--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not a frustrated movie director: I'm…" description: "\"I'm not a frustrated movie director: I'm not making games because I can't make movies.\" — David Cage" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/636/david-cage-5238_cinema_i-m-not-a-frustrated-movie-director-i-m_1039409.jpg" --- # I'm not a frustrated movie director: I'm not making games… ![“I'm not a frustrated movie director: I'm not making games because I can't make movies.” quote by David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/636/david-cage-5238_cinema_i-m-not-a-frustrated-movie-director-i-m_1039409.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/636/david-cage-5238_cinema_i-m-not-a-frustrated-movie-director-i-m_1039409.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/636/david-cage-5238_cinema_i-m-not-a-frustrated-movie-director-i-m_1039409.jpg) > “I'm not a frustrated movie director: I'm not making games because I can't make movies.” [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He distinguishes his career choice, emphasizing that his work in games is a deliberate artistic path, not a fallback for failed filmmaking. **In simple terms:** He chose games intentionally, not as a backup. Key Takeaway Recognize and own your true creative direction. Themes creativity career choice artistic integrity Mood reflective determined Type artistic career When to use this quote - film industry - game development - career counseling - personal branding Key Concepts self‑determination career identity Questions to Reflect On - What drives your creative medium choice? - How do you communicate your artistic intent? A Different Perspective He may still face industry bias or resource constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movies/) ## Related quotes > [When I look around and see how aged cartoonists continue to work on their manga and how movie directors create new movies all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shigeru-miyamoto/when-i-look-around-and-see-how-aged-cartoonists-continue-to-work-on/) [Shigeru Miyamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shigeru-miyamoto/) > [Stop making the same games about shooting something and driving; try something else. There is a market for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/stop-making-the-same-games-about-shooting-something-and-driving-try/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) > [One of the great things about being a director as a life choice is that it can never be mastered. Every story is its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-howard/one-of-the-great-things-about-being-a-director-as-a-life-choice-is/) [Ron Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-howard/) > [There's nobody who loves being around actors working more than David Mamet, especially actors bringing his tremendous dialogue to life. I've never seen a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-gregg/there-s-nobody-who-loves-being-around-actors-working-more-than-david/) [Clark Gregg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-gregg/) > ['Vicky Donor' or 'Madras Caf,' John's films have been path-breaking. I have full faith in the script of my movie, and my director, too,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harshvardhan-rane/vicky-donor-or-madras-caf-john-s-films-have-been-path-breaking-i-have/) [Harshvardhan Rane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harshvardhan-rane/) > [There are some moments in your life and in your career when you meet a movie and the director that suddenly just turns you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-desplat/there-are-some-moments-in-your-life-and-in-your-career-when-you-meet/) [Alexandre Desplat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-desplat/) > [Sometimes a director is making three films. Perhaps he is shooting a film in Madras and a film in Bombay and he can't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satyajit-ray/sometimes-a-director-is-making-three-films-perhaps-he-is-shooting-a/) [Satyajit Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satyajit-ray/) > [I'd wanted to be a director since I was five and had been making videos since I was a kid. Then YouTube came around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/i-d-wanted-to-be-a-director-since-i-was-five-and-had-been-making/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [When a director is making a movie after four years, it's not considered his comeback. It should be same with actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahima-chaudhry/when-a-director-is-making-a-movie-after-four-years-it-s-not/) [Mahima Chaudhry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahima-chaudhry/) > [Well, there's a great Marlon Brando quote that to do something well you have to spiritually marry your director. You have to be making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/well-there-s-a-great-marlon-brando-quote-that-to-do-something-well/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [A script is only as good as the director who's making it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mccrory/a-script-is-only-as-good-as-the-director-who-s-making-it/) [Helen McCrory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mccrory/) > [As an actor, I'm always playing solitary characters. But as a director, I'm always making ensemble movies, which focus on lots of people's lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/as-an-actor-i-m-always-playing-solitary-characters-but-as-a-director/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [I am not interested in simply working as a director. If I am not making movies that I want to make, that I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-furman/i-am-not-interested-in-simply-working-as-a-director-if-i-am-not/) [Brad Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-furman/) > [The main reason for choosing a project is not really the renown of the director that's making the project. I feel like it's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/song-kang-ho/the-main-reason-for-choosing-a-project-is-not-really-the-renown-of/) Song Kang-Ho > [“Making games is all to do but nothing is but to do is gone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-northtonkinge/making-games-is-all-to-do-but-nothing-is-but-to-do-is-gone/) Brad Northtonkinge ## More by David Cage > [If you played 'Heavy Rain,' there are very few cutscenes and very few moments where you don't have control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/if-you-played-heavy-rain-there-are-very-few-cutscenes-and-very-few/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) > [We, as individuals, are defined by the choices we make. Some of our decisions can have very significant consequences and totally change the courses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/we-as-individuals-are-defined-by-the-choices-we-make-some-of-our/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) > [Photography was inspired by painting, cinema by theatre and photography, I don't believe that any new art form was ever created from scratch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/photography-was-inspired-by-painting-cinema-by-theatre-and/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) > [I love unusual games, games that dare to be different and that are not based on violent actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/i-love-unusual-games-games-that-dare-to-be-different-and-that-are-not/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) > [I wish more people would be allowed to take risks and try new things and new ideas because new ideas are what this industry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/i-wish-more-people-would-be-allowed-to-take-risks-and-try-new-things/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) > [People trying new ideas are a blessing for gamers and in the industry in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/people-trying-new-ideas-are-a-blessing-for-gamers-and-in-the-industry/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) > [In a movie, you're just passive; you're just watching a story that is told to you. But in games, I saw that you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/in-a-movie-you-re-just-passive-you-re-just-watching-a-story-that-is/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) > [Freedom comes with responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/freedom-comes-with-responsibility/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) > [With 'Heavy Rain,' we're creating something that changes many traditional game paradigms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/with-heavy-rain-we-re-creating-something-that-changes-many/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) > ['Heavy Rain' was my baby, my reason to live, and my oxygen for four years. And seeing the successful release of the game has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/heavy-rain-was-my-baby-my-reason-to-live-and-my-oxygen-for-four-years/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) > ['Indigo Prophecy' already brought a lot of new features to the traditional adventure genre, including the Action system, MultiView, Bending Stories, etc. 'Heavy Rain'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/indigo-prophecy-already-brought-a-lot-of-new-features-to-the/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) > [Technology must remain a tool. It's a great tool, but technology is the pen to write the book. It's not the book. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/technology-must-remain-a-tool-it-s-a-great-tool-but-technology-is-the/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) > [The first movies were made by technicians building their own cameras. Movies became an art when technicians worked on the technique and artists took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/the-first-movies-were-made-by-technicians-building-their-own-cameras/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) > [Technology is not going to be perceived by different classes of people in the same way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/technology-is-not-going-to-be-perceived-by-different-classes-of/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) > [Getting the player emotionally involved is the holy grail. We try to make players forget they're playing a game. We want them to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/getting-the-player-emotionally-involved-is-the-holy-grail-we-try-to/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) [Explore all 102 David Cage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) ## 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 > [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": "I'm not a frustrated movie director: I'm not making games because I can't make movies.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Cage" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/i-m-not-a-frustrated-movie-director-i-m-not-making-games-because-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cinema" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/i-m-not-a-frustrated-movie-director-i-m-not-making-games-because-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/636/david-cage-5238_cinema_i-m-not-a-frustrated-movie-director-i-m_1039409.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/636/david-cage-5238_cinema_i-m-not-a-frustrated-movie-director-i-m_1039409.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/636/david-cage-5238_cinema_i-m-not-a-frustrated-movie-director-i-m_1039409.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm not a frustrated movie director: I'm not making games because I can't make movies.” — David Cage", "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": "David Cage", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm not a frustrated movie director:...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/i-m-not-a-frustrated-movie-director-i-m-not-making-games-because-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/i-m-not-a-frustrated-movie-director-i-m-not-making-games-because-i/#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 } } ] } ```