--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you're a great documentary filmmaker…" description: "\"If you're a great documentary filmmaker, it doesn't necessarily mean that you're a great narrative filmmaker. There are fantastic documentary filmmaker..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df9/alexander-skarsgard-8940_actors_if-you-re-a-great-documentary-filmmaker_1123107.jpg" --- # If you're a great documentary filmmaker, it doesn't… ![“If you're a great documentary filmmaker, it doesn't necessarily mean that you're a great narrative filmmaker. There are fantastic documentary filmmakers that can't direct actors. You don't have to do that in a documentary, if it's a real documentary.” quote by Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df9/alexander-skarsgard-8940_actors_if-you-re-a-great-documentary-filmmaker_1123107.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df9/alexander-skarsgard-8940_actors_if-you-re-a-great-documentary-filmmaker_1123107.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df9/alexander-skarsgard-8940_actors_if-you-re-a-great-documentary-filmmaker_1123107.jpg) > “If you're a great documentary filmmaker, it doesn't necessarily mean that you're a great narrative filmmaker. There are fantastic documentary filmmakers that can't direct actors. You don't have to do that in a documentary, if it's a real documentary.” [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being skilled in documentary filmmaking does not guarantee skill in narrative filmmaking, as they require different techniques and focuses. **In simple terms:** Documentary skill ≠ narrative skill. Key Takeaway Recognize and develop distinct storytelling abilities. Themes film craft skill storytelling genre Mood reflective analytical Type educational insightful When to use this quote - film school - career transition - collaborating with actors - budget constraints - audience expectations Key Concepts visual storytelling directing actors creative process Questions to Reflect On - How can you bridge the gap between documentary and narrative techniques? - What specific skills need development for narrative directing? A Different Perspective Documentary expertise may not translate to narrative success without practice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Direct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direct/) [Documentaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentaries/) [Documentary Filmmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentary-filmmaker-929757/) [Documentary Filmmakers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentary-filmmakers-341333/) [Fantastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantastic/) [Filmmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaker/) [Filmmaker Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaker-doesn-1168278/) [Filmmakers Direct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmakers-direct-816080/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Narrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative/) [Narrative Filmmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative-filmmaker-2740335/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) ## Related quotes > [I'd always wanted to work in television once I found out that they started to hire independent filmmakers to direct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-shelton/i-d-always-wanted-to-work-in-television-once-i-found-out-that-they/) [Lynn Shelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-shelton/) > [Maybe today I would call Fred Leuchter and there would be two or three other documentary filmmakers interested in his story simply because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/maybe-today-i-would-call-fred-leuchter-and-there-would-be-two-or/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [I think independent filmmakers, documentary filmmakers - they are journalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/i-think-independent-filmmakers-documentary-filmmakers-they-are/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [My advice to emerging documentary filmmakers would be: try to find other people, a group, a cooperative that you can work with. Filmmaking is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-yates/my-advice-to-emerging-documentary-filmmakers-would-be-try-to-find/) [Pamela Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-yates/) > [Chris Marker has a brilliant mind and heart and appetite for life, and it's a privilege to travel with him to whatever he chooses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/chris-marker-has-a-brilliant-mind-and-heart-and-appetite-for-life-and/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [I tried so hard to be a more avant-garde, less narrative filmmaker, but it just didn't come naturally to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-reichardt/i-tried-so-hard-to-be-a-more-avant-garde-less-narrative-filmmaker-but/) [Kelly Reichardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-reichardt/) > [Since I come from documentary background and my father is a documentary filmmaker, for me the core essence of cinema is it's social statement.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-tverdovsky/since-i-come-from-documentary-background-and-my-father-is-a/) [Ivan Tverdovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-tverdovsky/) > [When the American documentary filmmaker Donn Alan Pennebaker wanted to do a film on Dylan, Dylan asked him what he'd already done, and Pennebaker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-depardon/when-the-american-documentary-filmmaker-donn-alan-pennebaker-wanted/) [Raymond Depardon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-depardon/) > [I've never seen myself as a documentary filmmaker. I see myself as a filmmaker, period, and I am interested in drama as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/i-ve-never-seen-myself-as-a-documentary-filmmaker-i-see-myself-as-a/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [The biggest misconception is that I'm only a documentary filmmaker, but in fact I have made many narrative shorts. My biggest inspirations are narrative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hammond/the-biggest-misconception-is-that-i-m-only-a-documentary-filmmaker/) [Alex Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hammond/) > [For a documentary filmmaker, I do very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/for-a-documentary-filmmaker-i-do-very-well/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [I never intended to be a documentary filmmaker. I think I became a documentary filmmaker because I had trouble writing, and I had trouble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/i-never-intended-to-be-a-documentary-filmmaker-i-think-i-became-a/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Witnessing is the essence of being a documentary filmmaker. Capturing moments in time; never knowing how history will judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-yates/witnessing-is-the-essence-of-being-a-documentary-filmmaker-capturing/) [Pamela Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-yates/) > [It's a privilege to have the career I have, to love every day and be following my passion, the stories that interest me, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietra-brettkelly/it-s-a-privilege-to-have-the-career-i-have-to-love-every-day-and-be/) [Pietra Brettkelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietra-brettkelly/) > [There's a really fine line between artistic license and artistic licentiousness. And history is a lousy filmmaker. It doesn't give you all the ingredients…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-mccarten/there-s-a-really-fine-line-between-artistic-license-and-artistic/) [Anthony McCarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-mccarten/) ## More by Alexander Skarsgard > [When I was four or five, I would organise my cars and my action figures. I needed some kind of structure, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/when-i-was-four-or-five-i-would-organise-my-cars-and-my-action/) [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) > [To me, when I watch movies, it's always fun to watch the bad cop or the bad guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/to-me-when-i-watch-movies-it-s-always-fun-to-watch-the-bad-cop-or-the/) [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) > [There's something I love about how stark the contrast is between January and June in Sweden. In a way, I feel that time doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/there-s-something-i-love-about-how-stark-the-contrast-is-between/) [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) > [You can never connect on a deeper level if you idolise someone - you don't see the real person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/you-can-never-connect-on-a-deeper-level-if-you-idolise-someone-you/) [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) > [When we were shooting in Shreveport, me and a couple of friends went down to Lafayette, because they had a big Zydeco music festival…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/when-we-were-shooting-in-shreveport-me-and-a-couple-of-friends-went/) [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) > [I've been a member of Greenpeace since I was a teenager.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/i-ve-been-a-member-of-greenpeace-since-i-was-a-teenager/) [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) > [It was always chaos with Mom, Dad, uncles, you know; we all lived in the same building. Dinner parties with 25 people every night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/it-was-always-chaos-with-mom-dad-uncles-you-know-we-all-lived-in-the/) [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) > [A lot of times we associate Greenpeace and climate change and shrinking polar caps with heavy-handed, weighty material. It's somber stuff. But with Funny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/a-lot-of-times-we-associate-greenpeace-and-climate-change-and/) [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) > [ Whether I'm interested \[in something\] or not, step one is read the script and figure out if a character is someone I'd want to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/whether-i-m-interested-in-something-or-not-step-one-is-read-the/) [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) > [When you meet someone, of course you want it to last forever. It'd be very depressing if you didn't feel that way. But things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/when-you-meet-someone-of-course-you-want-it-to-last-forever-it-d-be/) [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) > [I was raised by this whole community of artists. It was pretty wild.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/i-was-raised-by-this-whole-community-of-artists-it-was-pretty-wild/) [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) > [Life is crazy. You travel and you're busy and there's so much going on that it's important to have the moments where you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/life-is-crazy-you-travel-and-you-re-busy-and-there-s-so-much-going-on/) [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) > [I'm not interested in parts where they are looking for a good-looking guy. I want to be a weird little sidekick in a crazy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/i-m-not-interested-in-parts-where-they-are-looking-for-a-good-looking/) [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) > [I don't really have a three-year plan or a five-year plan. I don't know what's next, and that's what I find quite exciting. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/i-don-t-really-have-a-three-year-plan-or-a-five-year-plan-i-don-t/) [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) > [Why do I love being naked? Because I was born that way?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/why-do-i-love-being-naked-because-i-was-born-that-way/) [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) [Explore all 76 Alexander Skarsgard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [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/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [When we watch a film as actors, you have to understand that we always see much more than what's on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/when-we-watch-a-film-as-actors-you-have-to-understand-that-we-always/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [As actors, you become an expert at starting over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-actors-you-become-an-expert-at-starting-over/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [American actors are coy. We all have pricks and cunts, or are you different from the rest of us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/american-actors-are-coy-we-all-have-pricks-and-cunts-or-are-you/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) [Browse all 11,394 Actors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you're a great documentary filmmaker, it doesn't necessarily mean that you're a great narrative filmmaker. There are fantastic documentary filmmakers that can't direct actors. You don't have to do that in a documentary, if it's a real documentary.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alexander Skarsgard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/if-you-re-a-great-documentary-filmmaker-it-doesn-t-necessarily-mean/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/if-you-re-a-great-documentary-filmmaker-it-doesn-t-necessarily-mean/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df9/alexander-skarsgard-8940_actors_if-you-re-a-great-documentary-filmmaker_1123107.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df9/alexander-skarsgard-8940_actors_if-you-re-a-great-documentary-filmmaker_1123107.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df9/alexander-skarsgard-8940_actors_if-you-re-a-great-documentary-filmmaker_1123107.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you're a great documentary filmmaker, it doesn't necessarily mean that you're a great narrative…” — Alexander Skarsgard", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alexander Skarsgard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you're a great documentary filmmaker,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/if-you-re-a-great-documentary-filmmaker-it-doesn-t-necessarily-mean/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/if-you-re-a-great-documentary-filmmaker-it-doesn-t-necessarily-mean/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```