--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In cinema, the leading player is the…" description: "\"In cinema, the leading player is the director.\" — Ben Kingsley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67d/ben-kingsley-5765_cinema_in-cinema-the-leading-player-is-the-dire_1986055.jpg" --- # In cinema, the leading player is the director. ![“In cinema, the leading player is the director.” quote by Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67d/ben-kingsley-5765_cinema_in-cinema-the-leading-player-is-the-dire_1986055.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67d/ben-kingsley-5765_cinema_in-cinema-the-leading-player-is-the-dire_1986055.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67d/ben-kingsley-5765_cinema_in-cinema-the-leading-player-is-the-dire_1986055.jpg) > “In cinema, the leading player is the director.” [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Asserting that the director holds ultimate creative control in cinema. **In simple terms:** Directors shape a film's final form. Key Takeaway Respect the director’s vision. Themes film creativity leadership artistic control Mood analytical thoughtful Type critical educational When to use this quote - film production meetings - directorial workshops - creative collaborations Key Concepts aesthetic theory collaborative process visual storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How does collaboration affect artistic ownership? - When should a director yield? A Different Perspective Directors may overlook contributors’ input. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Cinema Leading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema-leading-3417988/) [Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Leading Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leading-player-3417990/) [Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/player/) [Player Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/player-director-3417989/) ## Related quotes > [I think people around you should feel like you're always approachable and always open. I mean, kindness - top of the list. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-davie/i-think-people-around-you-should-feel-like-you-re-always-approachable/) [Erin Davie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-davie/) > [“he derives the utmost pleasure from leading a player across “the bridge of finding out who he was and who he has to be,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-cohen/he-derives-the-utmost-pleasure-from-leading-a-player-across-the/) [Ben Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-cohen/) > [As a director who loves the camera you learn a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfonso-gomez-rejon/as-a-director-who-loves-the-camera-you-learn-a-lot/) [Alfonso Gomez-Rejon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfonso-gomez-rejon/) > [If I really want to do something, I'll go in and do whatever the director feels that he needs me to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-pfeiffer/if-i-really-want-to-do-something-i-ll-go-in-and-do-whatever-the/) [Michelle Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-pfeiffer/) > [The lack of women directors is a sad fact of life. Kathryn Bigelow's thrilling Best Director win may help turn things around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-obst/the-lack-of-women-directors-is-a-sad-fact-of-life-kathryn-bigelow-s/) [Lynda Obst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-obst/) > [When you work with a great director, you realise you are far from being a director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkhad-abdi/when-you-work-with-a-great-director-you-realise-you-are-far-from/) [Barkhad Abdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkhad-abdi/) > [I need to gain a lot more experience. I think so much of being a director, other than the technical aspect and the artistry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-peck/i-need-to-gain-a-lot-more-experience-i-think-so-much-of-being-a/) [Josh Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-peck/) > [The most important thing for a director is being able to communicate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/the-most-important-thing-for-a-director-is-being-able-to-communicate/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [When you work with a great director, you can have a great partnership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/when-you-work-with-a-great-director-you-can-have-a-great-partnership/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [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/) > [Sometimes you can't even find the director on a movie set. Sometimes you don't want to find the director on a movie set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-tucci/sometimes-you-can-t-even-find-the-director-on-a-movie-set-sometimes/) [Stanley Tucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-tucci/) > [Steven Spielberg seems to have wanted to be a director from 13. He put his dog in a certain position and made him eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/steven-spielberg-seems-to-have-wanted-to-be-a-director-from-13-he-put/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [There was always a part of me that wanted to be an old-time director. But I couldn't do that. I'm not a pro.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/there-was-always-a-part-of-me-that-wanted-to-be-an-old-time-director/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) > [A successful director is someone who has the combination of skills that you can learn, but there's also an intuitive sensibility that they bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-heinrichs/a-successful-director-is-someone-who-has-the-combination-of-skills/) [Rick Heinrichs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-heinrichs/) ## More by Ben Kingsley > [Millions of children are disempowered and we need to empower them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/millions-of-children-are-disempowered-and-we-need-to-empower-them/) [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) > [We are adjusters. We empathize, we change rhythm and above all we listen to our fellow actors-if they're good actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/we-are-adjusters-we-empathize-we-change-rhythm-and-above-all-we/) [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) > [When Attenborough asked me to do Gandhi it was almost like stepping off one boat and stepping on to another, even though both boats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/when-attenborough-asked-me-to-do-gandhi-it-was-almost-like-stepping/) [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) > [There is always something about the villains that I'm able to play, quote unquote, that isn't villainous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/there-is-always-something-about-the-villains-that-i-m-able-to-play/) [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) > [Family is family over the internet, over Skype, over the telephone. Love is love. You don't have to actually go through some ritual to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/family-is-family-over-the-internet-over-skype-over-the-telephone-love/) [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) > [Fifteen years before I became a screen actor, I was in the theatre. A lot of my work was comedy, which I loved doing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/fifteen-years-before-i-became-a-screen-actor-i-was-in-the-theatre-a/) [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) > [But comedy I'd love to do as much as humanly possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/but-comedy-i-d-love-to-do-as-much-as-humanly-possible/) [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) > [You can throw away the privilege of acting, but that would be such a shame. The tribe has elected you to tell its story.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/you-can-throw-away-the-privilege-of-acting-but-that-would-be-such-a/) [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) > [I just loved playing a man who was unafraid of making an idiot of himself in the process of falling in love. I found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/i-just-loved-playing-a-man-who-was-unafraid-of-making-an-idiot-of/) [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) > [When you drop your guard in films, the acting process compensates. You get lazy and you start acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/when-you-drop-your-guard-in-films-the-acting-process-compensates-you/) [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) > [When I choose a role it's either because I recognise the man, or that I'm very curious to know him. If I neither recognise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/when-i-choose-a-role-it-s-either-because-i-recognise-the-man-or-that/) [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) > [If one is going to offer children stories that underneath the story must be something that will inform, stimulate and guide, I love to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/if-one-is-going-to-offer-children-stories-that-underneath-the-story/) [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) > [It is better for me to serve a charity as an actor or a voice, rather than at a luncheon being just a celebrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/it-is-better-for-me-to-serve-a-charity-as-an-actor-or-a-voice-rather/) [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) > [The leaping Jaguar on the bonnet, to me, makes it look more like a hunter than something that is getting away. It's a hunter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/the-leaping-jaguar-on-the-bonnet-to-me-makes-it-look-more-like-a/) [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) > [I don't honestly think people know what acting is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/i-don-t-honestly-think-people-know-what-acting-is/) [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) [Explore all 100 Ben Kingsley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) ## More Cinema quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [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/) > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [There was a time in the 1980s when I worked in 22 films a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-ravi/there-was-a-time-in-the-1980s-when-i-worked-in-22-films-a-year/) [Radha Ravi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-ravi/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [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/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) [Jessica Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-yu/) > [I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/i-am-not-interested-in-churning-out-a-certain-number-of-films-every/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) [Browse all 23,940 Cinema quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In cinema, the leading player is the director.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Kingsley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/in-cinema-the-leading-player-is-the-director/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cinema" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/in-cinema-the-leading-player-is-the-director/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67d/ben-kingsley-5765_cinema_in-cinema-the-leading-player-is-the-dire_1986055.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67d/ben-kingsley-5765_cinema_in-cinema-the-leading-player-is-the-dire_1986055.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67d/ben-kingsley-5765_cinema_in-cinema-the-leading-player-is-the-dire_1986055.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In cinema, the leading player is the director.” — Ben Kingsley", "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": "Ben Kingsley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In cinema, the leading player is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/in-cinema-the-leading-player-is-the-director/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/in-cinema-the-leading-player-is-the-director/#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 } } ] } ```