--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't see myself directing things I…" description: "\"I don't see myself directing things I don't write because, to me, directing was just an extension of the writing process.\" — Danny Strong" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/danny-strong-15949_directing_i-don-t-see-myself-directing-things-i-do_1234435.png" --- # I don't see myself directing things I don't write because… ![“I don't see myself directing things I don't write because, to me, directing was just an extension of the writing process.” quote by Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/danny-strong-15949_directing_i-don-t-see-myself-directing-things-i-do_1234435.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/danny-strong-15949_directing_i-don-t-see-myself-directing-things-i-do_1234435.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/danny-strong-15949_directing_i-don-t-see-myself-directing-things-i-do_1234435.png) > “I don't see myself directing things I don't write because, to me, directing was just an extension of the writing process.” [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Directing feels like an extension of writing, so he prefers to write rather than direct. **In simple terms:** He sees directing as writing in motion. Key Takeaway Focus on writing if that feels natural. Themes creativity craft career Mood thoughtful curious reflective Type personal career When to use this quote - writing workshops - film set - indie projects Key Concepts film production storytelling Questions to Reflect On - Do you ever consider directing? - How might directing enhance your writing? A Different Perspective Directing offers unique visual storytelling opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Directing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directing/) [Directing Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directing-just-1972396/) [Directing Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directing-things-3830397/) [Extensions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extensions/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Write Directing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-directing-3830396/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-process/) ## Related quotes > [Writing and directing just sort of fell into my lap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-krasinski/writing-and-directing-just-sort-of-fell-into-my-lap/) [John Krasinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-krasinski/) > [The prospect of being able to work on a Kaufman film with him directing was just too good to be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-wood/the-prospect-of-being-able-to-work-on-a-kaufman-film-with-him/) [Elijah Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-wood/) > [In a lot of movies, honestly, the directors don't talk to you that much. Maybe they say, "Faster, slower," whatever. Sometimes they give you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-turturro/in-a-lot-of-movies-honestly-the-directors-don-t-talk-to-you-that-much/) [John Turturro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-turturro/) > [I would love to start directing. I just hope to find the right thing and, if I was afforded the opportunity, I think it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-peck/i-would-love-to-start-directing-i-just-hope-to-find-the-right-thing/) [Josh Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-peck/) > [With directing, you always have three or four things constantly on the go. It's a tough industry and a tough time, particularly if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-townsend/with-directing-you-always-have-three-or-four-things-constantly-on-the/) [Stuart Townsend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-townsend/) > [It's so funny when you're actually directing because things start popping that you don't expect to pop, and something that you think is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-moyer/it-s-so-funny-when-you-re-actually-directing-because-things-start/) [Stephen Moyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-moyer/) > [Business is usually a team sport. There isn't one great person sitting there directing things. You can't run an effective business like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-schwarzman/business-is-usually-a-team-sport-there-isn-t-one-great-person-sitting/) [Stephen A. Schwarzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-schwarzman/) > [You know, at this point, my focus still is acting, but I think at some point in time, I definitely want to do some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-earle-haley/you-know-at-this-point-my-focus-still-is-acting-but-i-think-at-some/) [Jackie Earle Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-earle-haley/) > [I wanted to express myself more fully through writing and directing. It just feels like a package deal. Anytime you create anything, you try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-donovan/i-wanted-to-express-myself-more-fully-through-writing-and-directing/) [Martin Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-donovan/) > [ Much of directing \[a movie\] is not directing but just listening and being present in the moment and just keeping your eyes open. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/much-of-directing-a-movie-is-not-directing-but-just-listening-and/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) > [Writing, directing - it's just torture every time and it doesn't seem to get any easier. And yet I love them and I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marielle-heller/writing-directing-it-s-just-torture-every-time-and-it-doesn-t-seem-to/) [Marielle Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marielle-heller/) > [I was just interested in directing. So I just kept having a go at trying to write little scripts and get things together, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-capaldi/i-was-just-interested-in-directing-so-i-just-kept-having-a-go-at/) [Peter Capaldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-capaldi/) > [ There's no real rules about what you do \[while directing\]; it's just you just use your instincts as to the pacing of a film… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/there-s-no-real-rules-about-what-you-do-while-directing-it-s-just-you/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > [I enjoy co-directing or even being there just for support because you get to see your script come to aural life in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhianna-pratchett/i-enjoy-co-directing-or-even-being-there-just-for-support-because-you/) [Rhianna Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhianna-pratchett/) > [Directing, I just feel comfortable. I know what I want. I know what I want from my crew. I lead by example. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-schroder/directing-i-just-feel-comfortable-i-know-what-i-want-i-know-what-i/) [Ricky Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-schroder/) ## More by Danny Strong > [Even from a really young age I was a huge movie buff - five, six, seven, eight. Just loved movies, but in a more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/even-from-a-really-young-age-i-was-a-huge-movie-buff-five-six-seven/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [I read an interview with Aaron Sorkin and he said he plays every part when he's writing. I thought, "Oh, I do that too!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-read-an-interview-with-aaron-sorkin-and-he-said-he-plays-every-part/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [I love the idea of a movie hero in a thriller who is able to get ahead by just his brilliance, and not with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-love-the-idea-of-a-movie-hero-in-a-thriller-who-is-able-to-get/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [To have a show have lawyers fighting civil rights cases week in and week out, I think it's exactly what we need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/to-have-a-show-have-lawyers-fighting-civil-rights-cases-week-in-and/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [I don't use my writing career as a vehicle to get me acting work or to write roles for myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-don-t-use-my-writing-career-as-a-vehicle-to-get-me-acting-work-or/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [The auditioning process is one in which the actor gets very little information about almost every element of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/the-auditioning-process-is-one-in-which-the-actor-gets-very-little/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [I started writing when I was 26, so I don't even know what year that was. I wrote a script for me to star…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-started-writing-when-i-was-26-so-i-don-t-even-know-what-year-that/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [Usually if a scene's really hard to write, I just don't write it. Nothing's coming to mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/usually-if-a-scene-s-really-hard-to-write-i-just-don-t-write-it/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [I find that when people get a script, they know within five pages if the writer can write. Once you're five pages in, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-find-that-when-people-get-a-script-they-know-within-five-pages-if/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [I think most of America is seeing the strings behind the campaign, and sees the crass political maneuvers that people are making. I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-think-most-of-america-is-seeing-the-strings-behind-the-campaign-and/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [“Whatever strength, courage... madness keeps us going, we find it, in times like these. You have it, soldier. It's what kept you alive all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/whatever-strength-courage-madness-keeps-us-going-we-find-it-in-times/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [The exciting thing about today with the Internet, streaming, and YouTube, is you can just go do it. You can go make a short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/the-exciting-thing-about-today-with-the-internet-streaming-and/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [People that work at the White House, they stay forever and love the job. Someone asked me, "Was there really a butler that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/people-that-work-at-the-white-house-they-stay-forever-and-love-the/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [Everything I've written up to now, hasn't had anything to do with my life really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/everything-i-ve-written-up-to-now-hasn-t-had-anything-to-do-with-my/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [I was alone a lot as a kid, because my parents were divorced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-was-alone-a-lot-as-a-kid-because-my-parents-were-divorced/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) [Explore all 41 Danny Strong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) ## More Directing quotes > [Anybody can direct a picture once they know the fundamentals. Directing is not a mystery, it's not an art. The main thing about directing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ford/anybody-can-direct-a-picture-once-they-know-the-fundamentals/) [John Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ford/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [That's what I learned most about directing on my own - you've got to build a family, a filmmaking family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/that-s-what-i-learned-most-about-directing-on-my-own-you-ve-got-to/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [I took on the role of CEO, which involves directing the Management Team and overall day-to-day operations of 500.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-tsai/i-took-on-the-role-of-ceo-which-involves-directing-the-management/) [Christine Tsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-tsai/) > [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/) > [When I see my movies on the editing table, I do think I could have done them a certain way. The satisfaction is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sajid-nadiadwala/when-i-see-my-movies-on-the-editing-table-i-do-think-i-could-have/) [Sajid Nadiadwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sajid-nadiadwala/) > [For me the dream is the freedom to make all the crazy ideas I have in my head into movies. I truly love directing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-ozeki/for-me-the-dream-is-the-freedom-to-make-all-the-crazy-ideas-i-have-in/) [Nicholas Ozeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-ozeki/) > [The producing thing has come quite naturally to me. I feel like for directing, I would like to be more technically-savvy. I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/the-producing-thing-has-come-quite-naturally-to-me-i-feel-like-for/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I'm addicted to directing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-shankman/i-m-addicted-to-directing/) [Adam Shankman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-shankman/) > [Making a movie and not directing the little moments is like drinking a soda and leaving the little slurp puddle for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/making-a-movie-and-not-directing-the-little-moments-is-like-drinking/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Directing films is easier said than done. The job needs a lot of sensibility to put many things in place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-sethupathi/directing-films-is-easier-said-than-done-the-job-needs-a-lot-of/) [Vijay Sethupathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-sethupathi/) > [I starred in a Broadway play that was Sidney Poitier's first directing job and the cast was Lou Gossett, Cicely Tyson, Diana Ladd and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steinberg/i-starred-in-a-broadway-play-that-was-sidney-poitier-s-first/) [David Steinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steinberg/) > [I don't get nervous when I'm directing a play. It's not like acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/i-don-t-get-nervous-when-i-m-directing-a-play-it-s-not-like-acting/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [My dad's a prominent theatre director in Toronto, so I grew up in that world, directing and producing theater since I was a teenager.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gass-donnelly/my-dad-s-a-prominent-theatre-director-in-toronto-so-i-grew-up-in-that/) [Ed Gass-Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gass-donnelly/) > [The hardest part about directing is getting everyone on the same page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-marshall/the-hardest-part-about-directing-is-getting-everyone-on-the-same-page/) [Rob Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-marshall/) [Browse all 1,163 Directing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't see myself directing things I don't write because, to me, directing was just an extension of the writing process.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Danny Strong" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-don-t-see-myself-directing-things-i-don-t-write-because-to-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Directing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-don-t-see-myself-directing-things-i-don-t-write-because-to-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/danny-strong-15949_directing_i-don-t-see-myself-directing-things-i-do_1234435.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/danny-strong-15949_directing_i-don-t-see-myself-directing-things-i-do_1234435.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/danny-strong-15949_directing_i-don-t-see-myself-directing-things-i-do_1234435.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't see myself directing things I don't write because, to me, directing was just an extension of the…” — Danny Strong", "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": "Danny Strong", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't see myself directing things...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-don-t-see-myself-directing-things-i-don-t-write-because-to-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-don-t-see-myself-directing-things-i-don-t-write-because-to-me/#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 } } ] } ```