television show, or is it a stand-alone or procedural? We were wildly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/you-used-to-have-to-make-a-choice-is-it-a-serialized-television-show/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [By actually taking Sleepy Hollow and the Rip Van Winkle story, and finding the spirit of what was great about both of them and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/by-actually-taking-sleepy-hollow-and-the-rip-van-winkle-story-and/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [When you start a script you aim to hit a note you know you want to end in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/when-you-start-a-script-you-aim-to-hit-a-note-you-know-you-want-to/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [I asked a director once what the secret of it all was, and he said you have to be so prepared that you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/i-asked-a-director-once-what-the-secret-of-it-all-was-and-he-said-you/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [I love the opportunity to tell the story about the characters through the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/i-love-the-opportunity-to-tell-the-story-about-the-characters-through/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [An emotional story is an emotional story no matter how big or small it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/an-emotional-story-is-an-emotional-story-no-matter-how-big-or-small/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [You always go by your gut. That's the best you can do. You go by what you feel, and you say yes or no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/you-always-go-by-your-gut-that-s-the-best-you-can-do-you-go-by-what/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [We were such fans of Sleepy Hollow, in all of its iterations - growing up with the Disney show, and then Tim Burton's and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/we-were-such-fans-of-sleepy-hollow-in-all-of-its-iterations-growing/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [I do believe that people go to the movies - for one reason or another - they go to the movies to have an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/i-do-believe-that-people-go-to-the-movies-for-one-reason-or-another/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) [Explore all 17 Alex Kurtzman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) [David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As a director you have to be at 30,000 ft objectively looking at everything, wondering if you're making the right objective, emotional, story, character choices. 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