--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've watched other directors as an actor…" description: "\"I've watched other directors as an actor and I picked up little things here and there about cameras, [but] I wouldn't consider myself the guy you'd wan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/billy-bob-thornton-2003_actors_i-ve-watched-other-directors-as-an-actor_861683.jpg" --- # I've watched other directors as an actor and I picked up… ![“I've watched other directors as an actor and I picked up little things here and there about cameras, [but] I wouldn't consider myself the guy you'd want to hire to do Star Trek.” quote by Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/billy-bob-thornton-2003_actors_i-ve-watched-other-directors-as-an-actor_861683.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/billy-bob-thornton-2003_actors_i-ve-watched-other-directors-as-an-actor_861683.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/billy-bob-thornton-2003_actors_i-ve-watched-other-directors-as-an-actor_861683.jpg) > “I've watched other directors as an actor and I picked up little things here and there about cameras, \[but\] I wouldn't consider myself the guy you'd want to hire to do Star Trek.” [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He acknowledges learning bits of filmmaking but doubts his suitability for big sci‑fi projects. **In simple terms:** He learned some camera skills but feels unfit for Star Trek. Key Takeaway Recognize your limits and play to strengths. Themes humility self‑assessment career Mood reflective honest Type advice personal insight When to use this quote - acting - directing - career planning - skill development Key Concepts film industry skill acquisition typecasting Questions to Reflect On - What strengths could you leverage in directing? - How can you gain confidence for larger projects? A Different Perspective He may underestimate transferable skills. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Cameras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cameras/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Little things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-things/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) ## Related quotes > [I was clearly the singing and dancing actor. When I was picked for serious roles, it came to me as a surprise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rituparna-sengupta/i-was-clearly-the-singing-and-dancing-actor-when-i-was-picked-for/) [Rituparna Sengupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rituparna-sengupta/) > [I used to sit near Marilyn Monroe in the Actor's Studio. She'd get dressed up because that was her identity. Sad. Those cameras wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-roberts/i-used-to-sit-near-marilyn-monroe-in-the-actor-s-studio-she-d-get/) [Doris Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-roberts/) > [I reached a point where I'd watched enough directors do the job that I felt I understood it. And it's not that I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gilroy/i-reached-a-point-where-i-d-watched-enough-directors-do-the-job-that/) [Dan Gilroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gilroy/) > [I've watched directors since my very first day of acting because I knew I wanted to direct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-nichols/i-ve-watched-directors-since-my-very-first-day-of-acting-because-i/) [Austin Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-nichols/) > [It is always good to be cast in films with good stories and content, made by such amazing banners and directors. 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Golly, I usually shop at Sears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/just-the-other-day-my-assistant-was-on-the-line-with-calvin-klein/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I don't have a fear of flying; I have a fear of crashing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-don-t-have-a-fear-of-flying-i-have-a-fear-of-crashing/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Heavy role in the movies that I've done that I have loved and fit my soul; A Simple Plan, Monster's Ball, Sling Blade, One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/heavy-role-in-the-movies-that-i-ve-done-that-i-have-loved-and-fit-my/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [When I was coming up in the '80s television, if you were on television that meant either you were a young actor just coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/when-i-was-coming-up-in-the-80s-television-if-you-were-on-television/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [The movies I've made about the South, they were my experience and it's something that I know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/the-movies-i-ve-made-about-the-south-they-were-my-experience-and-it-s/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Man, I was drowning in sadness. And Angelina, she lifted me right up out of there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/man-i-was-drowning-in-sadness-and-angelina-she-lifted-me-right-up-out/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I've been largely an improvisational actor for most of my career, except for when I've worked with the Coen brothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-ve-been-largely-an-improvisational-actor-for-most-of-my-career/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I always have an idea before we even start the movie because if you hire the wrong person, within a couple of days you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-always-have-an-idea-before-we-even-start-the-movie-because-if-you/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [People want the truth but they only want the truth so they can talk bad about you on the blog or on television. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/people-want-the-truth-but-they-only-want-the-truth-so-they-can-talk/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Usually when you're playing a character, you think a lot about their backstory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/usually-when-you-re-playing-a-character-you-think-a-lot-about-their/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I've lived in California for half of my life. It's weird, everyone thinks of me as this guy who's from the South ... I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-ve-lived-in-california-for-half-of-my-life-it-s-weird-everyone/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [You have to really know what you're saying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/you-have-to-really-know-what-you-re-saying/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [People a lot of times say that you know it must be hard to direct yourself. That's a myth. It's easier to direct yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/people-a-lot-of-times-say-that-you-know-it-must-be-hard-to-direct/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) [Explore all 192 Billy Bob Thornton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. 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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. 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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": "I've watched other directors as an actor and I picked up little things here and there about cameras, [but] I wouldn't consider myself the guy you'd want to hire to do Star Trek.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Billy Bob Thornton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-ve-watched-other-directors-as-an-actor-and-i-picked-up-little/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-ve-watched-other-directors-as-an-actor-and-i-picked-up-little/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/billy-bob-thornton-2003_actors_i-ve-watched-other-directors-as-an-actor_861683.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/billy-bob-thornton-2003_actors_i-ve-watched-other-directors-as-an-actor_861683.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/billy-bob-thornton-2003_actors_i-ve-watched-other-directors-as-an-actor_861683.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've watched other directors as an actor and I picked up little things here and there about cameras, [but] I…” — Billy Bob Thornton", "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": "Billy Bob Thornton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've watched other directors as an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-ve-watched-other-directors-as-an-actor-and-i-picked-up-little/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-ve-watched-other-directors-as-an-actor-and-i-picked-up-little/#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 } } ] } ```